Crazy or Bug Bit?

jwrowland77 · April 16, 2012, 12:52 PM

Well I shoot my first set of reloaded ammo Friday. Needless to say I was a little nervous. I did run into an issue though. Which caused me to stay up until 0200 Saturday morning trying to correct it.

Does anyone else do this? Am I just crazy or been bit by the reloading bug?

For some reason, I just could not sleep until I had researched my issue and had corrected it. Although I do feel much better about this upcoming lot of ammo.

Lead Express · April 16, 2012, 01:01 PM

It's a very rational feeling that you have, and I'm glad you were able to diagnose and correct the problem (though now I'm curious as to what it was).

Reloading is nothing to be taken lightly, and the slightest mistake could turn into a catastrophic incident. You'll get more comfortable as you go, and confidence will build on that feeling as well. I hope your first experience at the range with your own rolled ammunition make you as happy as my first shot with my own!

I've found this forum to be extremely helpful, and it's members so extensively knowledgeable on the subject it makes my head spin. Tap into this invaluable resource any time you can!

jwrowland77 · April 16, 2012, 01:09 PM

Oh I did have fun. I was the one that posted Friday night with that crimp issue with the weird looking cases.

.

Lead Express · April 16, 2012, 01:59 PM

Oh I remember now! Have you loaded any more?

jwrowland77 · April 16, 2012, 02:12 PM

50 right now but have some primed and ready for powder and bullets.

Lead Express · April 16, 2012, 02:38 PM

Good.... you must keep them rolling or the world will stop turning.

jwrowland77 · April 16, 2012, 03:11 PM

LOL....if the 50 I have go good at the recipe that was most accurate, then I have to make 500 by middle May for a steel challenge.

Mac Sidewinder · April 16, 2012, 04:17 PM

My first 9mm rounds I created made me a little nervous and I stayed on the cautious side. When I tested them the first batch failed to cycle my Beretta and that actually reassured me. I realized that the reload data that I was using was accurate. I made 5 more test batches working up the powder charge until it reliably cycled.

I've reloaded a couple thousand since then and I feel alot better now (I know how you felt the first time). My next item is a chrono for sure now. I stay well under max loads since I can't tell what they are doing, and I like to shoot plated bullets.

Keep it up, it only gets better. And by the way, I am up till 5am sometimes reloading.

Mac

TheNatureBoy · April 16, 2012, 05:36 PM

I think we all were a little nervous when we tested our first loads. Normal feeling. I've only been reloading and target shooting for 4 years and I still think about every load and how I can improve on what I'm doing. Crazy or bug bit? A little of both I'd say. Hey....wait until you find out that they all work

rclark · April 16, 2012, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Am I just crazy or been bit by the reloading bug?

Probably a little bit of both

.

I mean, I got up this morning, expanded the mouth of 100 or so cases. At lunch finished all 200. Then primed 100. Finish that tonight after work.... And these aren't even mine.... Loading up some .357 poppers for my dad. Naw not crazy at all

... Just part of the fun!

jwrowland77 · April 16, 2012, 06:27 PM

I'm liking y'alls answers.

. See I'm a little on the OCD side of things, and the detail in doing this is awesome, plus I get to shoot more often.

Lost Sheep · April 16, 2012, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheNatureBoy

I think we all were a little nervous when we tested our first loads. Normal feeling. I've only been reloading and target shooting for 4 years and I still think about every load and how I can improve on what I'm doing. Crazy or bug bit? A little of both I'd say. Hey....wait until you find out that they all work

They say ignorance is bliss. Well, call me blissful.

I have never been nervous about my handloads. It ain't rocket science, although it does involve smoke and flame and things that go very, very fast.

I got instruction from the guy who sold my loading outfit to me back in 1975. He gave me 6 .357 magnum cases and had me watch him load 3 (all while giving me a narrative of what he was doing and why) and then he watched me load 3 carefully watching what I did, listening to my narrative and answering my questions. This took a half-hour or more.

I got a Lyman's Loading Manual ard read it and The ABC's of Reloading and read it. That was my instruction for the next 20 years. (No internet back then)

I have stayed in the mid-range always and followed all the cautions I heard or read about. Safety glasses, drop cloth (usually), go slowly enough to inspect every step. I have made mistakes, the occasional sideways primer and a couple of misfiring rounds (squibs? perhaps, but not likely, as I was batch loading at the time and inspecting 50 rounds at a time where it is hard to miss an empty case).

If I pushed the performance envelope, perhaps I would be a little nervous, but if I want super power from my .357 Magnum, I switch to my 44 Mag. If I want super power out of my 45 Colt, I switch to my 454 Casull.

Take care, go slowly, stay scared when you are loading and you have no more reason to be nervous at the range or in the field with your handloads than you do with factory ammunition.

It's not like your first dance. Now THAT makes me nervous.

Lost Sheep

serf 'rett · April 17, 2012, 09:41 AM

You’ll know when the infection has reach the advanced stage – the powders will be in 8 pound jugs, the bullets in sorted and stacked 1K boxes, all primers will be in 1K bricks, the hum of a tumbler(s) will constantly be heard in the background and your wife will scan the credit card statements for names like Powder Valley, Graf and Sons, Midway USA, Precision Delta, Missouri Bullets….

Kayser · April 17, 2012, 01:04 PM

Aside from the 8 pound powder containers (soon) that pretty much describes me to a T.

April 16, 2012, 12:52 PM	#1
jwrowland77 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2012 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 1,398	Crazy or Bug Bit? Well I shoot my first set of reloaded ammo Friday. Needless to say I was a little nervous. I did run into an issue though. Which caused me to stay up until 0200 Saturday morning trying to correct it. Does anyone else do this? Am I just crazy or been bit by the reloading bug? For some reason, I just could not sleep until I had researched my issue and had corrected it. Although I do feel much better about this upcoming lot of ammo.

April 16, 2012, 01:09 PM	#3
jwrowland77 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2012 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 1,398	Oh I did have fun. I was the one that posted Friday night with that crimp issue with the weird looking cases. . Last edited by jwrowland77; April 16, 2012 at 01:16 PM.

April 16, 2012, 01:01 PM	#2
Lead Express Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2012 Location: Sacramento Posts: 125	It's a very rational feeling that you have, and I'm glad you were able to diagnose and correct the problem (though now I'm curious as to what it was). Reloading is nothing to be taken lightly, and the slightest mistake could turn into a catastrophic incident. You'll get more comfortable as you go, and confidence will build on that feeling as well. I hope your first experience at the range with your own rolled ammunition make you as happy as my first shot with my own! I've found this forum to be extremely helpful, and it's members so extensively knowledgeable on the subject it makes my head spin. Tap into this invaluable resource any time you can!

April 16, 2012, 01:59 PM	#4
Lead Express Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2012 Location: Sacramento Posts: 125	Oh I remember now! Have you loaded any more?

April 16, 2012, 02:12 PM	#5
jwrowland77 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2012 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 1,398	50 right now but have some primed and ready for powder and bullets.

April 16, 2012, 02:38 PM	#6
Lead Express Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2012 Location: Sacramento Posts: 125	Good.... you must keep them rolling or the world will stop turning.

April 16, 2012, 03:11 PM	#7
jwrowland77 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2012 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 1,398	LOL....if the 50 I have go good at the recipe that was most accurate, then I have to make 500 by middle May for a steel challenge.

April 16, 2012, 04:17 PM	#8
Mac Sidewinder Member Join Date: March 2, 2012 Posts: 84	My first 9mm rounds I created made me a little nervous and I stayed on the cautious side. When I tested them the first batch failed to cycle my Beretta and that actually reassured me. I realized that the reload data that I was using was accurate. I made 5 more test batches working up the powder charge until it reliably cycled. I've reloaded a couple thousand since then and I feel alot better now (I know how you felt the first time). My next item is a chrono for sure now. I stay well under max loads since I can't tell what they are doing, and I like to shoot plated bullets. Keep it up, it only gets better. And by the way, I am up till 5am sometimes reloading. Mac

April 16, 2012, 05:36 PM	#9
TheNatureBoy Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2007 Posts: 1,204	I think we all were a little nervous when we tested our first loads. Normal feeling. I've only been reloading and target shooting for 4 years and I still think about every load and how I can improve on what I'm doing. Crazy or bug bit? A little of both I'd say. Hey....wait until you find out that they all work

April 16, 2012, 06:27 PM	#11
jwrowland77 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2012 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 1,398	I'm liking y'alls answers. . See I'm a little on the OCD side of things, and the detail in doing this is awesome, plus I get to shoot more often.

April 17, 2012, 09:41 AM	#13
serf 'rett Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2009 Location: Stuttgart, AR Posts: 1,569	You’ll know when the infection has reach the advanced stage – the powders will be in 8 pound jugs, the bullets in sorted and stacked 1K boxes, all primers will be in 1K bricks, the hum of a tumbler(s) will constantly be heard in the background and your wife will scan the credit card statements for names like Powder Valley, Graf and Sons, Midway USA, Precision Delta, Missouri Bullets….

April 17, 2012, 01:04 PM	#14
Kayser Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2002 Location: Illinois :( Posts: 550	Aside from the 8 pound powder containers (soon) that pretty much describes me to a T.