Why some new members will do better than others here.

[Lead Fred]

I can tell you the day I started reloading. Jan 20th 1961.

Yet I'm still learning today. I teach a lot of youngins how to reload, and until about their 30s, It seems it takes them a while longer to catch on, then older folk.

Ive been using the same case trimmer (Wilson case lathe) since 1961. I just bought the stand & lock lever last month.
Guess Im getting lazy in my old age.

[RogerDat]

This site is an entire public library unto itself. Devoted to a topic that has it's own technical language which makes searching it a challenge for new comers that may not have mastered the language and specific terms. A link to the thread (sticky or not) or other resource is a most welcome help. I'm currently reading two online books suggested by the experienced and helpful members of this forum. One suggested after I already found it in the sticky, one that was new to me. But as pointed out in prior posts even people doing this for decades find more to learn.

I'm one of those new folks to casting, yet to cast more than lead ingots that I smelted from scrap I have held onto for at least 15 years thinking "someday", and having just reloaded my first box of the ever popular .38 special with used brass I have kept for at least that long, again thinking "someday". I don't mind RTFM (aka Read The Friendly Manual) in some ways I prefer starting there so I can get a broad overview. On the other hand with something that has the potential to cause injury to self or others if a mistake is made the personal mentoring of experienced people is extremely important. To paraphrase a prior post the only stupid question is the one you don't ask but should have.

I think there is a lot of truth in the OP regarding the hierarchy but also some folks that don't sort neatly into those categories. I want to save money, AND enjoy the satisfaction of a job done well. I enjoy learning the how's and why's of things that interest me. And while I enjoy reading I also enjoy learning from people. Taking what I have learned and using it.

I'm not ever going to own a large collection of guns, reload massive quantities of ammunition, or be a competitive shooter. But we also own at least a few guns beyond the number required just for self defense. I will spend more time at the range if the cost goes down and I can afford to shoot more, because I enjoy target shooting. My wife will enjoy her shooting more if I can develop a load that is accurate and more comfortable for her to shoot. Don't think I will take things to the level of expertise that many here have, but would hope to develop a level of competency that will allow for a safe, successful, and interesting hobby. I have at least one and possibly two grand children that may be interested in learning with me. May never take it up but are just naturally curios and willing to learn. A trait I would like to encourage.

I can't justify a large expense for a new hobby so I need to seek guidance on the choices I have to make in how to spend money. I also need to as much as possible avoid costly mistakes so I appreciate greatly the help, support and mentoring provided by members, in addition to the informative reading. Often that information I'm reading is in response to a question, without those questions how would there be any answers? Of course there are many stickies or informative threads that are a result of people being generous with their knowledge and time to provide a tutorial or guide aimed directly at new people. It is good to see on reading those threads that many of those new people take the opportunity to post a thank you.

It's an age old issue highly experienced people mixing with the rookies, saw it in the plants, warehouses and offices I have worked in, see it here. Worth noting I'm sure I annoyed my share when I was "Newman" and I mostly worked through it to competency (eventually) as did many of those that annoyed me in my time as the "old hand". Today's idiot may be the person who becomes the go-to for the tough problems in a few years, with a little help. Or maybe a lot of help, or maybe never. Hard to tell at the beginning, time will tell.

For what it's worth I have built and fixed a lot of stuff over the years, making bullets or boolits is just the latest. Think casting and reloading are more my speed than pulling and rebuilding a truck engine or building an addition on the house these days. Used to be a cold beer and nights sleep was all it took to recover from hard physical work, these days it seems I really pay to play.

Dang that was long. But I do feel that what takes place on this site matters, letting folks know that their efforts are appreciated, especially putting up with ignorant questions I may have asked.

[Boaz]

I just joined a few days ago and have already asked 3 questions .This thread makes me understand that I should read more and ask less , makes sense . LOL , I'm 61 years old and have threatened to reload for years , had a small collection of damascas doublebarrels in the 80's and hand loaded shotshells due to the problems finding BP loads . I'll try to ask less and just pay attention ! Thanks for the heads up !

[Jailer]

I have found it very difficult to search out stuff on this sight. I have read and reread stickies and probably have read over half of them. I am not sure on that, they grow pretty fast.
Without a doubt this is my favorite site on the whole internet. There is so much about several of my favorite topics. But fellers we suffer from the problems of success. If a gun person doesn't come here there is a vast hole in his background. Even we who have been here for years learn new stuff here. If you want to ignore a noob fine, but I think this sticky is great but overly critical. A lot of us old farts make blunders. I learned that since I just plink I don't need a chrony any way.

Do a custom search of the site on google. Go to google's search page Here (<--click the link) and type in the search critera followed by a single space and this line of text:

site:castboolits.gunloads.com

You'll find much better search results that are more relevant to your needs than using the site's search function.

[Bad Shot]

After 50 years of loading,casting and READING a stack of BOOKS and a lot of mags 8 feet hight,I am Still learning OUTSTANDING Post!

[Eddie2002]

I started reloading in the 70's and have read manuals, asked questions and still know that I can learn more. Wonderful OP and great site for information. Thanks Everybody

[Frag]

I guess this makes a great place for my first post. I'm new to casting boolits and new to this site, but have been reloading for 10 years now. So I guess that puts me somewhere between "Reloader" and "Handloader". I'm to the point where I enjoy reloading more than shooting! Anyway, I'm looking forward to learning from all of you and the wealth of knowledge I've already encountered here. And maybe, just maybe, my experience can help someone else.

[Wag]

Great post, Recluse.

I've been teaching people to ride motorcycles for many years now and most of what you said applies there as well. People simply don't want to listen and they go buy the biggest, baddest bike they can find and they get hurt or killed shortly after.

Nothing to add beyond that but I'm glad this forum is here. When I started hand loading many years ago, there was nothing like this. Just a couple of manuals (which were plenty good) and some great care in the process.

--Wag--

[DGNY]

This is a great site, to which I have come many times over the past few years. I commend the sponsors, moderators and most posters for their knowledge, decorum and good will.

Big Thanks,

Regards,

Dyson

[el34]

I'll answer anybody's question if I am capable. Being 67 and an intense observer I'm also worried sick about the entitlement mentality but I don't think it applies to knowledge seeking. Even if it is for a quick effortless gain it can be opportunity to generate deeper interest and possible passion. When you've successfully triggered that, you're a hero.

All this reminds me of how grateful I need to remember to be for those that answered the myriads of novice questions I've asked since 2nd grade. I remember the occasional "not tellin you, go look it up" which was just a shortlived speedbump in my effort to learn from someone simply willing to enlighten me. Thank goodness the discouragement didn't shut me up.

Recluse had very little hope of rescuing his male student- it's when you first try to help and figure out your student refuses to learn the prerequisites is when you have to either abort the attempt, simply and truthfully explaining why, or try another approach aimed at encouraging an interest in learning the necessaries.

[waksupi]

I'll answer anybody's question if I am capable. Being 67 and an intense observer I'm also worried sick about the entitlement mentality but I don't think it applies to knowledge seeking. Even if it is for a quick effortless gain it can be opportunity to generate deeper interest and possible passion. When you've successfully triggered that, you're a hero.

All this reminds me of how grateful I need to remember to be for those that answered the myriads of novice questions I've asked since 2nd grade. I remember the occasional "not tellin you, go look it up" which was just a shortlived speedbump in my effort to learn from someone simply willing to enlighten me. Thank goodness the discouragement didn't shut me up.

Recluse had very little hope of rescuing his male student- it's when you first try to help and figure out your student refuses to learn the prerequisites is when you have to either abort the attempt, simply and truthfully explaining why, or try another approach aimed at encouraging an interest in learning the necessaries.

I also had the "go look it up" put to me many times. And I did. I usually found when I looked something up, it led me on learning further on related, and even unrelated topics. Much like doing a Google search for something on particular, and finding myself on an advanced physics page, or somewhere else TOTALLY unrelated to the original question.

[popper]

+1 Waksupi. Show them the page and they will ask you to turn it, show them the resource and they will learn or do something else.

[el34]

I usually found when I looked something up, it led me on learning further on related, and even unrelated topics.

I had the exact same experience. When I was a kid my parents got me the World Book encyclopedia set and most evenings I'd randomly pick one, open it, and always quickly find something that interested me. Nobody had to tell me to go look it up if I was near my books. But in the presence of someone smarter than me I'd ask as many questions as that person's patience would bear, which varied greatly.

I promote any attempt to help anyone that has at least a casual curiosity, a small spark can be fanned into flames. If that works suggestions for where to go to find more info can then follow.

I'll never defend laziness, that's a different situation.

[olafhardt]

I will defend laziness. When I was a sophmore chemical engineering student, the head of the department told the introductory class that the Germans had done a study on what kind of person made the best staff officer. The result was a highly intelligent very lazy person. He said that also applied to lots of engineers. It seems that there is often a correlation between the easier way and the better way of doing things. Besides if noobs did not ask stuff we would lose so many opportunities to tell people how smart we are. There are a lot of smart people on here, a few smart alecs and an occasional smart ---.

[blackthorn]

My brother in law used to run a good sized chemical warehouse. He told me that if you want to find the quickest, easiest way to get a dirty job done, give it to the laziest guy on the crew, he/she will find the quickest way.

[el34]

My brother in law used to run a good sized chemical warehouse. He told me that if you want to find the quickest, easiest way to get a dirty job done, give it to the laziest guy on the crew, he/she will find the quickest way.

So were those jobs done well?

[blackthorn]

Well I can't say for sure, but knowing him I doubt he would have accepted shoddy work.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Did not know we had such a highly structured hierarchy. There is, of course, one higher level you have not considered, membership in the CBA. They show up in public at cast bullet shoots and compete*. I think everyone should take their target machine and shoot a CBA match at least once. It is a very humbling experience.

Rich

* competitor; from the Latin word competitore, which means to witness.

[TXGunNut]

I wonder sometimes if the "information age" does a disservice to newbies exploring disciplines like casting and reloading. There is little if any instant gratification in casting and only a little more in reloading. Learning to cast and reload is a slow and gradual process and there are no instant experts, in most cases learning involves many hours at the reloading bench and the shooting bench.
I blame it on microwaves and McDonalds. A baby's bottle is ready in seconds in a microwave, a Happy Meal is available before Mom or Dad can dig out the cash. What are our young people learning from this? They're NOT learning patience.

[Mechanicalmayham]

Reading this thread I realize it has taken me some time but I am here now. I am 37 and have been reloading for about 4 years. Kind of taught myself at the beginning but found many people I never knew who were into it so things progressed quickly. I used to work part time at a shop with machineguns during the late 90's. I personally had pallets of 9mm, 45acp, ,223/556, and 7.62s whatever. I never needed to reload, cast or the like, though there was certainly an interest to it. Now those days are gone, ammo and supplies are in short supply and I find I am looking into a much bigger world of self gratifying skills and have no need for pallets of ammo to throw away. We would burn up $5K of ammo, our cost, market was about $5-8/bx for 9mm. We never collected brass, lead or any of that. Wasteful I know, but we had tons of it.
Well I know have built 4 rifles, loaded several hundred 30-06 to go shoot long range and successfully completed the requirements and shot out to 1200yards. I hunt with my home loads and now I am into making my own boolits. I think for me it was a slow progression to this point with lots of switchbacks. I would have liked it to be faster but would not give up the past experiences for the world. I love this hobby, lifestyle, attitude and everything that goes with it. I think as a whole, people tend to miss out on taking pride of there creations and skills to get them to that point. Maybe it has to do with availability or convenience of not having to think about it, but most people think I am going to blow myself up when they find out I roll my own. I pity those people for missing out while at the same time appreciate that same minded people have formed groups like this. Again, I would not trade these experiences for the world. You guys are awesome and I am privileged to stand, electronically as it is, beside you all.
Thanks!