Sweaty hands

[318]

Im sure when i make my first batches of live rounds i will be dripping sweat because of nerves. My hands will also sweat. Should i use latex gloves when priming brass?

[hooligan1]

yes, and put a small fan on you, and don't be so damn nervous, relax!

[318]

Maybe i will double up on my bipolar meds. That should do the trick. when my powder gets delivered, im out of excuses not to put on my big boy pants and man up.

Loved your reply by the way. Nicely played sir. Lol

[hooligan1]

318, it's All about enjoyment, it's supposed to be relaxing, I only get nervous when I'm at the range proving my data, sometimes I eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats me.

[318]

Im just a perfectionist. It will break my heart if my first time out, my loads dont cycle. Ive made dummy rounds that cycled thru my m&p 40, but having a primer and powder is a whole different gig. Thanks for the pep talk. Honestly

[Misssissippi Dave]

Loading isn't the scary part. Shooting the first round is. Just make certain the bullet left the barrel every time. It would be surprising if you didn't have to make some kind of change to the first rounds you make. It could be OAL, amount of powder or change of bullet. Some people just want it to go bang and could careless about anything else.

I went through different weights and shapes of bullets. I also went through several powders to find combinations I could use for different calibers. I pretty much stay with one or two loads. I wanted to find what I could use for those times when, like now, things are in short supply. I have at least 3 powders I have worked up loads for my shooting needs. When I can't get one of them I will just switch to the other for a while.

You could get the results you are looking for on the first time out. There is always that chance. You might find something even better when you are looking for other combinations you can use later. It has happened for me in more than one caliber.

Keep the number of rounds you start loading of any new load low. Who wants to pull bullets? Increase the number of rounds a little to re-test. When you are happy with them you can start making the quantity you would like to have on hand.

Your nerves will be on edge when you pull the trigger the first time. The smile after will probably last longer.

[mikld]

First, think of all the things that could go wrong reloading a round. Then, don't do those things! Make sure yer primers are seated, there's only one powder charge per cartridge, and the finished cartridge will chamber and you'll be fine. But I remember my first reloaded round; .38 Special. I held the gun at arm's length, turned my head and covered my face with my hat and squeezed of Round Numero Uno! That was in 1969 and I've been enjoying reloading since (sometimes I get the ???s when I reload a new round, but never had a major problem).

[318]

Missisippi...glad you brought to my attention to only load a few to see if the are legit. I was ready to do 500!!!! Thats why some of the smallest tips save a new guy tons of time. Thanks brother.

Mikld...i kid you not, my first round i was thinking/and probably will turn my face and cover it when i squeeze off my first loaded round. Lmao. Im not the only one. Yeehaaaw

[Ifishsum]

Oh yeah I still forget that sometimes. Never had to pull 500 pieces or anything, but it's a real drag to have a whole bunch of rounds you don't really like for one reason or another. I once loaded 200 rounds of .45ACP that didn't feed worth a hoot in my Colt GI 1911A1 due to the bullet shape - and at the time it was the only .45ACP that I owned. I didn't pull them because I was planning to buy another 1911 pattern at some point, but those 200 pcs of brass were tied up for a couple of years until I did.

[HILLBILLY-06]

{QUOTE}: yes, and put a small fan on you, and don't be so damn nervous, relax! {END QUOTE}.

But don't run a fan if your Weighing powder charges, too much breeze can upset your scale sometimes. If your weighing pistol powder especially dont use a fan. At least not a close by fan anyhow, & I don't know for sure but a digital scale may not act up with a fan running.
Just my two cents...

[jwrowland77]

Like said, its not to bad loading them, it's that pulling that trigger the first time on something you made that's nerve wracking.

[the led farmer]

Originally Posted by 318

my first round i was thinking/and probably will turn my face and cover it when i squeeze off my first loaded round. Lmao. Im not the only one. Yeehaaaw

Dont forget to cover your nuts and shoot offhand.

[Shootest]

Maybe i will double up on my bipolar meds.

And don’t even kid about that, you might have king Obama’s agents knocking at your door. lol

Seriously though, If you take your time and pay attention while loading, pulling the trigger isn’t so scary.

[318]

Re: Shootest
maybe i will double up on my bipolar meds.
And don’t even kid about that, you might have king Obama’s agents knocking at your door. lol

In all actuality i am bipolar. I am worried they are gonna strip me.

[318]

The Led farmer.... That wont be an issue. The money ive spent in the last month on equipment to get started "the twins" are in the wifes purse. Had to turn in my "man card"'..

Insert pic of me curled up crying, sucking my thumb in the corner

[Misssissippi Dave]

When I make up a new load for handguns, I load 10 rounds at or near the lowest load shown for the bullet I'm using. I increase .1 grains of powder and load 10 more. I do this until I'm .2 grains form the max level. I seldom find handgun loads any more accurate at the max load so I don't use them. I only fire 5 rounds at a time at a clean spot on my target and have the pistol either in a rest or use something solid to help me keep on target to test the accuracy. Sand bags work pretty well for this. On another spot (I use .75" orange stickies on the back of a target) I shoot the next 5 until all have been shot. Then I check out the target to compare the best groups. I will then try the best of them with the other 5 to compare again on new spots. Most of the time I will get 3 groups that are close and they are normally plus or minus .1 grain from the center. The center load is what I load the next batch of 50 up for. I will shoot all 50 and check the pistol to see how clean it is. This gives me a fairly accurate load and hopefully a clean burning load as well. If it is for a pistol, cycling is also something I look for.

There are probably several other methods people use to determine if their load is good. This one does not use a crony. A crony will help you develope load even better.

Check cases of the rounds you fire often. You might see signs of over pressure before you have reached the hottest loads you have made. If you do see signs of over pressure I suggest you not go further with even hotter loads.

[chris in va]

Yeah, I made the mistake of loading a couple hundred 223's that turned out to have pressure signs. Dismantling 190 rifle rounds is no joke.

Do 20 of each in load increments.

VISUALLY INSPECT each charged case. If one has too much/little powder, you'll know.

[Unclenick]

I should mention for anyone unaware, there are different classes of bi-polar disorder. In most states you have to have the most extreme type to lose your Second Amendment rights. A number of veterans struggle with this because its symptoms can be exaggerated by combat stress, but they are not disarmed over it.