Drinking and case prep - Page 2

TheNatureBoy · January 28, 2012, 08:04 AM

I've screwed up so many rounds by drinking and reloading. Didn't dump the powder. Forget to seat the primer before dumping the powder, etc. I just don't do it any more.

oneoldsap · January 28, 2012, 08:59 AM

If your pal is a Wednesday night drinker , he's more than likely an alcaholic . Ergo he doesn't have the dicipline to abstain during the rest of the reloading process either ! Very silly post .

steve4102 · January 28, 2012, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Let's see ...

Drink a beer while I decap the brass .... yeah, I can do that.

Drink a beer while I lube and size the brass .... yeah, I can do that.

Drink a beer while I uniform/clean the flash hole on the brass .... yeah, I can do that.

Drink a beer while I chuck the brass in the drill press and polish the ouside of the case with steel wool .... yeah, I can do that.

Drink a beer while I run the Lee Trimmer up in the case while it's on the drill press .... yeah, I can do that.

Drink a beer while I deburr the neck after pulling it out of the chuck .... yeah, I can do that.

Drink a beer while I deburr the flash hole from the inside of the case after it's been trimmed to length .... yeah, I can do that.

Drink a beer when handling primers and powder .... never.

This pretty much sums it up.
I have been known to have a few beers when lubing and sizing my brass. I don't inspect my brass at that time anyway so no problem there. I wait till after the lube is tumbled off to inspect my brass. That's when I keep it clean and inspect, trim, prime and load.

flashhole · January 28, 2012, 09:14 AM

I will add further shock to the thread by saying I will drink a beer while mowing my grass too!

There is more risk of something bad happening to a person ascending or descending a set of stairs than having a beer doing some brass prep.

m&p45acp10+1 · January 28, 2012, 09:27 AM

Doing some of the prep work I may have a beer, as in one. I never mess with powder or primers if I have had a beer. I can run a sonic cleaner after a beer. I can use a Lee case trimmer on my drill after, or while having a beer. Same can be said for lubing, and sizing brass.

Note I have not had more than 2 drinks in a sitting, or even the same day in over 14 years.

steve4102 · January 28, 2012, 09:36 AM

Quote:

If your pal is a Wednesday night drinker , he's more than likely an alcaholic . Ergo he doesn't have the dicipline to abstain during the rest of the reloading process either !

There are millions of people that drink and still have discipline.
BTW, there is a difference between a drinker and an Alcoholic, Alcoholic's go to meetins.

jmorris · January 28, 2012, 09:38 AM

I am going to assume he is not at home when he's out golfing and "pounding beers" with you and the guys and has to drive home later. I'll further assume you don't shoot his "RUI" loads and he reloads at home.

The way I see it everyone in the world is safer by him reloading and drinking at home, with the possable exception of himself.

Rifleman1776 · January 28, 2012, 09:59 AM

He has an alcohol problem.
If he says he drinks that much only during case prep he is lying.
He is an alcohol addict and addicts lie to everyone, including themselves.
He is a danger to himself and others. Sad situation.

Slamfire · January 28, 2012, 12:17 PM

Depending on what he is doing, there may be a bunch of lead dust in the air. Especially if he is emptying tumblers or vibrators. If that lead dust gets in the drink, and he drinks it, he is increasing the lead content in his body.

Crankylove · January 28, 2012, 02:16 PM

I have no problem with partaking in a drink or two during a couple hours of reloading/prep. I even mark my ammo accordingly, so that I know if it was Captain and coke, PBR, Coors, Bud, or some Cutthroat that I had while loading it (also keeps my dad from sneaking my reloads when we go target shoot and my back is turned).

I also eat and drink while reloading, don't wear a mask or safety glasses, don't ventilate my work area, and have the t.v. or radio on for background noise while reloading.

To each their own.

Do any of you that are so against alcohol and prep/reloading ever have a beer with dinner or watching the game somewhere and then drive home? Ever have a beer while doing some automotive repair, or home remodeling? How about while camping when you have that nice big fire going? While mowing the lawn? Relaxing by the pool?

Lots of activities mixed with aclohol everyday that most people don't think twice about.............why such a passionate reaction to reloading with a drink or two, while people do all those other activities and not care a bit?

FrankenMauser · January 28, 2012, 02:42 PM

This is rather sad...

I see this thread devolving into a debate about morality and religion (it's coming), more than a debate about safety.

Shameful.

dacaur · January 28, 2012, 03:25 PM

agreed...

So far we have:
7 against prepping brass while drinking
12 who think its fine to prep brass while drinking
8 who just stopped by to preach about the evils of drinking, or had no opinion.

Looks like the people have spoken.

So basicaly the gist of the thread...

Dont drink while "loading" ammo.

Dont rink while "inspecting" brass.

Dont drink while running a drill press.

none of which was in question in the OP, replace the word "drink" with "watching TV", "texting", "having a conversation" etc is all just as dangerous. The ONLY time I have ever loaded a squib load (no powder) I was having a conversation with my wife. I have also put in a primer backward and loaded a round with NO primer while talking to her. I dont do that while "loading" anymore, but while prepping cases? There is literally nothing to go wrong there, so yea, I do it. Tumble, decap, Trim (assuming hand trimming) hornady case prep station, a monkey could do all that so go ahead and have a few while doing it.

On the other hand, like the anti-gun lobby, those against it are throwing out "factoids" "quasi-facts" and assumptions, someone who does "this" also ALWAYS does "that", "this" happened to someone who did "that", (where "that" isnt even under debate), etc, which all means that we have also "learned" that:

some guy blew his right hand off while prepping brass after drinking (#3),
if someone drinks while reloading, they also smoke (#5)
Some people make lots of reloading mistakes even when NOT drinking(#9, #25)
some people dont feel they should even operate an "off" switch while drinking, and would never think of dropping brass into ground corncob and hitting an on switch while buzzed (#12),
Drinkers should not have anything to do with guns(#13)
People often post replies without reading the text of the OP (#6, #13, #17, #24, #26, #32
If someone drinks on wednesday night, they dont have the discipline to not drink while doing dangerous things(#27)
Anyone who drinks is a liar and cant be trusted (#33)
And some people even think that airborne lead is only dangerous when it lands on the rim of a beer bottle and then you drink it... Breathing it? No problem, right? (#21, #34)

steve4102 · January 28, 2012, 04:29 PM

Quote:

He has an alcohol problem.
If he says he drinks that much only during case prep he is lying.
He is an alcohol addict and addicts lie to everyone, including themselves.
He is a danger to himself and others. Sad situation.

WOW! All that just from the OP's original question/post. Are you an Alcohol Counselor, maybe? Ah, crap, I just spillted my beer on my keyboard.

hodaka · January 28, 2012, 04:42 PM

Yes, and mine just shot out my nose.

amathis · January 28, 2012, 04:46 PM

Guys I'm not sure if drinking should be coupled with posting online. . . . . . It looks like people start posting dumb stuff when they do that.

Excuse me while I go get another cold one. . . .

flashhole · January 28, 2012, 05:19 PM

Should I forego lighting my gas B-B-Q with a beer in my hand ... too late, once again I took the risk and survived ... gotta go tend the chicken. That's a 3-beer adventure.

nate45 · January 28, 2012, 05:23 PM

I drink copious amounts of whisky and soda while loading.

At least thats what I tell people who ask me to load ammo for them.

1Hobie · January 28, 2012, 05:30 PM

Nothing like being loaded whilst loading the loads that I load into my "clip".

Makes the range experience a whole 'nuther thang. Will Hobie blow up his new gun? Tune in tommorow for loads of loaded loading fun....

Hobie

Rather have a bottle in front of me than have a frontal lobotomy. OK bye.

David Bachelder · January 28, 2012, 05:32 PM

It wouldn't be a great idea for me, however it may work well for him. I'm sure he's a big boy and doesn't need my approval.

Sevens · January 28, 2012, 05:38 PM

Truth: When I wrote post #20 last night, I had f-i-v-e beers in me. I had the day off work, I'm out of town visiting family and there were 6 beers here, so I drank five of them and I ate two donuts with my beer.

Before I entered the post, I got ready for my range day, which I always do the night before I have a scheduled shooting day. Last night, that entailed loading pistol magazines with exactly the different loads that I wanted in to them, ensuring my accessories and ammo were in order and packed in to the bags I was planning to use for the range trip.

5 beers, 39 years old, 6-foot, 195 lbs. Forum said it was 1:24 am, I had just finished watching Johnny Depp as John Dillinger in "Public Enemies" which was on when I was loading magazines.

Range day today was great, only one beer left here and I didn't feel like paying 10 cents per bottle/can for deposit to buy more beer, so I don't have any beer to drink tonight while separating brass and cleaning guns... well, except for that one can that's left.

I'll drink it tonight while I work on my dirty range stuff. The 5 beers last night was the first alcohol I had since the previous Friday when I drank 4 or 5 at a buddie's house. Before that, it had probably been 2 or 3 weeks, I guess.

Now, you really wanna fall out of your chair with a brain hemorrhage? There are times when I will drink one beer... and then ride a motorcycle.

Tim R · January 28, 2012, 05:46 PM

Quote:

It wouldn't be a great idea for me, however it may work well for him. I'm sure he's a big boy and doesn't need my approval.

I've never injested alcohol while doing anything with reloading. Never even thought of it. But, I do like a cold one on a hot day after mowing the grass etc. I would not get too overboard because a guy drinks beer while doing case prep. If there was a screw up tere is a good chance it would get caught when loading started.

nate45 · January 28, 2012, 05:49 PM

The tee totalers and choirboys in this thread need to go look up the definition of what an alcoholic is.

Having a few beers while at home relaxing and working on a hobby, doesn't meet the criteria.

darkroommike · January 28, 2012, 06:13 PM

Drinking and eating are off limits when I am doing anything at the reloading bench, not due to the danger of alcohol but the danger from lead. Specifically lead styphanate dust from spent primers. As Shrek said, "better out than in." Primer dust in spent primers, primer dust in cases, primer dust in used tumbling media, etc.

I take the same precaution at our indoor range, no food or drink on the line and I wash my hands before eating.

**Unclenick** · January 28, 2012, 06:51 PM

I choose to lube cases and cast bullets at the bench rather than myself. But the fact is you develop habits and muscle memory over years of experience, so it's perfectly possible, perhaps even probable that a mildly intoxicated but experienced reloader could do faster, better work than many newbies do sober.

If you compromise the effectiveness of your first round of inspection with beer, you lose some margin of redundancy in your safety efforts, and it's a judgment call as to how critical that is to your process. I mainly just don't think it's a judgment call a newbie should try to make, and I would discourage anyone still getting the hang of reloading not to do it intoxicated, distracted, or without enough sleep, even.

The main ethical point seems to me to revolve around insuring you are fully alert for final inspection and actual loading. Otherwise, you should only shoot when there isn't anyone else around to be hit by flying debris. That's just being considerate.

floydster · January 28, 2012, 07:47 PM

Hiccup, what??

January 28, 2012, 09:14 AM	#29
flashhole Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2005 Location: Owego, NY Posts: 2,000	I will add further shock to the thread by saying I will drink a beer while mowing my grass too! There is more risk of something bad happening to a person ascending or descending a set of stairs than having a beer doing some brass prep. __________________ ,,, stupidity comes to some people very easily. 8/22/2017 my wife in a discussion about Liberals. Are you ready for civil war?

January 28, 2012, 09:27 AM	#30
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	Doing some of the prep work I may have a beer, as in one. I never mess with powder or primers if I have had a beer. I can run a sonic cleaner after a beer. I can use a Lee case trimmer on my drill after, or while having a beer. Same can be said for lubing, and sizing brass. Note I have not had more than 2 drinks in a sitting, or even the same day in over 14 years. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

January 28, 2012, 02:16 PM	#35
Crankylove Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2008 Location: 8B ID Posts: 1,753	I have no problem with partaking in a drink or two during a couple hours of reloading/prep. I even mark my ammo accordingly, so that I know if it was Captain and coke, PBR, Coors, Bud, or some Cutthroat that I had while loading it (also keeps my dad from sneaking my reloads when we go target shoot and my back is turned). I also eat and drink while reloading, don't wear a mask or safety glasses, don't ventilate my work area, and have the t.v. or radio on for background noise while reloading. To each their own. Do any of you that are so against alcohol and prep/reloading ever have a beer with dinner or watching the game somewhere and then drive home? Ever have a beer while doing some automotive repair, or home remodeling? How about while camping when you have that nice big fire going? While mowing the lawn? Relaxing by the pool? Lots of activities mixed with aclohol everyday that most people don't think twice about.............why such a passionate reaction to reloading with a drink or two, while people do all those other activities and not care a bit? __________________ The answer to 1984 is 1776

January 28, 2012, 02:42 PM	#36
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	This is rather sad... I see this thread devolving into a debate about morality and religion (it's coming), more than a debate about safety. Shameful. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

January 28, 2012, 05:19 PM	#41
flashhole Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2005 Location: Owego, NY Posts: 2,000	Should I forego lighting my gas B-B-Q with a beer in my hand ... too late, once again I took the risk and survived ... gotta go tend the chicken. That's a 3-beer adventure. __________________ ,,, stupidity comes to some people very easily. 8/22/2017 my wife in a discussion about Liberals. Are you ready for civil war?

January 28, 2012, 08:04 AM	#26
TheNatureBoy Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2007 Posts: 1,204	I've screwed up so many rounds by drinking and reloading. Didn't dump the powder. Forget to seat the primer before dumping the powder, etc. I just don't do it any more.

January 28, 2012, 08:59 AM	#27
oneoldsap Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2009 Location: I live in the foot of the Green Mountains of Vermont Posts: 1,602	If your pal is a Wednesday night drinker , he's more than likely an alcaholic . Ergo he doesn't have the dicipline to abstain during the rest of the reloading process either ! Very silly post .

January 28, 2012, 09:38 AM	#32
jmorris Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 3,077	I am going to assume he is not at home when he's out golfing and "pounding beers" with you and the guys and has to drive home later. I'll further assume you don't shoot his "RUI" loads and he reloads at home. The way I see it everyone in the world is safer by him reloading and drinking at home, with the possable exception of himself.

January 28, 2012, 09:59 AM	#33
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	He has an alcohol problem. If he says he drinks that much only during case prep he is lying. He is an alcohol addict and addicts lie to everyone, including themselves. He is a danger to himself and others. Sad situation.

January 28, 2012, 12:17 PM	#34
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	Depending on what he is doing, there may be a bunch of lead dust in the air. Especially if he is emptying tumblers or vibrators. If that lead dust gets in the drink, and he drinks it, he is increasing the lead content in his body. __________________ If I'm not shooting, I'm reloading.

January 28, 2012, 03:25 PM	#37
dacaur Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Posts: 733	agreed... So far we have: 7 against prepping brass while drinking 12 who think its fine to prep brass while drinking 8 who just stopped by to preach about the evils of drinking, or had no opinion. Looks like the people have spoken. So basicaly the gist of the thread... Dont drink while "*loading" ammo. Dont rink while "inspecting" brass. Dont drink while running a drill press. none of which was in question in the OP, replace the word "drink" with "watching TV", "texting", "having a conversation" etc is all just as dangerous. The ONLY time I have ever loaded a squib load (no powder) I was having a conversation with my wife. I have also put in a primer backward and loaded a round with NO primer while talking to her. I dont do that while "loading" anymore, but while prepping cases? There is literally nothing to go wrong there, so yea, I do it. Tumble, decap, Trim (assuming hand trimming) hornady case prep station, a monkey could do all that so go ahead and have a few while doing it. On the other hand, like the anti-gun lobby, those against it are throwing out "factoids" "quasi-facts" and assumptions, someone who does "this" also ALWAYS does "that", "this" happened to someone who did "that", (where "that" isnt even under debate), etc, which all means that we have also "learned"* that: some guy blew his right hand off while prepping brass after drinking (#3), if someone drinks while reloading, they also smoke (#5) Some people make lots of reloading mistakes even when NOT drinking(#9, #25) some people dont feel they should even operate an "off" switch while drinking, and would never think of dropping brass into ground corncob and hitting an on switch while buzzed (#12), Drinkers should not have anything to do with guns(#13) People often post replies without reading the text of the OP (#6, #13, #17, #24, #26, #32 If someone drinks on wednesday night, they dont have the discipline to not drink while doing dangerous things(#27) Anyone who drinks is a liar and cant be trusted (#33) And some people even think that airborne lead is only dangerous when it lands on the rim of a beer bottle and then you drink it... Breathing it? No problem, right? (#21, #34)

January 28, 2012, 04:42 PM	#39
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	Yes, and mine just shot out my nose.

January 28, 2012, 04:46 PM	#40
amathis Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2009 Location: Champlain Valley, Vermont Posts: 161	Guys I'm not sure if drinking should be coupled with posting online. . . . . . It looks like people start posting dumb stuff when they do that. Excuse me while I go get another cold one. . . .

January 28, 2012, 05:23 PM	#42
nate45 Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,746	I drink copious amounts of whisky and soda while loading. At least thats what I tell people who ask me to load ammo for them. __________________ "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."- Thomas Jefferson ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ (>_<)

January 28, 2012, 05:30 PM	#43
1Hobie Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2010 Location: west central Illinois Posts: 277	Nothing like being loaded whilst loading the loads that I load into my "clip". Makes the range experience a whole 'nuther thang. Will Hobie blow up his new gun? Tune in tommorow for loads of loaded loading fun.... Hobie Rather have a bottle in front of me than have a frontal lobotomy. OK bye.

January 28, 2012, 05:32 PM	#44
David Bachelder Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2011 Location: Trinity, Texas Posts: 636	It wouldn't be a great idea for me, however it may work well for him. I'm sure he's a big boy and doesn't need my approval. __________________ David Bachelder Trinity, Texas I load, 9mm Luger, 38 and 40 S&W, 38 Special, 357Magnum, 45ACP, 45 Colt, 223, 300 AAC, 243 and 30-06

January 28, 2012, 05:38 PM	#45
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	Truth: When I wrote post #20 last night, I had f-i-v-e beers in me. I had the day off work, I'm out of town visiting family and there were 6 beers here, so I drank five of them and I ate two donuts with my beer. Before I entered the post, I got ready for my range day, which I always do the night before I have a scheduled shooting day. Last night, that entailed loading pistol magazines with exactly the different loads that I wanted in to them, ensuring my accessories and ammo were in order and packed in to the bags I was planning to use for the range trip. 5 beers, 39 years old, 6-foot, 195 lbs. Forum said it was 1:24 am, I had just finished watching Johnny Depp as John Dillinger in "Public Enemies" which was on when I was loading magazines. Range day today was great, only one beer left here and I didn't feel like paying 10 cents per bottle/can for deposit to buy more beer, so I don't have any beer to drink tonight while separating brass and cleaning guns... well, except for that one can that's left. I'll drink it tonight while I work on my dirty range stuff. The 5 beers last night was the first alcohol I had since the previous Friday when I drank 4 or 5 at a buddie's house. Before that, it had probably been 2 or 3 weeks, I guess. Now, you really wanna fall out of your chair with a brain hemorrhage? There are times when I will drink one beer... and then ride a motorcycle. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

January 28, 2012, 05:49 PM	#47
nate45 Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,746	The tee totalers and choirboys in this thread need to go look up the definition of what an alcoholic is. Having a few beers while at home relaxing and working on a hobby, doesn't meet the criteria. __________________ "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."- Thomas Jefferson ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ (>_<)

January 28, 2012, 06:13 PM	#48
darkroommike Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 2011 Location: western Iowa Posts: 205	alcohol and food at the bench Drinking and eating are off limits when I am doing anything at the reloading bench, not due to the danger of alcohol but the danger from lead. Specifically lead styphanate dust from spent primers. As Shrek said, "better out than in." Primer dust in spent primers, primer dust in cases, primer dust in used tumbling media, etc. I take the same precaution at our indoor range, no food or drink on the line and I wash my hands before eating.

January 28, 2012, 06:51 PM	#49
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	I choose to lube cases and cast bullets at the bench rather than myself. But the fact is you develop habits and muscle memory over years of experience, so it's perfectly possible, perhaps even probable that a mildly intoxicated but experienced reloader could do faster, better work than many newbies do sober. If you compromise the effectiveness of your first round of inspection with beer, you lose some margin of redundancy in your safety efforts, and it's a judgment call as to how critical that is to your process. I mainly just don't think it's a judgment call a newbie should try to make, and I would discourage anyone still getting the hang of reloading not to do it intoxicated, distracted, or without enough sleep, even. The main ethical point seems to me to revolve around insuring you are fully alert for final inspection and actual loading. Otherwise, you should only shoot when there isn't anyone else around to be hit by flying debris. That's just being considerate. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

January 28, 2012, 07:47 PM	#50
floydster Senior Member Join Date: May 26, 2008 Posts: 472	Hiccup, what??