OCD

[knot4reel]

Ok team, let me pose this question to you for debate. Would having OCD be a good thing for a handloader to have? After all these years shooting and enjoying guns I have just recently started reloading as a hobby to occupy all the time I have on my hands. I have discovered that I am absolutely anal about the reloading process. I use the press to insert the primers one at a time. I lay out 10 primers at a time and each primer is accounted for before and after insertion. Measuring the powder wow, double check triple check each load using both mechancial and digital scales, back to the load table again to make sure I have the powder weight right----WHAT. Remember I have more time than anything. I would have to be in a coma to put out a double charge. Oal, yep you betcha. Each round checked at least twice with a digital caliper.

Now I haven't been diagnosed with OCD but my inner WebMD is telling me I have at least a touch of it. So lets hear what you guys think on the subject. Good, or a bad thing for a reloader to have ?

 

[Ash]

I do quite a bit of the same. Although, I do not triple-check the powder weight. (I use an RCBS beam scale. Using check weights before I start a session, and recheck after. Also a zero-check. Never had a an issue.) That does seem to be a little excessive.

I am not a high volume reloader. I'm guessing you are not either. Although, you said you have more time than anything.

 

[Sniper 79]

Whatever floats your boat.

Myself I got shooting to do.

Speed comes with experience like anything else. You will learn to trust your equipment and should be able to cut back on the checking. Nothing wrong with being cautious.

 

[Leo]

There is no law against OCD, provided you are paying your own bills. Slow and careful is a far better procedure that fast and sloppy. I believe it is good to build quality control into the manufacturing process. I have been reloading for over 40 years and my ammo has all worked and I have never hurt a firearm with bad ammo. The only thing worse than fast and sloppy, is fast and sloppy and drunk.

With the powder, as long as you understand the reality of tolerance you can set up your +/- tolerance. Having spent a lot (ie: too much) time with a ransom rest and a number of chronographs, I am convinced of one thing; most of us spend way too much time trying to shave powder weights to a tenth of a grain, because it really makes no difference. Set up your process to be 100% uniform to realistic tolerances, and you will have enough time left to be able to shoot some of those fine reloads.

Don't forget; HAVE FUN!

 

[russc2542]

OCD is a very good thing for a reloader to have. Keeps your digit count correct and your safe full of functioning guns. There's a difference between careful, meticulous OCD and mental disorder OCD (like my M-I-L). Yours sounds like a mix of the former with some new-to-reloading paranoia. perfectly normal.