Keeping Track of your reloaded Brass, How do You do it?

[TheCZKid]

Since I started reloading I've tried to figure out good ways to keep track of how many times I shot pieces of brass, in which gun, and so on, and separate them accordingly. Most of my focus has been on tracking brass as I developed loads in various rifles. I've used zip-lock bags with a piece of paper inside with details. Then I started using plastic jugs which I label, for larger bunches. (I realize I also have too many brands for each, and that just makes it all more complicated).


But for hunting, I finally found a "final load" that my CZ 17 Hornet likes, a lot. So I decided to load up a Bunch, in anticipation of helping a lot of Sage Rats sluff off their mortal coils this coming spring.

I realized I had a variety of brass I intended to load, including Hornady brand which was 0x shot ready to load, 1x shot which I had turned the necks, 2x shot, and then I had some Federal that was 1x and 2x shot, both with turned necks. I decided after loading all these 0x and 1x and 2x times shot brass I'd just mark the outside of the cases with a thin sharpie: a red 0, a black 1 and blue 2. that way I don't have to segregate them while shooting, or track which box they came out of while tending to the little fellers! When I get back home I will just put all the 0's and 1's and 2's together, and that solves the sorting issue (I think).

What do you guys do?
I know competition shooters and such probably have a lot more they track, (x shot, annealing, nick turning, etc) just curious.

 

[HardwoodPro]

I used to keep up with all firings in zip lock bags or canisters like you have there. Then I got over it, started annealing every firing and don’t care how many they have. If they are loose when seating a primer but hold it, I mark the case head with a “L” and once it’s fired one more time it goes in the “I know I’m going to lose this brass” bucket. Keeps me from losing good brass at matches I know will be a hard recovery

 

[GLShooter]

I shoot my brass in batches. Using pencil boxes from Wally I just label the box on my shelf. These are about 30% of my brass boxes.

Greg

 

[6bra1k]

they make these things called cartridge boxes.
20/50/100 rounds per box
they make these labels that have lots of info..
rifle/case/powder/bullet zeros etc..even times shot
simply amazing new technology from the 60's and 70's

 

[Bill K]

Put the fired cases in either a zip lock bag or a separate cartridge box and number it. Then you will have each in the lot with the number of times they have been fired.

 

[JMayo]

I use fishing tackle 3200's. They have 4 long ways compartments. Some I've cut them to only have 2 sides.
Each side holds 100
"IN" &. "OUT" pieces of paper with shot № written go into the sides accordingly.
2 3200's each calaber rotates then easiest.

 

[tsyarnall]

Pretty much the same as everybody else, save for one wisenheimer

 

[Dusty Stevens]

On some that it matters on like when i load 100 dasher cases and only shoot 80, i use a small 3 corner file and put a notch in the rim everytime they are fired. It lasts thru any tumblings or whatever would mess up any other marking. You can also use an automatic center punch between the headstamp words

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Pretty much the same as everybody else, save for one wisenheimer

It has turned into a pattern. Lots of arm flailing and yelling. Funny at first but grows weary when its predictable

 

[PopCharlie]

I use post-it notes and zip-lock bags. The post-it stays with the batch from 1st firing to trash. I write the lot number, neck thickness if turned, number of firings, primer pocket depth, and quantity. The baggies containing the brass are placed in labeled plastic jugs for storage.

PopCharlie

 

[K22]

I like to keep things as simple as possible. Keeping track of brass history is important to me.

So, my system is that each rifle has a set of cases dedicated to that rifle. Say for example 50 cases for my Browning X Bolt, 223 Rem. The cases are stored in 20 round MTM storage boxes, i.e., 20 - 20 - 10, 3 boxes for this rifle. All the cases start out new are from the same mfg.'s lot number.

Each box has a label indicating the following:

Rifle: 223 X Bolt
Date Started: 01/23/20
Load: 24.0 g - H4985 - 55N - F205M - 2.285
Powder Lot No.: xxxxx
No. of Reloads: 4
Times Trimmed / Reload No. Trimmed: 1 / 6 (i.e., trimmed once after 6th reload)

Each time I reload a box, I simply update the no. of reloads. Each time I trim, I update the trim data.

Also, I rotate the use of these cases so all cases received a uniform number of firings, sizing, etc.

 

[Clancy]

I haven’t ever had enough brass for any one rifle that I needed to “keep track.” 25-50 pieces is enough to smoke a barrel in just about anything I use.

I guess I did have 300 pieces of 6.5x47 for a barrel. I kept them in the original containers and wrote 3 categories on the top. Fired, trimmed, annealead. Talley marks for fired, sequence for trimmed and annealed.
I let a friend use my reamer and as far as I know that brass is still in service.

 

[sdean]

Pretty much the same as everybody else, save for one wisenheimer

mikeinco has returned

 

[Ned Ludd]

I use the inexpensive food storage boxes from pretty much any supermarket or Target/Walmart, etc. You know, the ones that have the translucent/clear bottom and blue tops. The particular one I use depends on the cartridge and total number of pieces of brass for that particular rifle; i.e. the image below shows an ~ 9" x 13" x 3" container with 400 pieces of .308 Win brass. It will hold close to 500 pieces (or more) when full. The next smaller size at ~11 x 7" x 3" holds about the same number of .223 Rem cases, or about 300 pieces of .308 Win brass. These food storage boxes are cheap, and they can last a long time.

I make a label for each box with masking tape that includes the date, the rifle it's for, the brass Prep#, the brass Lot#, the total number of firings, and each step that has been completed in the brass prep. Once a brass prep is complete and ready to load, I make a second box with a new date, and the next higher Prep# and number of firings for the fired cases once they're decapped. Thus there are always two boxes for every prep; one is "ready to load" brass, one is "fired" brass. On the "fired" brass box lid, I stick the label (tape) from every individual batch of loaded rounds from range/ammo boxes that ultimately went into it after it was fired. That way you always know exactly what the brass is that's in the "ready to load" or "fired" box.

 

[divingin]

they make these things called cartridge boxes.
20/50/100 rounds per box
they make these labels that have lots of info..
rifle/case/powder/bullet zeros etc..even times shot
simply amazing new technology from the 60's and 70's

I use masking tape. Inside the box gets number of firings on the case, number of firings since annealed, and number of firings since shoulder bump. Outside of the case gets load data (bullet, powder and charge.)

I'm only running 200 pcs of brass in use at a time (per rifle), though; may not work for everyone.

 

[D-4297]

Since I cycle a large number of cases in rotation , ( 600 ) I completely process my fired brass , to include primer insertion , and then place them in a USPS small Flat Rate box in layers , with folded paper towel between layers . For .308 cases , it allows me to store approx. 130 cases per box , ready to load powder and seat bullet on short notice . I rotate the boxes from bottom of the stack up , as they are used . Marking the number of firings of the group in the box . I use the same system for my 7.62 x 54r cases , ( 450 ) and since I'm only shooting those two calibers , it's a very easy system to use .

 

[dannyjbiggs]

Here's how I've pretty well done it over the years for handloads. Use 100-round MTM boxes for loaded rounds, marked on top with a Lot #, i.e. Lot # 237(+) RSAUM #3. The "3" indicates that this lot is spread over 3 MTM boxes, and it is the 3d box in firing order with total rounds seated in individual firing order from lowest to highest bullet seating pressure)...237(+) indicates the batch weigh-sorted at 237.75 grains. Lot # 193.6 Lapua #2, and marked on the front as SHAHANE, indicates (to me) this lot of .284 Shehane's is spread over 2 boxes and is the 2d box in firing order, etc., brass weight sort at 193.6 grains. (Once a case joins a particular Lot #, it lives and dies there.) Of course, complete loading data is included inside the MTM's, and number of times fired.

For both brass and handloads, military ammo cans are great for storage and ground transport to matches, even shipment overseas. In this case .308 brass for Palma and F-TR. Again, with Lot #'s based on brass weigh sorts, and the 10-round holders with handloads marked in their relative firing order, based on seating pressure. Cans can hold up to 420 cases of loaded rounds in 10-round holders. To the left of the ammo cans are 2 Sierra 155 gr .308 SMK boxes. One of these boxes will hold 80 loaded .308 rounds. Often carried up to 5 of the boxes on flights in my checked baggage. Upon declaring a rifle with ammo for checked baggage at check it, it was always nice to respond to the sweet question, "Is the ammo in original containers?" "Yes."

After "batching" new brass into lot numbers, it's just a matter of finding containers that would conveniently hold all the brass in the lot number. My two favorites were found at Walmart. The smaller ones will hold over 200 cases, if stacked in! Large ones up to 300 loose, 400 stacked.

If a Lot # is not completely fired at an outing, the fired cases are tumbled clean and returned to the MTM. Completely used lots are fully processed for reloading, including priming, then into storage within 5 days.

 

[spudgun]

I got a question for the organizers...

I have been shooting my 200 Starline brass for 4 years now and don't bother to organize or keep track of how many times I have loaded them.

I shoot twice a week about 25-30 rounds each shoot.

I guess I could see the need if I had mixed brass and wanted to keep the different manufactures brass together I would do it.

Out of the 300 brass that I started with I have only had maybe 4% failure due to primer pocket too big and or split necks. I just annealed all my brass this year and will see it it helps the split neck failure.

Am I missing something?

 

[jepp2]

What do you guys do?

I use the same label no matter the container. For smaller batches, I tend to use the MTM type boxes, mostly the 50 rounds, but some hundreds also. For larger quantities, I use containers from Walmart that stack well. Most hold around 1200 223 brass. I use a label I created in MS Word. One label that stays with the brass, one stays with the current load. They are different based on what I want to record and keep track of. I keep a file with all my batches tracked. I'll include a few pics to help you see what I do.

This stays with the brass


This is the label that follows the load.


Containers from my prairie dog hunt.

 

[dannyjbiggs]

I got a question for the organizers...

I have been shooting my 200 Starline brass for 4 years now and don't bother to organize or keep track of how many times I have loaded them.

I shoot twice a week about 25-30 rounds each shoot.

I guess I could see the need if I had mixed brass and wanted to keep the different manufactures brass together I would do it.

Out of the 300 brass that I started with I have only had maybe 4% failure due to primer pocket too big and or split necks. I just annealed all my brass this year and will see it it helps the split neck failure.

Am I missing something?

For a shooting program that involves annually shooting 1,200 to1,440 rounds of some single rifle/pistol cartridge/caliber at some unknown distance for a period of 4 years, and all the while losing only 12 cases to primer pocket failure/split necks out of an original quantity of 300 cases during that 4-year period (but discounting another 88 cases not accounted for...unless one or the other "200 or "300" is a typo?), and further indicating that over the 4 years, let's vaguely say, the "original 300 cases" may have been fired at around 4-5 times per year, and you finally annealed them with 16-20 firings per case........I'd say you might consider annealing them more often??? Otherwise, don't change a thing for your size operation.