When did reloading become such a work out?

About 10 years ago winter was the shotgun shell loading time . My Wife was still working nights and would be home around 12.30 pm . I shot a lot of trap and spent that time loading shells to shoot next summer . I would load 25,000 plus in the winter i reloaded every winter for over 25 years . (LOVED IT) . Now we are both retired and i don,t shoot trap any more . So now it is loading handgun ammo . I use a dillion 650 and only load when i have a bunch to do mostly 44Mag and 45 Long Colt .
 
I’ll set up the loading gear in my barn workshop (indoor and air conditioned) and sometimes leave it set up for a week or two and load when I feel like it. All rifle ammo is done now, but I have a bunch of 38, 357, 9mm, and maybe 380 to do soon. Honestly, I don’t want to load 380, though I have the dies/powder/primers and brass. I may have to do it.
 
I bought my daughter a .380 many years ago and couldn't afford factory ammo for it but around the same time a friend gave us about 15 pounds of .380 range scrounged brass. So I got to loading... She wanted a Glock 19 but that was just after a a certain ban and the price of them shot though the roof.

I still load for her once in a while but for as much as she shoots these days, factory ammo works for her.

I had a couple Hi Power clones and I sold them a long time ago. They weren't close enough to the real thing to keep. Anyway here I am years later scrounging up supplies to load for a 9mm...

Tony
 
One thing to consider is where is the handle in relation to your shoulder; if you are having to raise your hand so that it is level or higher than your shoulder, you will be doing some good long-term damage to the muscle/tendons/rotator area. Either lower the press, work standing or some combo thereof.
 
I was going to say pretty much the same, pwc, but more like my 20 year old brain keeps writing checks that my 76 year old body can't cash.

'44 was a good year.
 
Since I was using a hand press, I was using it around low chest height.

When I have my RCBS press set up it's like a slot machine. The pivot point is above the table top and the top of the lever is near shoulder height. I find that easy to use since the lever travel is easy until it gets lower. I found having to push the lever of a bench mounted press down between my knees to be awkward.

I'm using one of these to raise up the press but unfortunately I need a couple more. One for the Dillon and one for my other RCBS press.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1013002673

Tony
 
You can buy those Inline mounts directly from the factory - they work great and take all of the stresses off the edge of your bench
 
I feel for you.
I had trigger finger surgery in my ring and middle finger this past July
Went and shot today for the first time in nearly 5 months. My 45acp with my cast bullets my hand was on fire after one magazine. Ironically I shot my buddies Dan Wesson kodiak 10mm and was much Easier then my 45
I loaded about 600 rds of 5.56 on my press with a fingerless shooting glove to ease any impact
Lol I had to take a few ibuprofen and just let my hand relax

Yes getting old sucks
 
I actually worked labor for a living (grin)

The doc was agast when he saw the MRI of my back, you know it looks like someone fought a war back there. Yep, its called working.

Everything hurts now! Shoot, a bit of reload pain is a relief.

I got a Ural so I can inflict more pain on myself.

Gun range guys just shake their heads at my 5+ hour shooting sessions (might as well go long if you are going to carve out part of a day). 200 rounds, no problem.

As long as I can stay in denial I am winning!
 
Back in 1983 I was rear-ended while riding my long waited for Italian motorcycle. I'd only had the bike a month when a drunken Ahole hit me from behind while I was moving. He hit me going about 20 MPH faster than I was going. I crushed the windshield of his car in with my lower back before he figured he needed to hit the brakes then I went flipping in the street like a fish out of water.

I used to be able to get pain meds but... I'd better not go on because it gets political after this point.


Tony
 
Make sure you keep your shoulder blades back when working. The best way to achieve this is by puffing your chest up like a young stud trying to show off. This is a much more stable position for your shoulders. It won't alleviate all problems, but it will definitely help if your shoulders are rounding forward while you work. Whenever my shoulder pain flairs up, it's almost always because my upper back posture has deteriorated.

I'm not a doctor and all that.
 
It has never been a work out, I have a single stage press, and if it is to become a workout I buy what I will shoot. The way I reload it is all done in stages taking several days to clean resize and load. I like being in a zen stage when I do this so I am never in a rush. If I don't have enough ammo reloaded for my weekly range trip I than focus only on my rimfire rifle shooting at 200 yards, they are always a blast. People freak out because I'm using Redfield sights on my 513T and 52C.
 
Even with carbide dies, a little imperial wax on the occasional case decreases re-sizing effort considerable. Am sitting down when reloading , and not reaching up very far.
 
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