When I first started learning to reload/hand load ammo, I didn’t have a background in machining or engineering, and I was terrible at math. Like most people, I was quickly overwhelmed and said to myself, “Oh man, what did I get myself into?” This article is designed to guide you in the right direction and hopefully keep your brain from short-circuiting.

Reloading/handloading practices and equipment were stable for decades. I guess the saying, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” made sense. Then everything changed in the blink of an eye. All of a sudden, barrels, bullets, optics, and reloading equipment changed. History repeated itself, and the old paved the way for the new.

Find a mentor:

The first thing I recommend is to find a mentor to help you. I have been fortunate to have a handful of accomplished shooters that were patient and willing to guide me. Unless you enjoy chasing your tail, you want to listen to what they tell you.

Finding a mentor is extremely important. The amount of time they will save you cannot be quantified. Books can teach a lot, but they tend to gloss over some steps. In other words, there are little things books skip over that make a difference.

Hit the books

I recommend reading every book on the subject you can get your hands on. I even picked up engineering books to get the hang of the machining language. That statement will make more sense to you in the future. True, some books outshine the rest, but it’s a start. It will be the basis for building your skills.

Keep in mind that reading and actual hands-on experience are two different animals. The good thing about reading these materials is that you will know why you are doing something, not just how to do it. You need to know that.

Purchase a reloading kit

Purchase a Reloading Kit. Several companies offer them. Truthfully, they’re all pretty decent. Don’t think that you won’t produce high-quality ammunition because they are relatively inexpensive. They are certainly capable of that, but you’ll have to be patient.

Reloading kit supplies almost everything you need to get started. Down the road, you can upgrade your gear if you want. It’s better to purchase one of these than buy eight different things and potentially miss something.

Stay away from Internet experts:

Never take advice from YouTube videos by unknown shooters online. I have seen a lot of dangerous information out there. If you follow such advice, the chances are that an ambulance ride is in your future: “Just because someone has a computer and a smartphone doesn’t make them an expert.” 

In closing, I want you to remember that you can accomplish this! It is like walking up a staircase. Take one step at a time and get to the top. It is within your reach if my dad and I can go from absolute zero to successfully engineering three multi-event-winning competition rifles. So can you.

Reloading, in general, is just an awesome thing to do. I love shutting the world off and enjoying the process. It’s almost therapeutic in a weird way. I don’t know anybody that got into reloading and regretted it, except for the idiots that managed to blow their guns up. If you’re smart and patient, you’re going to love this.

Oh, before I get the question, “does reloading save you money?” My answer is “no.” Ready to take a trip down the rabbit hole? Welcome to reloading. – Mac R

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