Organizing the Paperwork?

[mmattockx]

Since I started reloading this year I have generated a fairly large pile of paper in the form of reloading notes, test targets and so on. How do you guys organize and store this so that you can go back in a year or two and track down the details on that special load you found?

Mark

 

[stubblejumper]

I keep very few notes,I remember my loads for every gun that I currently own,and for many of the guns I no longer own.I load so many rounds,that I quickly memorize the loads.The same for trajectories.Just to be safe though,I do record my loads on the inside cover of my plastic ammo boxes.

 

[jonnyboy]

I scan all of my info into a folder on my desktop, targets and all, yes at the moment I do have a lot of time on my hands.......

 

[GSoD]

I just have a binder and only good loads go in.

If it didn't do what I need it to do I toss all the targets, notes etc.

Lots of loads tested, only about 3 in the binder.

 

[Obtunded]

My relaoding bench looks like a high school math desk. I scribble on the desk, the bullet boxes, the white board I put up for just such a purpose, old targets and anything else I can find. One day i will have to chisel off all the old berger stickers i have stuck like post-it notes all over the place.

 

[DsrtRat]

I just strating reloading and found that I needed a notebook to kepp track of everything since I was trying all kinds of bullets, charges etc...

What I do with my targets is scan them and store them in OnTarget on my computer. I can than throw out the paper, have the nicely measured groups with all my data in the "notes" section of the file. Works great for me.

 

[delta1]

I keep a small note book for each rifle. Has load data for that rifle in it with how the rifle shoots on different weather days in different temperatures. Along with all my come ups collected for different ranges. Keeping it on a computer does nothing for me when I need the data at the range or hunting.
Regards

 

[Bolivar]

I keep a record of each load / series of loads tried, plus copies of the test targets in a binder. This way I know what worked and what did not. A have separate binder for groups of rifles plus I keep archives of load data for rifles I don't own anymore (I case I get something similar again)

As for go to loads, I keep those in a separate binder for ease of reference. I have many loads "memorized" which lead to me overloading 45 ACP by 50% once. Now I check the written record every time I go to reload. Measure twice, cut once.

 

[zimbu]

I use a small notebook for each rifle and a larger zippered cordura binder for the targets. I record bullet used, powder, primer, COAL, chrony readings, ambient temperature, and wind conditions when doing load developement. Each target and notebook entry is assigned a corresponding number for later reference.
My notebook includes a drop chart or two and a cheap calculator.

 

[notsorichguy]

I created an Excel spreadsheet.

First I figgure out what I want to do a ladder test on.

Then I map out my 'range day' by listing all of my loads to be tested, with room to add velocity notes (and ES & SD) then group size and shape.

After I am done shooting I input all of the data I recorded into the spread sheet.

I then take a pic of the targets I shot with the notes I made on them (group size, load & other pertanent data) and put it into a folder with the ladder test I just shot.

Usually I wind up doing 3 tests with a particular Bullet & Powder combo if the 1st test shows some promise.

Example; In my 'reloading' folder I have a '30-06' folder, a '185gr Berger VLD' folder, a 'IMR 4350', a 'Test 1', a 'Test 2' and a Test 3' folder. Inside all of my 'test' folders there is a spread sheet and a pic of the targets I shot to fill in the spread sheet.

I then have a file in 'reloading' that has all of my 'loads' listed. So all I have to do is write down on hte cover of the MTM case the particular load that is in the box.

Don't get me wrong I still keep all of my old targets, I must have 7 or 8 file boxed full of them, but now I don't have to go digging through all of those boxes to find the one test I want......

Cheers!