Over thinking reloading?

[mikld]

Perhaps it's just me, but I am seeing a lot of new reloaders unnecessarily complicating reloading. Actually reloading is easy and all the info needed is in most reloading manuals, but I see a lot of really basic, simple questions on the forums I frequent. Perhaps some new reloaders are just not mechanically inclined, but common sense should be the rule, but often new reloaders overthink the process to the state of panic.

Processing brass is simple metalworking. A brass tube is returned to it's proper size with a die that compresses the brass back to original shape/size. Instructions on how to set up the dies in the press are supplied with the die. Common sense to use the instructions. Sometimes the overall length of the tube needs to be addressed and all reloading manuals give the standard dimensions for the particular cartridge. Sometimes minor metal removal is needed, like cutting the end of the tube to shorten it a bit or to remove metal formations from the primer pockets. Nothing complicated, and most reloading manuals have instructions/info to perform these simple tasks.

Choosing a powder is as simple as looking in the reloading manual. Look in the section for the cartridge chosen and bullet chosen and read. Powder characteristics are in the reloading manuals also, in the "Powder" section of the "How To" section. Powder charges are right there, just read and follow. Manuals also inform reloaders of the proper method of choosing a particular powder charge; start at the "starting charge" and if necessary increase until desired results are reached.

How deep to push the plug (bullet) into the tube (case) are there in the manuals also for the particular bullet used. The manufacturer of the bullet knows best how deep to seat their bullet, so start there.

Primers for each cartridge are listed in the reloading manuals, and there is a "Primers" section explaining the differences in primers and when each should be used. Look up how a primer works and primer seating is obvious.

Perhaps this is just an old reloader's rant, but I see so many questions about very basic reloading issues that I'm beginning to believe the act of reading is dying. But I also believe there are many horror stories about reloads self destructing and a rapid disassembly of the firearm occurs and frightens new reloaders almost to paralyzing them.

I guess I came to these realizations a few days ago when I got out my Lyman 49th and as I do on occasion, look through the "How To" section and saw answers to nearly every question I read on the forums that day. I'm not claiming to be an expert, but reloading ain't rocket science...

As I always say to new reloaders; Go slow, double check everything, err on the safe side, and most important have fun...

[daboone]

YEP, well said!

The newbie questions that made me smile. 1- what powder works best for such in such? 2- Whats the max load? 3- Any question that proves they haven't consulted a manual or even own one.

On the other end of the spectrum is "experenced" reloader who empirically states that this press or those dies are the best or the worst. The whole "My stuff is better than...." causes me to do a teenage eye roll. I've owned 9 different presses, used dies from every company I've seen. Guess what? They all worked.

The biggest mistake reloaders make is thinking they can make reloads that will correct their lack of trigger time.

[GasGuzzler]

Last sentence in the post above is the answer to all the negative aspects of this topic and the Internet in general.

I'm young enough to have not figured out the world and old enough to have learned from a pile of mistakes.

Don't ever find yourself on either end of the spectrum. No one has all the answers and both the flippant youngster and the old timers both think they do.

[RBHarter]

I suspect that at least part of them are over read .
When I started casting I was completely overwhelmed . Having read the Lyman manual casting section 3-4 times it still sounded like Charlie Brown s teacher ,that'll be $500 please. I had a very narrow goal in mind and an uncooperative rifle ...... Go read the stickies . Umm ok but if I get the bullet any bigger I'll be cramming an 8mm 06 in a 30 cal hole there a grease stain developing in front of the bench and I have leading that starts 4" in front of the chamber and stops 4" from the muzzle . By the way you're welcome to drop by with your calibrated steel rule and twist gauge to prove I don't have an 06 twisted that fast . Not that I was frustrated after 8 days alternately scrubbing lead and reading stickies that did nothing to address my problem.

Water under bridge for now .

I am opinionated about some tools and there are some that matter a lot less that the crowd would have a new guy believe . Truth be told my recommendations go like this ,if this is your first dip in the pool buy a Lee kit . If it's not for you , you'll be able to get 85% of your tool money maybe all of it . Buy the brands higher up and returns are closer to half . The way I see it no matter what you buy as a starter kit there will be parts you hate so spend $200 and try it out and find you like it and want more expensive tools or spend $500 to discover you hate it which you. could have done for $200 just as well. Having tried lots of dies side by side there is a difference and the $2-10 is worth it but then I hate tuxedos and hydrox but enjoy Oreos . There's a huge difference between salad dressing and Miracle whip too . Mayo is Mayo , mustard is mustard as long as it's yellow and if it starts every time who cares what badge it wears . No I won't swap the Lyman , Pacific , MEC or RCBS presses even at 3 Lee's per 1 of the others , I like steel .
I don't know squat but I've made enough mistakes to be able to say some things just don't work . Meanwhile there's always a case where that which shouldn't work does or a die hard that insists it works . Talk about the pitbull with a pork chop .

As often as we see the "instant gratification" guy I'd bet there is an over whelmed reader and 2 my way or the highway guys . That is why we find ourselves in these smaller forums more and more than in the super forums .

[horseman]

Reloading on the surface is of itself a very simple procedure. Like so many things with life's endeavors learning to do something isn't the "hard" part, learning to do it well or better is the challenge. Also the equipment can be daunting to the uninitiated. Case in point. A Nephew came to my place last year to hunt turkeys, along with him he brought his SIL and a friend of his, both in their mid 20's. They were here for a couple days and while here I of course showed them my reloading room. Both these young men are outdoors types, level headed, and are as I said, young MEN. Of course they were both interested in learning how and about reloading and the Progressive press I had set up to run 9's (they were both carrying 9's) really caught their attention. So I showed them how the press worked and ran a few for them explaining how the press worked and what was happening as it went. They were both very impressed and even with the questions they asked and the wow's and "cool" I could tell they were a bit confused and somewhat overwhelmed. But it was the machine and all going on at once that was the mental overload. As I thought about it later that day it kinda bothered me that I had introduced them to reloading in that manner. So, the next day I took them in the room, sat down at the single stage press, and showed them how to load a 9mm round step by step. Simple. One, two, three. They both said the same thing, "wow, that's a lot easier than it looked yesterday". So, my opinion is the meat and potatoes isn't the hard part, it's all the "other" things that can go with the "basics" of reloading that raise the "difficulty" bar up notch by notch.

[62chevy]

I'm an old fart but only been reloading for 3 years now and because of the shortage of bullets had to get into casting right away. So I read a lot over on Cast Boolits and when I asked a question it always started with and link to a relevant thread I had read. Never got a chewing out doing it hat way but have seen others get stomped into the ground for not doing so. If I knew the answer to simple questions I'd give a short answer and a link to a thread with a better one. Seamed to work for me. But ya big forums like CB seam to be full of hard heads and up tight types.

[daboone]

Lots of BIG egos on some of the forums. I've learned to ignore those guy's posts. But then there are those who post really sound information too. I tend to search for their responses.

[62chevy]

Lots of BIG egos on some of the forums. I've learned to ignore those guy's posts. But then there are those who post really sound information too. I tend to search for their responses.

Until their comments slow down and then disappear. But RunFiveRun came to the rescue and told me where they were hanging out. Yup another small site that some here have found too.

[GasGuzzler]

Run5 has helped me immensely elsewhere.

[jloader]

All right, all of the above posts are from the "experts" and "very experienced".
So here is a point of view from a "newbie" such that I am.

I've started about 6 months ago.
Got reloading manual, watched tons of videos.
Did I overdo it? Sure, by some standards. I would label myself as guy that needs to understand how it works before I use it/do it - a scientific kinda guy.

And, of course, I wanted to do it all: melt WW/lead scrap, cast bullets, make my own lube etc, etc.
What equipment to buy... don't want to spend a bunch of $$$ just to find that I would have been better off with something else... so, I ended up with Load Master, preconfigured for 38 Special.

Again, tons of videos - good and bad ones - and several posts to this forum - things were just not working out as I thought they would... but a few months later I've got a pretty good understanding of what each part of the press does and why.

Now for the "newbie load questions". I've got Lymans 49th and Lee's 2nd ed (I think). Then I cast Lee's bullets just to find that either there is no listing for the bullets that I've just cast or the powders recommended are not available at local suppliers, or better yet, I've run into situations where the reloading manuals and gunpowders' manufacturers have quite conflicting load data.

I could go on and on...
But I thank you all for your patient and knowledgeable replies and ask you for understanding - my wife's on my back just about every time I go to "work on the bullets" asking me to be safe - she googled "reloading accidents" and looked at the pictures - now she's all worried that I'm going to loose a hand or worse...

Thank you!