While reloading I...

[Lead slinger]

just focus on reloading to make sure that I dont double charge or mess up any other way

[earplug]

I usually end up answering the phone, wondering what the dog is barking at in the front yard, rescue the dog from a door to door dude. My son or one his friends needs a bike fix or I get a bad radio station.

After a hour of this stuff, I end up with a couple hundred rounds of reloads.

If I don't get any distractions my back talks to me and I get grumpy.

[bdpaz]

I recently discovered that paying attention to the process isn't enough. With absolute concentration and attention to detail I loaded 400 rounds of .45acp where random checks of COL were +/- .003, random checks of powder were +/- .1, and all passed the case gage. So all were essentially identical and all had exactly 43.48% too much powder.

The full story:

Last Saturday afternoon I decided to set up my 1050 to do .45acp. This was complicated by the fact that so far I had only used it for .40S&W so not only did I have to set up the .45 dies on a new tool head, I had to change out parts of the primer feed system to switch it over to large primers for the first time. Never having done it before, I managed to stretch it out to over two hours - largely because I had forgotten some of the necessary but only semi-documented adjustments from when I set it up initially.

So now it is dinner time and I'm tired from fighting with the conversion but everything is adjusted except the powder measure so I have to try it out. I had worked up loads (for my revolver) on the 550 and was using 4.8 grains Solo 1000 with 230 grain Billy Bullets at a COL of 1.270 inches. I decided to reduce the charge to 4.6 grains. So I charge some cases with powder, weigh them, adjust the powder measure, and repeat until I'm right on 6.6 grains.

So I start loading and it is really fast and smooth, without the minor hiccups the .40s had with their smaller cases, bullets, and primer. So I decide to keep going. But I'm careful, though. I'm stopping to check that nothing has loosened up, and I'm dropping random rounds in the case gage and measuring length, and of course I'm also weighing powder charges and they are holding right on at 6.6 grains so life is good. I plan to do 500 rounds but after 400 I'm too hungry to continue so I stop for the day.

Sunday afternoon I come back to run the last 100 and first thing I do is check the powder measure and it is still throwing 6.6 on the nose. But I finally remember to think and it sure seems like I really want four point something so I check my notes and realize that yes, I am an idiot, and now have 400 rounds that have almost 50% too much powder.

Brad

[ChrisStock]

I reload in the garage, and here in Florida, it can be hell n there during the day...100+ degrees there, and high 90% humidity.

After I am done checking the powder weight for consistency, the fan goes on, and I have a pattern of listening to spent primers drop, observing powder drop/checking case lips from expansion, ensuring that the primer was seated when I rotate, checking the ammo for cracks when the bullet was seated.

Too hot for the spouse and dogs, and no music to distract me... just a steady rhythm of each operation taking place, listening to springs flex, bars slide, the wheel turns.

Oh yes, BTW... I enjoy the time in front of my press.... I find it soothing.

[JimmyZip]

I live in the desert, and it is usually over 100F in my garage until about 8 or 9. I take the brass out of the tumbler, load a dozen primer tubes, set the radio to anything at low volume and get going. I run my brass through the U-die and tumble one night and then load the next. I really like reloading. It is that all alone time that I can just veg and listen to the completed rounds falling into the plastic bin. I check them for consistency and high primers when I transfer them from the bin into ammo boxes. I am proud of the quality of my reloads. They are shiny, shoot well in my pistols, and I know that they have been QC'd more than necessary.

I can do all that while listening to whatever, just don't ask me to tell you what I have been listeneing to , 'cause my focus is on reloading.

JZ

[JimBo1]

While reloading I pay attention to reloading.

Same here. The penalty for a screw-up is way too high to be splitting my concentration with anything else.

+3...

+4

Jim

[adouglas]

NPR here. I listen to the radio whenever I have the chance, reloading or not, though if I'm doing something that requires me to pay close attention the radio is more of a background thing than something that I focus on.

I find the mental stimulation actually helps me focus on the press. Reloading (especially with a progressive press) is repetitive and dull. That's a recipe for loss of concentration.

I also say the mantra....

CHECK the charge

PLACE the bullet and feel the case (one guy I shoot with uses 9x21s and I often find his cases mixed in with mine)

Insert a new CASE

WATCH for the primer as you pull

and...

SEAT the new primer.

[Cat355]

While reloading I pay attention to reloading. I look in each case for powder. I listen to the case feeder, the bullet feeder and press for weird sounds. I may have some music in the background sometimes but it is usally very low.

JMHO,

Chuck

Ditto!

[Mull]

I too fall into the category of not really enjoying reloading. .

I enjoy reloading but don't like to shoot. I just go to the range to see how well I reloaded.

[Anon]

I don't know how you guys have so much time to do things when reloading....

Me, I drop the mag, reach for another one, look at the magwell, then aquire the next target. During a stage, I NEVER go over and turn on the radio or TV.

[Will Blastem]

Not a D*** thing...I don't want ANY kind of potential distraction to take my mind off the loading process...Call me anal but I'm a for real safety nut

[ChuckS]

I too fall into the category of not really enjoying reloading. .

I enjoy reloading but don't like to shoot. I just go to the range to see how well I reloaded.

Reloading and shooting are just necessary evils that you need to endure so you can get to the gun cleaning. I love cleaning guns. I am working on a special load of Titegroup and HS-6 so I can maximize my cleaning opportunities...

Later,

Chuck

(I do listen to music when I clean guns. Pink Floyd goes well with the fumes...)

[stormbringer]

I spend time chatting with my 15 year old son.

1/3 of the ammo being loaded is for him, 1/3 for me and 1/3 for his sister (she is in University).

I run a Hornady LNL AP and he acts as my brass feeder/brass inspector.

It allows us to catch up on things.........pretty much guy/gun talk.

I am going to miss it when he heads off to school in 3 years.

[rexican]

I usually leave the tv on the history channel and watch it forrest gump style, or listen to some classic rock. I sometimes sit on one of those exercise balls you see in yoga classes, if I have a lot of loading to do. I enjoy reloading: I also find it relaxing.

There are some really fascinating studies regarding personality type and level of external stimulation during monotonous vigilance tasks. Extroverts seem to perform better with low to moderate levels of on tasks that require repetitive movement and keeping focus. Oddly, this is what I relate studies to when I'm writing papers. There has to be a group for this kind of thing... I feel like I need to say "my name is Rex, and I have a problem"

[Beans]

While reloading I pay attention to reloading. I look in each case for powder. I listen to the case feeder, the bullet feeder and press for weird sounds.

++++

I have been reloading for over 38 years and when I reload it is all I do. No other distractions, no problems