Safety concerns

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l3uster

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So though lots of determination and overtime, I have the funds needed to start reloading. But being a good hubby, I talk it over with the wife :D

Her two points against it are 1) Time. Is it worth the x number of hours of my time for the cost savings? I can sidestep this one easily. 2) Safety. She's worried about the chances of me screwing something up during the process (double charge, seating the bullet too deep, etc) and blowing up my gun/hand/face. Legitimate concern, so I want to see what you guys have to say about it.

REALISTICALLY speaking, how "dangerous" can reloading be? I know it comes down to the individual and actually paying attention, but I just need something to put the wife's mind at ease. :cool:
 
"...how "dangerous" can reloading be?..." Completely safe. So safe the insurance companies don't care.
"...the cost savings..." More about using better ammo than saving money, but you can expect to cut your ammo cost in half. Depending on what bullet you use.
"...something to put the wife's mind at ease..." Reload with her. If she's doing it, she'll see how safe it is.
 
Realistically speaking if this or any hobby was extremely dangerous the lawyers would be all over it and more than likely in the case of reloading and firearms would have shut it down long ago. Can you hurt yourself? Yes. Can you trip walking across your back yard and break your arm falling? Yup! Life is full of uncertainties, and with a little luck and Gods Grace most of us make it.
 
Is it worth the x number of hours of my time for the cost savings?
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IMO: No.
You could get a second job at McDonalds, buy factory ammo with the money, and come out ahead.

Handloading needs to be a hobby, and one that you enjoy doing just for the Halibut.

If you go into it only to save money, it will become a second job, and one you won't enjoy doing very long.

rc
 
When I met my wife, I was already match shooting factory ammunition and just starting out reloading.

After 15+ years later, she now "encourages" me to reload and go to the range to "generate more empty cases to reload" because she states she can see that it is "relaxing" for me. Of course, she doesn't mind shooting my reloads either. :D

I break up the reloading process steps so they are done when it does not conflict with other family activities:

- I sort cases with my daughter who now does a better job faster and she helps me deprime/resize the cases on the single stage press
- The sorted cases get tumbled in the garage for 30 minutes to 1 hour while I do something else so no time is wasted
- I resize/hand prime while watching TV in the living room during week nights so I am not "away" from the family (resizing is done on a small portable reloading bench)
- I usually get up early (around 5 AM) on Saturday mornings to load several thousand rounds on the progressive before breakfast and go to the range as a family if it is a range day
- Don't slack off on other household chores/duties/yard work and she won't have the grounds to complain (make sure HER car is always washed and waxed first ;))

1) Time. Is it worth the x number of hours of my time for the cost savings?
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Yes. 9mm can be reloaded for around $6-$8 per 50 rounds and 40/45ACP can be reloaded for around $8-$15 per 50 rounds depending on bullet type (jacketed/plated/lead) IF you are careful in planning your component purchase and buy in bulk (max weight USPS boxes of bullets to save on shipping, 8lb jugs of powder and 5000 case boxes of primers from Powder Valley to save on HazMat fee).

2) Safety. She's worried about the chances of me screwing something up during the process (double charge, seating the bullet too deep, etc) and blowing up my gun/hand/face.
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The best way to ease her heart is by demonstrating you are adhering to strict safety principles outlined in various reloading manuals. My wife knows I have my safety checks committed to memory, but you could print out a safety checklist found in all the reloading manuals and post it right in front of your reloading press and absolutely follow them (like the pre-flight checklist for pilots). If she sees that you are serious about learning the proper safety principles of reloading by READING the reloading manuals first and have a clear and organized checklist to follow/adhere to, she'll be more supporting of your hobby.
 
I know far more people injured or killed in auto crashes than from reloading mistakes.
 
I knew two people killed by lightening.
I don't know anyone ever killed by reloading, or even injured seriously.

It is possible to blow yourself up if you try hard enough I guess.
But you can do it much better with a can of lawn mower gas or a propane grill!

rc
 
rcmodel said:
IMO: No.
You could get a second job at McDonalds, buy factory ammo with the money, and come out ahead.

Handloading needs to be a hobby, and one that you enjoy doing just for the Halibut.

If you go into it only to save money, it will become a second job, and one you won't enjoy doing very long.

rc
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Shhh. She thinks it's just for saving money. I know what I'm getting into ;)


bds said:
...The best way to ease her heart is by demonstrating you are adhering to strict safety principles outlined in various reloading manuals. My wife knows I have my safety checks committed to memory, but you could print out a safety checklist found in all the reloading manuals and post it right in front of your reloading press and absolutely follow them (like the pre-flight checklist for pilots). If she sees that you are serious about learning the proper safety principles of reloading by READING the reloading manuals first and have a clear and organized checklist to follow/adhere to, she'll be more supporting of your hobby.
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Good idea!

Thanks so far everyone
 
Well, somebody has to load the ammo. Who do you trust more? Somebody you don't know and will never meet, or yourself?? I am a new reloader. As long as you pay attention and follow the rules, you should be just fine. Make sure you FOLLOW THE RULES.
 
If you know the rules and follow them it is one of the safest hobbies you can find. I've been loading since the 60s and I've never double charged a round or had an accident of any kind while loading or shooting. And I'd bet that there are a whole lot of guys that have loaded just as long, or even longer then me, that haven't had any problems either. Just pay attention to what you're doing and do NOT keep a spare chair in your loading room for company.
 
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Just tell her to stay away while you are reloading and all will be well......

She don't need to be distracting you amigo when you're cranking out the ammo....

The Dove
 
The money saving part is a myth. You will probably spend more on reloading than you currently spend on ammo. But you do get to shoot far more.

Reloading can be safe or dangerous. It all depends on how good you are at following rules and sticking to the details. If you don't like following rules, you shouldn't be reloading. But you probably wouldn't have a wife to discus it with, either. :)
 
Another thing to consider

l3uster -
Maybe I'm reading too deeply into this, but it sounds as if you're in your first 5 years of marriage. If so, allow me to tell you this...

In my first 5 years of marriage I took up the hobby of bike riding. At first it was only once a week, but in no time at all I was up to 3 times a week, which included all Saturday. And I was gone for longer and longer. Then the kids came and my wife said nothing, but I could tell things were not going right. I was up before the kids on Saturday, and came back in the afternoon too tired to play with them. For like 3 years my wife didn't know where I was or who I was with. All she knew was that I wore out bike tires really fast and came home drenched in sweat. It took a knee injury for me to see things more clearly.

With reloading you'll be around the house. She'll know where you are. When the kids come along you'll be there to help. And when they're older they make great "helpers". That "time with dad" is indispensable. In elementary grades they can help with the math and reading, sort of a home-school for practical application of things they are learning at school. It's really something the whole family can do.

Now my boys are in their 20's and moved out. Both shoot and 1 reloads. Those shared interests keep them coming around. Mostly to "borrow" primers, but what the hey, they come around! :D So think about the longer term effects of your choices. Think about "reloading" as being the part of shooting you can do on a rainy day. Think in terms of family now and future. Your wife will love you for it!
 
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Save Money? No Way. I have more money invested in reloading components and equipment than I ever imagined. My wife would **** if she knew how much $$ I had tied up in my mancave. But, We get to shoot a hell of a lot more than if I was buying factory ammo. So, what does this mean, not much cept handloading is more about shooting than saving money. If you like to shoot you will enjoy loading your own ammo, if you like to just save money on ammo you will not find it worthwhile for very long.

Safety, get a few good manuals and read them, when you are done read them again. Then let your wife read one or two, she will be able to see first hand how safe handloading can be if the rules are followed.
 
If you go into it only to save money, it will become a second job, and one you won't enjoy doing very long.
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I don't disagree with this. However, I will say that being able to save money and be able to shoot more accurate ammo were the main reasons I started reloading. After I tried it, I realized it's an enjoyable hobby. I had no idea that it would be as fun as it is. So some people may go into it just to save money and then end up enjoying it. Others may not enjoy it in which case you are exactly right.

IMO when it comes down to time, I'm not sure that I think it would be worth it if you don't enjoy it. Sure I reload ammo for $8.50 a box that would cost me $30 a box in factory loads with the same bullet. Plus my reloads are more accurate. However, you have to also figure it takes me several hours to do it on a single stage press. So if If I said I was going to charge my hours to myself at $10 an hour, I probably really wouldn't save much if any and $10 an hour isn't much at all. That being said, it's not something that I think of that way as it's something that's fun to do.
 
I save loads of money reloading. I use primers I purchased years ago for $10 bucks a thousand, pull down powder than I got for $8 bucks at my door. For handgun, cast my own slugs, using free lead. I find I really don't need the $800 to $1200 latest reloading rig.

Regarding my cost per hour, most of my life I never made much money when I got home after work. I'm now retired, and can easily reload all I'll shoot in one evening that I'll shoot the following afternoon. I usually do not shoot over 500 to 800 in one session.

Hey guy, go for it, its safe, its ecomonical, its enjoyable, what more do you want.
 
Far more people have been killed, seriously injured or emotionally damaged for life by marriage, than by re-loading errors.


( Lol...and true... )


But definitely, if it is somehting you two could do together, that would be ideal..!


As others have pointed out, the greatest advantage to loading your own, is to have Loading combinations taylored to specific Arms and intentions, which are either not available in the Market at all, or which would be very hard to find or expensive, if they were.
 
Is it worth the x number of hours of my time for the cost savings?
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If you're shooting a high volume of ammo OR if you're shooting a lot of unusual or unusually expensive rounds, it absolutely saves money. It's also been very helpful in the recent ammo crunch. And with prices for even standard ammo going through the roof, it becomes more and more economical to handload.

Of course you can eat up your savings by buying expensive equipment. I prefer to use a simple hand press which cost me all of $25.

It is as safe as you are.
 
That gas can, in the garage for the lawn mower, is more dangerous than reloading stuff.
 
Is it worth the x number of hours of my time for the cost savings?
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Only you can decide that. I never quiet bought the idea that you should count your time spent loading when figuring the cost. It's a hobby. I don't get paid for fishing or playing golf, both of which I do every chance I get. In fact, they cost me money. Same with handloading. If you ever start to look at it that way, it's time to find a new hobby IMO.

As far as being safe, I've never had a mishap. I've double charged a pistol round and realized it as soon as it happened. You don't have to worry about double charging the rifle rounds as much because most powders fill the case enough where this is impossible. At least the ones I'm familiar with. (.308, .30-06, .7mm Rem Mag, .223)
Bottom line, if you follow the manual, you'll be fine. Don't go hotrodding loads above max and you'll do okay.
 
But being a good hubby, I talk it over with the wife :D
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Most reloaders go through their entire life without a mishap, you can do the same if you pay attention to what you're doing and follow the safety rules.

I have never had a mistake I didn't catch before firing the ammo and if I continue to be careful I'll hopefully continue to have the same safe run...
 
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