Teaching my Son to Reload

All 3 of my boys started shooting with me around age 5, and started depriming shortly after. My oldest and youngest (29 & 16) will get the full lesson this summer and each will have a dedicated press on the bench. My oldest and I built his first AR a couple months ago and my youngest will get to build his AR once school is out next month for his 17th birthday. They know how to pull the lever, but not all the details and the why, and the intracies that go with it.
ETA we will also be scrounging lead, casting, and powder coating for everything but the 223/556 rounds.
 
Pat Riot said:
This is a great thread. 😎

One thing I taught my daughter to do when she was helping me was to wear nitrile gloves and a dust mask when handing brass and cleaning media when emptying the tumbler. It’s protection against the dust from the cleaning process and I am sure there is lead in that dust.
Also I had her wear the gloves when handling bullets until I switched to Bear Creek Supply lead bullets. They have a Moly and wax coating on the lead. You do get moly on you when handling them.
Click to expand...


I wet clean in an ultrasonic cleaner and use plated bullets. I still made them wash up when their done. I won't dry clean any fired cases, they get the ultrasonic first then dried, loaded and then tumbled in my rotary tumbler for 15 minutes to get the lube off before shooting.
 
Follow up post. My son read the Lyman reloading chapters and even made notes on some questions to ask me. So, tonight we went over the questions and the processes for pistol and rifle reloading. One question was about lube on cases. I explained why it's needed, and about carbide or Hornady's Titanium Nitride pistol dies. Though I showed him that I do lube my 9mm cases due to the tight sizing I put on them and the tapered case. He pulled the handle on sizing a couple of 9mm and felt the force needed as compared to 40 S&W. I showed him the results of sizing, expanding and crimping on the cases.
He had a couple of other questions as well. He asked about loading blocks and I showed him how they work and their use in single stage reloading. He's seen me trim rifle brass, and understands that, so all told he's off to a good start.
Tomorrow we'll go through setting the dies and load some more 40 or 9. After those I'll get him working on some rifle rounds.
 
mstreddy said:
I've had my 14 YO son help me on the reloading bench for a while. He recently "discovered" my Glock 22 and .40 cal. Went through the stash of 400 rounds in a few outings. So, I had him help me with the reloading. We loaded three different bullets that I hadn't loaded before, so showed him to work up a charge and test the batches at the range. Then we settled on the charge to use and loaded up another 400 rounds. Throughout I explained the basics of reloading. What the dies do, powder charge, seating, plunking, etc.; I realized that in general he was just pulling the handle (LNL - AP) and not really learning to reload. I've since decided that I'm going to take him through the fundamentals and have him load a batch from scratch. This will include setting the dies for each step. And then go through the full run. So, I assigned him a couple of chapters in the Lyman book. Then we'll go through the processes. And that will include removing the dies from the LNL bushings and starting from zero.

He does have an interest in cars and turning wrenches, and he's been helping me on the very long process of working on my 1980 Corvette. He helps me change the oil on our cars. He's helped me with plumbing and electrical projects in the house. And he has 8 lawn service customers. I'm his helper and transportation. It's a good way for him to earn some bucks and it gets us outside and a workout.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you are going aboout it in the proper way. What do you think of offering him an inducement $$$ to read and report on the first few chapters in a good reloading manual, dealing with the process. Or...do it with him. A review is always a good thing, right? Would $20 do it in this day and age? :)
 
When I was 10 years old, I started helping my neighbor to reload. When I was 12, I was given a RCBS C Press, and I started reloading 30-06 to shoot out of my hunting rifle. At 16 I bought a Colt 1911A1 Match Pistol. It was a pre 70 series and new in the box for a $100.00. Thats when I started reloading 45 acp. I am now close to 73 years old, and I am still reloading.
 
tightgroup tiger said:
My grand daughter would help me in the reloading room when she was younger, I had her seating bullets when she was five. She had to stand on a stool to reach the press.
She's 16 now and has other interests of course.
Click to expand...
My daughter is about to be 21 and she has often used the fact that she knows how to load ammo to impress the fellas.
I didn't think of that when I taught her. Maybe I should have let her stick to Barbies, I don't know.
She hasn't done a very good job of picking them up to this point.
 
mstreddy said:
Follow up post. My son read the Lyman reloading chapters and even made notes on some questions to ask me. So, tonight we went over the questions and the processes for pistol and rifle reloading. One question was about lube on cases. I explained why it's needed, and about carbide or Hornady's Titanium Nitride pistol dies. Though I showed him that I do lube my 9mm cases due to the tight sizing I put on them and the tapered case. He pulled the handle on sizing a couple of 9mm and felt the force needed as compared to 40 S&W. I showed him the results of sizing, expanding and crimping on the cases.
He had a couple of other questions as well. He asked about loading blocks and I showed him how they work and their use in single stage reloading. He's seen me trim rifle brass, and understands that, so all told he's off to a good start.
Tomorrow we'll go through setting the dies and load some more 40 or 9. After those I'll get him working on some rifle rounds.
Click to expand...
The flip method is awesome for keeping track of cases in a loading block... get distracted and walk away, I know exactly where I am. I process a lot of brass while the kids are at home running around. I charge and seat bullets while their out or sleeping.
 
I've got a 41yr old daughter, and three grandsons between 15 and 22. They can all set up the press, measure cases before and after loading and trim if necessary. All are accomplished hunter's of deer, hogs, and small game. It just runs in the family from my pop on through. He started me off sitting on his knee setting cases in the shell holder of his Wells press and I followed suit with RCBS, DILLON, and others.

It is a great thing to pass along...
 
I tried to get both my sons interested in reloading when they each were about 10. (4 years between them) The older one showed little interest, but he still likes shooting my reloads. The younger one thought it was fun for a while, but other interests soon overtook it.
Last year he decided he was going to reload for his .40 S&W, and picked up a Lee "C" press while he was back home for a friend's wedding. I advised him on how to find good load data, etc. His future father in law was on hand to guide him when he turned out his first reload with his own press.
 
Continued on the reloading teaching and learning post -
A couple of days ago I took my son through the basics of rifle reloading. From setting each of the dies and showing what happened in each process. I had him adjust the sizing die, showed him the effect on a fired case and compared with a case gauge. Showed him the application of lube. Went over measuring the sized cases to check for length and if trimming was needed. Showed him how the powder measure is adjusted. Had him adjust the seating to get the bullet at the correct position and COAL. We completed two rounds with no powder, so he could see the finished round with the bullet seated.
Next, we did the same with a couple of .38 Special. Same thing, completed with no powder.

Tonight I had him run 100 rounds of 40 S&W through the LNL. He did fine. Now we are building up the stock of .40 for his next outing.
When we were done, he asked me about the costs of reloading. The material costs, and how it compares to factory ammo So, we went over that. I mentioned the higher prices on some components (primers, powders) right now and the effect they have on the per round cost. But, he mentioned that while it may cost only a little bit less, it's tuned or tailored to my guns.
He GETS IT!!!!!

I'm very proud and happy.
 
Jimster said:
What a great feeling. My son reloaded his first 50 rounds of .45 acp. Nice skill to pass along.
View attachment 1205814View attachment 1205815
Click to expand...
Well done sir. My son showed interest when he was quite young, but now has zero interest in reloading. I have arranged that when I shuffle off this mortal coil that all my reloading gear will be going to a local 4H Shooting Sports club to help teach a whole new generation.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
  • Locked
Reloading Equipment
Replies
21
Views
1K
jfrey
J
D
  • Locked
Reloading with my son.
Replies
22
Views
713
pierrebazukhov
P
G
  • Locked
Teaching reloading
2
Replies
25
Views
2K
gamestalker
G
FROGO207
  • Locked
Teaching some friends how to reload
Replies
23
Views
936
bullseye308
bullseye308
K
  • Locked
Teaching yourself how to reload
2
Replies
41
Views
1K
caz223
C
Back
Top