Reloaders! What kind of info to you track on your loads?

[OneBadV8]

I would assume you mark the powder charge and the bullet weight. Do you also keep track of Primers?

What about performance when you shoot it, I would assume velocity and groups but what about environment (wind, air temp, humidity, etc) ?

 

[pdg45acp]

I would assume you mark the powder charge and the bullet weight. Do you also keep track of Primers?

What about performance when you shoot it, I would assume velocity and groups but what about environment (wind, air temp, humidity, etc) ?

Temp is the only weather characteristic I note. If the weather is foul in any way I won't chrono.

If I was shooting rifle at more than 100 yds I'd note humidity.

 

[Leo]

I mark bullet brand and weight, powder and weight, primer and OAL on every box. When I have a load that performs exactly how I like it, I write that information on the bottom of the page in my loading data notebook. I also write comments for pistol, like "light/short distance load" or "good out to 100 yards", or for rifle, "flattens primers in (name that rifle). Once I have that written in the load data notebook, I am done with experimenting, adjust the sights for that load and try not to deviate from that.

With powder supplies in short supply, I have had to add some more entries.

 

[Maximinus Thrax]

I printed off a bunch of these and track any recipe I create on it. Ones that work get noted, ones that don't...also get noted so i don't try again.

http://ultimatereloader.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/UR-Load-Data-Record-Book-2.0.pdf

 

[wabashman]

I just write the bullet weight, charge, powder and COAL on the outside of the ammo can for my general plinking ammo. For more precise ammo then chrono stats are also written down.

 

[42769vette]

It depends on how serious Im being about it. On my bulk ammo I track bullet weight/brand, Trim length, overall length, powder charge and type.

On precision reloads I track everything.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I reload pistol ammo. I record power (type and weight) and projectile weight. I keep track of velocity as well. Nothing else is likely to matter much for the kind of shooting I do. If I was loading precision rifle rounds, that'd be another story. Fighting drills with a pistol, though, its more info than I need to keep track of primers, weather, etc. etc.

 

[Fullmag]

Everything but chrono, don't have one. For now just shooting pistols and trying to upgrade accuracy, so at 25 yards after shooting I break the target into 4 quads and track how far from center, how many and what quad to try to establish my habits.

 

[warthog]

Here is what I put on all my labels. Bullet type and weight, Powder type and charge, date loaded, cases (mixed or not and if not what brand), Primer and the number of the Lee Autodisk used.

It is different though when I load for non-blasting ammo. I add COL and for the chafge I don't use my auto disk.

 

[sgreen3]

It depends on how serious Im being about it. On my bulk ammo I track bullet weight/brand, Trim length, overall length, powder charge and type.

On precision reloads I track everything.

^^THIS^^

On my blasting loads I just keep track of the more common of factors (bullet weight, powder charge, ect..). But on my precision loads if it can be recorded I record it.

 

[Slawburger]

For pistol I record:
Date
Bullet Type
Bullet Weight
Primer
Powder Type
Powder Weight
COL
Qty in batch

If a component has changed from the normal then I note it to the side e.g "New Primer", "Last of powder xxx"
If it is a test load then I make range notes e.g. "1/5 FTE", "Very sooty"

 

[Contender]

I record primer, powder, powder weight, bullet and case brand. All I put in my log book is that info plus group size.

I do also record the number of times the brass has been reloaded. I keep mine seperated into groups by how times they have been used.

 

[indyjohn]

This is a page from one of my data books. This book goes back to 1999. I document every new recipe this way. (OCD very much??)

 

[sloughfoot]

I don't record anything. My ammo is loaded and put into the box. I take the ammo and rifle to the range and shoot the match. Light, temperature, and humidity are ignored. With the two free sighters, I put the bullets in the X-ring with sight adjustments. (If I am lucky)

Too much detail in the shooters log is totally useless. The only thing that matters is results on target. if I can shoot clean with a high X count, why should I worry about the details?

I have been shooting the exact same loads for a long time. Most of them are published in NRA books. I have tried slight variances in powder charge. I have learned maximum is best. And that is how it is.

I am a shooting heathen. I don't play the load development game.

There is a special place for you in shooters heaven, John.

 

[indyjohn]

I am rolling on the floor laughing my arse off. You're killing me dude...

All that time I have wasted.... Better be a gold house....

 

[sloughfoot]

I am rolling on the floor laughing my arse off. You're killing me dude...

All that time I have wasted.... Better be a gold house....

You ever wonder why I am always smiling? I just worry about the 60 seconds, 70 seconds, or 22 minutes. Lynn Richter got my head screwed on right I think. I am eternally grateful to that old fart. He is still outshooting most of us. He says that the only important thing is being on the range. He is very wise.

Yeah, gold and pearls.

 

[indyjohn]

You ever wonder why I am always smiling? I just worry about the 60 seconds, 70 seconds, or 22 minutes. Lynn Richter got my head screwed on right I think. I am eternally grateful to that old fart. He is still outshooting most of us. He says that the only important thing is being on the range. He is very wise.

Yeah, gold and pearls.

Didn't Lynn run a bolt gun of some sort? His score always kicked all the rest of us to the curb.. Man, those were fun days...

 

[dsheets]

Bump

 

[Leo]

Lynn Shoots an AR. I often shot a bolt. Gary (the one who died from cancer) shot a bolt. Mitch Maxberry shot a bolt.

 

[Leo]

Too much detail in the shooters log is totally useless. The only thing that matters is results on target. if I can shoot clean with a high X count, why should I worry about the details?

Good Point. Too many people spend way too much time and wear out their barrels ammo testing. (unless ammo testing is your flavor of the shooting hobby)

I make sure I can duplicate the load.

I tried some "boutique" custom made bullets. They seem to never shoot the same batch to batch. Way too expensive and often spotty to get, even if you know the maker on a first name basis. I gave up on the magic bullets.

Part of duplicating the load is choosing good components that you can get in bulk. I never buy less than 1000 Sierra MatchKings at a time. Powder in kegs, buy both kegs out of the same box whenever possible. Buy the sleeve of primers, not single 1000 piece bricks.