Would you accept the liability?

Just as an aside, friend reloading or not, I would get a few quotes (even from your current insurer) for an excess/umbrella policy for coverage over your primary. You will be shocked at how cheap it is.

"Hey, err... now that we've got all my reloading stuff at your place, maybe you could just cut me a key so I can use my gear when it's convenient for me. You don't even need to be home. I mean, it's MY gear, right?"

No thank you.

I wouldn't worry about the "liability" of it... I think that's just the formal excuse you have for not wanting someone to use your stuff... Which is 100% fine.

You can always buy him a Lee pocket b loading kit for $35 or so as a gift of he uses common calibers.

Tell him he needs to start there "Mr. Miogi karate kid" style. Maybe he'll decide he doesn't like reloading and it's just a fad.

Problem solves itself and you come off as a good friend.

Eddy19 said:

has no particular skill in dexterity and lacking analytical thinking

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Eddy19 said:

he says "can you clean my gun?" this really irked me!

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Eddy19 said:

that he got to reload for him

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Eddy19 said:

Maybe he'll catch on with a little time

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He wants your space to clean his gun.
Then, he wants you to clean his gun.
He wants your space to reload for himself. Excuse - Not enough space at his apartment.
You said that he is not detail oriented and can't be trusted to reload alone. That means your time is blocked for the duration that he's there.
He can purchase equipment. Excuse - needs a teacher and doesn't understand the process.
He previously had someone reload for him.
He wants to go shooting and is willing to shoot unknown reloads.
He did not bother to check his target.

As awesome as it is to mentor, teach, and help someone that is getting into shooting and reloading, this guy asking has taken very little responsibility and has given excuses. We are just piecing together the limited information together from the story. I would bet the OP is one heck of an awesome guy and wants to help, but this acquaintance's character traits and experiences seem to show that there is very little basis for trust. The acquaintance is going to ask or expect the OP to reload for him incrementally.

It would be one thing if the acquaintance had a reloading manual and was studying the process, steps, and asking for ideas of equipment for his own place. If he was just looking for teaching, while putting together his bench at home, it would be a totally different story. But this guy wants the OP to mother him, "teach" him to reload with the probable end of having the OP load for him, and clean his gun afterward. All too often, foolish people expect to ride on the coattails of wise people. This is just a time to say no so that the acquaintance can experience that actions have consequences and that the OP will not bail him out on circumstances that are largely self inflicted.

I have taught reloading classes off and on for a long time, and have “mentored” a lot of folks into the craft. I have a friend who comes and stays a week with me each year, we do some hunting, do some reminiscing, and do a bit of reloading. He started loading ammo on my gear over 15yrs ago while we were in college, so he saves brass all year, then restuffs it during that week while we’re together.

I like to have an open home and open heart when I can. Home owner’s insurance should cover accidents for your friend just as they will for you. I have a lot of folks in and out, loan a chainsaw, a welder, a rifle, a portable loading bench.

If he’s a “rank amateur,” who needs constant supervision, then you have to ask yourself which of two groups does he fit into: is he an average person who would become sufficiently independent quickly with a bit of your mentoring and oversight, or is he a person of below average intelligence (no offense intended by that) which simply could not ever become capable of independent, safe reloading?

If the latter, then be honest about your discomfort with the idea of turning him loose, both with your gear or with his own. If the former, then you have to decide for yourself whether you have time or interest in your life to “teach a man to fish,” and propagate your tribal knowledge for the improvement and sustainment of our craft.

I've taught a friend to reload using his own equipment that I helped him choose.We did this at his house with his components. He was eager to learn and picked it up pretty quickly. We became close friends as time went on and we had no problem trading reloads back and forth. I don't have the time or inclination to load for others and it doesn't seem like the OP does either.. If your friend wants to shoot and isn't savvy enough to reload for himself that's fine. He can buy ammo pretty cheap for some calibers (9-22-223) and or you can pass him some of yours if you are so inclined from time to time. All depends on how close a friend it is and how you feel about it.
No reason to do something that makes you uneasy and takes time away from you and your family.

My answer would be "no", for all the reasons stated in previous posts.
You could certainly help him get what he needs to get started and mentor at your convenience and his place.

In the early 60's we lived in an apartment and my Dad had a reloading set-up built into a very small closet. It can be done.

When he asked to clean his gun I would have lost my cool right then and there. if you're not my Wife or my Dad I'm not cleaning your gun. My Dad is 85 and he's earned it and my Wife is.....well, you get the idea.

JeeperCreeper said:

I wouldn't worry about the "liability" of it... I think that's just the formal excuse you have for not wanting someone to use your stuff... Which is 100% fine.
.

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^^^This. Do you worry about the liability of teaching folks to shoot? Never know, they might accidentally shoot themselves and then sue you!

I learned how to reload by reading my manuals and the directions that came with my press and dies. Reloading is not rocket science.

Folks mentor other folks in reloading all the time, there is little or no liability if you are doing it in good faith.

It's somewhat vague to me what aspect of shooting/guns/reloading he's interested in, from what you have posted about what he says.
Not interested in even looking at the groups he's shot, trying to get you to clean his gun(s), his neighbor already turning him away from reloading at their house, etc. and the excuses for not reloading at HIS place sound like he just wants to gain access to your house.
I would not be inviting him over at anytime soon, even after shooting.

You could suggest he sell and replace the guns he has with 22LR guns that require no reloading if "shooting" is the major part of his interests.
Time to distance yourself from him, he won't be shocked as this happens a lot...to people like him.
been there did that,

Eddy19 said:

What do you think? I'm I being unreasonable?
Thanks!

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Nope. Your house, your rules.

I have loaded ammunition others have shot in my and their firearms.

I have let others load ammunition, under my supervision for my and their firearms.

I have a very select group of people that have loaded ammunition I shoot in my or their firearms.

A member more that have loaded the ammunition and I’ll fire it from their firearms.

Then there are others, I wouldn’t even get in an automobile with them, their firearms or ammunition, much less all at once to go shooting.

I’d say, go with your gut instinct. Unless it’s telling you “ah, just wash it off in the creek, doctors are for scaredy-cats”, it should be good to follow.

Channel Nancy Regan, "Just Say NO!" ,

You are correct in this one, teach him on his own equipment and for goodness sakes do not clean his guns. I won't even clean my sons guns!

This guy sounds very needy or lazy but he has already asked for too much.

Not enough room in his apartment? Bull. When I started out I used a wooden GI footlocker to store my stuff, had plenty of room left over. Reinforced the lid to mount a press.

Tell him that you'll help him select a basic loading set up and come to his place to guide him in getting started. He needs to learn setting up his dies and scale anyway.

I don't know 'the big picture'. In my opinion, he may like a lot of things, and he may like them a whole lot more if it's made convenient for him,,, How bad does he want to reload? How dedicated?

Can't tell for sure?

Even if just for S & G at this point, I'd test his gumption.

Along with the sound advice already given, and as others have indicated, I'll call "Bull-Shorts" on the 'not enough room' excuse.
I still use the 32 X 48 table my office threw out! Got all kinds of examples of 'Where there's a will,,,' relative to my quest to reload.

I'd tell him 'If you're truly serious, you gotta start gathering your own equipment to do this at your place, starting with a small bench".

Something as simple as this would be a good start: https://www.brownells.com/reloading...y&utm_campaign=itwine&utm_content=100-032-381

Lee has 'tri-pod' stands that hold just the press,,,

If the gumption ain't there, you may find that same characteristic exhibited by same individual in other encounters/endeavors.

This has been kind of touched on - but I'm thinking of the safety of the OP's reloads when they're being loaded in an environment that someone else is messing with. I'm not saying this from the perspective of (lack of) safety on the OP's part. I'm saying it from the standpoint that something that interrupts the thought process for what you want to do is just another variable that can lead to a mistake.

For example, I put tape on the powder measure identifying which powder was in it last. I only remove the tape (when the measure needs a different powder) after I've blown out the measure with canned air. Is your "acquaintance" going to follow that procedure as religiously as you might? If you go to the bench and there's no tape on the measure, are you SURE he blew it out? I put my scale away a very specific way and I'm very careful and anticipate something falling when I remove the dust cover....because it's happened before. Or I use two hands when I'm unscrewing a die to reduce the chance of accidentally dropping on the floor. I always put certain tools back in the same spot so I'm not distracted when I go to find something.

The chance some action on his part in your stuff / business is going to lead to, at a minimum, you having to think about or process something which you wouldn't have had to if you knew you were the only one messing with the environment, is very high IMHO. And that distraction can impact the quality of what YOU'RE loading.

I can chalk up "Will you load for me?" to being naive.....or scared of making a mistake. While it crosses a line, I can imagine scenarios where someone might ask. Asking to clean his gun - that is so far over the line IMHO. What are analogies: Asking someone to do their laundry for them? Asking someone to come over and clean your kitchen? "Hey neighbor. Would you come shovel my driveway?" Crazy.

I really enjoy helping people. Means more than any hobby. It’s a great way to get to know people and build meaningful relationships. But the “acquaintance” you are describing wouldn’t be allowed in my life. Those “gimmedat” personality traits are nothing but trouble.

“Don’t worry about liability.” Good luck to anyone that takes that advice. Because luck is what your running on.

I have limited space as well. My reloading bench is a workmate workbench I got from a family member and an RCBS reloading kit. I put a 2'x3' piece of plywood on it as a platform. I can fold it up and put it in a closet.

As others have said, you don't Need a Reason other than on you don't want others to be reloading at your house. And of course offered to help him learn how to do it himself.

ArchAngelCD said:

It's like when someone asks you to load ammo for them. My standard answer is I won't load for anyone, it's a hard set rule for me. I make almost no exceptions. Of course my son is are exceptions lol.

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Same here I load deer loads for my older son, and the younger one got an ammo can of .223 when he moved off to Indiana. The older one is getting an ammo can of .223 for Christmas.I have loaded ammo for my Dad in the past, but family only.
I have taught a few friends how to load, at their places, with their equipment.

As I have dies for most common calibers on hand already I will invite a new reloader over to teach them the craft if they pass the basic intelligence sniff test. I make it plain that I will supervise their efforts to assure safe usable ammo from their components. If they shoot and do not bother with saving their fired brass after they were reminded to that might just be a disqualifier in itself. I make it plain that I will let them use my tools and my instructive time on a couple different occasions after they have read a basic reloading manual to help them get started, after which they should have enough basic knowledge to safely reload on their own. I always leave the option there for my answering questions in the future if they have any. Usually saving brass and getting, reading, and understanding a reloading book enough to answer my basic questions before starting weed out those that are not really seriously wanting to learn.

I would not accept the liability and this is what I would tell the friend this and the reasons behind my decision. If the friend doesn't understand the reasons then he isn't much of a "keeper" for a friend. If he says he doesn't understand, he's really telling you that he does understand but can't accept it.