Teaching some friends how to reload

[FROGO207]

I am presently teaching a couple friends how to reload properly and safely. They are getting the basics and are doing OK with it. One other person I declined to help after he deliberately tried to overload some 30-06 after I repeatedly warned him of the danger of just filling the case with propellant and jamming a bullet in.

Are any of you getting friends that want to reload and are willing to learn from you?
Are you willing to take the time to share your reloading skills and knowledge to teach others?
I think this is a golden opportunity to get others into the reloading hobby.

 

[Gadzooks Mike]

Just curious, did that other fellow give any reason for his attempted murder/suicide?

 

[qajaq59]

I can't even imagine someone that stupid!! Be sure you never sit next to him at the range. And I certainly wouldn't hunt with him either.
I've never had the opportunity to show someone how to load, but should the occasion arise I would be happy to do it. It's a great hobby and not all that hard to do if you follow the rules.

 

[FROGO207]

The guy claimed that he had reloaded some in the distant past and "anyhow that's what works with black powder".:banghead: Others say he likes a big boom. Might get him some cannon fuse for Christmas to use on his supposed 50 LB black powder keg full.

So far I have taught 9 successful reloaders to date.

 

[GP100man]

People are curious animals that want to learn , but go to the wrong sources sometimes!!

I went to a range once with a man & his wife was there already trying to drive a bullet out of a bolt rifles bore , it came out they took a break while i set my targets.

We fired up the line & again there driving the bullet from the bore !!????

I have to ask" what load are you using"?? they replyed "3grains bullseye"

Well I pulled a bullet & sure enuff there were "3" flakes of powder in the case !!!

We sat & talked awhile & The wife went to the place of business & bought a manual rite then , we pulled the rest of the bullets & they packed up & left .

A Happy endin though they called me `bout a month later & thanked me for helping them & sent me a Christmas card for yrs.

They never disclosed where they got there first info though!!

 

[buck460XVR]

One other person I declined to help after he deliberately tried to overload some 30-06 after I repeatedly warned him of the danger of just filling the case with propellant and jamming a bullet in.

A prime example of why some folk should NEVER reload.......and why many of us that do reload, refuse to shoot other folk's handloads.

So far I have taught 9 successful reloaders to date.

good for you. 9 outta 10 ain't bad!

 

[rfwobbly]

Are you willing to take the time to share your reloading skills and knowledge to teach others?

Yes, by all means. Anyone except for those guys from Maine. You can't understand a word theys a-sayin'.

So far I have taught 9 successful reloaders to date.

Helped a young guy about a year ago in the next town over hone his reloading skills. Turned out he's on a county SWAT team. Not only has he turned into a good friend and great after-hours source for powder and bullets, but he's showed me some interesting armaments he uses in his "job".

 

[aerod1]

No. The only way I would teach someone to reload would be if I knew they had "studied" a good manual entirely. That's the same way I learned and it seems to have worked........so far.
If they study a good manual, they will know the basics and will only need a few extra pointers.

 

[snuffy]

No. The only way I would teach someone to reload would be if I knew they had "studied" a good manual entirely. That's the same way I learned and it seems to have worked........so far.
If they study a good manual, they will know the basics and will only need a few extra pointers.

If that's what works for you,,,---then by all means follow those guidelines. I'll help out in any form or direction someone wants to go. One guy simply watched me load one .280 shell, start to finish. He then went out, bought a bunch of used "stuff" from a local gunshop that had been stacked in a corner. I helped him get it set-up and said before you do anything, read that manual that was in that "stuff". I also borrowed him my copy of the ABC's of reloading. He is now a successful loader. I get calls now and then about the deeper aspects of loading, which I try to answer.

I also got him going on cast boolits, we processed over a ton of range lead into ingots, he has around 10,000 boolits made now, from that lead.

Another guy from work got interested in reloading when I gave him a few loads for his new .223 bolt gun. He was amazed at how much better they shot compared to what he was buying. He wanted to know everything about it. His dad gave him a used cheapo lee "C" press, he asked me if it would work for .223. I said yes, but don't expect loads from it to do what mine did. He then bought a lee chalanger, breech lock press, and dies. Showed me his first targets shot with his first loads! You couldn't have gotten that smile off his face with 60 grit sandpaper!

Does teaching my son count? He's busy now with school for paramedic/fireman, so he don't have much time to shoot/load.

Just last week, I helped another newbie get started. He had just bought a used S&W 500 magnum. With it came dies, brass, bullets, some were already primed. I supplied some powder and primers, along with my knowledge. He just watched, he's at the local gun show right now looking for primers, a measure, brass and some other "stuff". I gave him my Lee chalanger, had no use for it since buying a Lee classic cast press. First time loading that monster, I get to shoot it SOON! I'm gonna cast some 440 lead boolits for it, for him. He's also getting a manual or 3, says he'll do a lot of reading before trying anything on his own.

 

[wgaynor]

I wish I had someone show me how. I saw my Father-In-Law's set up, and he tried to explain it, but it was greek to me. A couple of years later he gives me his single stage press, some brass, primers, bullets, dies, and a book.

I read, and read, and read, and read some more. After reading this forum and watching videos on the subject, I finally got the courage to try it and learned from my mistakes. While I am sure he would have helped me if he lived closer (I'm in Kentucky and he is in Wyoming), I am grateful that he at least started my curiosity and gave me the equipment.

Good for you for teaching others. A Mentor is someone that should be respected.

As for the idiot that wouldn't listen to you, I'd keep my distance...

 

[rfwobbly]

One thing I've learned from teaching technical classes to people of various backgrounds...
people learn different ways and it really helps if you can talk a little bit, demonstrate a little bit, and then let them do a little bit.

For one guy all it takes is seeing it written down, another can simply hear the words, while another guy has to put his hands on the equipment to learn. It's very strange to see "the lights come ON" at various places around a class when you present the same information 4 or 5 different ways.

 

[atlanticfire]

I’m the gun guy in the family, even over my father. I had been trying to convince my brother and dad for years to learn. They didn't really have any concept of what I did in my mystical little room in the back of the house. All they knew was that my ammo was the best. After a while I got tired of loading for them, they shoot alot (so do I). They had given me cash to get supplies but I had been doing everything else. I told them I didn't have time to do it anymore and invited them to learn. Nope! Not interested. After about two weeks I got a call whining about crappy groups and spending tons of money at local chain stores for ammo. I sat with them for a little each night for a week, provided them with some good reading material and now I think they load more than me. Whew, now I don’t have to do it for them anymore.

 

[snuffy]

After about two weeks I got a call whining about crappy groups and spending tons of money at local chain stores for ammo. I sat with them for a little each night for a week, provided them with some good reading material and now I think they load more than me. Whew, now I don’t have to do it for them anymore.

In a bit of a different aspect of that, the guy with the 500 magnum has been interested in learning for some time. He just didn't have a "reason". After he found out what a box of 20 rounds for his hand cannon cost, he suddenly couldn't wait to get started. I heard $50.00/20 rounds? The first question he asked was would I load them for him? Nope, you'll have to do it yourself was my answer.

Holy cats, 39.0 grains of H-110, was just the starting load for 385 grain bullets!

 

[EddieNFL]

I've gotten a few guys into the addiction.

One other person I declined to help after he deliberately tried to overload some 30-06 after I repeatedly warned him of the danger of just filling the case with propellant and jamming a bullet in.

I used to shoot silhouettes with a guy who loaded 7TCU in just that fashion. Said he worked up a safe load and determined it wasn't possible to overcharge a case without "settling" the powder and adding more. Supposedly, he would scoop ball powder from a bowl into a case and wipe the excess off the top. Set the cases in a load block next to his tumbler. Once the powder settled, he seated bullets.

I was never brave enough to try it, but he's pushing 80 and still has all ten fingers and no extra holes in his head. He's retired EOD...maybe that explains it.

 

[EddieNFL]

people learn different ways and it really helps if you can talk a little bit, demonstrate a little bit, and then let them do a little bit.

Spot on. You can tell me something a hundred times, but I won't get it until I do it with my on hands. I guess we're all stupid one way or another.

 

[snuffy]

One other person I declined to help after he deliberately tried to overload some 30-06 after I repeatedly warned him of the danger of just filling the case with propellant and jamming a bullet in.

Actually that was how an awful lot of folks got started loading after WWII. Hodgdon bought train cars full of surplus powder from the U.S. government. It was 4831. Accepted technique was to simply dip a 30-06 case in the powder, strike off the excess, seat a 180 grain bullet. It was a seriously compressed charge, but shot beautifully, without any pressure problems. The 4831 was so slow burning, it was impossible to get too much in a case. The powder was sold by the shopping bag full for 25 cents a pound, Hodgdon made 20 cents on the deal!

Of course now days that's a completely wrong approach!

 

[EddieNFL]

Flash-forward to 2009 and $.25 cents worth of powder will load two rounds. WOW!

 

[FROGO207]

It's funny how sticker shock will turn on the reloadin' gene.
I am wondering if this ammo situation will produce a reloading school video opportunity or some such enterprise?

 

[rfwobbly]

Flash-forward to 2009 and $.25 cents worth of powder will load two rounds. WOW!

Yea, but the really scary thought was that it was 2 rounds of .22 !!

 

[Landric]

In 2004 I got divorced. When I did, I had to move to a place where I didn't have room for my handloading equipment, which at the time consisted of a RCBS Rockchucker, a Dillon Square Deal B set up for .45 ACP, several die sets, and various other necessary items (tumber, calipers, powder measure, scale, etc.). I asked a friend who wasn't a handloader to store it for me. He agreed, and I told him he was welcome to use it if he wanted to. I didn't actually teach him to do it, other than explaining the basic process and including some manuals and books on the subject with the equipment I left him. He is now a handloader and he loaded a lot of the ammunition I fired before I got a place big enough to set back up. I left my old equipment with him and he still uses it. He also purchased himself a Dillon 550b. I replaced my old equipment with the same items, a SDB for .45 ACP and a RCII, plus I've added several other presses now. When I visit him its nice to see my two original presses still going strong and making ammo.

I have another friend who I taught the basics and explained the process. He has since purchased his own press and loads all his own ammo. He still calls me from time to time with a question, but its nice to see his change from a factory ammo shooter to a handloader.

So, I suppose I've taught one and provided the equipment to another. My 8 year old step son is really interested in everything gun related, including handloading (yes, being a glutton for punishment I got married again ), and I have two new twin sons who I hope to one day be able to teach the craft to as well.

 

[MetalHead]

Had a few people ask me basic questions but thats all, I was self taught at 14 (1974)loading 20 guage shotshells with first a 3" Lee whack-a-mole and then a Lee LoadAll 16/20. Only manual was the current Lyman plus the freebies from Winchester and Hercules, first powder was Herco. never finished that can as the WW powders were cleaner burning and metered better. Took a long time getting the Loadall to do a ok crimp even on WW AA hulls. and because I was loading in a cold shed those hulls split after just a few loadings. Ten years later a Mec Sizemaster was a dream come true!

 

[cmhbar]

self taught- the hard way

Great that you all helped someone start handloading! I could find no one to mentor me when I started loading metallic cartridges (several of my friends loaded shotgun shells to shoot clay birds but no metallic. ) Bought a couple of reloading manuals and studied a lot before loading a round. Ruined a good bit of brass in my first attemps. trying to adjust the dies and crimp 30/30 bullets is kind of humorus as I look back. collasped shoulders and could not understand why until more study: But I ALWAYS used the very minimum powder charge while learning! ( not a complete dummy.) I have now helped my Son , son-in law, to learn the "art" if I may use that term. I am now teaching two grandsons and a granddaughter the basics .----I AM NEW HERE AND I REALLY LIKE THIS FORUM!! I am sure I really goofed up trying to make this post . Any suggestions and help would be welcomed

 

[docsleepy]

I've taught 2 people to reload and about to start on the third. Concerns about future government interference with availability are a major factor driving many. I have them read a reloading manual; give them a list of what to get, and spend a lot of time with them at first.

lots of fun

 

[bullseye308]

I have taught a few to load their own over the years, maybe 8 or so. All have been safe and cautious and I'm proud of that. I'm about to start with another 2 very soon and have high expectations for both of them also. There are some that you just can't work with, but with a lot of explainations of what can and will go wrong if they don't listen, they will come around. I had one guy like the OP that "knew everything" and "needed" max or better loads, but he came around pretty quickly with a good dose of reality.

I teach that for target shooting, which is what most everyone I know does, 70-80% loads are more than enough and the only reason(usually) to go over that would be for hunting or long range shooting. Shooting for value is what most seem to go for, so I also introduce those interested into casting.

I also point those just getting into it to this forum to read up and see what they are in for. I will help anyone that asks and wants to learn. They can use my equipment till they get their own and I will teach them what I know. What I don't know I can find the answer to quickly. I have only told 1 person ever that reloading wasn't for them because they just would not follow basic safety guidelines. It has been 2 years and he still does not load his own, but he is starting to get some sense in his head, so maybe soon I will try again with him. Some couldn't believe that this was addictive.