Reloading Evangelism: new convert

The place to discuss ammunition, reloading, ballistics, loads, and chamberings.
Post Reply
User avatar
blackeagle603
Posts: 9770
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 4:13 am

Reloading Evangelism: new convert

Post by blackeagle603 »

Sent a guy home from work today with enough slugs, powder and primers for 100 45 ACP loads. Threw in some old RCBS lube and a lube pad I had sitting.

A week ago in a passing hallway conversation, he asked about reloading cost savings. Told him it's a trap and that I shoot so that I can reloader. He asked cap-ex required. I told him about Lee Loaders. He went to his office, googled them, went straight to Ebay and ordered one. Got the Lyman reload manual and is deep into it.
He's been chatting me up with questions ever since.

He's all fired up to get a progressive and dedicate it to 45ACP. He's been a significant internal customer (and sponsor) of mine for nigh on 20 years. Nice to have a guy so much higher up in the org (Sr Director of Engineering) looking to you and valuing your geekery. I recall his first inquiries years about about starting shooting (explaining he had just inherited and handgun). Turns out he has quite a stable of 45's now and burns through a lot of ammo.


So yeah, in something of a happy dance mood.
"The Guncounter: More fun than a barrel of tattooed knife-fighting chain-smoking monkey butlers with drinking problems and excessive gambling debts!"

"The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic;" Justice Story
User avatar
blackeagle603
Posts: 9770
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 4:13 am

Reloading Evangelism: new convert

Post by blackeagle603 »

Sent a guy home from work today with enough slugs, powder and primers for 100 45 ACP loads. Threw in some old RCBS lube and a lube pad I had sitting.

A week ago in a passing hallway conversation, he asked about reloading cost savings. Told him it's a trap and that I shoot so that I can reload. He asked about cap-ex required. I told him about Lee Loaders. He went to his office, googled them, went straight to Ebay and ordered one. Got the Lyman reload manual and is deep into it.
He's been chatting me up with questions ever since.

He's all fired up to get a progressive and dedicate it to 45ACP. He's been a significant internal customer (and sponsor) of mine for nigh on 20 years. Nice to have a guy so much higher up in the org (Sr Director of Engineering) looking to you and valuing your geekery. I recall his first inquiries years about about starting shooting (explaining he had just inherited a handgun). Turns out he has quite a stable of 45's now and burns through a lot of ammo.


So yeah, in something of a happy dance mood.
Last edited by blackeagle603 on Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:27 am, edited 2 times in total.
"The Guncounter: More fun than a barrel of tattooed knife-fighting chain-smoking monkey butlers with drinking problems and excessive gambling debts!"

"The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic;" Justice Story
User avatar
First Shirt
Posts: 4378
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 11:32 pm

Re: Reloading Evangelism: new convert

Post by First Shirt »

blackeagle603 wrote:Sent a guy home from work today with enough slugs, powder and primers for 100 45 ACP loads. Threw in some old RCBS lube and a lube pad I had sitting.
So yeah, in something of a happy dance mood.
You are not a nice person. At all.

That said, "Good on ya!!!" The more we can swing over to the dark side, the harder it will be for the bad guys to beat us!!!
But there ain't many troubles that a man caint fix, with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
Lindy Cooper Wisdom
User avatar
SoupOrMan
Posts: 5685
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:58 am

Re: Reloading Evangelism: new convert

Post by SoupOrMan »

I'm slowly getting my gun-owning coworkers into the reloading game. It's kind of weird being the go-to guy in my office for something than financial records.
Remember, folks, you can't spell "douche" without "Che."

“PET PARENTS?” You’re not a “pet parent.” You’re a pet owner. Unless you’ve committed an unnatural act that succeeded in spite of biology. - Glenn Reynolds
User avatar
First Shirt
Posts: 4378
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 11:32 pm

Re: Reloading Evangelism: new convert

Post by First Shirt »

SoupOrMan wrote: It's kind of weird being the go-to guy in my office for something than financial records.
I know the feeling!!!! I've been stopped by people I don't even know, who wanted to ask me questions about their firearm problem du jure. It's kinda flattering, knowing that people will seek you out from among 700+ employees, to ask you a question about a firearm. But, damn, the pressure is intense. And the evil sprout in the back of the mind, who says "Lie to him, and get a good deal!!!!!"
But there ain't many troubles that a man caint fix, with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
Lindy Cooper Wisdom
User avatar
Denis
Posts: 6570
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:29 am

Re: Reloading Evangelism: new convert

Post by Denis »

News so good, it merits posting twice :D

Excellent. Keep up the evangelism...

This reminds me I must wash a load of brass while Mrs Denis is out of the house and there's no laundry in the machine... Now, should I use the cotton or synthetic cycle?
User avatar
Weetabix
Posts: 6106
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:04 pm

Re: Reloading Evangelism: new convert

Post by Weetabix »

*sigh* I guess it's time I started.

What's a minimum list of gear to start? I'd guess:

Reloading kit
Dies
Manual (I think I have one or two)
Powder
Primers
Bullets
Cases

What isn't in that kit that I'd also need?

What about ancillary consumables?
Note to self: start reading sig lines. They're actually quite amusing. :D
User avatar
blackeagle603
Posts: 9770
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 4:13 am

Re: Reloading Evangelism: new convert

Post by blackeagle603 »

That kit from Lee will do nicely. Got anything to measure case and overall round length (OAL)?

At some point you will want *[strike]a chamfering tool of some sort for case mouths and mil primer pockets[/strike] and a case trimmer (essential for bottleneck cartridges). Lee's is the simplest, cheapest most foolproof for a trimmer (surprise).


Paw Paw's Kitchen tablekit is an excellent example of even simpler setup.




*edit: I looked closer and see that Lee kit has a chamfer tool and the cutter bit for trimming cases. You'd just need to get the appropriate tool pin and holder for your particular caliber.
"The Guncounter: More fun than a barrel of tattooed knife-fighting chain-smoking monkey butlers with drinking problems and excessive gambling debts!"

"The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic;" Justice Story
User avatar
SoupOrMan
Posts: 5685
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:58 am

Re: Reloading Evangelism: new convert

Post by SoupOrMan »

Weetabix wrote:*sigh* I guess it's time I started.

What's a minimum list of gear to start? I'd guess:

Reloading kit
Dies
Manual (I think I have one or two)
Powder
Primers
Bullets
Cases

What isn't in that kit that I'd also need?

What about ancillary consumables?
If you'd like to go with a turret press instead of a single-stage to start you might want to try the kit that Kempf Gun Shop has set up: Kempf Kit with Lee Classic Cast Turret Press. You'll get your press, dies, powder hopper and gear. Also, get a good balance beam scale. I have Dillon's Eliminator, made by Ohaus. If you go with a digital scale, don't get a cheap one. The cheap ones are accurate to .1 grams. That sounds good until you realize that .1 grams is equal to 1.54 grains. That will throw you off.

I offer that kit up because it's what I bought when I started reloading. It's fast enough for practice ammo and slow enough for experimental loads.
Remember, folks, you can't spell "douche" without "Che."

“PET PARENTS?” You’re not a “pet parent.” You’re a pet owner. Unless you’ve committed an unnatural act that succeeded in spite of biology. - Glenn Reynolds
User avatar
blackeagle603
Posts: 9770
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 4:13 am

Re: Reloading Evangelism: new convert

Post by blackeagle603 »

hah! See that's the thing with reloading. you can always find a slicker, quicker, spendier way to do it.
"The Guncounter: More fun than a barrel of tattooed knife-fighting chain-smoking monkey butlers with drinking problems and excessive gambling debts!"

"The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic;" Justice Story
Post Reply