Is listening to music while reloading an unsafe distraction?

[Domino]

I'll put on talk radio but it won't be turned up loud, just a little back ground noise. Doesn't matter what the talk show is about since I don't pay attention to the show that's on. I'd do the same thing while in college and trying to study, the library was too quiet so I'd usually study at the student center eating area where it wasn't too loud but wasn't quiet.

[Mal H]

Originally Posted by wncchester

The question seems to presuppose there are some "safe" distractions; I doubt that.

I think we can all agree on that. However, the question is whether background music is, in fact, a distraction. Personally, I don't think it is.

Now if someone is trying to reload, but has to pick up his air guitar every now and then to play along with his favorite hair band, than that would be a first class distraction, and the music could not be considered background music.

[rebs]

I usually sit on the couch watching tv while I am putting in new primers with my hand priming tool, but when I am adding powder to the cases and seating the bullets it is all business with no distractions, no tv and no radio.

[mikld]

I don't think listening to music while reloading is a distraction. Unless you gotta jump up and play your air guitar when your favorite song plays, the music adds a bit of calm to the room. I like all kinds of music in my room; country (George Jones, and the "older" country), Do-Wop from the early 60s, my Tai Chi tracks, Mariachi, Classical guitar, and Gospel. My mind is able to concentrate on the task at hand and listen to music in the background...

[BigJimP]

I don't find music, in the background, distracting if its kept at a low volume.

But just because I find that works for me ....doesn't mean it'll work for everyone.

[mnoirot64]

I have gotten away from listening to music. I now stream NRA News' Cam & Company or SOFREP Radio.

[603Country]

Well, I guess we all agree that we don't want distractions. What we won't agree on is what causes distraction. Music doesn't distract me, but TV would. And having others around that want to chat is certainly a distraction. My wife will come into the workshop from time to time to say this or that, and I just quit reloading and back away from the bench. That seems to bug her a bit, even if I try to explain why I can do one (talk or reload) but not both.

The cat in the workshop is Ok. The grandkids in the workshop is definitely not Ok. I run them off, and the wife says "they weren't bothering you, so why are you being mean". Geez.

[Mike Irwin]

Music literally gives something to do to the parts of your brain that are not being used when you're performing repetitive tasks.

Reloading is a repetitive task.

If you don't give those parts of the brain something to do they can actually become a serious distraction in and of themselves.

[flgolfer29]

Music is not a distraction while reloading for me. The radio is locked on a classic rock-n-roll station; I've been known to crank it up if a really good one comes on.

joe

[Beentown71]

I assumed when I started loading that distractions were bound to happen. I have a note system in place for whenever I stop. Worked so far. Talk radio doesn't interfere with my concentration. I am also the guy that has to be doing five things at once or I am bored.

[bedbugbilly]

I reload in a shop room in my basement and often have either the TV on in the adjoining room or music (through DirecTV) playing. Honestly, though, I don't know why I have it on as when I'm reloading - or even doing other work - I'm concentrating on it so much that I sort of "shut out" the background noise. Much to my wife's dismay, she will sometimes say something to me and I swear she never said anything to me when it gets brought up later as I just "tune out" other noise/distractions. I had a custom woodworking/cabinet/millwork shop and I probably trained myself to do that over time - my fingers and hands around saws, mills, shapers, etc. required me to "concentrate" on what I was doing.

[WESHOOT2]

When I reload I'm not performing a repetitive task; I'm constantly monitoring every facet of my process.

If any distraction occurs I stop loading. No exceptions. None.




Can't say I always followed this rule; Ruger service was great

[mnoirot64]

I listen to NRA News or SOFREP, but it's more a background thing. I agree with bedbugbilly - no distractions.

[pathdoc]

I won't listen to music when I'm reloading - it distracts me. I'll usually provide a running commentary to myself on what I'm doing, to remind myself not to screw up. I talk as if I'm demonstrating to a newbie or a preteen child what I am doing and why.

There are repetitive tasks in my job which, I agree, are better done with music or a podcast or something else on in the background. But that specialty is not surgery, and nobody is going to suffer if perchance I have a momentary lapse of background-music-induced inattention - I can stop, backtrack, switch the sound off, and have another think about what I'm doing. That said, most of my time around the operating table was spent with the senior surgeon explaining to the trainee surgeons what he was doing and why, or describing to them exactly what to do next, so the Top Dog always remained focused on the patient.

[Ozzieman]

Using a single stage press I watch documentaries on the computer on my bench mostly listening.
I only do this prepping brass and I feel very comfortable and safe doing that.
But once the powder comes out, nothing, not even music.

[jimbob86]

Talk radio doesn't interfere with my concentration.

+1

I have 3 daughters in their mid teens in the house: if there are not 3 different conversations going on at once, then things do not feel normal ......

[Wreck-n-Crew]

The LAST thing you want to be listening to is something that you're going to engage with on a conscious level.

x2

[KMAX]

While reloading, I listen to the same classic rock or soft rock that I have listened to for 30+ years so I don't really have to listen closely to know the music and find it relaxing. Occasionally, I listen to classical, but it is more often for cleaning guns. Talk, news, or any music I am not really familiar with is a distraction to me as is TV or someone in the room talking to me so I try to avoid these things. Also I use the familiar music to cover any outside distracting noises such as traffic or unknown sounds. My focus is loading, so often I find myself wondering what happened to a particular song on a CD that I usually just didn't happen to notice when it played. BTW, I don't crank up the music but I keep it at a comfortable level that I can hear it with no problem.

[rclark]

Have no clue whether unsafe or not.... But ...

Well, I like good o' silence. Best music ever while working, or when I was in college doing homework, driving, or ... reloading ... Works for me. If I want to listen to music ... I sit back, relax and listen...

[longranger]

30 years of having mayhem as a career, conditioned to perform in extreme environments, music or a radio is not going to interfere with my decision making.

[Jeff2131]

I plug in my android and put Pandora Radio on...mainly: Bullet For My Valentine, Metallica, Three Days Grace, MegaDeth, and more of that genre. I dont find myself distracted by music at all. I have it cranked to the point of the bass is vibrating my bench...maybe it helps settle the powder in my loaded cases...hahahaha.

[Mike Irwin]

"When I reload I'm not performing a repetitive task; I'm constantly monitoring every facet of my process."

Which, if you do the same for every cartridge, or every third cartridge, whatever, is the definition of a repetitive task.

[Heavy Metal 1]

Metal of course \m/....but only while sizing, seating or trim, chamfer/debur process. During priming or charging I think silence is mandatory as one does not want to make a mistake in those parts of the reloading cycle.

[Metal god]

Music in the back ground is a must for me while in my reloading room . I had been using my phone to play music but just put some computer speakers in the reloading room for a little better sound .

Music has been a huge part of my life . I play a few different instruments and I really have a hard time doing anything with out music on , at least low in the back ground .

It's truly amazing to me that just hearing music can make me feel better . I wish I had it on right now because this tinnitus is killing me . That would be another reason I must have some noise on in the back ground no matter what . It masks the ringing in my ears .

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

The point for discussion is, does music constitute an unsafe distraction when reloading?

When I'm reloading. I can ignore most of those household sounds and put all my concentration into the task at hand. Only one sound breaks my concentration and it always has >that darn ringing of our telephone.
As far as music being listened too while reloading. If played on high volume. I suppose music could be distracting.~~ BUT!!~~ That's when multi tasking comes in handy doesn't it.