Make notes when reloading

[spradley]

Just a reminder for those new to reloading.. make notes for each caliber you reload and reference those each time you work that caliber. You'll pick up tips and tricks as you go along and will want to document those. The more calibers you reload the less likely you are to remember these for each.

I hadn't worked up any 9X25 Dillon in awhile and decided to crank out 200 today. I did not however read my notes which would have reminded me to use the 10mm seater die instead of the Dillon seater when using XTP bullets.
The Dillon die has a flat profile which does not fit the Hornady XTP. If the bullet is not perfectly straight prior to seating with the Dillon seater it can go in crooked creating a bulge in the neck. Corrected the bulge by removing the depriming stem then running through the full length die.

Fortunately I only did this once then remembered something about using a different seater.. Read my notes.. ah

 

[dentout]

Great advice....Thanks

 

[Truth223]

Good advice. I only load .223 and .308 . I save all of my targets and take pictures of my brass after each range trip. I also write all of the load info on a post it note and stick it to the ammo box.

 

[spradley]

Good advice. I only load .223 and .308 . I save all of my targets and take pictures of my brass after each range trip. I also write all of the load info on a post it note and stick it to the ammo box.

If you get into the weird stuff like 9X25 Dillon, 5.7X28 and 40 Super you will probably need to make notes and reference those.. Especially with the 5.7X28 which is the more picky of the bunch. I'm sure there are other calibers out there which fall into the oddball category but those are the ones I have that are different.

 

[demolitionman]

Also, tell your fiancé not to cover all the minute details of addresses, times, and dates for your own wedding while your working the loading bench. Ask me how I know this.

 

[QuickNDirty]

Corrected the bulge by removing the depriming stem then running through the full length die.

That just made it into my notes =) I've got a couple of bulged necks I'll try that on as soon as my bullet puller collet comes in.

Thanks!

 

[spradley]

Also, tell your fiancé not to cover all the minute details of addresses, times, and dates for your own wedding while your working the loading bench. Ask me how I know this.

Sounds like a good story behind that..

Used to have my reloading bench in the spare bedroom but eventually caved to wife pressure and moved it after building a 760sq ft man cave. That's what she gets for pressuring me. lol

Tell us your story and how it turned out.

 

[spradley]

That just made it into my notes =) I've got a couple of bulged necks I'll try that on as soon as my bullet puller collet comes in.

Thanks!

let me know how that turns out.. go slow and work the die down in increments until you get it where you want.

 

[Paulyr450]

Just like truth said i also save my targets,then write the data on the target next to that group,it saved a lot of headaches quite a few times.

 

[Name Enough]

I keep my notes on each caliber on the work bench when reloading. I reload six calibers and you 13 different powders so sometimes you you won't remember what and how much. The cheat sheet helps. It also notes loads that don't work so you don't repeat them.

 

[spradley]

I keep my notes on each caliber on the work bench when reloading. I reload six calibers and you 13 different powders so sometimes you you won't remember what and how much. The cheat sheet helps. It also notes loads that don't work so you don't repeat them.

This is all good info.. keep it coming.

I do 9 pistol calibers now and six rifle calibers. If I didn't document all of it I'd lose my mind constantly referencing load manuals which I still do but once you find your pet loads you don't need those much. I have load sheets for every caliber, gun, bullet by brand, bullet by weight, powder brand and powder weight. Lots of work up front but it all pays off when need to research a new load or modify an existing load.

Also perform chamber measurements on all new rifles so I can watch the numbers change as the throat erodes.

I still remember my first rifle load (22-250) 34 grains of IMR 4064 for 55 grain ballistic tips.. it was easy to remember but those days are gone. hehe

 

[newguy2k3v2]

I try to keep a log of what I do any time that I'm at the bench, especially if I'm loading any rounds.

I've had some rounds before that I had forgot what went into them, and had to pull down the components as a result.

 

[demolitionman]

Sounds like a good story behind that..

Used to have my reloading bench in the spare bedroom but eventually caved to wife pressure and moved it after building a 760sq ft man cave. That's what she gets for pressuring me. lol

Tell us your story and how it turned out.

Yeh, after loading 25 rounds, I realized somewhere along the line I lost track of if I was loading 140VLD's or 130VLD's....oh man, I ended up having to pull all of them and weigh them on a scale to figure out what was what. Guess it's not that big a deal, but a pain non the less that could end up worse. Needless to say, I NEVER leave more than one type of powder or bullet on the bench now especially so when the wife wants to 'chat' lol.

 

[Creature]

I have a collet puller in my press right now. :/

 

[Paulyr450]

I think one of the biggest pain in the ass is measuring the oal of loaded rounds after you change the lot numbers on bullets. You wouldnt think it would change that much but i loaded 142 matchkings the other day,opened a new box,loaded a couple of rounds and measured one it the length was way off. I use a hornady oal seating depth guage and measuring a bunch of different bullets for a bunch of different guns for different calibers sucks.

 

[Aimsmall55]

If any of you have Ballistic :AE ... You can put in your reloading data in one of the fields for that particular load. Also has a place where you can write notes such as bushing sizes, lot #'s ect.... Just what I do as I reload for 7 different rifles. If you take the time to do it it really helps when your scratching your head trying to figure out what was the length of this bullet or base to ogive measurements

 

[P7id10t]

I'm a dude. I don't read manuals or my notes unless a snafu occurs. I do take notes, though.
I have it easy - reload for 4 rifle and 2 pistol calibers. Life's simple until I foul it up.

When I have what I call an "exception" like your Dillon 9x25, I put a note right with it (the die, box of bullets, etc)

Used to be a time when I could remember where EVERYTHING was as long as no one else touched it. Them dayz is looonnnggg gone. Wife, kids, swiss cheese brain....
Now, if only i could remember where I put the sizing wax....

 

[Creature]

I wish there was an app for keeping track of load data. I just searched the Google Play store on my tablet and no dice.

 

[demolitionman]

I wish there was an app for keeping track of load data. I just searched the Google Play store on my tablet and no dice.

I got one called Hand-Load on my iPhone. I personally don't like it and much rather use a pen and paper.