I was taught handloading by my original gunsmith.
This man sold me my first adult (not .22LR) gun, a Rem 700BDL in 6mm Rem.
He also advised me he would hesitate to sell me any more weapons unless I acquired a chronograph as he taught me the principles of safe reloading.
I did.
Found that I took to the statistical side of shooting as I had been calculating circuit parts and field strength
values and such all my life as part of my radio hobby that turned into a career.
In fact, in amateur radio circles a guru advisor is called an "Elmer".
Eventually I did become a disciple of Elmer Keith.
I learned to keep an eye on the fps/gr. increase in a load ladder and quit if it started to rise noticeably before expected.
Combining this with all the data from bullet and powder makers kept me out of trouble when "normal" powders could be had.
Then comes that last shortage and no more powder except obscure stuff from warehouse crannies, grey market imports and military pulls.
Got 5 lb. of CSB-1 and worked up some nice 44 special target loads.
I believe just about any powder faster than Unique can be used in revolver target loads if you know what you are doing.
That might not be the case had I not had an Elmer to guide me as I started out and to remind me
that this is both a science and an art and that safety is number 1, 2 and 3.
Sadly this old school system is disappearing and many resort to our forum for information and validation.
I tend to cut most some slack knowing not everyone, especially city folk, are going to have a neighborhood gunsmith to refer to.
And many of those are not exactly reloading experts.
I lucked out.
Over the years I got a few books too...
(There are more under the loading bench)
__________________
NEMO
"Everything 44"
Last edited by Nemo288; 09-13-2020 at 03:34 AM.
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