When you first expressed the desire to start handloading your own ammo, did your family members raise a stink about it? Alternatively, are you interested in handloading but have family members that strongly disapprove?

nope, my wife and kids come in my reloading room occasionally and ask what I am doing and if they can help. Outside of them I dont care what anyone else in my family thinks about me reloading

Just what is it they disapprove of? Saving money, often LARGE amounts of money on many cartridges? Tailoring your loads to your rifle/handgun so that it is a more precise tool? The feeling of accomplishment when you get that load just right for your firearm?

There really is absolutely no downside to competent reloading. As long as you are following all safety protocols in reloading, the same as you should in all shooting sports, then there is absolutely nothing to disapprove of. In all my years, I don't think I have ever heard anyone disapprove of reloading except for ammo manufacturers who, by the way, have used wildcatters formulas to come up with their own cartridges and powder loads for over a century now! And of course claim it as their own unique concept

No reason to disapprove. Like when I first got married and wanted to buy a new rifle. She said "I don't think you need one". I told her that she sounded just like my ex wife. She said "I didn't know you were married before." I said "I wasn't"!

Yep,heard it many years ago. Biggest thing was: "YOU ARE GOING TO BLOW THE HOUSE UP!"
What to heck? They didn't care about me getting blown up,just the house!!!!!!!!
It passed,their house is still there [ they have passed on] and i am still doing it .
Its a million times safer than driving down the road to a store!

Back when I first expressed the desire to start handloading in high school and put reloading equipment on my Christmas list, my parents put a stop to it. My younger sister was especially vocal about it. Once I graduated and saved up a lot of money from graduation presents, I started planning on ordering a kit. Since I was and still am a college student living at home, I have to play by my parents' rules. Fortunately, my dad no longer cared, and my mom decided I could do whatever I wanted with my money as long as I was careful. But my sister, man she was pissed. She kept telling me I was certain to blow up my gun and asked me "What's more important to you: some better accuracy or your life?" Whenever I tried to explain the benefits and refute her statements, she got angry with me and didn't want to hear another word of it.

Of course, she has no authority over me, so I bought the kit against her protests. I have over 1000 rounds under my belt, and best of all, no blown up guns. She hasn't said another word against handloading.

I was just wondering if any of you have ever heard any similar ridiculous things about handloading from your family or relatives.

It's funny how those with the least experience with something usually has the LOUDEST objections to it! From what I am gathering, your parents just didn't want you "blowing" money on it (man I am getting GOOD at this pun thing aint I) but your sister's objections sounds more like uneducated hysteria than advise to be followed. While yes, reloading can be dangerous if not done properly, to anyone with an ounce of common sense and a firm grasp at reading and following instructions, it is safer than walking out to your mailbox! Me personally, I trust my reloads a hell of a lot more than factory loads. Especially in today's world of non existent quality control!

LMAO thanks for the laugh Clem, that one had me giggling for a good while! Wife said she can certainly relate as well

I got a chuckle out of it also.

I started when I was 16 with shot shell reloading. Had a job that paid me fairly well so I went to a local gun shop bought a Mec 650 Jr a thousand 209 primers 8 pound keg of red dot and a bag of wads bag of shot for my 16ga shot gun. I still have the Mec and shot gun today, try to find an supply of 16ga shot shells in stores today!!!

My mom asked if the powder was dangerous I told her about as much as the 500 gallon barrel of gasoline out by the tractor shed setting next to the 500 gallons of diesel.


I was reloading when I got married and my wife knew before hand. She is fine with it even though I probably have close to 25 pounds of different powders and several thousands of primers.


As long as I am doing stuff in my own home the and wife is fine with it the rest of the family can KMA.


Al