Common knowledge isn’t so common after all…

[just country]

morning, there r shooters, there r hunters, there r reloaders. there r shooters-hunters-reloaders.
the reloaders r the educators of the sport. the knights of the round table. the bearded merlins. the gunsmiths r the einstiens the wizards of the sport. there is not a dumb question, just one unanswered.lightbulb

just country.

 

[Predator 22]

While at the public range the other day scrounging for brass for my ar and 45s I had a guy tell me I was wasting my time picking up pistol brass because it couldn't be reloaded, after five minutes of trying to explain (without success) to the guy it can be done I gave up and walked away shaking my head. A few minutes later during a sieze fire I hear a couple of guys talking on the next bench over " I got the 7 mag because it is the only gun that shoots flatter than a 270 Winchester" it was all I could do not to laugh. Then their conversation turns to reloading "the lightest bullet you can get for a 7 mag is a 139 grain unless you can find lead to make your own". Then the the guy starts talking to me telling me that he is having such a hard time finding 308 brass that he is necking down 30-06 and 270 or necking up 25-06. At this point I grabbed my bucket of brass and left.

 

[J E Custom]

While at the public range the other day scrounging for brass for my ar and 45s I had a guy tell me I was wasting my time picking up pistol brass because it couldn't be reloaded, after five minutes of trying to explain (without success) to the guy it can be done I gave up and walked away shaking my head. A few minutes later during a sieze fire I hear a couple of guys talking on the next bench over " I got the 7 mag because it is the only gun that shoots flatter than a 270 Winchester" it was all I could do not to laugh. Then their conversation turns to reloading "the lightest bullet you can get for a 7 mag is a 139 grain unless you can find lead to make your own". Then the the guy starts talking to me telling me that he is having such a hard time finding 308 brass that he is necking down 30-06 and 270 or necking up 25-06. At this point I grabbed my bucket of brass and left.

And they walk among us. They also vote and Procreate.

All we can do is try to help them.

J E CUSTOM

 

[DocB]

First, Let me say that I have been shooting for over 60 years and I learn something new on this site almost every day. The knowledge base is incredible.

Over these many years I have been amazed at the things people do and say. And now with the internet it is even worse (It must be true if it is on the internet, right?).

There is nothing wrong with not knowing something, but one can always learn something if they listen. Some web sites and their members spend most of time criticizing others questions and this
stops people from asking good questions (There are no dumb questions just ones that need to be answered).

For the most part, people on this site will express there opinion without fear of reprisal or being made to look stupid. there will always be differences of opinions because there are very few things
that only have one way to be done.

just a commit

J E CUSTOM

I've been on this site now a few years and I have to say that I agree with you 100%. If I have a question or something that I don't understand I have absolutely no problem with asking for assistance here, on this site, without any qualms or reservations. I know that I'll receive professional, experienced, qualified help without fear of being thought of as a 'dumb ***'. Folks on here are awesome.

My only fear is that this site is going to go away now that the STATE DEPARTMENT wants to control and eliminate any blog, forum, or 'magazine' on the internet that provides technical information on any weapon, system, ammunition, or accessory that can be used in conjunction or association with handguns or rifles. This is a flanking attack on gun rights and ownership by the STATE DEPARTMENT in their relentless effort to implement the UN Small Arms Ban. When will it stop, what will it take, when will the government listen? Len will have to file for 'permission' to post this magazine/blog under the STATE DEPARTMENT's pending regulation (again bypassing Congress, that's how Agenda 21 works) and will cost him lots of dollars if he does get permission and then the content will be reviewed and restricted. Get familiar with 'Agenda 21', aka the United Nations Sustainable Development Treaty. Google it, believe it's happening all around you every day. Nothing is what it seems. It's happening this summer in Brazil. Good ole Ted Turner and George Soros are pumping millions of dollars into the propaganda for this conference.

Again, thanks to everyone on this site for being so helpful and congenial with their assistance, knowledge, and advice.

DocB

Animo et Fide "Courage and Faith"

 

[Engineering101]

I have been loading my own ammo for 57 years. It has been great fun and pretty easy to do. Plus the resulting ammo always seems to shoot great. Like others have said, I learn new things all the time. A lot of the learning comes from LRH. Recently I taught myself a lesson that I'll mention in the case it helps somebody else.

I had just got done loading up some 300 RUM ammo for testing the next morning. I was tired and it had been a long day. I was putting the powder back on the shelf when I noticed that it was not Hodgdon US869 but Hodgdon Benchmark! I froze with the jug in my hands. I realized I was just a few hours from being dead. If I had not caught the label on the jug out of the corner of my eyes I would not be here to tell the story. I have since put that jug of Benchmark where I have to get on my hands and knees just to get my hands on it.

I'd guess that few of you have ever even imagined that you could do something that completely brain dead. They say we learn from our mistakes. I'm just grateful that I might get a chance to learn from this one. It seems that after 57 years of basically being perfect while reloading I got careless.

 

[North Idaho Hunter]

And they walk among us. They also vote and Procreate.

All we can do is try to help them.

J E CUSTOM

Very true...I must say, regardless that my opinion does not matter - i must say this thread title & topic has rubbed off the wrong way on me....afterall-who are we to judge people that simply dont know x-y-z about reloading???

guys' that have a "shake my head story" because they're smarter then the average shooter, should really take a step back....Those "dumb folk" on the other end, probably know something that you do not - that causes them to "shake their head"


To each his own, but telling a story about someones "naiveness" just makes you look like an ***.lightbulb

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Very true...I must say, regardless that my opinion does not matter - i must say this thread title & topic has rubbed off the wrong way on me....afterall-who are we to judge people that simply dont know x-y-z about reloading???

guys' that have a "shake my head story" because they're smarter then the average shooter, should really take a step back....Those "dumb folk" on the other end, probably know something that you do not - that causes them to "shake their head"


To each his own, but telling a story about someones "naiveness" just makes you look like an ***.lightbulb

Its not as much about what someone knows or dosent know. Its about what someone refuses to hear when someone else who does know tries to correct them.

No one said they were dumb. Just simply didnt understand a piece of info that these particular reloaders believed to be common.

 

[Predator 22]

Very true...I must say, regardless that my opinion does not matter - i must say this thread title & topic has rubbed off the wrong way on me....afterall-who are we to judge people that simply dont know x-y-z about reloading???

guys' that have a "shake my head story" because they're smarter then the average shooter, should really take a step back....Those "dumb folk" on the other end, probably know something that you do not - that causes them to "shake their head"


To each his own, but telling a story about someones "naiveness" just makes you look like an ***.lightbulb

I didn't judge them and never said I was smarter, I had a conversation with the one gentlemen about pistol brass. I never got involved in the other guys conversation, and I never said that they were "dumb folk" you did. I'm sure they might know something I don't. Making a ***** of my self would have been saying something like "you guy's don't even know what the hell you are taking about" or something along those lines.

 

[J E Custom]

I have been loading my own ammo for 57 years. It has been great fun and pretty easy to do. Plus the resulting ammo always seems to shoot great. Like others have said, I learn new things all the time. A lot of the learning comes from LRH. Recently I taught myself a lesson that I'll mention in the case it helps somebody else.

I had just got done loading up some 300 RUM ammo for testing the next morning. I was tired and it had been a long day. I was putting the powder back on the shelf when I noticed that it was not Hodgdon US869 but Hodgdon Benchmark! I froze with the jug in my hands. I realized I was just a few hours from being dead. If I had not caught the label on the jug out of the corner of my eyes I would not be here to tell the story. I have since put that jug of Benchmark where I have to get on my hands and knees just to get my hands on it.

I'd guess that few of you have ever even imagined that you could do something that completely brain dead. They say we learn from our mistakes. I'm just grateful that I might get a chance to learn from this one. It seems that after 57 years of basically being perfect while reloading I got careless.

You are not the only one to ever do this. I have come very close and decided to have a system that would prevent this.

It is simple, I get out my loading book and decide on which load I am going to load.

My loading bench is cleaned off and there is nothing on it.

Next I set the powder container that matches the load data on it and it stays there until I am through loading

Next only the primers that will be used are placed on the table.

Then the bullets. (Only one box at a time) When this is done I recheck the components to verify they are the same as my loads require.

Again, there is nothing on my loading bench that is not supposed to be there.

loading ammo is a series of checks and re checks.

This works for me, and if there is a distraction I cant get myself into trouble.

Glad you caught the mistake.

PS: It also doesn't hurt to remind all of us that we can make mistakes also that would not be good
so thanks.

J E CUSTOM

 

[North Idaho Hunter]

I should have rephrased my post, i was not pointing anyone out in particular, moreso - stating the fact, why cant we all not sweat the small stuff and come together and enjoy the shooting sport.

All too often we "myself included" get caught up in the "i know more then you" mentality.

life's too short.

 

[J E Custom]

Know one knows everything about everything, so all we can do is listen to each other if we want to learn.

I personally will help anyone that will except my help and at least listen to my point of view
whether or not they agree with it or not.
The ones I have trouble with are the ones that wont listen at anyone's suggestion and proceed
like before convinced that they know more.

I remember an incident at the range a few years back that fits this scenario well.

While shooting I heard a strange sound from the shooters rifle next to me .

I stopped him from shooting until I could check it out, He ask who the H$!! I was and told me it was ok.

So I ask him to give me a minute to move my stuff down 8 to 10 tables and turned the range lights on so he would stop fooling with the rifle.

He was really puzzled when I ask if there was someone that I could call for the emergency that was about to happen. He though I was some kind of smart ***** so I just kept my cool and continued to
move my stuff.

I was pretty sure he had a squib load and had lodged a bullet in the barrel. After moving I told others to get back because I knew he was going to shoot it anyway. HE DID !!!

He was very lucky and only blew the front half of the forearm off where the sand bags were and
the barrel split in 6 nice strips in front of the chamber. He never found the factory brake on the 300 Weatherby.

Some people will simply not except help and call it back seat driving, but if it keeps me from having any kind of accident I am grateful.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Engineering101]

J E CUSTOM

That is a pretty remarkable story. Sounds like 8 benches away may not have been enough. What did the guy do after the gun blew up? Did he say anything to you, like, wow I should have listened?

 

[engineer40]

To each his own, but telling a story about someones "naiveness" just makes you look like an ***.lightbulb

I was actually feeling pretty darn humble when I typed up the original post.

The guy I was talking about is a good friend of mine. Anything I stated in my story I would have said with him right next to me.

"Every man I meet is in some way my superior, and in that I learn from him."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

[engineer40]

Next I set the powder container that matches the load data on it and it stays there until I am through loading

Not sure where I picked this idea up at, but I actually set the jug of powder directly behind my Perfect Powder Measurer. All the other powders that I'm not currently using stay on the shelf. That way if I need to leave the reloading session for a bit and come back later, I'll never forget what powder is in the hopper or my trickler.

But wouldn't you know, the other night I had a primer get kind of stuck half in/out of a pocket. I couldn't get the case out of my hand primer. I thought I was super smart by just taking the entire case plus shell holder out of the tool and just setting it on top of the shell holder that was already in the loading press ram. "I'm just going to pop this primer out real quick... Brilliant!"

As soon as I raised the ram up and heard that primer pop out I realized "Oh crap, I already wiped the lube off of the cases."

And since the case was not actually in the shell holder for the reloading press... Yeah that was fun.