Program to Organize Reloading Data?

[chomondely3]

I would like to start storing and organizing my reloading data and results on my pc. Are there any good programs available to help organize and store my info on the pc. Im hoping to find something user friendly I am not sure that I can build an EXCEll Spread sheet. I could ask my wife, but as with firearm related acttivities the price is very steep. I trie searching the form, but the last thread I fund was in 2013. I was hoping that there would be a new product.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Richard Coody]

Excel is.an excellent way to organize data. Most ballistic programs use a form of it and also chronographs. Extremely easy to learn the basics.

 

[kelbro]

I use Excel. It is really simple to set up and use.

 

[Evan]

If you don't already own Excel, you can use LibreOffice Calc instead (https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download/). Lots of youtube videos and guides out there to get you started.

I've played with it two ways:

The first is I change all the cells in the sheet to squares and each square is a round of ammunition in the box. So you have 5 rows and 10 columns that correspond to positions in your ammo box. I then put the reloading info for each round into each cell. This works pretty well, but makes it difficult to read or scan through your results later on to find good loads to repeat.

The second, and my currently favored method, is create a long list. Each column is a different value: Brass Manufacturer, number of reloads, trim length, shoulder to base length, neck bushing used, powder, charge weight, bullet, seating depth, primer, box position (A-E and 1-10 for a 50rnd box), and then velocity and group size (for recording at the range). This makes it easy to scroll through the results looking for loads to repeat, but it gets long quickly. Each row is a single shot and I send thousands a year down the bore. I'm still using this method though and I have a different spreadsheet for each gun. Color coding the cells is key to keeping it easy to visually distinguish and work with.

 

[Straightshooter1]

I would like to start storing and organizing my reloading data and results on my pc. Are there any good programs available to help organize and store my info on the pc. Im hoping to find something user friendly I am not sure that I can build an EXCEll Spread sheet. I could ask my wife, but as with firearm related acttivities the price is very steep. I trie searching the form, but the last thread I fund was in 2013. I was hoping that there would be a new product.
Thanks for your help.

Attached is a sample of what I use that you can download if you want, which you can easily modify to fit what you want for your data. Sorting, finding and comparing the data you've entered is quite easy.

 

[jepp2]

Attached is a sample of what I use

Nice! More detailed than what I use (a good thing)

 

[ronemus]

Shooting Lab by Jim Ristow (https://www.shootingsoftware.com/ballistics.htm) does that as well as many other useful things such as ballistics and group analysis; it's also much less expensive than Excel and comes with free updates for life.

 

[Dave Berg]

If you don't already own Excel, you can use LibreOffice Calc instead (https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download/).

There is also a completely free office suite known as Apache Open Office including a spreadsheet, word processor, database manager, etc. I've been using it for over 15 years since back when Sun Microsystems first released it just to piss off Microsoft. Sun won that battle but lost the war.

If you currently use Excel it's unlikely you'll notice a difference. If you're new to spreadsheets Open Office Calc is just as easy for a beginner. I'm sure there are guys here who use an Excel spreadsheet and if they're willing to share, Open Office will use it.

Find it here: https://www.openoffice.org/

 

[Twoboxer]

Second vote for Open Office - it's free and comes with other software that mimics other components of Microsoft Office. https://www.openoffice.org/download/index.html

You can start with one sheet for each caliber/firearm, and one line (row) for each group fired. Start with the data you know you want (columns like bullet, brass, powder, charge COAL, CBTO, etc), knowing you can add data (columns) you later discover you want to keep (eg Temperature, humidity, etc).

That will get you started now, for no cost beyond your labor.

 

[rjtfroggy]

A word of advice if you use your computer for records. After logging it all in PRINT IT OUT and put in a binder.
I used to log everything in and then the inevatable happened it crashed, everything loosed nothing retrievable. Now I do notes long hand and save in a folder.

 

[Lucky Shooter]

I've used spreadsheets in the past and still do.

What I like best are spiral notebooks----they're very cheap sometimes
and I maintain one for each gun/barrel or whatever I'm working with.

You can also use the front side for one gun and the back side for another.

You can usually get these that are Made in America if you try---buy a small
stack and keep a few on hand.

The main challenge of note-keeping on the range is keeping GOOD notes
today that will make sense tomorrow.

Technology is great but it never hurt to back it up with old stuff that's also
much easier to take to the range.

A. Weldy

 

[chomondely3]

Thanks for the replies! I downloaded the Spreadsheet from Straightshooter. Very helpful.
I am afraid that my wife would try to incorprate a subroutinne to calculate the fully burdened cost of a pound of venison.
Thanks again for the help.

 

[kiwijohn]

I created a blank log sheet with my required parameters, thats my master.
Then for each caliber / load change I fill in the blanks, print it off and put it in a binder.

 

[dave@aDave]

Go to a bookstore or online and order: "Excel for Dummies".
Falling off of a log is harder.

 

[Lefty Trigger]

Another free one that I use, Google sheets. Functions like excel and can be tailored to suit your needs.

 

[chomondely3]

Thanks for the replies. I am about to fill up the spiral notebook with my father's reloading notes starting in the 60's. My first handloading notes from the early 60's are there as well as my children's notes regarding their reloading efforts. As an old dog, I will use Excell to learn new tricks. My children and wife will be astounded.