Reloading..Learning steps takes time.

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swampratt

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I learned by reading books and asking questions.
I did not get any hands on until i purchased my own stuff.
Now i have only been reloading since 2009 but have learned many things in that time.

Just thinking of the steps needed to build 1 round in my head seems relatively easy and straight forward.
Does not require hardly any steps..

Yea guess again..
I do all these steps and it seems as natural as changing a flat tire.
But telling someone else all the steps and walking them through it you start to realize there are many many steps in making good ammo and not overworking the brass in the process.

Jedabug92 came over the other day and i figured i would have him rockin' on some bullet making in short order.
About 2 hours later after i probably talked his ear off and had us measuring all the area's on his .308 cases he finally got to weigh some powder.

I bet i left stuff out.

So if you are looking into reloading get some reloading books. The Lyman 49th is a great one.

And do not get frustrated if you aren't making ammo in 30 minutes.
 

becker_atc

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I started at the age of 15 I think. Mother drove me to the great outdoors in Stillwater and got powder and primers and bullets. Loaded my first 45lc using the Speer book that came with the kit I was given and the paper instructions with the dies.

No other instruction until I was about 17 when I started on neck sizing 223 when I borrowed a die.

I've learned a lot from books the internet and other folks lots of resources out there

Sent via message in a bottle
 

dlbleak

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i remember standing on a chair, leaning over a hot stove casting bullets IN THE HOUSE! we also didn't wear sunscreen, seat belts and took road trips laying in the back window.
i was pulling the handle under dads supervision at around 9 years old. we kept it real simple, only loading under powered 38 and 44.
my 'go to' books are the abc's of realaoding and lyman cast bullet book.
i also haunt used book stores and resale shops for vintage reloading manuals. some of my best loads come from the lyman books from the 60's and 70's.
 

Jedabug92

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Yea I read Lyman 49 and was "yea ok no worries I can reload in no time just need to tumble and trim......NOPE"
Turns out after a 4 hour "class" with swampratt we had only loaded 5 .308 but I learned so much more and different tips and tricks that he uses and different ideas on how to do things that it's not even funny. I mean instead of buying $1,000,000 worth of reloading things you can use an old fan motor as a automatic brush or a drill as a case trimmer.
So the book is a good start but won't tell you everything.
 

rickm

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It dont matter how long u been reloading you will always learn something new and different while talking with other people that reloads some will work for u and other things wont aslong as you keep the basics down and in your mind you will get by and yes there is alot of new machinary out there to help u but if u have a imagination and is mechanicaly incline most of it can be built from parts laying around much cheaper. the books listed above are good books to keep on hand and read like i tell most people that are thinking of getting into it to get these books and read or go to the library and check the books out and read but no matter how much u read or try it just not going to work for some people like everything else in life not everything is for everybody.
 

swampratt

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I do remember casting lead when i was much younger but this was for fishing sinkers.
Dad had it all backwards and i ended up peeling lead off of my face and arms and my Dukes of Hazard shirt.
He found that water inside of the mold is not good. I held the mold over a bucket of water as he poured the lead into the Mold that he just ran under the cold water to cool it.

He said do not move no matter what and hold the mold tight...All i heard was BOOM and i held rock steady with eyes closed and teeth tightened.
Sure was hot on my body ,, but the thrashing i would get if i did not do as i was told would be worse.
Then i was told drop the mold stick your head in the bucket of water!.

OH be safe when you play and if you have something new to try do not involve your kids!! :)
Waffles are done,,see ya :)
 

Jedabug92

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It dont matter how long u been reloading you will always learn something new and different while talking with other people that reloads some will work for u and other things wont aslong as you keep the basics down and in your mind you will get by and yes there is alot of new machinary out there to help u but if u have a imagination and is mechanicaly incline most of it can be built from parts laying around much cheaper. the books listed above are good books to keep on hand and read like i tell most people that are thinking of getting into it to get these books and read or go to the library and check the books out and read but no matter how much u read or try it just not going to work for some people like everything else in life not everything is for everybody.
Yea I mean swampratt has a tumbler that is a V8 Bottle that sits on a rooting thingy hooked to a car battery. An it works.
Looking at making mine out of a old bikes peddles so I can work out as I clean up hahahaha.
 

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