[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Responses requested on What Is a Newbie?

How do you recognize one?

What do they do that is different from experienced reloaders and bulletcasters?

I have changed many hundreds of new shooters into reloaders and bulletcasters by selling them their first equipment. Therefore some new to reloading and bulletcasting is a "Newbie"

____1. Someone who buys the cheapest tools and complains about its abilities and not doing all they want it to do at the price they paid.
____2. Someone who buys the cheapest components and complains about their performance and reliablity.
____3. Someone who wants to test the safety limits determined by experts and feels they are personally indestructible.
____4. Someone who ignores the tried and true target caliber pistols and buys some new caliber instead, complains about its limited ammo selection, prices and lack of target competition accuracy with out paying big bucks to a pistolsmith for accurization.
____5 Someone who will not invest in a minimum of three reloading manuals, ask old timers at the range for advice to become very safety conscious and informed of all reloading hazards.
____6 Someone who does not pay strict attention to range safety rules and where his weapon is pointed.
____7 Anyone that pleasantly asks questions and needs some good advice.
____8 Someone coming to the range without hearing protection and shooting glasses.

A newbie is anyone new to weapons, reloading, bulletcasting and needing friendly and helpful advice from range regulars.

Anything to add to or delete from this List??


Open for discussion and member input!!

What should poll questions be?

Fitz

[coonan357]

I wouldn't classify my self as a newbie but I am no expert by anymeans , If I question I ask ,I have had people also ask questions of me too. they ussually ask if you reload when you walk up to the counter with a keg of powder and how hard is it to do? . I ussually sent them to the book rack for the lymans book . sold 3 of them so far ..

[Sisco]

I've been loading for about four years now, no way I could call myself an 'expert', probably never will. Don't think I fall into the 'newbie' class either so I suppose I'm an 'advanced novice'.

[HSMITH]

Well, I know some guys that have been shooting, reloading and generally into guns for 25 years and more that don't know their kiester from a hole in the wall. I also know guys that at less than one year into the shooting sports have darn good skills and a comprehensive knowledge of shooting and reloading.

A newbie to me is a guy or gal that is just getting into some discipline of the sport, and is in the "hungry to learn" phase. Generally they are some of the most pleasant people to take shooting in my experience. True experts are the most pleasant, but they are few and far between.

[larryw]

IMO, Mr. Smith nailed that one. I have nothing else to add.

[Gewehr98]

Somebody who tumbles their brass to a mirror shine. :p

[larryw]

Guess that means I am, and always will be, a newbie. :neener:

[Watchman]

(raises hand) .... I'm a "newbie " too...:scrutiny:

My brass is always shiny. Its just something that Ive always been a stickler for. Whenever I see someone loading dirty brass it kinda ticks me off in a small way. Too me, its a reflection of how one does business.

Ive been loading for 20+ years. I load 15 calibers. I cast bullets, I've built several guns from scratch. The thing that amazes me most about this "sport" is the fact that I am always learning something new. As long as I can learn, I will be interested.

I suppose, when I am incapable of learning, Ill no longer be a "newbie " huh ?:D

[Bacchus]

You know you're a newbie when you reload 100 cases of 38 special without checking to see if they will chamber...and then have to pull all of the bullets, discard the powder, and resize the cases.

But this was not me...
(grins sheepishly)

This is a great guy who is painfully honest (SMILE)

Paul Fitz Jones

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

I had my first Star progressive reloader set up and cut a hole in my table for the ammo to fall through into a 5 gallon bucket. I had an order for 50,000 rounds from a police departement. I was reloading along and the bucket was half full when I realized that I had not noticed that I had run out of powder and there was some ammo in the bucket without powder. I was a newbie with the Star and this was my first police order and if any of them got to the PD my reputation and future for orders would be ruined.

I took off the top half of the ammo that was in a cone sized pile and pulled them all to find the 6 rounds without powder.

I never did that again.

I mounted another powder tube on top of the first and bought a steel stand for my loader that had trays that the ammo fell into. I would remove each tray when the hundred primers ran out and check everything the see if everything was right from then on.

I never had to pull bullets again.

[12.7x99mm]

Bacchus

Why are you discarding your powder after you disassemble your rounds. Just curious.

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

I had to find the rounds without powder. When I was satisfird that I had. I reassembled everything again with the proper amount of powder.

John Paul

[Jmurman]

A newbie to me is a guy or gal that is just getting into some discipline of the sport, and is in the "hungry to learn" phase.

That would be me....

[Bacchus]

A lot of times, if I'm in any way unsure of what has gone on, I will discard the components. Luckily, it doesn't happen as much now as it used to when I was starting out reloading.

[Alan Smithiee]

same answer as Sisco, but I guess I'll always be a newby, my wife likes her nickled brass shiney on her gunbelt..