Reloading projects for retirement - Happy 4th of July (Independence from work?)

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LiveLife

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Well, looks like I finally made it to retirement with my fingers and toes intact. :cool:

Happy 4th of July as I celebrate my independence from work! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: Or is it? ;)

As many posted, I am quickly finding out I have never been so busy. It feels like I went from working 8 hours a day to 12-16 hours (and without union contract/FLSA required breaks) to the point of exhaustion. :eek: My wife (And she can dream big as she has seen what I am capable of doing/building), parents, friends/coworkers and even son's girlfriend all have produced "retirement project lists" for me to pursue now that I am retired and have "plenty of free time" on hand. :rofl:

I told them I plan to pursue all their lists but my wife's project list gets highest priority. :p

Bless her heart of 24 years married together, she "insists" that I also not forget to pursue my reloading/shooting projects. So she says I should pursue my projects between her long list of projects :D while I continue to manage our 401K/Roth IRA retirement funds and stock trading accounts on a daily basis. :confused:o_O

So here are my current retirement reloading/shooting projects in no particular order (For now):
  • Prototype hybrid machine rest build for pistol/carbine testing (I now have 3 stable base options)
  • 22LR (Current production) 25/50 yard chrono/accuracy testing (I even bought a new box of Thunderbolt)
  • Combination Dillon 550 and 650 portable bench
  • Vintage C-H singe stage and 3/4 station "H" type press bench (May build a temporary fold-down bench)
  • Primer comparison testing
  • Powder comparison testing (Looking forward to N320 vs Sport Pistol/Target and N340 vs BE-86/CFE Pistol/AutoComp testings)
  • Continued "Pay It Forward" - Currently working on a "complete reloading package" for a THR member with 2 more PIF packages in the works.
So where's all the "Free Time" I am supposed to have in retirement?! :neener:
 
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Just say NO!
You know, I saw the movie "Yes Man" and ever since, I can't seem to say no, especially when my wife looks deep into my eyes and asks me to do something with a dare or challenge. :eek:

If you haven't tried, try being a "Yes Man" for a week and see how it may change your life. ;)

 
I'm wrapping up my first full year of retirement and yes it's been a busy one.

What I like best is not having to be anywhere at any specific time. Plus you get go and do when everyone else is at work and the kiddies are in school. You know how few people are at the range on Tuesday mornings?

Try to do one household task a day. One reloading or gunsmithing thing a day. And try to shoot a whole lot more than ever before.
 
What I like best is not having to be anywhere at any specific time
What?

You mean I don't have to wake up at 0400 - 0500 every morning, brew coffee, have chickens/turkeys/piglets/dogs fed, kitchen/laundry cleared and be reviewing my daily "retirement to do list" by 0600 as I monitor pre-stock market activities for high volume movers to do technical swing trading?

I think I need to call CalPERS again as I must have gotten the wrong retirement counselor ... maybe because he was ex-military and he thought I'd miss my regimented military lifestyle and wanted me to have a more structured "retirement life"? :rofl:

And my Physical Therapist (Directed by my neurosurgeon) got me doing more intense physical training (PT) than boot camp each day and wife got me this exercise machine made by Remington for my birthday to "help my back" and build up trunk muscles (I didn't know Remington made exercise equipment) ... It's a weekly exercise that lasts 4-6 hours to do our acreage (For now, I am using the riding mower for pulling dump cart and use the Ryobi battery operated mowers if grass gets too thick as "push mower" < with drive disengaged > :eek:).

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Don't forget to factor in nap time.
You mean periods of black out when I pass out from sheer exhaustion and wife wakes me up with a splash of water? :D

She tells me, "Honey, if it's too hot to work outside, you can relax in your reloading room (Points to many unopened boxes from Brownells/Cabela's/RMR etc.) BTW, don't you have a PIF to ship out?" :p
 
And try to shoot a whole lot more than ever before.
Yes, I definitely have done that.

After Physical Therapy, when I am too tired to work on projects, I will load up my shooting gear and do casual point shooting drills (eyes closed/open) or benched load/22LR testing.

Yes, it sure is nice to have the shooting area all to myself during the week. I think this aspect of retirement will be enjoyed immensely when the prototype machine rest gets built for pistol/carbine load testing. I even picked up extra items so I can do testing even in rain.
 
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So where's all the "Free Time" I am supposed to have in retirement?!
Well, I have about 15 years "retired" experience, and I'm pretty sure I had more "free time" during my working years. Besides, on the days I do have "free time," I usually spent at least part of it here on THR. Because THR is something I enjoy very much. But right now it's nap time.:D
 
on the days I do have "free time," I usually spent at least part of it here on THR. Because THR is something I enjoy very much.
Yes, I have geared my retirement reloading/shooting projects and activities to mostly benefit THR members who may lack the time to do extensive testing.

This way, it gives me something meaningful to pursue in the evening/when I am "recovering" from wife's projects and THR members can follow/ask for things to be tested at no cost to them (I see this as another PIF activity).

WIN - WIN :)
 
Congratulations on the retirement, I went out at 63 and it was 6 years last May. Yeah, sometimes I wonder where I managed the time to go to work. Sure as heck am not bored. :) Since I can now get to the outdoor range anytime I want I have discovered the seniors out there on weekdays. :)

Enjoy & Congratulations again.

Ron
 
Hi...
Congratulations on your retirement!
July 1, 2019 was my one year retirement anniversary.
I have done a large number of projects and have discovered that the old adage about retirement is true...I honestly don't know how I ever had time for a 40-60 work week with an hour and a half commute each way.
One nice thing...I do what I want as I feel like it and pretty much come and go as I please(as long as my two Labrador Retrievers agree).
 
Congratulations @bds !!!!! I retired about 2 1/2 years ago and it has been fantastic.

In my opinion the most important thing is to do what you want. If that means having a long list of stuff to do - fantastic.

What I'm still relishing in and getting used to are 1/ not having to do things in a rushed way....simple things....like cleaning out the shop vac or trimming trees and 2/ how I only havae to spend a little bit of time each day doing something around the house puts everything in so much better shape. And, of course, I'm doing tons of loading and shooting.....way more than I did when I was working.

Enjoy!
 
I've been retired for 6 years and appreciate being able to enjoy my life. Like others I don't know where I found time to go to work. Moved to a place where my gun club is less than ten minutes away which has been wonderful. By the afternoon I can lay down on my couch and take a short nap which I appreciate very much. Being able to take my time on getting things done is nice too. Happy to see others are able to enjoy retirement also.
 
Congratulation on your retirement. I was forced in to retirement in 2003 when I did a number on my back. One thing I've learned on dealing with a bad back is to listen to it. It will tell you when you have had enough and time to stop. If I ignore it, I will be hurting for several days, laid up. If I listen to it I will be able to continue my activities the next day.

Don't think you have to get every thing done today. Pace your self and listen to what your body says, it's know best. You no longer are on the clock, so work at your comfortable pace.

You will never be short of projects as long as you take care of your self, stay active. The day you become a couch potato, your days will be numbered. I've seen to many just lay around and wither away because they were not active.

Enjoy it you earned it.
 
Congrats! I was laid off 2 years ago, but was offered an option to stay but the severance pkg was modified and not in my favor. So I left at age 67 because I could. I manage ok on SS and a few other income sources. I have not been bored at all. As I am partially disabled (BK amputee) The Rodentwoman does a lot of stuff around the house, mows the lawn, etc. I do the paperwork, insurance and finances. And the reloading!

Someone told me to always have something planned for the day, even if it is not a big deal. That seems to work well. I don't miss going to work one darned bit and have never looked back.
 
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