Reloading journals....

[chet]

What do you guys use to store all your data?

Back when I loaded to save money, rather than improve performance, I simply relied on the label that I placed on the box of re-loads. And I still think thats ok for most of my plinking pistol loads, but It doesn't work well for me for rifles.

Lately, I've been sending myself emails. Every time I hit the bench, I document every little step that took place. Results from the range are also documented. I started doing this because of one particular inccident: I aquired a doe tag, and wanted to kill it with my 308. I hadn't settled on a load, but I knew where POI would be of one particular bullet. So I loaded up five rounds somewhere under max and went hunting. One shot at 183 yards and the doe was dead. Two months later I shot the remaining four rounds and that SOB shot 1/2 MOA!!!!!! All I know is it was a 150g Sierra and a WLRM primer with some Varget! No reference for seating depth, and somewhere between 44 and 46 grains of powder. I sure wish I woulda written it down somewhere :evil:

The reason I use email: I can log on anywhere and reference it. Home, work, friends house, wherever.

The only problem: Lets say I want to reference a OAL on my buddies rifle, it can take some time sorting through emails to actually find the info I'm looking for.

I'm still perfecting the process, and I also keep all my notes in a notebook (just in case).

what do you guys use?

 

[kendog]

I have a stack of targets, I write all the info on them. It's a pain looking through them but it's all there, most, or sometimes I put the weather conditions on them as well.
I write the bullet info like OAL on a peticular rifle inside the die box.

 

[billbam]

I use a notebook for handgun and a separate one for rifles. I keep track of exactly what I used, qty, OAL and date. I also have a comment space for any additional info. I log it even if I load for a friend. After shooting the test rounds, I log results in comments. Good, bad or ugly. I have all my data from back to 1988. I save most of the test targets of the groups with the rifles which are also labeled. When doing test loads, I label the box with the loading info also in case there is some time before i get to shoot them. I hate brain fade.

 

[FOTIS]

A spiral notebook for the range. When I get home they get transcribed to an exel spreadsheet. Keep data on thumbdrive and on the laptop.

 

[DrMike]

I buy hard cover notebooks to record raw data (load information, velocities, atmospheric and wind conditions, temperature, miscellaneous notes, etc.). When the shoot is finished, I cut out and log a target on the opposing page. If the data is worth pursuing, I log it onto an Excel data sheet. Organisation is based on cartridge, bullet manufacturer, bullet weight and then other components used. I used spiral notebooks for quite some time, but they tended to tear in the wind and after a few years they were pretty ragged. The bound hard cover notebooks are easier to access. I make an index at the front and also record OAL for various bullets used in the rifle for which the book is reserved.

 

[nodak7mm]

After trying several methods (did the excel thing, I recorded everything at the range then came home to type it in) over the yrs and other ideas, I went with the KISS method swapped everything to what you see below. I use expandable 2" file folders to contain all targets and a single notebook to record observations, load data, ideas and commments in. My targets contain a box for recording all pertanent load data, environmental conditions and etc.. So when i go to the range, I just put the applicable folder in my range box and go. Then its all there with me.. Works well for me..

Rod

 

[RiverRider]

I use an Excel spreadsheet. It may be a bit more work to get the data entered, but it sure is easy to use when I want to go back and evaluate results.