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October 16, 2017, 02:08 PM | #1 |
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this is NOT like riding a bicycle
I have been away from the reloading bench for quite some time, for all practical purposes three years except for a session 8 months go loading a couple of hundred .38 wadcutters. I have not been shooting much because of my hand, so have not needed to reload as much.
Went out to the reloading building behind the house last week. Sat down at the bench, looked around and realized I have to start over. I just did not feel at home, did not feel like I really knew what I was doing. I ended up taking the reloading manuals inside with me for some refreshing. I spent some time inventorying powder and primers, and going over my reloading notes to refresh my memory on what powders I liked with what loads. How long to you have to be away from the bench before you begin to forget? And how long before it all comes back to you? David |
October 16, 2017, 04:11 PM | #2 | ||
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Quote:
When I recovered enough to return to reloading, I had forgotten none of the basics.
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I went back to my reloading manual and re-read the section on How to Reload and revised my written reloading procedures and the associated checklist that is completed for every batch of cartridges I load. And then I, carefully, cautiously, resumed reloading, working to "unlearn" some of the things I had done in my youth that I now cringe at and wonder how I managed to avoid blowing myself up. Based on what I learned from others reporting their own mishaps, I have revised those reloading procedures three times since and I gain additional confidence each time I reload. So, to answer the last question, what I had formerly known came back in a matter of hours, but bringing what I had formerly known out of the "dark ages" is a pursuit that continues to this day. |
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October 16, 2017, 06:26 PM | #3 |
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I was in hiatus for 25 years? Maybe 30.
Not it was all pretty straight forward. Unfortunately I also got into the deep end as I turned from hunting loads to target shooting. Basics are there, then add a lot to them!
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October 16, 2017, 11:16 PM | #4 |
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It IS NOT like riding a bicycle. This involves thinking.
Go back to your algebra book. Can you answer even a single question? Go borrow a bicycle can you reach 35 mph and run a fifty k track? You've heard some stupid things in your life.
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October 17, 2017, 07:26 AM | #5 |
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I took a 12 year break. When I started back up I was only reloading 45. Not much of a relearning curve. After a few months I added 9mm with no problem. Going back to loading rifle - there was the big relearning curve.
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October 17, 2017, 07:52 AM | #6 |
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I too had a 15 year break and just went back to basics, didn't take long to get back in the swing of things. Sure is a lot of new stuff though, wish I had researched equipment instead of just purchasing same stuff I used back in the day. Also, the Internet has sure made finding out info so much easier, love You Tube for help.
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October 17, 2017, 12:41 PM | #7 |
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"...begin to forget..." Forget what?
The process is like riding a bike. Everything else you should be writing down anyway.
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October 17, 2017, 01:37 PM | #8 |
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While I have not stopped reloading pistol or shotgun, I haven't reloaded (or shot) my rifles in 15 years. The basics are still there in my brain; but making sure I adjust the neck-sizer or seating die would take a few seconds.
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October 17, 2017, 04:05 PM | #9 |
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I’ll reload hundreds of rounds of pistol and rifle and then not load again for 6 months. I always feel a bit unpracticed when I set up again to load, so I go real slow and think it out step by step.
One thing I always do is take only the specific powder and primers to the workshop for one caliber at a time. I never relax that rule. |
October 17, 2017, 04:09 PM | #10 |
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Brain farts are a terrible thing. They give us all these crappy thoughts and smelly too
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October 17, 2017, 05:20 PM | #11 | |
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So it was not hard to get up to speed. Really good loads took more work, but the basics are not that complicated. More good discipline following procedures than thinking. And you would be surprised how much thinking goes into surviving on a bicycle! - which I was doing all those years I didn't reload (and still am)
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October 17, 2017, 06:32 PM | #12 |
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I got lost for a decade from just about everything. When I got my life back, I started many things over. For shooting and reloading I had abslutely nothing left from before. But I took right to it like a baby duck takes its first swim; as if they had been doing it for years.
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October 17, 2017, 07:40 PM | #13 |
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Is it like making babies? Make 3 or 4 and you think you're done. Then 10/15 years later the wife comes home and tells you you're going to be a daddy again! Yikes
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October 17, 2017, 07:41 PM | #14 |
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I too took some time off, about 10 years. Had no problem getting back into it again. If you know the basics there should be no problems.
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October 18, 2017, 01:11 AM | #15 |
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I definitely don't remember the seat being that small...
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October 18, 2017, 11:13 AM | #16 |
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There is always a learning curve when you've been away from something for awhile...how long, I don't know, I think it varies with the activity...
But even if I loaded some yesterday....I don't just sit down to the bench and start yanking the handle and loading 500 rds.... ../ its always a good idea to check the press, make sure you have the right powder, etc.... ( I put a piece of masking tape on the front of the powder measure facing my stool ...that says caliber, bullet, powder, Min and Max and target goal for my drop...( 9mm, 115gr Montana Gold FMJ, TiteGroup, Min 4.5 - Max 4.8. Goal 4.6 ....) just handwritten with a marker....but a reminder on what I'm doing.... Turn on powder scale...and warm it up.../ calibrate the scale .. !! check all the dies in the tool head, make sure they're tight...make sure everything is clean...( all the little stuff )... check the first 5 powder drops with scale - then after every 10 rds or so / make sure the "powder check die" is working properly.../ case gague the first 5 rds...all that little stuff ( then I'm ok ). |
October 18, 2017, 05:17 PM | #17 | |
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October 19, 2017, 01:07 PM | #18 |
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I was away from reloading for about 10 years and what I learned was you can't always go back and use grandpa's nicely set up reloading bench. Now that he's in the VA home I have half of his tools mixed with mine. And the best tool I have bought since was the Lee perfect powder measure. I have one set up for 6.5 jap and another for 30-06. I will not be adjusting these as they're set correctly for my pet loads. But I do weight every pour.
Did I mention I hate ladder tests. At grandpas house and 60 acres we could test at the picnic table in the back yard or if it was raining right out the bedroom window. In the city that isn't going to happen.
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October 19, 2017, 07:47 PM | #19 |
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Now that would be retirement heaven!
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