My friend wants to get into to reloading and keeps asking me for advice...

[5.56 Bonded SP]

I didn't know if this should go in reloading or general discussion.. Anyway...

So I will admit upfront, when I first started handloading I was ignorant. I thought I knew more than I did, and when I first started I remember experienced guys were basically telling me I was a dumbass; I dismissed their critical remarks, but after some time I realized their criticisms and advice was 100% correct. It is crazy, I am still constantly learning, and even though I know a ton there is still always new things to learn. I pretty much learned everything I currently know from endless reading and research. It took a considerable amount of time and effort to get to the point where I am now.

My friend has been asking me for advice for the past few weeks, he has 0 experience and has no idea how to get started. He is young, but a great guy. I have been giving him the best advice I can, but he doesn't seem to be listening at all. Which is weird, everyday he asks me a question, then basically dismisses what I tell him. I've also been telling him to just take it slow, do a lot of research on the entire reloading process before he buys stuff so that way he will know what to buy, and how to reload. I told him he can come over to my house and I would show him my reloading bench, walk him through all the steps... Well he just bought a hand press, not a bench mounted press, but a hand press that you hit with a hammer and it cost 30$. I told him to sell it, and buy a digital scale with the money ( he doesn't even have a scale smiley_freak.gif ). He is also trying to buy a cheap progressive press, but he has no idea what he is doing. He doesn't even have a work bench.

Anyway, I guess what I am asking is should I keep trying to help, or should I just let him learn on his own? Anyone else have a similar experience? I understand this is probably kind of a stupid thread, just wondering what some of your guys input would be. I understand people need to learn things on their own, but I'm also worried he is going to blow something up.

[ghostly]

You can lead a horse to water...

He will come to you when he's ready.


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[Kenneth]

What is he trying to reload?

Pistol? Let him figure it out.

Rifle? Make him come over and learn.

I would make home come over and learn from the ground up so he could see how much work it actually is.

I have a completely decked out Dillon 650 for .223 and 9mm. It’s a easy press to learn on but I spent a lot of money making it easy as possible.

I always love it when friends are like hey I’ll give you however much money for some ammo. When in fact they really have no idea how much time it takes.


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[Krazykarl]

I would be concerned. Sounds like he doesnt have the mindset to safely make ammunition. Rushing into something with poorly selected tools is a bad idea. Honestly the amount of research, attention to detail, records keeping, and quality control puts a lot of shooters into the group where reloading should not be attempted.

[5.56 Bonded SP]

What is he trying to reload?

Pistol? Let him figure it out.

Rifle? Make him come over and learn.

I would make home come over and learn from the ground up so he could see how much work it actually is.

I have a completely decked out Dillon 650 for .223 and 9mm. It’s a easy press to learn on but I spent a lot of money making it easy as possible.

I always love it when friends are like hey I’ll give you however much money for some ammo. When in fact they really have no idea how much time it takes.


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He wants to load 223 rifle and 40/45 pistol.

I've been trying to help him, but he seems pretty intent on learning the hard way right now. He wants to do everything as fast and cheap as possible. He was no idea what he is doing, and he is already buying crappy shit. I just find it odd he keeps asking for advice/help, but then he disregards everything I tell him. I can't believe he just bought a 30$ hand press and doesn't even have a scale. I feel like this is a recepie for disaster.

I always love it when friends are like hey I’ll give you however much money for some ammo. When in fact they really have no idea how much time it takes.

Yep I understand this. When I first started reloading my mind was focusing mainly on overall cost and saving money, but now I do my best to make quality the #1 priority, with everything else being an added bonus. I consider my time worth good money.

[Kenneth]

You never save money Reloading! I too thought that I was going to save money and I even justified the cost of my equipment with that thought.

The problem is now I’m always on the hunt for components and my shooting 6.5 creed H4350 is like GOLD.

Just another problem as a few years ago couldn’t find any .223 components.


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[TomMcC]

Start with " Hey I love you, man" and then be blunt with him. Tell him he's not listening and that eventually he might hurt himself. Tell him if he's not going to listen then you're not going to talk about it anymore and then don't.

[Cold/Bore]

Start with " Hey I love you, man" and then be blunt with him. Tell him he's not listening and that eventually he might hurt himself. Tell him if he's not going to listen then you're not going to talk about it anymore and then don't.

Yeah, and if he’s a really tender little guy, you should use the “kindness sandwich approach.” It’s like what Tom said, you start out by saying something nice like, “Hey brother, you’re such a special and unique individual.” This is like a nice piece of fluffy warm bread. Then you add the meat: “But you’re being such a dumbass.” But then you add a second piece of warm fluffy bread: “But I love you and you’re special.”

This approach was designed to work with wives, daughters and girlfriends or female coworkers and friends whenever you need to be critical. But It also works great for millennials and dudes that haven’t gotten their man cards yet. Of coarse, when using this approach with women, a certain degree of sincerity is required to which the example above does not exemplify.

[BuzzinSATX]

This isn’t a reloading issue, it’s a “know it all, entitled millennial “ problem. I deal with this a lot when we hire young folks and the hardest part about training them is to get them to STFU and listen/read/watch and learn.

You friend may be a great kid, but from what you are saying, he’s immature if he’s asking advice and dismissing it out of hands.

And FWIW, I have two daughters in their early twenties...and the older is just starting to get how much she doesn’t know and listen when asking a question.

Good luck, Brother!


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[ST911]

Anyway, I guess what I am asking is should I keep trying to help, or should I just let him learn on his own? Anyone else have a similar experience? I understand this is probably kind of a stupid thread, just wondering what some of your guys input would be. I understand people need to learn things on their own, but I'm also worried he is going to blow something up.

Point him to the NRA's Basic Metallic Cartridge Reloading class and walk away.