Reloading...A dying art?

littlebighorn

littlebighorn

Hammer Time Executive member
As I communicate with others here, and other forums, it strikes me that most of us reloaders are old guys.
Is that just my perception, or is it fact?
I'm curious how many young shooters you know have taken up reloading?
Even my own son mostly relies on me to load his bullets. I have taught him the basics, but he doesn't have his own equipment so he rarely reloads.
So, in the current world of "if you can't buy it at the store, you must not need it" attitude continues, will reloading become a dying art?
 
I believe you are correct. All tied to the "instant" generation attitude of having it now. Decent factory ammo offsets the "need" to customize ammo in their minds. I am in same camp of their lack of preparedness for future. New $2K phones, tattoos and Starbucks addiction more important. Nobody has time to reload but find time for gaming, watching YT, streaming , Tik Tok, X, Instagram, 🤮 ad nauseam.

Yes, I am geezer and proud of it to be better prepared for whatever the future brings. Food, equipment, tools, knowledge etc is becoming lost art IMO. If SHTF, they will be SOL.
 
Gday LBH
I’ve got to agree as same kinda thing is happening over here with the vast majority of shooters

I personally think this comes from a couple fronts

Today I believe it’s

money is too easily come by

Easy street

Scaremongering

Lack of knowledge from some gun shop employees or even owners

Terminal performance is lower down the list of priorities so people just accept that’s good enough

Companies load ammo to pretty good standards today


& no doubt more than I put up just need to get back to milking cows

Cheers
 
I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I didn't handload. I've several rifles that have never had a factory round put through them. I'm institutionalized!

I've seen this question posted now & again for the past 30yrs and I would rule it out as all generations worried about the younger generations, but this newest crop of 20 somethings...daggum special kind of fellers...
 
I have a daughter and son in law that are just getting into reloading, since I have 2 of a lot of things I willing donate! You have to have a hunting or target shooting deal that takes lots of ammo to encourage reloading. Shooting a box or two of shells a year does not warrant it to a lot of shooters.
 
Wait a MINUTE!!!!!..... What are you considering "Old"???? :ROFLMAO: :LOL:

I would agree that the young crowd is not jumping in to the reloading game in the masses. With that said, I do believe other shooters and hunters are joining in the masses. In the last 5 years or so, I have taught two guys (friends), who are approx 10-12 years younger than me how to reload. One of them is all in and has his own set up now. The other is building his career, but loves the hobby and I can see him buying his own gear in the next 3-5 years.

Lots of folks still reload, especially the competition shooters. There has never been a bigger selection of reloading gear on the market in my life. If reloading was a dying art, the manufacturers wouldn't be putting money in to R&D and producing new fandangoed equipment every other day.

My son and daughter (14-16 y.o.) have learned to reload, but still heavily rely on myself as their ammo manufacturer. I suspect when I die, my son will want all my gear and will hopefully keep the hobby going.....only time will tell.


NOWWWWW........Back to the is "OLD GUYS" thing......I'm not sure if I am allowed in this distinguished club just yet??? Anyone want to let me know at what age a guy is able to join?? I'm assuming it's much like the elderly living communities, where you can't buy a house unless you are "X" years old. I don't wear depends yet and I can hold my bladder for a solid 45 minute commute (much beyond that, well I have to pull over and water the tires). If it's not an age thing...what else are the requirements?? Hearing loss, grey beard hairs, longer ear hair than your nose hairs, wrinkles......please let me know what the requirements are as I am excited to join the club and wear my age as a badge of honor!!

:LOL::LOL::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::sleep:
 
Even though I am starting to feel it, I’m probably not an “old guy” yet either.
I was introduced to reloading by a friend 10 years younger than I am.
My college roommate’s boy is 14, and he is in awe that I load his hunting bullets. He has also forgotten more about fishing than I will ever know. I say again, the kid is 14! He’ll learn to reload soon enough.
While I will gripe as much or more than everyone else about GenY and especially GenZ (I am a tail end Xer), give the young folks a little time. Not all will pick up the hobby/obsession, but those who will are likely busy figuring out other aspects of life right now.
So don’t give up hope yet.

Why is my glass half full tonight? So not like me!!! 🤣🤣🤣
 
OK jrebel.
I'm easily old enough to be your father because you still have teenage kids. I'm really happy you are teaching them "the art" and I plan to do the same thing with my grandkids, if they are interested. I'm sure there will always be a select group that "rolls their own", but I can see less and less everyday hunters getting into the game.
I really hesitate to define OLD GUYS because at 3/4 Century, I'm still trying to avoid being one. ;)
 
I’m not young, but not “old” I’m 40 and learned during Covid when we couldn’t find anything to do or shoot!!! Since I started my now 9 year old son loves it! We have a full setup now and we hang out and talk and he loves it. Asking you “old guys” all my dumb questions has really helped and these hammers are awesome! We “made” his bullets for his first ever hunt this October, he got drawn for a cow tag! So we have some 125HHTs ready to go out of our suppressed 6.5prc
 
Koda said:
My perspective...
How many older handloaders got into it when they were young? Todays generation production rifles and factory ammo shoot very well, only a few will care to improve on that for general hunting.
Click to expand...
Started at 22 after reading JOC ad nauseam! Over 1/2 Century ago! I bet my reloading has changed 5 times in last 15 years. I switched out dies couple times, added tools, some good, some WTHello was I thinking, did ALL the bench prep of brass, stopped, modified it, neck tension, FCD's, got fx-120 balance which IMO prob best move ever, went light, went heavy, went fast, went hyper fast (Hammers), started fixed scopes, dial ups, powerful range finders, and still changing due to new knowledge.

I worked in manufacturing industry for 40 years EHS, the one number one mantra:

If you are not changing, you are not improving.
 
I could be a clone of Muddy🙄. Almost identical history (even EHS career)!😲.
Dang!
Nobody I knew reloaded. Daddy didn't like rifles, only shotguns. I didn't like factory rifle or ammo accuracy. Wanted better, more accurate ammo. Fell in with a bunch of benchrest shooters and they ruined me.
Learned a bunch, same changes over the years Muddy described (minus the very expensive powder measurer). Use a Chargemaster.
Trying to find younger folks to mentor. Somebody is going to get a bunch of rifles and loading equipment. Sons don't care for fooling with it. Many/most calibers are wildcats - so loading, turning necks, forming brass, etc will be a must. The youn man I'm mentoring just bought 50+ acres, so he's too busy😫 right now.
He better bring his pickup when it's time!
 
I started loading right around 18 and 31 now, my younger brother at 22 is slowly getting items together for loading his own. Don’t give up on the young folks, there’s a lot of special ones in our ranks no doubt but if you look hard enough there’s also some real jems, it does seem to me that we have a lot fewer wishy washy ones than prior generations, whether it’s good or bad I haven’t figured out yet.
 
I got started WAY early (I was 9). My dad bought some used equipment with an RCBS Junior press and started loading for his 243. Of course I was fascinated and couldn't stay out of his way. After several months dad lost interest and it became my job. We had the junior press, a scale, a set of RCBS dies, a box of Hornady bullets, Remington primers and a metal can of H4831.............that was it. When I started loading for the 30-06 he bought me another set of dies and a can of 4350. Many years of bare minimum reloading passed before I started figuring out there was much more to it. To say there is a little difference between reloading in 1965 and handloading in 2024 would be a major understatement,.............. but it was a lot cheaper. :oops:

I have managed to get a couple young (well in their 30's) guys started down the reloading path. Hammer bullets have been a big help with that as they certainly can't buy them on the shelf here.
 
I believe that Farleg has summed it up pretty well!

Just look at the percentage of today’s youth raised in a urban environment vs the percentages of yesterday’s youth living rural. Living in cities, constantly being bombarded/indoctrinated by today’s culture (or lack thereof) has brought about a huge negative in today’s youth……not only in shooting/hunting sports but in all aspects of life! JMO memtb
 
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