Drinking and case prep

kdog70 · January 27, 2012, 06:36 PM

I work with a guy who does all his case prep work while enjoying a few beers. I know the rules just as well as he does with drinking and reloading but I thought I would pick everyone's brains. shut it down if it gets out of hands I know its a touchy subject just looking for honest opinions.

He says "I take all my brass and run it through a "universal" de-caper, tumble some and ultra sonic others, runs the brass through the Hornady case prep station (trim, primer pockets, debur)" So the story goes he runs a two weeks worth of brass every other Wednesday night. I commented saying I hate case prep he says "I have three or four beers in a night while doing all of it and Thursday while sober I do all my priming and loading." I dont know in how long of a time it takes him and what he loads but he is a heavy drinker as I on his golf league team and we pound the brews.

kdog

3kgt2nv · January 27, 2012, 06:40 PM

personally i think doing anything with guns or ammunition reload while drinking is stupid but i would rather see him drink than smoke while reloading i guess.

since its case prep worst thing that i could see him doing is skipping a few steps or missing a piece of brass here or there. but even not drinking that can happen if your processing a lot of brass in a night.

Ralph G. Briscoe · January 27, 2012, 06:42 PM

I had a buddy who did that. We call him "Lefty" now...

SL1 · January 27, 2012, 06:58 PM

As far as prepping brass is concerned, I think that any errors made should become apparent in the priming/loading stages. So, drinking and prepping doesn't sound dangerous to me, so long as a THOROUGH case inspection is performed while stone-cold sober before priming.

On the other hand, I inspect my brass many times during brass prep, and one more time just before priming. I sometimes prime while watching TV. While that may seem like it is equivalent to being drunk at the time, I actually have little interest in the TV showes and sit there with the wife while she watches. I don't put them in sideways or backward, and my powder charging process basically FORCES me to see the primer on each case before I add powder, so my only real exposure to error in priming would be to pick the wrong primers to take to the TV room. I make sure I do THAT while stone cold sober and NOT IN A HURRY.

SL1

rose728751 · January 27, 2012, 07:10 PM

I am a X smoker, smoked for 26 years. IF HE DRINKS, HE SMOKES!!

That is if he does smoke.

MR-7-45 · January 27, 2012, 07:16 PM

Alcohol impairs judgement period.

I am not a teetotaler, but I know several cops who managed to have an AD after having been drinking.

It would be just too easy to overlook a flaw in the brass.

jimbob86 · January 27, 2012, 07:23 PM

Quote:

personally i think doing anything with guns or ammunition reload while drinking is stupid

Cases do not equal ammunition, in my book.

They are dangerous if you get your finger between the case and the die, I guess......

If you get so soused you can't size pistol cases and drop them in the case cleaner, then you are more in danger of cirrohsis than a reloading accident.....

hooligan1 · January 27, 2012, 07:24 PM

I drink but I do not smoke ...period.
I do enjoy a few cool beverages but only when I,m tumbling,,,,,, or visee versee!!!!

serious I do not pour powder or prime when enjoying said libations!!!

(even though it might help my loads)

UtopiaTexasG19 · January 27, 2012, 07:30 PM

I make enough mistakes without the use of alcohol so for me the answer is...no.

flashhole · January 27, 2012, 07:50 PM

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.

dacaur · January 27, 2012, 09:51 PM

I dont see a problem. Case prep isnt dangerous, and if he feels he can do it while drinking beer, chances are he wouldn't look real close at the brass while sober doing case prep anyway. I dont. I often prep cases while watching TV. I prime on the press for now, but when I get a hand primer I'll do that watching TV too. I really only look closely at he brass after shooting it and again right before loading.

Lost Sheep · January 27, 2012, 10:08 PM

The only thing I ever do while my liver (and brain) is processing alcohol is tumble brass in an automatic vibratory brass cleaner. But I am dry when I fill it and turn it on.

I can operate an "off" switch fairly well in almost any state. I am thinking of adding a timer switch to take care of that, too.

Inspection of brass takes judgement. Operating a power drill to polish brass? Sober. The attention it takes to trim brass forbids alcohol.

It isn't that I get so pie-eyed that I would be dangerous to myself or others, but ANYONE's work is liable to get a little sloppy even with .030% alcohol in their bloodstream. Barely detectable, but very real.

Sure, a beer or glass of wine makes the time slip by more easily, but, to me, the reloading process is a relaxing pastime by itself. I would not want alcohol to let me miss a minute of it. I enjoy the precision, the concentration, the repetition. When I am in that mood, that is.

Alcohol detracts from that mental state. Alcohol enhances other activites, but not loading - any part of the process.

On the other hand, if he is offering free labor to deprime, polish, trim and other prep work, that would be hard to turn down, even if it might be a little sloppy. I can always inspect before priming.

Lost Sheep

JerryM · January 27, 2012, 10:16 PM

I would not have anything to do with a heavy drinker who was doing anything with guns or ammo. Not even a light drinker who drank while doing anything like that.

People who cannot do without alcohol just don't have any business with "gunpowder."

Jerry

dacaur · January 27, 2012, 10:23 PM

Thats the point, hes not doing anything with "gunpowder".... just brass...

tobnpr · January 27, 2012, 10:35 PM

Unless you're stumbling stupid drunk, prepping cases is something a gorilla could do...
Of course, trimming cases requires patience and precision to get the cutter set to the precise trim depth, but once that's done (and he certainly doesn't do that every time he preps brass, I personally wouldn't see much of a problem.

How can you screw up anything if you're drunk putting cases in a tumbler?

Personally, I don't drink while doing anything at the reloading bench; but realistically I'm having trouble coming up with a "bad" scenario with this one.

dacaur · January 27, 2012, 10:57 PM

use a lee trimmer (length guage, lockstud and timmer), cant mess that up unless you are trying....

Jammer Six · January 27, 2012, 11:02 PM

I wouldn't drink and reload.

I mean, why drink when there's opiates?

1Hobie · January 27, 2012, 11:23 PM

When I was processing a 1000 rounds of new batch LC 5.56 I turned on my stereo, poured a little elixer to help lubricate the endeavour, and sized, trimmed, chamfered, primer pocket and flash hole treatment, measured, and got ready to put the components together.......the next time..sober.

I like my booze..but I love my hobbies. If I feel like I have to get buzzed up to enjoy them then I've got a real problem. When I put powder, primers and bullets together I won't touch a drop just like when I go to the range.

A man has got to know his limitations. I know mine. I've ran my 550b for 17 years and know that you have to be ahead not behind the curve and I've had a great time with it.

Hobie

TXGunNut · January 28, 2012, 12:36 AM

I'll agree, case prep can and will drive one to drinking but I'll wait till the case cleaner is running. Inspection is a big part of case prep for me so I don't want to miss a thing.
Please be careful, flashole. A drill press scares me when I'm sober, "ON" switch is "OFFLIMITS" after a sip. Lots of torque, speed is deceptive as well.

Sevens · January 28, 2012, 01:24 AM

Life isn't black & white with no other shades. Never has been, never will be. Not in my world.

You said yourself that the guy is a heavy drinker, so if he drinks four beers while grinding a smidge of metal from an inert case, it's no different than raking leaves with four beers in him. What the heck is four beers to a guy who drinks heavily?

If we are making some assessment about his ability to only STOP at four beers, than you'll end up getting indicted also, 'cause you already admitted that you golf with him and you guys pound the brews.

Each guy picks his own path. If he's waving guns around while he's ripped, get in his will if you can and stay clear of the blast path. Take his kids out to a movie every night and get 'em out of range.

He's an adult... this isn't really even a gun topic. He's at a helluva lot more risk if he goes near a slippery bathtub, that garbage disposal in the sink or the staircase.

Prepping brass? Sheeeeesh.

TXGunNut · January 28, 2012, 01:36 AM

Wise words, Sevens. Speaking just for me; I love to load, I love to drink....but I can wait until I leave the loading room. With all the lead exposure issues the most dangerous part of case prep may be ingesting lead (from spent primers) while imbibing.

dacaur · January 28, 2012, 03:02 AM

All of the "dangers" that have been posted so far can happen just as easily sober as not.... Im hoping the OP has his answer by now, though I have a feeling he had it before posting....

FrankenMauser · January 28, 2012, 03:40 AM

We each know our limits.

If you know some one that likes to exceed those limits, don't shoot their ammo.

As for case prep, sizing, and even priming... I don't care. Just don't throw powder charges when you have partaken of too many of the beverages (or controlled substances).

(Not telling people what to do. - Just stating what my rule is.)

hounddawg · January 28, 2012, 07:14 AM

the reload bench is offlimits even if I have a beer with a burger for dinner.

Marco Califo · January 28, 2012, 08:00 AM

"All of the "dangers" that have been posted so far can happen just as easily sober as not.. "

I am glad this was posted, and I agree. Regardless of the fact that I do not drink, it is very easy to be distracted by whatever, for whatever reason. I primed a box of brass before I had neck sized it. I ended up throwing away about 50 primers. Another time, I had a squib load that left a plated bullet in my Glock barrel. I scratched my head for a long time about how that happened - something distracted me while loading on a turret press (I think I did not charge the case).

I do deprime and even prime while watching TV. There are enough things that can go wrong. I see no reason to increase their likelihood by adding un-advisable variables. Having the TV on at the same time is bad enough!

January 27, 2012, 06:36 PM	#1
kdog70 Member Join Date: September 18, 2008 Location: Marquette,Mi Posts: 89	Drinking and case prep I work with a guy who does all his case prep work while enjoying a few beers. I know the rules just as well as he does with drinking and reloading but I thought I would pick everyone's brains. shut it down if it gets out of hands I know its a touchy subject just looking for honest opinions. He says "I take all my brass and run it through a "universal" de-caper, tumble some and ultra sonic others, runs the brass through the Hornady case prep station (trim, primer pockets, debur)" So the story goes he runs a two weeks worth of brass every other Wednesday night. I commented saying I hate case prep he says "I have three or four beers in a night while doing all of it and Thursday while sober I do all my priming and loading." I dont know in how long of a time it takes him and what he loads but he is a heavy drinker as I on his golf league team and we pound the brews. kdog

January 27, 2012, 07:10 PM	#5
rose728751 Member Join Date: March 11, 2011 Location: Far West Texas Posts: 69	I am a X smoker, smoked for 26 years. IF HE DRINKS, HE SMOKES!! That is if he does smoke. Last edited by rose728751; January 27, 2012 at 07:48 PM.

January 27, 2012, 07:24 PM	#8
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	I drink but I do not smoke ...period. I do enjoy a few cool beverages but only when I,m tumbling,,,,,, or visee versee!!!! serious I do not pour powder or prime when enjoying said libations!!! (even though it might help my loads) __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

January 27, 2012, 07:50 PM	#10
flashhole Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2005 Location: Owego, NY Posts: 2,000	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. __________________ ,,, stupidity comes to some people very easily. 8/22/2017 my wife in a discussion about Liberals. Are you ready for civil war?

January 27, 2012, 10:08 PM	#12
Lost Sheep Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 3,341	For me, no. For others, up to .03 to .06%, if they can accept a little sloppy work. The only thing I ever do while my liver (and brain) is processing alcohol is tumble brass in an automatic vibratory brass cleaner. But I am dry when I fill it and turn it on. I can operate an "off" switch fairly well in almost any state. I am thinking of adding a timer switch to take care of that, too. Inspection of brass takes judgement. Operating a power drill to polish brass? Sober. The attention it takes to trim brass forbids alcohol. It isn't that I get so pie-eyed that I would be dangerous to myself or others, but ANYONE's work is liable to get a little sloppy even with .030% alcohol in their bloodstream. Barely detectable, but very real. Sure, a beer or glass of wine makes the time slip by more easily, but, to me, the reloading process is a relaxing pastime by itself. I would not want alcohol to let me miss a minute of it. I enjoy the precision, the concentration, the repetition. When I am in that mood, that is. Alcohol detracts from that mental state. Alcohol enhances other activites, but not loading - any part of the process. On the other hand, if he is offering free labor to deprime, polish, trim and other prep work, that would be hard to turn down, even if it might be a little sloppy. I can always inspect before priming. Lost Sheep Last edited by Lost Sheep; January 27, 2012 at 10:14 PM.

January 27, 2012, 06:40 PM	#2
3kgt2nv Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: hudson valley NY Posts: 517	personally i think doing anything with guns or ammunition reload while drinking is stupid but i would rather see him drink than smoke while reloading i guess. since its case prep worst thing that i could see him doing is skipping a few steps or missing a piece of brass here or there. but even not drinking that can happen if your processing a lot of brass in a night.

January 27, 2012, 06:42 PM	#3
Ralph G. Briscoe Member Join Date: February 8, 2011 Posts: 60	I had a buddy who did that. We call him "Lefty" now...

January 27, 2012, 06:58 PM	#4
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	As far as prepping brass is concerned, I think that any errors made should become apparent in the priming/loading stages. So, drinking and prepping doesn't sound dangerous to me, so long as a THOROUGH case inspection is performed while stone-cold sober before priming. On the other hand, I inspect my brass many times during brass prep, and one more time just before priming. I sometimes prime while watching TV. While that may seem like it is equivalent to being drunk at the time, I actually have little interest in the TV showes and sit there with the wife while she watches. I don't put them in sideways or backward, and my powder charging process basically FORCES me to see the primer on each case before I add powder, so my only real exposure to error in priming would be to pick the wrong primers to take to the TV room. I make sure I do THAT while stone cold sober and NOT IN A HURRY. SL1

January 27, 2012, 07:16 PM	#6
MR-7-45 Member Join Date: October 4, 2005 Location: Central Texas Posts: 70	Alcohol impairs judgement period. I am not a teetotaler, but I know several cops who managed to have an AD after having been drinking. It would be just too easy to overlook a flaw in the brass.

January 27, 2012, 07:30 PM	#9
UtopiaTexasG19 Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2011 Location: S.E. Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 743	I make enough mistakes without the use of alcohol so for me the answer is...no.

January 27, 2012, 09:51 PM	#11
dacaur Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Posts: 733	I dont see a problem. Case prep isnt dangerous, and if he feels he can do it while drinking beer, chances are he wouldn't look real close at the brass while sober doing case prep anyway. I dont. I often prep cases while watching TV. I prime on the press for now, but when I get a hand primer I'll do that watching TV too. I really only look closely at he brass after shooting it and again right before loading.

January 27, 2012, 10:16 PM	#13
JerryM Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 1999 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,889	I would not have anything to do with a heavy drinker who was doing anything with guns or ammo. Not even a light drinker who drank while doing anything like that. People who cannot do without alcohol just don't have any business with "gunpowder." Jerry __________________ Ecclesiastes 12:13 ¶Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

January 27, 2012, 10:23 PM	#14
dacaur Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Posts: 733	Thats the point, hes not doing anything with "gunpowder".... just brass...

January 27, 2012, 10:35 PM	#15
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	Unless you're stumbling stupid drunk, prepping cases is something a gorilla could do... Of course, trimming cases requires patience and precision to get the cutter set to the precise trim depth, but once that's done (and he certainly doesn't do that every time he preps brass, I personally wouldn't see much of a problem. How can you screw up anything if you're drunk putting cases in a tumbler? Personally, I don't drink while doing anything at the reloading bench; but realistically I'm having trouble coming up with a "bad" scenario with this one.

January 27, 2012, 10:57 PM	#16
dacaur Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Posts: 733	use a lee trimmer (length guage, lockstud and timmer), cant mess that up unless you are trying....

January 27, 2012, 11:02 PM	#17
Jammer Six Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 827	I wouldn't drink and reload. I mean, why drink when there's opiates? __________________ "Huh?" --Jammer Six, 1998

January 27, 2012, 11:23 PM	#18
1Hobie Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2010 Location: west central Illinois Posts: 277	Everything in moderation When I was processing a 1000 rounds of new batch LC 5.56 I turned on my stereo, poured a little elixer to help lubricate the endeavour, and sized, trimmed, chamfered, primer pocket and flash hole treatment, measured, and got ready to put the components together.......the next time..sober. I like my booze..but I love my hobbies. If I feel like I have to get buzzed up to enjoy them then I've got a real problem. When I put powder, primers and bullets together I won't touch a drop just like when I go to the range. A man has got to know his limitations. I know mine. I've ran my 550b for 17 years and know that you have to be ahead not behind the curve and I've had a great time with it. Hobie

January 28, 2012, 12:36 AM	#19
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,860	I'll agree, case prep can and will drive one to drinking but I'll wait till the case cleaner is running. Inspection is a big part of case prep for me so I don't want to miss a thing. Please be careful, flashole. A drill press scares me when I'm sober, "ON" switch is "OFFLIMITS" after a sip. Lots of torque, speed is deceptive as well. __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.

January 28, 2012, 01:24 AM	#20
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	Life isn't black & white with no other shades. Never has been, never will be. Not in my world. You said yourself that the guy is a heavy drinker, so if he drinks four beers while grinding a smidge of metal from an inert case, it's no different than raking leaves with four beers in him. What the heck is four beers to a guy who drinks heavily? If we are making some assessment about his ability to only STOP at four beers, than you'll end up getting indicted also, 'cause you already admitted that you golf with him and you guys pound the brews. Each guy picks his own path. If he's waving guns around while he's ripped, get in his will if you can and stay clear of the blast path. Take his kids out to a movie every night and get 'em out of range. He's an adult... this isn't really even a gun topic. He's at a helluva lot more risk if he goes near a slippery bathtub, that garbage disposal in the sink or the staircase. Prepping brass? Sheeeeesh. __________________ *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, 01:36 AM	#21
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,860	Wise words, Sevens. Speaking just for me; I love to load, I love to drink....but I can wait until I leave the loading room. With all the lead exposure issues the most dangerous part of case prep may be ingesting lead (from spent primers) while imbibing. __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.

January 28, 2012, 03:02 AM	#22
dacaur Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Posts: 733	All of the "dangers" that have been posted so far can happen just as easily sober as not.... Im hoping the OP has his answer by now, though I have a feeling he had it before posting....

January 28, 2012, 03:40 AM	#23
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	We each know our limits. If you know some one that likes to exceed those limits, don't shoot their ammo. As for case prep, sizing, and even priming... I don't care. Just don't throw powder charges when you have partaken of too many of the beverages (or controlled substances). (Not telling people what to do. - Just stating what my rule is.) __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe. Last edited by FrankenMauser; January 28, 2012 at 10:31 PM.

January 28, 2012, 07:14 AM	#24
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	the reload bench is offlimits even if I have a beer with a burger for dinner. __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

January 28, 2012, 08:00 AM	#25
Marco Califo Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2011 Location: LA (Greater Los Angeles Area) Posts: 2,598	"All of the "dangers" that have been posted so far can happen just as easily sober as "All of the "dangers" that have been posted so far can happen just as easily sober as not.. " I am glad this was posted, and I agree. Regardless of the fact that I do not drink, it is very easy to be distracted by whatever, for whatever reason. I primed a box of brass before I had neck sized it. I ended up throwing away about 50 primers. Another time, I had a squib load that left a plated bullet in my Glock barrel. I scratched my head for a long time about how that happened - something distracted me while loading on a turret press (I think I did not charge the case). I do deprime and even prime while watching TV. There are enough things that can go wrong. I see no reason to increase their likelihood by adding un-advisable variables. Having the TV on at the same time is bad enough! __________________ ............