Last fall, I set a friend up to reload pistol. All he shoots is 9mm. I gave him a press, powder thrower, scale, dies and some other stuff, including 1k empty tumbled cases and a brick of primers. He bought bullets and a good micrometer. I sat him down for a day of tutoring on loading for pistol. He got it and calls me if he has any questions. Let’s call him Dave. So far, so good......until today!
Dave calls me and starts asking me how to load 308. He has a friend that wanted to start reloading and Dave offered to help. The two of them are sitting in Daves basement trying to figure out how to set up the sizing die in the Rock Chucker I gave him. Dave says” Hank brought everything! Powder, primers, empty cases and bullets! We just need a little help.” Trying to be cordial, I try to help but the hairs on the back of my neck start to tickle. I give a ten minute explanation about how to set up a die, pushing the shoulder back 2 thou, blah blah. I’m on speaker so they both can hear. Hank says “That’s not what the booklet says.”
I ask “Who made the die?”
Hank: “Lee. It says in the book that it should be screwed in more than you said so you can feel the collet click.”
I ask “Is it a Lee neck sizing die?”
Hank”Yes”
Oh Lord, I think. I ask “ What are you loading for?”
Hank “I have four semi autos in 308.”
I say “You can’t use that die for semi autos. Do you have a full length sizing die?”
Hank “Yes”
I say “ Use that. Do you have any guages that measure the shoulder?”
Hank “What’s that?”
I say “ Read thru the beginning of your reloading manual. It should explain a lot.”
Hank “I don’t have a manual.”
I ask “Where did you get your load data?”
Hank “Off the internet.”
Dave chimes in “ Will this die work on steel cases?”
I sit down, calm myself for a moment and then give them both barrels in a five minute lecture about the dangers involved in what they’re doing, buying the stuff they need, reading as much as they can and don’t try to reload a fu$$ing thing until I get back to Delaware! I think I got thru to them?!!? They said “OK, well ...thanks.”
Scared the crap out of me.
