Explaining the difference between presses

[jeepyj]

I've taught many both hobbies in the last few years. Those with interest but don't know where to start I usually start with explaining that I treat it like two separate hobbies one reloading and the other is casting. Then pull out a pocket example of a cast boolit that has been powder coated and explain there are relatively few the actually made the projectiles but quite a few more that reload a cartridge. Next if I feel that if they are the type of person I wouldn't mind inviting to home I do so and will train them if I'm sceptical then I encourage them to play on YouTube and go from there. Good luck and yes it's good that you're trying to help.

[CraigOK]

Thats a good point, I learned to reload before I became aware of casting. That made it easier I think, but I still have a lot to learn

[Wayne Smith]

If he is actually interested introduce him to the Lyman company. They publish excellent instruction manuals for each and every tool and have a muzzleloading manual as well.

[ulav8r]

Taught myself reloading and casting. Started with a Lee Loader for my 308 in the summer of 1968. About a year later went to a Lyman 310 tool with 44 Special dies modified to load cut down brass for a German Reischrevolver. Late '72-'73 added a Rockchucker. Shortly after that I bought a Lyman manual, a Lee 429-214 mold and started casting. Not an expert by any means, but have done lots of reading and kept casting, loading, and shooting along when I had the time and money. Only one issue with any of my loads, loaded some military 308 brass that flattened primers and stuck the bolt a little. That load had been developed with commercial brass and foolishly thought it was enough below max to be OK in the military brass. Luckily no permanent damage and a lesson well remembered. That was about 1976-77.

[GregLaROCHE]

Find a video of each operation on YouTube and send them to him.

[Three44s]

I would redirect him to concentrate on reloading first, then casting after that. If he washes out at reloading he will not have as much to have to dispense with because he did not waste time fretting about making Boolits

I think showing him a casing, a j word and a boolit separately is a good idea as well. The rest should be his initiative in reading, then come back with informed questions.

Three44s

[Walks]

Three's has it right. But don't forget a primer.
Tape it to a business card.

[GP100man]

I agree we shouldn't beat em with book work , BUT as Three`s said it takes the persons initiative to want to learn .

As the ole sayin goes "you can lead a horse to water".

I`ve introduced many to reloading/handloading but few follow thru , either time or commitment issues get in the way.


GP

[WinchesterColt]

Thank you, LandOwner! I'm new to reloading and it can be difficult knowing where to start. It can be confusing - there's quite a bit to know.

But thankfully I know how to learn and how to study a subject. I don't go bananas when things don't make sense, and know how to work through the bogs.

There are two things that can make a huge difference, well, three actually, when learning something.

1. Gradients. Start with something simple, grasp that, then go onto the next. This applies both to studying and to physical skills. If the next step isn't making sense or one falls flat, go back a step and handle what was missed there. When there's a lot to know, it can be daunting confronted the full subject, so break it down into easily assimilable steps. Sometimes I find I have to just grab at something I CAN understand and then start relating/aligning other parts of the subject to what I do know.
2. When studying about something without the actual physical object to hand, one can feel squashed and get headaches or other physical phenomena. The solution is to see the actual object, or at least get pictures of it, or drawings. One can also make drawings or demonstrate how it works with objects like erasers, pens, rocks, etc.
3. And probably the most important - define the words. That seems to be the most violated of all the learning tools. How can anyone grasp a subject if he doesn't know what the terms mean, or thinks they mean something else? Just because a person thinks it's called a clip (instead of magazine) is no reason for ridicule. Once he's got the definitions cleared up, if he still insists on calling it a clip, then something is weird.

I'm sure those of you who are frustrated trying to pass on this information have fallen into some of these learning/teaching sink-holes. When you know something really well, it's difficult getting back to the simplest basics. It's like the newbie has to sweep the floor and take out the trash for some time, or wax on, wax off, before moving up to the next level. Don't give him everything at once - it can be overwhelming. Maybe just a simple overview and leave it at that.

[David2011]

Maybe explain that he can load ammunition with factory made bullets and he doesn’t need a bullet sizer or lubricator and that a lubrisizer is only for finishing cast lead bullets.

[Three44s]

WinchesterColt,

Reading your text on learning tells me you won’t have much trouble learning this craft!

Well done!

Three44s

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

You clearly have enough knowledge to explain these things to someone with a modicum of intelligence. So, since you haven't been successful yet, I suggest you use a metaphor from a more universal subject. How about comparing these things with a automotive wheel and tire. two different things, made by two different processes and different machines. The two items (wheel and tire) can't really do much by themselves, but put them two finished products together, and you can accomplish great things.

[1hole]

... I've been trying to explain to someone that a lube sizing press and a Reloading press are different and do different operations. ... how can I explain the difference to a less knowledgeable person without starting an argument ?

I presume your hard-headed friend is a "liberal Democrat"? If so, there's nothing you can say that will enlighten him about anything in the real world.

Any words from our more experienced, more knowledgeable, members? (Yes I should have just kept my mouth shut, but sometimes the mouth talks before the brain reacts )

Yes. When confronted with determined ignorance about anything, take a break, control your mouth and let them happily return to their bong. Seriously.

[Jack Stanley]

If it was easy , anyone could do it . For some it's more a matter of fishing for information they can use in another conversation to make themselves seem intelligent .

Using the equipment we all use is not difficult , it may require reading and comprehension skills though .

Jack

[1hole]

If it was easy , anyone could do it. ..... Using the equipment we all use is not difficult , it may require reading and comprehension skills though.

Roger that.

It's been some 65 years since I was a noob but I have not forgotten the stressful uncertainties of reloading even tho I had read much about it. Most of what I read back then included some nice photos showing the steps but in every instance the authors presumed the reader knew which parts in the photos were movable and which were not; bad stuff there.

With today's Youtube videos, beginner instruction is more understandable, sorta. I mean, some well intended guys who obviously don't know a thing about making helpful teaching videos make them anyway. And they often randomly talk (a LOT!) about what they "like to do" but a poor noob listener often has no reference to grasp what's being said so the disorganized stream of chatter often creates as much confusion as help; that need not, and should not, be.

Glad I finally know which end of a cartridge has the bullet.

[Land Owner]

The struggle is real. I have often wondered, since the making of "The Matrix", why there is no "USB input device" in the back of our minds, so that we could instantly upload each other's information - without reinventing the wheel, so to speak. I have spoken to MANY souls with greater knowledge than me and the world through their eyes would be much keener if I could see it.

Admittedly, YouTube is full of amateurish "junk" videos, but there is a modicum of information that may be gleaned by turning off the sound and watching their hands as they (for example) disassemble a semi-auto pistol down to its barest essentials, tricks to getting those parts and pieces back together, or how brake pads on an imported vehicle - assembled in America - can foil even the most knowledgeable mechanic if I (shade tree mechanic) am attempting to change them myself in the driveway. I have yet to be stumped on YouTube in NOT finding a video (even a poor one) of something I want to do but have never done. I would rather watch a poor video and let my mechanically inclined mind fill in the gaps than ham handedly mangle parts and pieces through a hard won learning curve - one I may never repeat or will forget before I need to do it again.

Visual learning is a "whole brain" function while reading takes less operational space.

The research outcomes on visual learning make complete sense when you consider that our brain is mainly an image processor (much of our sensory cortex is devoted to vision), not a word processor. In fact, the part of the brain used to process words is quite small in comparison to the part that processes visual images.

This by no means is an argument against reading. In fact, since our brains use less processor "space" devoted to reading, that suggests to me that an active reader is also doing other "things" in their brain while reading...like forming mental imagery.

[thorswhisper]

Why not hand he a piece of paper or better yet TEXT him this website address and then he could spend the next bazillion hours educating himself here? Ive been reloading for about 40 years and recently decided I wanted to explore casting/swaging bullets. I figure if I read and ask questions here long enough I just might be able to understand the neccessary equipment for doing this. Then on to the lubrisizing side of things! Does it ever end????

[David2011]

Thankfully, it only ends when we do.

[BrutalAB]

if he is being hard headed enough...

Tell him his reloading press is a lee and will only accept lee dies whether it be for cartridge or bullet sizing....


But. Hes probably just confused because they have similar sounding names, and they kinda look similar. Maybe ask him if an impact wrench and an impact driver are the same thing and can use each others bits/sockets. Hopefully that would help make him understand they are different.

[Three44s]

It was not long ago at all that a lot of shooters were exclaiming that reloading was DEAD!

Was it not?

That factory ammo was so cheap and plentiful that it was foolish to take up handloading at all, much less boolit casting?

OR was that just drivel in the gun rags?

Well, how quickly the worm turns. Now, you can’t beat them off reloading tools with a stick over at evil bay! ..... a throwin’ Money at stuff they don’t even know the half of except it has something to do with guns!

Three44s