Labeling

[Jammer Six]

Sort of a sidetrack.

After I ended up in the hospital, then bed, so on and so forth, long, dramatic, completely useless story, I finally made it back down to my reloading bench after a few months. I found some components I ended up dumping out and some propellent I ended up spreading on the flowerbed because I couldn't identify them. So I became fairly anal about labeling stuff. Because, well, you never know when you're going to be away from your bench for longer than your memory. Particularly since my memory seems to be getting shorter and shorter. (At the moment, it's shorter than the stairs.)

I'm beginning to get quite a collection of dummy rounds, different bullets and some at different lengths, and I'm wondering: do any of you guys label dummy or setup rounds? If so, how?

 

[JohnKielly]

Mr Dremel & a carbide point.

 

[jbarnwell]

Sharpie, it last pretty good. You may have to freshen up depending how much you handle/chamber the round.

 

[rocketron]

Sharpie on the case or color code the case and write all the info on a paper. I store them in a empty bullet box. Each rifle has one.

 

[BenPerfected]

Use the P Touch Label Maker for everything.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013DG2FNW/?tag=accuratescom-20

 

[Toolbreaker]

I use small write-on zip lock baggies labeled with cartridge, bullet info & CBTO.

 

[SheepDog]

I use self adhesive labels that come on a sheet. After I use a few my template lets me got to the next available label and continue. It's cheap and easy. I use different sizes for boxes of loaded ammo, single dummy loads, and small numbers of cases when I am working up a load.

 

[Ggmac]

I use a fine tip oil paint pen , they come dual ended , white on one end black on the other .

 

[Baddog0302]

Sharpie on the case or color code the case and write all the info on a paper. I store them in a empty bullet box. Each rifle has one.

+ 1 for sharpies, color code make of bullet and weight, also do the same for loaded rounds + mark the case web as to powder used.

 

[bulwaagh]

I use small write-on zip lock baggies labeled with cartridge, bullet info & CBTO.

View attachment 995276

I use this Label maker for my loads. The current price is obscene, I hit mine on a Lightning deal for $40. I label all my load boxes and its got a 1" label, so it'll do 3 lines or so. I track bullet, gun, powder, CBTO (obviously only good for my guns), brass, primer, and date loaded. I got sick of the MTM stickies, they just make a mess. The replacement tapes I buy are off-brand and 1/4 the price of the official tapes. That particular brand/vendor is top-freaking notch.

 

[Mozella]

I rely strictly on my memory along with the help of a ........... um............. wait a minute............... It will come to me, I promise................was it a pen?.............. Oh, it's on the tip of my tongue.......didn't I used to have some sort of label maker?.............dang.......... whatever.

 

[DRNewcomb]

It seemed I used to believe that I could remember all sorts of stuff for long periods of time because, as I clean my shop up, I'm finding all sorts of unlabeled reloads that I don't remember making. I wonder if someone's sneaking into my shop and making ammo at night? I've started putting labels on everything I do.

 

[dedogs]

Since I've been an adherent of A.D.D. all my life, I write everything down. Now if I could just remember where I left that notebook...

 

[Jammer Six]

You guys are funnier than I thought you were.

There's some ideas here I never would have thought of! Now I need to decide which to try. (The disaster will happen when I try a few of them, sprinkle them around the shop, and find them ten years from now.)

 

[jpx2rk]

I use a ziplock bag with a postit note inside for dummy rounds. They lay on top of the storage shelf until I'm looking for something and move them over to the other side of the room. For test loads, same idea, bags can be re-used several times, the post it note has some room for notes about the test results, and maybe compare it against the target data & my notes from when the test loads where actually shot.

I have to leave myself notes as to how far along I am on this or that (what I have and have not done) so I can remember what I was trying to accomplish to begin with.

 

[Jammer Six]

I've actually been considering this theory:

1. When I'm going to put something away, look at it and think "okay, I'm looking for this. Where's the first place I'll look?"
2. Store the thing in that place.
3. If I have to move it, for whatever reason, leave a note in that place that explains where I moved it and why.

That's how good my memory is.

 

[jpx2rk]

I've actually been considering this theory:

1. When I'm going to put something away, look at it and think "okay, I'm looking for this. Where's the first place I'll look?"
2. Store the thing in that place.
3. If I have to move it, for whatever reason, leave a note in that place that explains where I moved it and why.

That's how good my memory is.

I've followed that method for years (even before I got into reloading) and it's the primary reason I have two or three of the most every common tools known to man because I didn't take the time to make myself a note on where I moved it to after the last time I used.

 

[DRNewcomb]

I've actually been considering this theory:

1. When I'm going to put something away, look at it and think "okay, I'm looking for this. Where's the first place I'll look?".....

My grandfather once threatened to just buy six hammers and throw them in various directions from the back porch, so he could find one when he needed it, but at the time, it had more to do with his having three sons than poor memory.

 

[Jammer Six]

Heh.

When I was in business, I bought sets of screwdrivers. If I reached for a screwdriver, a #2 Phillips, or a #3 Straight, and there wasn't one, I went to Home Depot and bought a full set. I figured that when I was hip deep in screwdrivers of all kinds, I'd be able to find one of what I needed.

I'm a carpenter by trade. Don't even get me started about hammers.

My father said "why don't you have the socket you need? Because it's the socket you needed last time, and you didn't put it away properly. Again."

 

[Jammer Six]

Follow up: I've started keeping a Bench Log that lives at the bench, and now I record what I'm doing, where in the process I am and what I intend to do next. Sometimes I record why I stopped, if a problem stopped me.

That way, at least I'll have reading material when I wander down to the shop, gaze around, and ask myself "what the hell am I doing down here?"