Letting others use your reloading equipment...

[Bud0505]

I learned to reload using a friends equipment. He had a Dillon 450 that he taught me to reload 9mm on. The first batch I reloaded I used his 9mm setup. By the time I needed more ammo I had my own toolhead and dies, so I learned how to set up my dies used his press and pwd measure. Eventually I bought my own press and ther I was, a reloader. If it hadn't been for my friend I'm not sure I would have ever gotten into reloading. He passed a couple of years ago and I miss the good times we had together working up new loads and just generally bsing. I would willing pass the knowledge on to another friend.

 

[mpssrh]

Don't kid yourself; no one takes care of your equipment with the same degree of care and concern as you do. I don't want anyone else changing the settings on my reloading press. And I certainly don't have the time to stand there and watch every little thing they do (or don't do).

I think allowing others (even if they are 'experienced reloaders'--whatever that may mean) to use your reloading equipment opens you up to immense liability. Remember what Mark Twain said: "You can take a starving dog and make him prosperous and he won't bite you. That's the principal difference between and dog and a man."

Don't let emotion overrule reason. The risks far outweigh the benefits.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

I don't buy this whole liability thing. If I let a friend come over and use my shop and tools to work on his car for free and he fouls it up and the brakes fail, am I held liable for the crash?

I definitely don't recommend loading ammo for other folks and I realize that charging for the use of the equipment changes the situation, but I don't see where y'all are coming with this liability thing.

 

[GBExpat]

I only read the OP ...

... Am I crazy for even thinking about this?

No, not if you are comfortable with it.

FWIW, *I* would not do that ... not a chance, no way, uh uh ...

... o'course, the folks that really know me (the only ones that I might consider for such a thing) probably would not want to use my reloading equipment because all of them know just how "particular" I am about my tools, equipment, etc.

 

[Saw-Bones]

Friends lose friends when a friend could be the source of significant income. The significant income that comes from the loss of fingers, blindness, etc. Death will result in the family of the deceased having their lawyer knocking at your door.

You can start good friends by getting them a Lee Loader and showing them how to use it. Then send them home with it to be on their own. I started that way and I was so taken with the process of making my own ammo that I soon had a O-frame press and accessories then soon thereafter there was a progressive press on my bench. Over 40 years later my bench looks like an ammo factory.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

I believe the term we're looking for is "negligent entrustment". I did a little reading on it and I haven't been convinced not to allow some good friends to use my reloading equipment.

 

[OilyPablo]

I thought wet v. Dry tumbling caused a division!

 

[SwaneeSR]

I am all for teaching reloading and promoting reloading.

I am not comfortable of lending my setup to inexperienced reloaders and unsupervised.

 

[mstreddy]

I've taught several friends how to reload. For a few of them, I lent them, to take home and use, a press, some dies, and even a powder measure. Little by little, they all bought their own equipment and when they did, they came over my house and I helped them get set up with their equipment.

Just last weekend a buddy came over and we (mostly him) loaded up 200 rounds of 45 ACP on my LNL AP for him. I showed him how it worked, how to adjust, if needed. What to look for, what to feel for, how to handle stoppages. What could cause them. He has a Lee Turret, but he wasn't set up for 45 ACP yet.

So, I have no issue with letting a friend use my reloading gear.

 

[FROGO207]

I have taught many others to reload. I will offer to let them use my tools/space to reload their ammo in the beginning until they can afford/figure out what they want if they are competent to reload at that stage. Then I may loan a backup set of my dies or such to them until they purchase their own when they want to try a different caliber. Never had anyone cause problems, get hurt, or break things yet.

I do have many acquaintances attempt to buy my reloads, especially after supplies dried up in retail stores. I will offer to teach them how to reload their own ammo even offering to supply their initial components. Most I never hear from again after that conversation though.

 

[fotheringill]

Ignoring the negligence laws in your state, my answer is very simple.

Don't expect someone to not screw up your tools. If you are ready to accept the loss, then loan away.

The same thing for money. If you are not ready to write off a personal loan of money to someone, don't make the loan.

 

[anothernewb]

I've let people use mine several times. More often than not to see how a progressive press works and for them to make the decision on buying one. But I have a 2 friends that reload, but either have no gear, or have some space issues. Hasn't been a problem for me as yet.

 

[Morrey]

I have a good saying......"Give a guy a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a guy to fish and he will bug heck out of you to borrow your boat"!

One of my reloading buddies messed around and loaded 100 rifle rounds w/o checking to see if they'd chamber. Oops. He borrowed my RCBS collet bullet puller and I asked him if he was done with it. That was 3 months ago. I needed it this weekend, so I resorted to an older impact puller which is not my favorite toy in the box. Next time I'll suggest he comes to my workshop and won't turn my gear over to him. Live and learn.

 

[LeonCarr]

I use my reloading gear daily.

If they want to come over and learn to use it or use it under my supervision, great. I will not let them borrow it. If they want to borrow it that bad, they can make me an offer .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[orionengnr]

I had a good friend (who lived several states away) relocate to Germany nearly ten years ago. He sent me his Dillon 450 to look after. He returned less than a year later; I sent it back to him. And my loving wife bought me a new 550 that Christmas.

I helped get a good friend started on my 550. Shortly thereafter I ran across another 550, and he grabbed it and is still loading.

Ran across yet another 450 at a gun show, bought it fairly cheap and sold it just as cheap to a co-worker. Not sure if he ever did anything with it...he went to work somewhere else and I lost track of him.

Lent another co-worker my Rock Chucker for a while, along with a tumbler, manual, dies, scale, etc. He returned it all several months later, unused, but no worse for the wear. Guess it just wasn't his thing.

So all in all, I have had pretty good luck so far.

 

[sl33py]

I wouldn't hesitate to let a close friend use my press, with my supervision. It's a great excuse to hang out and help a brother out.

Some random person - hell no. Family or my chosen family (friend) - no worries. In fact he bought the .40 conversion kit for my press to load up his own. I don't even own a .40 any longer. If anything were to happen to his gun, from ammo he made... I know it would be no problem.

 

[joem1945]

I've taught several friends and neighbors to reload. To start I let them use my equipment and supervise them, they bring there own components. Most have decided to buy their own equipment and I have found very good used stuff for them to buy. I will not reload ammo for anybody, no way, no how. Many have asked but the answer is always NO!!!

 

[readyeddy]

I solved this problem a long time ago. I use a Lee Hand Press and nobody is asking to borrow it!

 

[rdtompki]

If the California legislature passes and our Brown signs bills related to regulating the sale of ammunition (all sales through an FFL) I can foresee a lot of interest in reloading co-ops. Jointly owned equipment, but each member brings his/her own supplies (powder, cases, bullets, primers) to avoid storage of large amounts of combustibles.

 

[taliv]

i have loaned a ton of equipment, and taught a lot of people to reload. i think people pretty much have an obligation to do that.

however, it takes a lot of time to get the dillon 1050s set up exactly the way i want them for a particular bullet and powder, so if friends want to load ammo on them, they are always welcome to come over, but they have to use the same bullets, powder, etc that i'm using.

they can do whatever they want on the co-ax or use my scale, harrel culver, giraud trimmer and annealer, etc

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Don't kid yourself; no one takes care of your equipment with the same degree of care and concern as you do. I don't want anyone else changing the settings on my reloading press. And I certainly don't have the time to stand there and watch every little thing they do (or don't do).

I think allowing others (even if they are 'experienced reloaders'--whatever that may mean) to use your reloading equipment opens you up to immense liability. Remember what Mark Twain said: "You can take a starving dog and make him prosperous and he won't bite you. That's the principal difference between and dog and a man."

Don't let emotion overrule reason. The risks far outweigh the benefits.

I understand that life for you is different then what it is for others and you don't have anyone you trust with your equipment. But saying" trust me and trust no one " is like asking someone to do the very thing you don't based on your view, your life experiences, and your environment.

However that is a view from your life and many people are different with different experiences and different environments. You cant just expect all to see the world through your lens.

Some things in life are a given. You don't trust a crack head with your wallet. But somethings are earned. You trust the guy next to you in battle. Cant draw conclusions from one and apply to the other or your wallet would be gone and so will the crack head.

 

[Patocazador]

Let others use my reloading equipment???

Ain't happening. My son is the only other person I trust with my reloading equipment.

I would show a non-family member how to reload on my equipment but unsupervised use is never going to happen. Ever.

This is my answer too. NO, NO, NO!

 

[kerreckt]

My sons are the only other folks that use my reloading equipment. Mostly they won't touch it because I am so anal and they know that everything has to be just so!

 

[ChefJeff1]

I'd let a buddy come over and use it and I'd help him out with processing but, I'd never lend it out.

 

[jmorris]

I have no problem with others using some of my equipment if they know what they are doing. I have even brought presses to the range and thought folks how to set them up and load with, then take them home and let them load ammunition for the next weeks match with. One stayed out for about 3 months, a bit long for me but "paying forward" things that I have learned from over the years.

If you don't "feel right" then don't do it. I have always gone by the idea that you should never loan anything that you would miss if you just gave it away.