Worst Job in reloading!

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Today I begin the worst job in reloading. The "Dreaded Cleanup"!

When the Covid lock down began last spring, I was at home alone with the wife for 7 weeks. Her sewing room, is second floor front of the condo. My loading room, is in the rear of the basement. I think of them as neutral corners. This allowed us to escape each other long enough to want to see each other again in a few hours.

So I had a very organized loading bench, and started ordering bullets back when delivery times were only 2 or 3 weeks. As they arrived, they piled up in front of the shelves. I thought I was going load up every empty case I own, so why spend time rearranging the shelves, the bullets will be used up in no time!

Then there was the problem of not being able to get parts for damaged dies, a Berdan primed case got in my 308's and made a pretzel out of my decapping stem, so I ended up cannibalizing a 22-250 set I don't use any longer, and go that project finished. But that is a small example of the things I had go wrong! As we all know the Governor's daily briefings kept everything in a state of induced panic, so I wanted to load, not organize!

Now the Piper needs to be paid! The water company comes tomorrow to service the meter and I have made a mess. I cannot see the surface of the loading bench and 2 auxiliary tables are covered with "Stuff"!

I think the beginning is where I empty the trash to make room for more trash. Then put assorted tools where they belong. Then the several die sets, some of which are new acquisitions and don't already have a storage spot. There are containers of newly loaded ammo and components, that need a place to stay until called upon.

That leaves the worst kind of stuff: The mistakes! Do I just pitch them or do I try to salvage to components? I think I'll have to see how big that pile is verses how much time I have left.

I've put it off as long as I can, time to dive in!

Ivan
 
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Sounds like you have a tedious job planned for today. But it also sounds like you have a plan so work the plan. ;) And save the rejects, as long as you know what components they are loaded with. At least salvage the primers, since they seen to be the hardest components to get a hold of nowadays.
 
I don't consider it the worst job in reloading, I consider it a neglected job of reloading.
My reloading area is also in the basement. I only reload during the cold weather months of Dec., Jan., & Feb., so the other months the bench gets filled with non-reloading projects that have to be organized and cleared before reloading starts. My reloading bench is 8 ft long, plenty of room for other projects that have to be cleared.
 

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Sounds like you have a tedious job planned for today. But it also sounds like you have a plan so work the plan. ;) And save the rejects, as long as you know what components they are loaded with. At least salvage the primers, since they seen to be the hardest components to get a hold of nowadays.

And depending on where you look, primers are worth 40 cent a piece. Crazy.
 
Thanks for sharing your plight! I sympathize. I'm a cyclical cleaner-upper. Left to my own devices, I tend to let things accumulate. There comes a time when I say "ENOUGH" and put everything back in order. Then it starts again. Of course I always tell myself to just keep up with it, but I don't. Not in my genes, I suppose. Mom was always saying "a place for everything and everything in its place" but it didn't rub off on me! I have made some colossal messes only to have to deal with it later. Best of luck with your, shall we say... treasure hunt.
 
ivan - last March when all this craziness began, I was finally forced to "hang up my hardhat" for good. 43 years in the oilpatch is (was?) a pretty respectable run, but everything comes to an end!
For the past 5-8 years, in anticipation of my "retirement someday", I'd been stocking up on reloading "essentials" - if you catch my meaning. The stocking up part is great - the sorting and storage was kind'a neglected!
It took me the better part of a week to sort, inventory, label, and store my "new" essentials. The problem was compounded by the fact that I had to "clear the clutter" before I could even start!
But guess what! It was like Christmas times 3! I found bullets (and other things) I had forgotten I had!
I'd say to take your time and enjoy the moment to "organize your treasures". When you're all done, you can enjoy the organization of your treasures and vow to "never get that disorganized" AGAIN! LOL!
I know I do, every time I get my loading shack "re-organized"! LOL!!

WYT-P
Skyhunter
 
That leaves the worst kind of stuff: The mistakes! Do I just pitch them or do I try to salvage to components?
Ivan

I have a 5 gallon bucket filled to about the 4 gallon mark that I inherited from a late friend that was a gunsmith. It is filled with all sorts of mistakes, duds and who knows what of a multitude of calibers. I tossed a handful into my burning brush pile and ran away, not sure what I should do with rest.......the same? :D

KO
 
Today I begin the worst job in reloading. The "Dreaded Cleanup"!

When the Covid lock down began last spring, I was at home alone with the wife for 7 weeks. Her sewing room, is second floor front of the condo. My loading room, is in the rear of the basement. I think of them as neutral corners. This allowed us to escape each other long enough to want to see each other again in a few hours.

So I had a very organized loading bench, and started ordering bullets back when delivery times were only 2 or 3 weeks. As they arrived, they piled up in front of the shelves. I thought I was going load up every empty case I own, so why spend time rearranging the shelves, the bullets will be used up in no time!

Then there was the problem of not being able to get parts for damaged dies, a Berdan primed case got in my 308's and made a pretzel out of my decapping stem, so I ended up cannibalizing a 22-250 set I don't use any longer, and go that project finished. But that is a small example of the things I had go wrong! As we all know the Governor's daily briefings kept everything in a state of induced panic, so I wanted to load, not organize!

Now the Piper needs to be paid! The water company comes tomorrow to service the meter and I have made a mess. I cannot see the surface of the loading bench and 2 auxiliary tables are covered with "Stuff"!

I think the beginning is where I empty the trash to make room for more trash. Then put assorted tools where they belong. Then the several die sets, some of which are new acquisitions and don't already have a storage spot. There are containers of newly loaded ammo and components, that need a place to stay until called upon.

That leaves the worst kind of stuff: The mistakes! Do I just pitch them or do I try to salvage to components? I think I'll have to see how big that pile is verses how much time I have left.

I've put it off as long as I can, time to dive in!

Ivan

Clean up in my reloading/Gun Room is an on-going/never-ending process.
 
Perhaps I'm different, but I like reloading, all aspects of reloading. I enjoy checking/researching manuals for determining loads. I don't mind inspecting brass, or bullets. I don't mind cleaning brass, processing brass, setting up my press, powder measure/scales, weighing a lot of charges, double checking dimensions, making labels and boxing. I think the only part I don't like is picking up brass at the range...
 
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