What were Your Biggest Mistakes/Regrets When You First Started Reloading?

[JoeinLA]

Would love to hear your biggest mistakes/regrets when you first started reloading. What did you do wrong? What do you wish you had done differently?

Thanks!

[shinbone]

For me it was loading too big of a batch of untested light loads AND an OAL my gun didnt like. I hadn't figured out that I could have pulled the bullets and started over.. Had to burn through 200 rounds, often manually cycling the slide and alot of failure to go into battery(too long OAL)

Really important to do small batches of 10, then 10 more +.2 grains, 10 more +.2 grains and then write down observations at the range..

[GeoffLinder]

I wish I had bought a progressive press sooner, spent my first 2 years cranking out bulk pistol ammo on a Rock Chucker

[Bill Steele]

Probably squibs.

Every single squib I have ever loaded (only a few) were due to sloppy proceedure when using a single stage press.

Second biggest mistake, buying an 8lb bottle of a powder you find out you don't like, this is a mistake you only make once, maybe never if you are a little more thoughtful.

[Peter W Bush]

Biggest regret? Not buying a Dillon. And not buying a Chargemaster.

[bruceflinch]

Uh... loaded 500 rounds & 10 squibs under the influence...

[IntoForever]

Not checking often enough when reloading and had a squib with the next round clearing it out = bulged barrel.

[Dark Mod]

about 10 squibs in one of my first batches of .357, this is back when i used to throw a charge then seat the bullet individually. IVe learned better, now i do an assembly line with all the cases getting charged in an ammo holder, and i can look inside to make sure they are all charged before i move on to bullet seating

[OpenSightsOnly]

For me reloading is all about learning the process and using the experience to fine tune the process. In other words, gotta pay attention and take notes!

Took me about three good months after I started reloading to get a feel about what the heck I'm doing.

This is all about experience and I should have bought a Giraud Trimmer! Lol!

[damndave]

For me reloading is all about learning the process and using the experience to fine tune the process. In other words, gotta pay attention and take notes!

Took me about three good months after I started reloading to get a feel about what the heck I'm doing.

This is all about experience and I should have bought a Giraud Trimmer! Lol!

+1


Should have never bought the Lee Turret press since I already had a Rock Chucker. If I didn't have a single stage already, it would have been fine to have. I sold it and got a LNL AP Progressive.

When I was loading 9mm on the LCT, I just sat there and was thinking. "I just loaded 150 rds in 1 hour and could have easily done 500-600 on a progressive with the same amount of work."

[epcii]

For me it was loading too big of a batch of untested light loads.........Really important to do small batches of 10.......

+1. Save yourself the pain of doing what shinbone, I, and others (I'm sure) have done.

[sonnyt650]

Some folks just don't shoot enough handgun to justify getting a progressive. I could have used that money for more rifle brass.

[damndave]

So many people cringe about putting out the $450 for a Giraud, BUT it definitely doesn't seem like much money after trimming, deburring/chamfering a few hundred 223 cases. I need to invest in one myself.

Just ask BamBam-31!

[dholla]

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Take your time to learn about your press, especially if it is a progressive. Got excited when I set up my 650 and just tried to crank out rounds. I sat down and followed the dvd and took my time with everything. Now once I feel something not right, I figure it out quickly and am right back at hit.

[Whiterabbit]

For me it was loading too big of a batch of untested light loads AND an OAL my gun didnt like.

Me too. I was wondering why they were shooting 8" groups at 50 yards.

I also neck sized range brass and tried to shoot it out of a precision AR-15. That's another mistake that never happened again.

Technically these are the only mistakes I've ever made reloading. Everything since has been learning how not to reload.