Shot my first reloads, couple questions

[Rodentman]

Maybe I'm misinterupting the point of "working the load up." I start a load at or near the minimum charge, after consulting several manuals. (Loads for the same caliber, bullet weight, primer and powder: One manual's minimum is at or near another manual's maximum. I can't cite a case offhand, but I have seen it.)

If the load shows no sign of overcharge, is reasonably accurate, and in the case of lead bullets, does not lead the barrel, I record the load and use it. I do not engage in working up a load in the sense of increasing the charge incrementally until I see signs of overpressure and then backing off. I don't own a chrono and am not concerned with velocity readings, frankly.

Am I missing a large piece of the hobby? Perhaps, but that's what I do and I have a lot of fun doing it. I feel that I am a competent reloader, not an expert, but competent, and I am very careful in my processes.

At my advanced middle age of 64 I tend to stick to the loads in my book, and not take the risk of a mental lapse.

Where was I? Oh, I work up NEW loads with new powders and different bullet weights but I don't try to determine the hottest load for a given gun and stuff like that. I can't even find my foot, I'm not gonna stress my memory any more that it is already.

[OldmanFCSA]

OOPS - Sorry Sam.

I jumped to wrong conclusion when hearing Sasha was going down.
You keep up the good work, pick up whatever you feel you and your Sasha can handle, and continue your work at the hospitals.
Hopefully we will never have to visit the "noobies" who think they know better than our combined 80+ years of reloading experience.

Give Sasha a bone for me and MurphyT.

[Snowgun]

Just buy this from midway:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/688064 ... hronograph

Solid chrony, folds up into a little box, and has a display that connects via telephone cable back to you (good 10 yards or so), so you can see the speed readings right at your bench.

I love mine.