[haskins02]

I have the following questions on organizing loaded cartridges (in my case, relatively small quantities of .308 Win):

1. My Midway USA Master Catalog # 32 has lots of options (p. 398-402), but what’s the best technique to organize your loaded rounds in a box that have different charges, because you are working up a load? For example, if you have 5 rounds with one charge, 5 rounds with another charge, etc., how can you identify each group within the same plastic ammo box (like Frankford Arsenal), without getting them mixed up at the range?

2. Peel and Stick labels (such as Frankford Arsenal) seem like a great idea, but can you peel them off the plastic (or paper) box easily later on when you decide to put a different load in the box? Is there a better type of label which is more flexible when you decide to put a different load in the box?

Thanks.

Greg

[RustyFN]

I'm at the point where all 9mm goes into one big ammo box, 223 into another and so on. When I'm working up a load I will load so many at a certain charge, load them into a MTM ammo box bullet down and color the primer with a sharpie. The next ten will be colored with a different color sharpie and so on. I bought a package of sharpies that has 10 or 12 different colors. Then I put a stickie label on the box cover and mark it ( for example ) 4.0 = red, 4.2 = green and so on. The nice thing about that is even if you drop the box and it opens and everything gets mixed up it is easy to sort back out and know exactly which cartridge is what charge.

Rusty

[ReloaderFred]

I make all my own labels on my computer, using the Microsoft Works Mailing Label program. That way I can make them any way I need them. Just buy the Avery #18167 (1/2" x 1 3/4") and #18163 (2" x 4") labels and you can make just about any label you need.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[NCsmitty]

Double post

[NCsmitty]

Welcome to THR, haskins02.

Those peel and stick labels can be hard to remove from the ammo boxes if they set a while.

I've been using marked ziplock bags lately when I'm working up loads rather than deal with the labels. It's much easier to keep them separated in individual bags.


NCsmitty

[rcmodel]

I use the plastic boxes.
I use a strip of blue masking tape and a Sharpie pen to mark each row of different loads.

After I settle on a load I might use the gummed labels.
But more likely I will use blue tape for that too in case I ever want to use the box for something else.

I also use small Zip-Lock bags and a blue tape label for small quanities of loads.
Again, you can peel off the blue painters tape and re-use the bags several times.

rc

[mongoose33]

I wrap a piece of masking tape around the styro or plastic tray in the box, and write on that. Usually when I work up rounds I'll do 5 or 10, and that's just perfect as those trays are 5 deep and 10 wide. Next to each row of 5, I write the load, and then have a matching page on a clipboard to record chrono data as I shoot those rounds.

As far as long-term storage, with labels, I use a system with self-adhesive binder labels--pockets, really--where you can insert and change labels. It looks like this:

http://clubdoctor.com/pics/labels.jpg

The labels holders are these:

http://www.c-lineproducts.com/product_detail.php?product_id=290

I went to this approach because the stick-on labels are nice, but I have a bunch of nice ammo boxes I didn't want to ruin by constant application of stick-on labels.

I print out a bunch of blanks--sometimes with parts filled in as you can see--and just use them as I go.

[dakotasin]

i use mtm ammo boxes that hold 100 (most chamberings - some like the 50 ae, 480 ruger, rum's, and wsm's hold less).

starting from the left, first row is my lightest charge, and move progressively heavier as i go right (this is my autoloading pistol method - i use the ladder method for most everything else, and it is just different). also, during load work ups, every case gets marked w/ a sharpie as to charge weight.

for the ladder method, the front case is the lightest and as i go down the row the charges get progressively heavier. again, every case is marked w/ charge weight.

once i have found 'the load', i'll put the data on a sticker and stick it to the inside of the box, or write directly on the box w/ a sharpie the load data.

i don't know for sure how many different chamberings i load for, but this is the easiest method for me to track everything.

on the outside of the box, in sharpie, i will write rifle and chambering - and in the event of multiple rifles for the same chambering, i'll put another descriptor on it such as 'ar-15 stainless 223 custom'. that way, i can quickly ferret out which box i am after exactly. also, by using common boxes, they stack nice...

[Martyk]

When I work up loads in like .308 and I'm making small quantities I usually use a Sharpie and write the load data right on the cartridge or maybe a group number. Then I just use plastic or recycled ammo packages. For any labeling on boxes plastic or otherwise I like the avery peel and stick labels because you can usually pick them right off.

[huckster]

I color code my loads with five colors of sharpie across the cases, and then write which loads apply to which colors on a small cheat sheet I put in the box with the ammo

[edelbrock]

I use the little MTM color coded labels.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=168892
They are pretty easy to remove and you can put one label per row in the box if you are working up loads.

[edSky]

I did 50 rounds starting with 10 at 4.0 gr, 10 with 4.1 gr, ..., and 10 at 4.4 gr.

I put nothing on the 1st 10, 1 stripe with a black sharpie on the second 10 (4.1 gr), 2 stripes on the third 10 (4.2 gr) and so on. On my stick-on box label I indicated the work up range. The stripes stayed on the cases no problem and it seemed easy enough to decode.

(Oh yeah, I use pencil on my sticky labels)

[Wilburt]

I use MTM boxes to store the loads in and use regular tan colored masking tape and a sharpie (much like everyone else). I have also used colored sharpies to mark the headstamp if I store multiple loads in one box. The colors correspond with the label.

The label system I use is powder charge, load #, and batch #. Such as:

4.5 gr WST (51-3)

Then I log all the load data in a paper log and excell spread sheet that corresponds with (51-3). I only load 45 ACP and 308 so far. Once that expands I might denote the caliber on the box.

[freakshow10mm]

I bring workups to the range in those little snack bags, 5 rds per bag. I use a blank address label (1x2 inch) to record powder charge. When I'm done and found my load I put the loaded ammo in 5 gallon buckets and put a big label on the bucket for caliber, bullet and weight. I don't label my load data on the pack. When I decide on a load, that's the only load for that bullet.

[VegasOPM]

I use "snack sized" ziploc baggies, with all of the pertinent info written on them in Sharpie.

[Walkalong]

Sometimes zip lock bags, sometimes plastic ammo boxes, sometimes Midway blue boxes, usually with a "sticky" note inside, but sometimes real labels.

[jbkebert]

I write on each cartridge with a black sharpie when doing load development. I load in groups of 5 so each of the first powder weight gets a #1 then #2 ect. The sharpie comes off when the cases are tumbled. When I settle on a load I make up 50 of that load and it gets its own box with a gumy label.

[Bailey Boat]

Darned, you guys make me fel so low tech..... I use a ziplock with a sticky note inside with the data written on it and just dropped inside the bag.....

[The Bushmaster]

I use rcmodel's method and sometimes a zip-loc bag and just write on the bag with a sharpy. I keep denatured alcohol on my bench which when sprayed on the zip-loc bag removes the sharpy ink so I can use the same bag over several times (I'm of Scottish desent).

[something vague]

When I find a load and end up permanently marking an ammo box I also go with the Avery mailling labels. I don't however take the protective layer off the back of the label to expose the sticky part. I will take and use scotch tape to tape the label on. The scotch tape usually comes off pretty easily and if it doesn't on a cardboard box, I can just run a knife down the seam and remove the label. Therefore the box will last last me for many loadings.

[~z]

My method is the same as Hucksters except I use old business cards for my legend. When working up a ladder test I do as Dakotasin does and sharpie lable each case with charge weight.
Once I knocked over a box midway through a ladder test and my brass was unmarked...pull all the bullets and back to the drawing board, not happy.
~z

[MovedWest]

For my regular loads I use different colored MTM boxes from Midway. Green for 44 spl, gray for light 44 mag target loads, blue for standard magnums, and red for 300gr 44 mag rounds. Charge and bullet weight/type are usually noted on the box with one of the labels that come with the boxes.

For working up loads I usually use one of the boxes I bought factory ammo in (usually American Eagle because they hold 50 rounds). On the plastic tray inside, I write a number for every two rows. On the box I use a strip of masking tape for each two rows and write the corresponding number on it with my load data. If I need two lines, I can write a little smaller and squeeze it in. This will give me space for 5 sets of 10 test rounds.

I've heard of using the colored sharpies on the primers as some folks have already mentioned. I really like that idea, but I haven't tried it yet.

-MW

[lgbloader]

Sometimes zip lock bags, sometimes plastic ammo boxes, sometimes Midway blue boxes, usually with a "sticky" note inside, but sometimes real labels.

This is pretty much my method here.

LGB

[haskins02]

Wow! A lot of great, and quite varied, ideas! Thanks for all your input. I think for my limited reloading, I'll try using small zip lock bags with a note inside each one for load development, and then when I am satisfied with a particular load, I might use plastic ammo boxes labeled with removable computer labels from Avery. Thanks again.

Greg

[ADKWOODSMAN]

150 labels (1"X4") from the Dollar store for load info.

Listed above the different colored sharpies on the head of the case has always worked for me.

[MikeS.]

Another fan of ziploc bags and a sharpie.