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If you have time, read everything. it might be long but there is a moral at the end of the story.
I have ALL my reloading equipment, still boxed up. haven't even opened it yet.
I am following advice that I felt was very sound, purchase as many reloading manuals as possible, and read them all before I even start reloading.
And then use them all for cross reference when reloading.
the books I currently have are:
Lyman Reloading Handbook - 49th edition
The ABC's of reloading - 8th edition
Nosler reloading guide - 6
Hornady - 7th edition Hornady handbook of cartridge reloading.
And I am waiting on Lee's 2nd edition reloading manual.
I also purchased the "RL 550B Electronic User Guide" along with my Dillon press
In addition I have a few internet book marks for references
You need to understand something about me, I am extremely paranoid. I am the guy who when I go to pull a tire off a car I will put the emergency brake on, place a block behind a tire, jack up the entire front end and place a 6 ton jack stand under each axle.
I then will let the hydraulic jack down until the car is resting on the two 6 tons jacks, then I will jack the hydraulic jack back up just enough where it is touching.
I worked on fighter air craft for 9 years of my life and I have worked on aircraft carriers and if you don't have good safety work ethics, you end up seriously injured or dead.
One of what I feel are the many good habits I got from the service. and I pass this paranoia on to my kids.
Next story has the most dramatic impact by starting like this:
Get a phone call on a Friday night, I look at the caller ID and it is my friend Marty, we are going riding the next morning. so I answer the phone "Marty!! wuzzz up, ready for tomorrow?"
Then the voice on the other end says "this is Tiffany (Marty's wife). can you do us a favor, can you go to our garage and look for Marty's thumb"
I am like "WHAT!! what are you talking about!"
She says "We are at the emergency room and Marty was working on his motorcycle and his thumb got ripped off and they need it to see if they can re-attach it"
I said "Ok!! on my way over" got a few details so I knew where to look
Marty is a friend of mine who was a fellow Marine, was also at one time a brother in-law. We were going to go motorcycle riding on a Saturday. So Friday night he decided to work on his bike, fix it up, lube it, clean it.
Well, he did something that my paranoid mind would never allow me to do. and it was something he knew better, but he was trying to take a short cut to get done quicker.
he wanted to clean the chain, so he placed the rear up on blocks, started the bike and put it in first gear. and while the rear tire was spinning under power he held a rag applying force on the chain with cleaner to clean it. Well, his thumb got too close to the sprocket and the thumb got chewed up into the sprocket and chain and it popped right off.
So I spent about 45 minutes looking for his thumb, finally found it across the garage in the towel he was using. wasn't really much left but crushed and torn bone and skin. but I took it in and it was too trashed to re-attach.
So skipping a safety step so he could save maybe a few minutes cost him a thumb that he has lost for life.
An instant of stupidity, or not paying attention, or not being totally familiar with what you are doing with anything that is dangerous can result in catastrophe.
One of the things that I am getting a little nervous about are squibs, so I plan on being extra cautious and already have a game plan to try to mitigate the risk.
So long story short, you are reloading with bun powder, bullets and primers. things that will kill you or maim you in a heart beat. learn everything you can. buy multiple reading sources, watch videos and NEVER take what you are doing for granted.
I am REALLY looking forward to reloading, I plan on building my own bench. but I am not even going to put anything together until I have read all I can.
Just my .02
I have ALL my reloading equipment, still boxed up. haven't even opened it yet.
I am following advice that I felt was very sound, purchase as many reloading manuals as possible, and read them all before I even start reloading.
And then use them all for cross reference when reloading.
the books I currently have are:
Lyman Reloading Handbook - 49th edition
The ABC's of reloading - 8th edition
Nosler reloading guide - 6
Hornady - 7th edition Hornady handbook of cartridge reloading.
And I am waiting on Lee's 2nd edition reloading manual.
I also purchased the "RL 550B Electronic User Guide" along with my Dillon press
In addition I have a few internet book marks for references
You need to understand something about me, I am extremely paranoid. I am the guy who when I go to pull a tire off a car I will put the emergency brake on, place a block behind a tire, jack up the entire front end and place a 6 ton jack stand under each axle.
I then will let the hydraulic jack down until the car is resting on the two 6 tons jacks, then I will jack the hydraulic jack back up just enough where it is touching.
I worked on fighter air craft for 9 years of my life and I have worked on aircraft carriers and if you don't have good safety work ethics, you end up seriously injured or dead.
One of what I feel are the many good habits I got from the service. and I pass this paranoia on to my kids.
Next story has the most dramatic impact by starting like this:
Get a phone call on a Friday night, I look at the caller ID and it is my friend Marty, we are going riding the next morning. so I answer the phone "Marty!! wuzzz up, ready for tomorrow?"
Then the voice on the other end says "this is Tiffany (Marty's wife). can you do us a favor, can you go to our garage and look for Marty's thumb"
I am like "WHAT!! what are you talking about!"
She says "We are at the emergency room and Marty was working on his motorcycle and his thumb got ripped off and they need it to see if they can re-attach it"
I said "Ok!! on my way over" got a few details so I knew where to look
Marty is a friend of mine who was a fellow Marine, was also at one time a brother in-law. We were going to go motorcycle riding on a Saturday. So Friday night he decided to work on his bike, fix it up, lube it, clean it.
Well, he did something that my paranoid mind would never allow me to do. and it was something he knew better, but he was trying to take a short cut to get done quicker.
he wanted to clean the chain, so he placed the rear up on blocks, started the bike and put it in first gear. and while the rear tire was spinning under power he held a rag applying force on the chain with cleaner to clean it. Well, his thumb got too close to the sprocket and the thumb got chewed up into the sprocket and chain and it popped right off.
So I spent about 45 minutes looking for his thumb, finally found it across the garage in the towel he was using. wasn't really much left but crushed and torn bone and skin. but I took it in and it was too trashed to re-attach.
So skipping a safety step so he could save maybe a few minutes cost him a thumb that he has lost for life.
An instant of stupidity, or not paying attention, or not being totally familiar with what you are doing with anything that is dangerous can result in catastrophe.
One of the things that I am getting a little nervous about are squibs, so I plan on being extra cautious and already have a game plan to try to mitigate the risk.
So long story short, you are reloading with bun powder, bullets and primers. things that will kill you or maim you in a heart beat. learn everything you can. buy multiple reading sources, watch videos and NEVER take what you are doing for granted.
I am REALLY looking forward to reloading, I plan on building my own bench. but I am not even going to put anything together until I have read all I can.
Just my .02
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