Any help?

[Doc]

Those of you that reload your own ammo, how many of you had help getting started, I'm talking about hands-on experienced help showing you all the steps while sitting right next to you? How necessary do you think that kind of help is?

 

I had a brother-in-law that had been reloading for years give me a hand with equipment selection and processes and analysis of results. I know it is all right there in the books, but it really turned out kind of good to have somebody there to make sure that nothing is being interpreted wrong or forgotten or just plain being executed improperly.

 

 

[dbHunterNY]

I'm sure it helps.  I've asked questions but don't have any one at this time "holding my hand".  I'm sure it'd definitely help.  probably alleviate a lot of pondering and frustration.

[Jaeger]

I did have a buddy show me the ropes.  I wanted to get into it for a long time, but was concerned about the little things you don't get from the guides/books.  He really  helped me with setting up and what to watch out for.

 

Even helped me build a loading bench that is a comfortable work height for me.

 

 

[airedale]

I was basically self taught, I had nobody to show me the ropes when I got started in fact back in those days I don't think I even knew of anyone that reloaded. No doubt hands on experience would have been the best way to go had it been possible.

 

I bought three different loading manuals and read them cover to cover before I made my first equipment purchase from the old Parker Distributors outfit that was in New Rochelle. I still have that equipment and still use it today even though it is just about 50 yrs old now, when you buy good quality stuff it lasts. Over the years I have added quite a bit of equipment for the loading room and just picked up another new press a few months ago, for me it has been never ending but I love it.

 

Al

Edited February 9, 2016 by airedale

[Lawdwaz]

I had help as close as a phone call away..........the rest was on my own.  There was no such thing as the internet then either, heck I don't think even Al Gore had dreamed up the WWW in 1991.

 

I'd talk with my buddy quite often and read all I could then on the subject while experimenting.  (still have all my digits and eyes too)

[fasteddie]

I didn't know anyone that reloaded . I bought a Rifle Book as well as a Pistol Book . Read them a couple of times and then gave it a try . I have pretty much what I need . Still have things to learn . 

Bought some crimping dies for a couple of different calibers and never used them . Also bought some 308 dies to reload for my son and he sold his 308 Thompson Encore . 

[airedale]

Today with a computer and the internet finding out information about reloading is pretty easy. "You Tube" has videos on just about every manufacturer's piece of reloading equipment that is made from the past and present along with pretty good instructions on how it is setup and used. Wish I had access and information like that when I got started.

 

Al

Edited February 10, 2016 by airedale

[Pygmy]

I  had been reloading shotshells for a number of years, but that's quite a different process.

 

Since my area had been shotgun country FOREVER for deer hunting, there were not a lot of local guys who reloaded metallic cartridges, so I was on my own. I bought a couple of loading manuals and read everything I could find about the subject. 

 

Some of the more sophisticated technical type reloaders would probably consider my setup somewhat crude..I still use an old beam balance scale from Herter's and my powder dribbler is a little plastic teaspoon that I have used for years, but I have managed to assemble safe and accurate loads for my rifles and have got a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from doing it.  Several of my rifles have never had a factory load fired in them.

[airedale]

Hey Pygmy that is one of the great things about reloading, a person that takes up reloading does not have to spend a fortune obtaining fancy sophisticated technical equipment to produce top notch ammo that will equal anything the high dollar equipment produces.

 

Al

Edited February 10, 2016 by airedale

[thphtm]

Started reloading my 30 - 06 ammo 50 years ago , did it all from the Speer reloading book. Start off low not at Max loads.

[philoshop]

I was fortunate to have a very good mentor right from the start as far as safety and the basics, but I picked up  the advanced accuracy and fine-tuning info on my own.

Most of reloading is just focus and paying attention.