HI, My Name Is Douglas and I'm an ADDICT...........

I have been giving this matter a lot of thought lately, and have come to some realizations and conclusions. As Bruce alluded to, this whole scenario is a product of relative affluence. When I was a young man with very limited funds I could only afford 1 or 2 new rifles a year so it was easy to work up loads and get 'er shooting just so. However as I got older and my business started to flourish, I exhibited very little self control and would buy guns at a rate that I could not possibly keep up with the load development. Add to that some very interesting new powders that would have significant improvement over the powders I was already using in my rifles and cartridges, that I already had loads for, and you can see the steep downward spiral that ensued.

As most of you know, I had invited several people to my place for a couple weeks just to catch up with my load development for 25 or 30 rifles. The infamous Schtuetsenfest of 2012.........One has to ask himself, now what is wrong with this picture? It was fun, and I made several new friends and got to meet some great guys. That aside, there is something wrong with the whole scenario, when one has to enlist the aid of strangers to attempt to bring his load development somewhat up to date. It would seem at that juncture that things were completely out of control, and yet I have accumulated another 25 or 30 since that time.

I still do NOT have all the answers but I think at least I now have some of the pertinent questions, and the insight to question myself as to why do I have so many guns? I have also come to the realization that if I live to be 100 I would not have enough time to find that perfect load for each and every firearm I own. Why can we not have the enthusiasm and endless energy of youth with the wisdom and finances of age? Life would be so much easier!!

So now I embark on a journey to work up REASONABLE loads for as many rifles as I can, get them sighted in and then play with a few that are specifically designed to shoot 1/4" groups. I will also be selling a significant number off, after I have done the load development and will be setting a core few aside to keep as my using/hunting/heirloom collection.

Ah, the ramblings of an obsessed, addicted gunnut, powder junkie, speed freak and hoarder of all things gun related..........

Also after 3 afternoons this week of shooting (my bench is about 100 mtrs from my house) #3 wife is threatening to leave..........f:P:
They say addictions are hardest on the families, I guess they must be right!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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Good stuff from the people who lived it. I just needed 2 hunting rifles. Now there are 6 1/2, fighting for safe space with 4 22s. I'm working hard at coming up with an accurate don't worry about velocity load for the newest 1, and moving 2 unnecessary ones along. It's easy to forget being outside is more therapeutic than getting stressed about "falling behind" I load development.
 
OP, I didn't notice any mention of it in the threads.

Have you tried one of the "Magnettospeed" chronographs??? These are the best thing I have had the opportunity to use so far. I won't say their readings are exact but I can tell you they are certainly consistent and they don't need ambient light to work. Great little units. My Chrony is taking a trip to the next gun show in Salmon Arm on Oct 15/16. Hopefully it sells.
 
Interesting read..I generally pass up these topics as who knows what lies beneath? The description of this fascination is interesting for me as addictions may go undetected until too late. I too learn much after my behaviour has been self- discovered or pointed out by another, as unhealthy.

But this so-called addiction is not alcoholism, drug abuse, obesity or exercising too much. It sounds like a fascination, that others accept or cannot accept about you.

Contrary to the OP, reloading has been a hobby that has consumed otherwise void time, a hobby to overcome the boredom of not being in a committed relationship, for example. It has helped me through painful times, and has been soothing.

I went through a period where this new sport had me buying and buying, living barely within my means. That elusive calibre or special rifle vintage, the details of pillars, bedding, floating barrels, trigger work, optics, brass, powders and high bc bullets. Trading, buying and selling.

I met an elderly gentleman in my young days, an avid fly tier. He was so into the latest materials and patterns and tied works of art. It just so happened he never cast a fly or fished for trout. Fly tying was a hobby in and of itself, perhaps akin to 1/4 moa at top velocity for too many rifles never to be used "hunting".

If this addiction is cause for relationship loss, I too might think it unhealthy. However, it seems that as a successful businessman your priorities were in check. Your past-time may have been incomprehensible to your loved ones, but tolerance is important. We are all members here, and life is about identifying with what you love.

Don't be too hard on yourself. I know what you are thinking, and I keep discovering life is a moving target in all phases.
 
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Hi Douglas My name is David.
That is a very good dissertation and I can relate on so many levels.

A year and a half ago I sold off 16 long guns and decided to only work on reloading for no more that 1 or two at a time.
That being said I have bought 4 more rifles in the last year and am still loading for 5 or 6.
But I do have 2 rifles that I have standard loads for and I am not sure what the velocity is but they are reliable and land where I expect them.
Keep up the good fight and don't give up Doug.
David
 
It's a sickness that can only be cured by buying another rifle shotgun or handgun thus there is no cure. Best of luck. I'm down to 40 but I have 50 on my list. Some make women and trucks seem not so expensive too
 
Went from almost 200 firearms to just south of 100 ( including restricteds ), keeping all the favorite ones, at this time were the political climate is uncertain, was the push i needed to move many firearms that i was not entirely satisfied, while they were excellent firearms...

Would things change politicly, i would certainly be on a shopping spree to go back to 200 firearms... JP.
 
Well seeing as how emerson saw fit to exhume this thread I'll give y'all an update..........I haven't loaded a single cartridge in months, but I now have quite a few of my rifles sighted in and waiting (I think I almost forget for what). I checked my 300 WSM and took it to Haida Gwaii for blacktails last Oct. It worked just fine, except the deer were being very uncooperative, did finally manage to dust 5 after 2 weeks of hard hunting. Just prior to that I managed to take a couple whitetails in my pasture with my 7 RUM which also shone for a couple long pokes on 2 blackies this spring.
The 7 RUM has become my back door rifle of choice, as it shoots well under MOA and is as flat as a 257 Wby and hits like a 300 WM. The last 4 critters I have taken with it ranged from about 320 mtrs to about 450 mtrs, all one shot and dead.
I haven't added too many rifles to the collection........another Sako Safari in 338 is about it and I actually sold a few last year.
My Hornet has finally decided to like me and has rewarded me with several sub MOA groups using 40 gn V-max and L'il Gun and Rem 6 1/2 primers which another CGNr recommended for the Hornet.........THANKS.
I still have about 500 test loads made up for different rifles but I haven't bought any more components lately (except for some bullets I came across that I use in my 300 Wby), nor have I done any CF shooting this summer at all. Shot some ravens this spring with my 17 HMR and a few gophers at my buddies in Alta. again with the 17.
Been working on the property, and in my shop, just getting things set up the way I want them and maintaining everything there is to maintain on 34 acres of land with 8 buildings and a dozen cars and trucks and 5 ATVs, as well as 2 horses and a couple donkeys (which I inherited)........I finished wiring in and rigging the exhaust for my standby generator a couple weeks ago and just in the nick of time. Before I even got the chance to give it a run through, we came back from town and it was running and the whole property was powered up. Apparently the power went out about noon and never came back on until about 20:30, worked flawlessly..........another 4 year nagging job completed successfully. I finally finished the solar set up in my horse barn and now have lights and motion detect lighting on the exterior to deter my neighbors from "borrowing" my hay. It's really nice when it's pitch black out and really assists in seeing my crosshairs in the middle of the night.......... Still lots to do, but lately I've been getting the itch to do some shooting and some more gun work. I have my 458 barrel all set up in my lathe to rechamber to 458-416 Ruger Imp but had to stop before putting the reamer to it and didn't get back to it.........that was a couple months ago.

My addiction has been in remission lately, but I definitely feel a relapse coming on..........cool crisp mornings.......... slanting afternoon light...........elk bugling up the mountain.........turkeys running about the yard everyday. The monster is stirring inside me again and I shall not try to control his will, I will succumb to his calling and lapse back into the darkness once again. I will however try to minimize the time frame over which he exerts his control and not fall under his soulless spell for more than a couple weeks..........maybe.
 
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Good thread! Although I am pretty much a hopeless addict when it comes to guns, ammunition, and some related products, I think I am a wee bit off the center of the trail. I love reloading, casting, shooting, hunting, and so on. I use store bought ammo for my old .32 Winchester 94 for hunting. Reasonable accuracy is what suits me, so I can't say that I obsess over perfection.

I enjoy reading others' views and experiences. Keep them coming!
 
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