Reloading journal

[Fretless]

If you keep notes on different loads, what information do you keep, and in what format or layout?

 

Some things seem obvious:

Caliber, powder, bullet, OAL, velocity (if you have access to a chronograph)

 

Are there subjective descriptions that help you remember how each load worked?

 

What do you record?

[Singin' Sue 71615]

1 hour ago, Fretless said:

If you keep notes on different loads, what information do you keep, and in what format or layout?

 

Some things seem obvious:

Caliber, powder, bullet, OAL, velocity (if you have access to a chronograph)

 

Are there subjective descriptions that help you remember how each load worked?

 

What do you record?

Look at Capt. Baylors articles on reloading data...Chronicle articles.

We just follow what the data shows for that specific powder and go with that.

Sorry not to help!

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

what you said.

I used commercially available books (don't remember whose) that were usually Christmas or birthday gifts. most stuff was fill in the blank things.

Caliber, bullet size to the hundredth (.358, .452 etc) bullet weight, COL, powder to the 10th of a grain (3.2, 21.8 etc.) if they were chronographed then velocity.

Subjective stuff like date, ambient air temperature, wind velocity/direction and If I remember humidity, sunny or cloudy skies.

Barrel length and firearm used (by serial number), anything special about the gun like porting or suppressor.

Group size is a biggie for me including whether it was first set of rounds or second or third. subjectively was the barrel still warm hot or cold. range to target and target size. I used to keep my best target in the book but it became to bulky for me.

Lastly I put notes about recoil, "snap" and smoke or flame. Also at least a couple strings at speed with timer for competition loads to see how my body is reacting to the load.

Others are much more detailed than I but this usually works for me.

My loads haven't changed for the guns I usually shoot in about 10 years so have the logs in a box somewhere in the shed.

Regards

   

Gateway Kid

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Data was recorded in spiral notebooks or journals when I started 50  years ago.

 

Now the good stuff that I still care about is in spreadsheets.  All the common stuff, but none of the "what powder lot number" or environmental conditions.  A few group sizes, unless the loads are long range rifle loads where group sizes can be real important.

 

Long range loads usually have "windage and elevation, Mrs. Langdon, windage and elevation" dope as well.  

 

good luck, GJ

[Three Foot Johnson]

Top spiral notebook

 

Date  Caliber  Powder  Weight/volume  Bullet & weight  Primer  Box  Quantity  Comments  Running quantity

 

I'm way behind this year - normally I reload 8-10,000+ rounds per year, but I'm barely going to top 5000 for 2021.

[Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646]

I use a spiral notebook. Actually have several dating back to the 1980s(sent some to a cowboy pard last week from 1986.

    The front of the page has 1)date,2) caliber and use(cowboy, defense, silhouette, pins). 3)Brass brand, estimate of times loaded(dont usually bother with cowboy loads), if trimmed 4) Primers, brand and if non standard, (BR, Mag. etc). 5) Bullet, Diameter, weight, style, source.  6)Powder, brand,  weight of charge, source , notes if appropriate-easy flow, messy etc.  7) COAL   8)Data source  9)For use in which arms

   Back of the page has info on any testing done and pertinent details, weather, group size etc. Also details on loading set-up for ex.- Powder bar opening .352 yields xx gr of xxxx powder, for ease of return to that loading. Other notes as I use or drop that loading.

   The one thing I have considered is removing all the pages and placing them in groups by caliber and/or usage, in a 3 ring binder.  Or going to a spread sheet but I would not want to have to go back 40 years for data I might never use again. I have a LOT of data on loads that did not work well, so no need to duplicate them.

 

Imis

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

use Excel

here's mine

 

Loading Data for Firearms small clip board list.xls

[Montana Mike]

I use a google sheet for my reloading log. Below are the columns that I use. I have formulas that automatically calculate overall total round count, and a round count for each specific caliber. 

 

Date

Caliber

# Rounds

Brass

Powder

Charge

Primer

Bullet

COL

Notes

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

Mine is a spreadsheet.  One page for reloading data (it's a really long page - I hide cells for loads I'm not currently using to make it easier to read).  I add to the round count for each load every time I make more.  Each load has an ID number: first 44 special load I tried was 44S-1, next one 44S-2 etc, and that number gets put on ammo boxes (my current main match smokeless .38 load is 38S-6E and current 45 smokeless is 45S-27).  Then there is a page for each gun, and how much of which ammo that gets shot gets added to each gun page, along with any notes for accuracy, etc.  That gives me a fairly accurate round count for each gun.  I recently added a page of gun (and leather) values for all that I own, for use by my estate executor when I'm gone.

[Abe E.S. Corpus SASS #87667]

I still use my MTM notebook to record load data.  https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1014310772
 

When I chronograph my ammo the Caldwell app automatically captures some info, such as ambient temperature, that I am probably too lazy to record myself.

[Ozark Huckleberry]

 

I use cards in a ring binder to record the components, and to record the makeup of loaded batches. Yes, I record lot #s; in the off chance there's a recall, I can pull the cartridges that have been loaded with a recalled component.

 

I also drop a card in the bags or put a label on the boxes of loaded cartridges that identifies specifics about the load, and which batch those cartridges were loaded in. 

["Big Boston"]

I have been using a MS Word doc for years. I'm a lazy record keeper so I keep info to the basics. I do sometimes wish i had better info, but having a searchable document is nice to have. Especially with shortage of components, I just check back and can usually find loads with that powder or primer. I don't have to staart from square one.

 

As with Xcel, a bit of experience with layout and some of the features is handy. 

 

I've also changed the margins and printed the pages for a 3 ring binder to take to the range. 

 

I've used this for a few years now. 

 

Calibre	44 Remington Magnum			Date Loaded		2021-12-02
Powder	Alliant Unique			Weight in Grains		7.4
Bullet	LEE 429-240 SWC GC			Weight in Grains		246
Primer	CCI 300 LP			Loaded OAL		1.57
Case	W-W SUPER 44 MAGNUM			Weight in Grains		110
Times Loaded				Number loaded
Firearm				Barrel clean/fouled
Velocity Av	993/1003	Es	30.8/47.7	Sd	11.8/18.7	Shots	5>/5<
Comments	Visually selected bullets not too undersized.   I blame the bullets, I cast them hot, to the point of being frosty.   I would not hesitate to load this.

Sample reloading log.docx

[Woody Shootem, SASS # 24816]

I use a 4"x6" spiral memo book.  One page for each "Lot number" of ammo I make (I'm in the 400's now).  I record the lot number of the ammo, how many rounds in that lot, the caliber, the date, the bullet type, weight and manufacturer (if I cast it myself I record the alloy used, bullet mold number, powder coating material or lube, sizing die and gas check).  Also the powder name and weight, the primer used, and any other components used (card wad, lube, fiber wads, etc., etc.).  I have plenty of room to record chronograph data, or other performance notes as needed.  Not as formal as a spread sheet, but it's worked well for me.  When I fill up one book, I start the next one.  It's been very handy for making a new batch of a good performing load.