When do you stop reloading?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I load 200 to 400 round per sitting or until I get tired or have something else to do.
As far as my life as a reloader I will stop when my health gets too bad or they make it illegal. The way things are going it will probably be illegal & I will reload until I run out of components. Then I will pass my tools to someone that will continue if they make it legal again.
 
Airborne Falcon said:
I dunno. There have been times in my life when I've slowed down because of wife and kids and job, etc., but for the past 20 years since the kids got out of college (well, the three girls) I've consistently been steadily reloading. Even on the rare occasion when I temporarily ran out of powders and primers ... I was still collecting brass and lead ... I was sorting and prepping brass, and casting boolits.

I doubt I'll run out of powders and primers again in what is remaining of my life ... question for me now is whether or not the mission is contunued by my Son or grandkids or even one of rhe SiLs. Hopefully that is down the road and I don't make any mistakes as I continue to age.

I guess I'll stop if/when I realize I am not mentally capable of doing it safely anylonger.
Click to expand...
That's where I am now. Been reloading since 1965. Son-in-law is doing a good job with grandboys and teaching them. Building a new reloading area as all of the kids and grandkids are gone now, and have been asked to teach a few private classes in reloading. Decisions have to be made. WML (wish me luck)
 
Buzznrose said:
What is going to happen to all your reloads when you’re no longer are able to shoot?
Click to expand...

Not a problem for me. I'll be either be dead or to feeble to care. Realistically though I have heirs that will shoot it all. I have kids, grand kids, and great grand kids that have been shooting my ammo up for years and they will continue until the supply is gone.
 
It’s off and on for me. Being a percussion revolver shooter for the most part it’s load as you go. I’ll generally run off a few hundred in 9,38,44 and 45 for those not too often days I want to shoot metallic. Saying that it’s back to indoor shooting for a couple of months, cold weather, so I’ve just started an inventory to find out what I need to cast bullets for and load up.
 
doubleh said:
Not a problem for me. I'll be either be dead or to feeble to care. Realistically though I have heirs that will shoot it all. I have kids, grand kids, and great grand kids that have been shooting my ammo up for years and they will continue until the supply is gone.
Click to expand...
Give some one some reloads, shoot for a day, teach someone to handload shoot for a life time
Old Indian proverb. ;)
 
You stop when the body tells you to!
About 6 months ago I decided to reload the two 50 cal ammo cans full of .45ACP brass I had prepped for reloading. I guess about 2000 rounds and about 700 rounds of 5.56 (These needed to be fully processed).
As I like a single stage press (I do have two Dillon RL 450's) that was about 6100 press pulls.
About a day after I was done I noticed my right elbow was swollen and leaking liquid ***?
I went to see my DR the next day and he said I had "tennis elbow" He asked me what I was doing, of course I told him I was dry walling.
I have since recovered and every thing is back to normal
 
If yer talking about when to stop reloading forever, I'd say when I couldn't see, too blind to read my scale. I'll stop shooting when I can't see through my red dot sights. If yer talking about when to stop a reloading session, usually when I start to tire or my mind starts wandering. At 74 that usually what happens (but 25 years ago I' reload enough rounds to use up a box of bullets or about 100 of my cast bullets). If I'm feelin' good I'll set out 50-75 cases and bullets and stop when they are all used up (still need enough energy to record and clean up bench, then record load on my computer). But lately I've been reloading some test loads and 20 is a good number of rounds for a decent test...
 
rperyam said:
Our two daughters grew up around guns and gun safety. The better shot of the two will still shoot with us when she comes home, but doesn't own any guns. Her husband liked guns but never owned any. We lost him to COVID a couple of months ago. Our oldest daughter lives three doors down. She is an embalmer and assists with autopsies for our county. She has seen the results of gunshot victims way too many times. Both her and her husband carry with permits. The girls watched me reload but never got involved with it.
Click to expand...

Sorry for your loss, I've had a couple family members that tested positive for covid, my daughter almost lost the battle. Couldn't even see her as she is in Poland. Wife tested positive last week, been on quarrentine for a week. It ends tomorrow, but I was going stir crazy in side so I went to the range, was for the most part alone. Kept my distance from the other club members that came to shoot. Spent about 8 hours behind the but plate of 4 rifles.

I has to stop reloading, due to 5 family members needing a place to live. Took my bench down put supplies away, if I need to load I can set up in my bedroom or the downstairs closet, but I still think reloading, a friend that just started calls or texts questions with pics and asks if it's good or not, get lots of questions. It's all good and keeps my mind sharp.
 
AK Hunter said:
I load 200 to 400 round per sitting or until I get tired or have something else to do.
As far as my life as a reloader I will stop when my health gets too bad or they make it illegal. The way things are going it will probably be illegal & I will reload until I run out of components. Then I will pass my tools to someone that will continue if they make it legal again.
Click to expand...
Funny! even if it’s illegal, I’ll still crank out ammo because that is definitely a line in the sand
 
I enjoy reloading for the sake of it. Most of my loading is done to compete. But I do load for fun as well. I enjoy figuring out new loads. I'm constantly working on something. Busy with family and work it typically takes me multiple sessions to reload batches. I figure I will eventually stop but hopefully that won't be for many many years.
 
I reload periodically through the year. Typically enough for the next week or two if the weather is nice and I feel like being in the barn. It is a relaxation time for me.

For specific matches or hunting season rifle reloading kicks up a lot in July and August.

I will usually pick 2-3 handgun calibers and shotgun as my bulk reload in October or November and crank up the progressive to last me 6+ months. My reloading typically involves casting, sizing, powder coating, and sizing again so it becomes a weeklong process to load a few hundred rounds.
 
Barr said:
I reload periodically through the year. Typically enough for the next week or two if the weather is nice and I feel like being in the barn. It is a relaxation time for me.

For specific matches or hunting season rifle reloading kicks up a lot in July and August.

I will usually pick 2-3 handgun calibers and shotgun as my bulk reload in October or November and crank up the progressive to last me 6+ months. My reloading typically involves casting, sizing, powder coating, and sizing again so it becomes a weeklong process to load a few hundred rounds.
Click to expand...

Why do you resize twice. before and after powder coating? Could you describe your method of powder coating, quench or not brands etc.?
 
I just choose to size twice because it’ll give me a more consistent product and not add that much more time. I had some molds that were throwing bullets out of round that I had since resolved by eliminating the buildup of mold release.
 
Aside from things I can't realistically choose to stop doing (providing for my family, wearing clothes in public, eating, etc...) whether it's short term or long term, the reasons I stop doing anything are always the same: I don't enjoy it anymore.

Short term, enjoyment is lost because of fatigue, distraction, or fault in the process causing issues that need in depth diagnosis...hang it up for the day and come back later with fresh perspective. (You know, after you post your problem and THR fixes it for you)

Long term, whenever the time I put in starts feeling like a bad investment because there are things I'd rather be doing. When traveling all over the country to fish in tournaments or play softball felt like a 2nd job and I wasn't motivated to put in the effort to be my best, it wasn't fun anymore...so I stopped. If reloading ever makes me feel that way, I'll stop then.
 
Finished the Bullseye Pistol season with empty ammo cans, and one with a handful of cartridges just at the bottom. Reloading has many of the aspects of Wabi Sabi: Nothing is perfect, nothing is finished, and nothing is complete.

So, again I will roll the ball up the hill, knowing it will be back at the base soon. Reloading is a never ending task.
 
The last time I stopped was because my wife was yelling at me that dinner was ready. I was trying to get 50 rounds of .357 made up. That was April and I haven't touched the bench since. Life has been not fun lately.

But now the weather is cooling off and I am getting a little more free time, I'm going to get back at it. I need to source more bullets now.
 
It may be a never ending task but I enjoy it immensely and will do it as long as I can.
At least it makes more sense than playing golf! Even if you should get good at it most still can't use the skill to put food on the table. Not everyone is as good as Palmer. Now reloading and hunting, that will put food on the table LOL.
 
hk940 said:
You stop when the body tells you to!
About 6 months ago I decided to reload the two 50 cal ammo cans full of .45ACP brass I had prepped for reloading. I guess about 2000 rounds and about 700 rounds of 5.56 (These needed to be fully processed).
As I like a single stage press (I do have two Dillon RL 450's) that was about 6100 press pulls.
About a day after I was done I noticed my right elbow was swollen and leaking liquid ***?
I went to see my DR the next day and he said I had "tennis elbow" He asked me what I was doing, of course I told him I was dry walling.
I have since recovered and every thing is back to normal
Click to expand...
Why would you tell him you were drywalling? Do you regularly keep reloading a secret? Is your doc anti-gun?
 
Armored farmer said:
There's nothing like stomping out a box of shotgun shells.
I like 28ga and. 410 hunting loads. I load more 12ga than anything but it's more volume than my 28s and 410s
Click to expand...

Reloading 28 and .410 makes more sense than loading anything else.
28ga is pretty much a skeet load, expensive proposition. Reloading makes custom loads and cheap.
.410, again expensive. Reload cheap.
 
GravelRider said:
Why would you tell him you were drywalling? Do you regularly keep reloading a secret? Is your doc anti-gun?
Click to expand...
I don't know if he is or not. He has only been here about 6 months, I do not know if he is anti gun or not, why take a chance? I have been here 4 years and have only shown two people my gun collection, one of which I no longer have as a friend!
I have not shown the State Trooper who lives across the street (and am good friends with) it yet.
With all of the BS laws being proposed, the less said the better!
You would not believe the questions I was asked when I went for a blood test at the local health center.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
unsure whether to start reloading!
2
Replies
30
Views
1K
popper
P
H
  • Locked
Reloading trays?
2
Replies
25
Views
3K
kennedy
K
D
  • Locked
Do you have to use chemicals when using tumbler with stainless pins?
2
Replies
27
Views
1K
Blue68f100
Blue68f100
A
  • Locked
Do you reload for other people?
2 3
Replies
63
Views
3K
Hoosier Reloader
H
Olympus
  • Locked
How Much Loaded Ammo Do You Keep On Hand?
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
Arkansas Paul
Arkansas Paul
Back
Top