intimidated by the thought of reloading.

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kylegood

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last year i bought the lee 50th anniversary reloading press with all its accessories. and lee dies for 300 win, 30-06, and 308. i was then gifted a lee load all for shot shells. only thing missing is powder, primers, projectiles and a tumbler. well maybe a better scale than the one that comes with the lee kit. i have read so much on reloading as it was something i was and am really eager to do. but for one reason or another i haven't been able to do it. i'm afraid of blowing my face off or something. i would love to shoot more, and the idea of consistent loads is a no brainer. but i just can't do it...

has anyone else ever struggled with this?
 
Yep. For a long time.

Just be super careful and methodical. Ask a lot of questions. Don't leave room for doubt. Do your reading. Watch your videos. Then read and watch some more. Move with caution. Keep precise records. Buy decent gear. Learn to use it accurately.

'Stay calm. Be brave. Wait for the signs'.
 
with out going into a long drwn out answer... when it comes to rifle,

make sure you only have 1 powder on the bench (correct one obviously) when useing standard powder in a rifle its impossible to double charge, the case will over flow and it will be obvious youve made a mistake.. it can be intimidating by how much reading there is and all the "horror" stories you hear.. but those horror stories are usually caused by blatant human error..

here it is in lamins terms

clean cases
size and deprime
trim to correect length
prime
add powder charge
seat bullet
 
Dude, I almost pooped myself the first time I seated a primer.

Then again the first time I spilled some powder.

And again the first time I seated a bullet in a powder-filled case with a goddamned EXPLOSIVE sitting in the bottom of it.

You get past it. I'm a nervous, absent-minded, bungling idiot who isn't really physically gifted. I make up for that by being 100% certain that everything I do in my reloading process is triple checked for consistency and accuracy.

I read the manuals and the instructions. I build in all kinds of safeguards and checks into my workflow. Etc.

If I can do it, anyone can.
 
kylegood said:
last year i bought the lee 50th anniversary reloading press with all its accessories. and lee dies for 300 win, 30-06, and 308. i was then gifted a lee load all for shot shells. only thing missing is powder, primers, projectiles and a tumbler. well maybe a better scale than the one that comes with the lee kit. i have read so much on reloading as it was something i was and am really eager to do. but for one reason or another i haven't been able to do it. i'm afraid of blowing my face off or something. i would love to shoot more, and the idea of consistent loads is a no brainer. but i just can't do it...

has anyone else ever struggled with this?
Click to expand...

I started out reloading pistol ammo, and yeah, I was intimidated at first. Our LGS had some really good owners, old guys that don't mind passing on their information and showing you how to do it while explaining it, borrowing you books so you can read up on things without a huge investment! Reloading is not really that complicated, just a bunch of parts that need to go together to make everything work while you safely measure things so your not making a grenade ;)

Find someone who you can spend an evening with reloading, hands on will give you confidence and the hours spent will give you time to soak up the information on how it is done. Then read up on the subject and start with something easy, like 30.06 :)

If you try to learn every aspect of it the first evening your brain will explode, it takes time to learn, give yourself that needed time and the confidence will come while you overcome your fear :)
 
Even though I had read a couple books and watched all the videos I could, I was still a bit nervous when I started. I double checked things as I went through the steps. I did all the different stages on different nights. I didn't want to rush things.

The best part of it though was firing your first round that you've made.
 
Find a mentor is the best advice. However everything said the only way to get the frog out of your throat is to do just get you hands into it. For me out it's simply addicting, tedious and fun to print small groups.
 
I just started reloading last year and I was a little nervous starting out. I just did things very carefully and by the book and it has all worked out well for me so far.
 
It's actually quite relaxing once you get into it. And yes, you want a better scale than the one that comes in the 50th kit. I have a Hornady digital scale and a Lyman balance beam, both are head and shoulders above the Lee.
Your biggest worries should be double charges and mixing up your powders. Keep the labels on your cans and always empty your powder measure right back into the can it came from as soon as you're finished. Buy a decent calipers for checking your overall length among other things as well.
 
ultimate_monkey said:
with out going into a long drwn out answer... when it comes to rifle,

make sure you only have 1 powder on the bench (correct one obviously) when useing standard powder in a rifle its impossible to double charge, the case will over flow and it will be obvious youve made a mistake.. it can be intimidating by how much reading there is and all the "horror" stories you hear.. but those horror stories are usually caused by blatant human error..

here it is in LAYMAN'S terms

clean cases
size and deprime
trim to correect length
prime
add powder charge
seat bullet
Click to expand...
Fixed that fer ya! Why use a word you can't spell?
 
Yeah, same as everyone else..Doing your first reloads is intimidating, but read the data, read again and double check everything. Just take it slow (put the cell phone away) You've already had some very good advice from others...Very satisfying once you've fired a few rounds. I'm doing some 30-06 right now:)
 
Smcx said:
The part that scared me was the possibility of a chain reaction if you set off a primer while seating it lol
Click to expand...
The part that scared me was pushing out my first live primer with a decapping pin. It got inserted upside down. Still here to tell it, though.
Try seating that first primer using a Lee Loader and a punch and hammer. That's fun!
 
Nope was never "scared" to get into it. Just pay attention and stay within the data in front of you. Don't keep all your powder on the same bench when loading. Oh and did I say pay attention?
 
I have only been loading for the last year and I had my press about 6 months before I started using it. I bought all of my equipment in stages. After I got the press set up, mounted, dies roughly set according to instructions etc. and became comfortable with it, I went and bought a case trimmer and did the same with it. I just did one step at a time until I was confident with each step or piece of equipment. Its pretty cool the first time you pull the trigger on round you have made yourself. But fair warning, it becomes an addiction in short order!
 
I just started reloading a little while ago and at first it was intimidating but after you do a few rounds it's actually very simple. As long as you pay attention and just do one step at a time you will be fine. I have X amount of brass and I start and finish each step on all them before I move on to another step, and move them from one tray to another to make sure they don't get mixed up.

Just take your time, and you will be fine.
 
I still have not absorbed enough to be confident to buy the parts to start. Would like to find a mentor and have them walk me through the basic process, then i can purchase what i need and be a lot more confident. Cant wait to start to be honest.
 
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