Are handloaders better shots

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Atavar

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A couple nights ago as I was sitting and decapping 1k of 9mm it occurred to me-
Are handloaders better pistol shooters because of all the exercise and toning the muscles in their right arm gets pulling that ram lever?
Would we benefit from adding a linkage so the action was a push instead of a pull?
Of course this is just the sort of crazy thought that pops up during bench time meditation.
 
I do a bit of reloading, and I shot pistols with a friend of mine and his wife - they practice out to 75 yards regularly and shooting at my steel plates at 15 yards they were superior to my skills by far - both of them. I fine with that, but - there was a clear an obvious degree of speed, follow up shots, and accuracy that I was inferior to in every way. Neither of them has or plans to do any reloading.
 
Are handloaders better pistol shooters because of all the exercise and toning the muscles in their right arm gets pulling that ram lever?
I've been handloading for so many years I can't remember whether or not I was a better "pistol shooter" before I started.
I do think handloading keeps me in a little better shape physically - the loading bench is in the basement, and we don't have a bathroom down there. So, at my age (73) I have to climb the stairs several times during each loading session.;)
 
Since most reloaders shoot more it should help you become a better shot. I've have had surgery on both wrist and now have arthritis in my hands. My peak has probably passed. Eye sight failing as I get older, no longer see open sights. So now I have red dot sights on moat all my handguns. But I'm still shooting regularly but not quite as many rounds.
 
I think I'm a better shot for all my reloading. But I don't think reloading has done anything for my grip strength (that was already above average).

I think reloading has just meant I can shoot more often without feeling bad that I'm spending too much money on ammo. And shooting more has made me a better shooter.
 
Are handloaders better pistol shooters because of all the exercise and toning the muscles in their right arm gets pulling that ram lever?

... crazy thought that pops up during bench time meditation.
Meditate this then ... :)

That thinking is like saying boxers or body builders should be better shooters, pool players or play better golf because they exercise/tone their upper body muscles ... ;)

Regardless how much right arm muscles are exercised/toned, pistol shooters produce smaller consistent groups when:
Unless these skills are practiced/mastered by the shooter who reloads, front sight/muzzle will move Point of Impact (POI) away from POA when hammer/striker is released which are often blamed as "flyers", especially at longer distances. (That's why 5 shot groups are subset of 10 shot groups, which are subset of 20 shot groups, etc. :cool:)
 
Our gun club has a member that always places 15 or better at Camp Perry small bore pistol every year. Special pistol, certain ammo, practices minimum of 500 rounds a week year around, and carries a weight that weighs slightly more than the pistol around for many hours each day with arm in shooting position.
At 50 feet he can take the bull out of a NRA small bore target every time. He says the diffetence between winners and loosers is that one shot when you pull it by mistake.
I do feel the more practice the better you shoot. Muscle memory, trigger discipline when letting off the shot, and lack of muscle fatigue make you more steady. Also the economy of more shots for the same cost is bound to help
 
I’d say because we can afford to shoot more(usually), we are better shooters. Just the act of doing it more can make you better if you practice properly, there are many proven benefits we get from more range practice. During the Obama years I was still at the range every week or other week with an ammo can shooting as much as I wanted to with no shortages to hinder me. Loading my own, tuning it to the gun, and paying $42/1000 kept me sharp and steadily getting better over the years.

I don’t think pulling the lever had much to do with it, but it didn’t hurt any as I did get some exercise on that poor little single stage over the years. I’d say you’d get better results with dry fire practice, actual range time, and regular exercise than just pulling the lever alone.
 
In 1965 I started reloading in the quest for better accuracy. I have succeeded ever since. Even the most recent factory ammo cannot match the accuracy of my reloads.

Reloading these days seems all centered around savings. If that's your only goal don't reload. But if you want the ultimate accuracy from your gun, and you don't reload, you are missing something. And I am still a good enough shooter to tell the difference.
 
Muscle mass doesn’t beget shooting.

And if reloading is the only significant bodily use a person is getting such it truly influences their physical condition, well... they have far greater health issues forthcoming in their life than a little instability on target...
 
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