Do you ever want to just punch yourself?

[SamT1]

so I got my loadmaster all setup for 308. I buzzed through the remainder of a coffee can of brass. Pulled out the next and started loading but was having hell with primers, then having hell case length not actuating the powder measure fully.

I was under the impression all my LC brass In storage had been trimmed, decapped, sized gently, chamfered, etc.

I was going to load them all quickly. But instead I’m sorting, trimming and removing primer crimps. I haven’t looked in all my cans to see what I have. But I was planning on having 2K or so 308 cases that were mostly once fired that wouldn’t need trimmed or anything for the next few reloadings. (Processed before kids and last until kids can help reprocess)

Seems instead when I moved a few (4)years ago I wasn’t done processing and when I packed up I mixed some stuff. I mixed up late model once fired LC brass with some old as dirt LC brass from the 60’s that’s trimmed incredibly short. To top it off some of that late model stuff has only been decapped and some is ready to run through a small base die and go.

I’m hoping eventually I get into cans that have fully processed late model brass in them.

 

[clearcut]

I've done things like that now I try to label stuff most of the time

CC

 

[FROGO207]

I find Zip-Loc freezer bags are not that expensive and reusable many times. I label and store all my brass in them with a note that indicates the stage of readiness of brass contained within. Saves me time in the long run. Just sayin.

 

[someguy2800]

That’s what I feel like when I load up some test loads, come back two days later and can’t remember what’s in them. Or find the perfect shooting load and I can’t find the piece of paper I wrote the load on a year later. Or the time I loaded 500 rounds of 9mm for my father in law only to find the load was too light to cycle his gun and I had to pull them all with an impact puller to recover his bullets. Or the time I invited a friend over who wanted to learn reloading and drove 2 hours to my house to load a few hundred rounds of 223 and I stuck the first case in the sizing die and pulled the rim off.

 

[otisrush]

I used to eat a lot of Noosa yogurt. I've saved approximately a half-a-gazillion of the plastic containers, with lids. (They're the perfect size for 50 .223 cases; or 50 .38 Spcl cases, or 100 9mm cases, or 25 .243 cases.)

I used to occasionally put pieces of paper in the containers with hand-scratched notes as to the state of what was in the container. *Just over a week ago * I made these tracking forms. My intention has been to transition so every container had this sheet in it. As it went through the process I'd check off boxes on the form.

But....last night I sat down to do some case prep. I thought "I know I'm transitioning to this new method, but I don't have to worry about it just yet. No big deal." I start measuring rifle cases to see what needed trimming. and NOTHING needed trimming. Then it hit me: I hadn't sized them yet! As I got out the stuff to size the casesI realized how bad it would have been to get these all loaded up and THEN realize they hadn't been sized.

I'm going to stick to my new process!

 

[someguy2800]

I used to eat a lot of Noosa yogurt. I've saved approximately a half-a-gazillion of the plastic containers, with lids. (They're the perfect size for 50 .223 cases; or 50 .38 Spcl cases, or 100 9mm cases, or 25 .243 cases.)

I used to occasionally put pieces of paper in the containers with hand-scratched notes as to the state of what was in the container. *Just over a week ago * I made these tracking forms. My intention has been to transition so every container had this sheet in it. As it went through the process I'd check off boxes on the form.

But....last night I sat down to do some case prep. I thought "I know I'm transitioning to this new method, but I don't have to worry about it just yet. No big deal." I start measuring rifle cases to see what needed trimming. and NOTHING needed trimming. Then it hit me: I hadn't sized them yet! As I got out the stuff to size the casesI realized how bad it would have been to get these all loaded up and THEN realize they hadn't been sized.

I'm going to stick to my new process!

You would have figured it out when you set the bullet on the neck and it fell in.

 

[Stew0576]

I am using a plastic coffee can for each stage of prep, on the lid i label what the can is for, 9mm dirty, 9mm decapped ready to clean, 9mm decapped clean ready to size etc.......

 

[Jack B.]

I don't pre prep cases. I only prep cases when I begin the reloading process for those cases. If for some reason I had to stop reloading for a long time I could return to reloading without guessing at anything. I also follow a very strict order of steps when reloading. Also make sure when I start that I have enough time to finish the entire process for the load that has been selected. Case prep to loaded round, labeled and logged.

 

[Skgreen]

Eliminating as many individual steps as possible helps.

 

[Ironicaintit]

Oh yeah, I've wanted to punch myself. And made errors in reloading too!

When my dad passed, before I was a reloader myself, I inherited all his reloading stuff.
Lots of brass, bullets, completed cartridges, tools, etc.

For the sake of "convenience", I took all the segregated stuff and put it all together by caliber. I didn't really know s...stuff from shinola, nothing was labeled, and it all looked the same to me!

Yeah no, don't do that. NOW I know that things get segregated for a reason!
I spent quite some time sorting it all back out and figuring what was what.

I must say that all of that mess was pretty useful in training my eye to the art of the handload.

I now like to have all my cases in the same state (I.E.- fully processed, minus primer)
And I'm darn near OCD about labeling.

 

[dh1633pm]

I work as a network engineer. Each new network device of one brand comes with a heavy plastic, large (larger than gallon) zip lock type bag. I save all of them. I put my brass in them. I mark them. Most all my 308 brass is already resized and clean. I do get things mixed up from time to time. Mostly things are as marked.

 

[kcofohio]

I know the feeling. We move last year and I miss placed some load info for a trial run of 100 9mm for a revolver. It was work up loads and to be a test for bullet pull with a couple different bullets.
So there they sit, hoping to be mated with the right data.

 

[hdwhit]

SamT1 asked
Do you ever want to just punch yourself?

Never. Self-harm is an indication of mental instability and a basis for someone to seek a court order having all your guns taken away so you can't kill yourself.

As to your question, Once decapped, primer pocket reamed, etc., all of my brass goes into plastic containers and each is assigned a batch number. The state of process is recorded in my records for each batch. But, because the record is separate from the container, I also apply a self adhesive star to each container as each stage is complete.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

"Do you ever want to just punch yourself?"

Every day

 

[GW Staar]

As somebody said you can't fix stupid........and to varying degrees....and on varying days.....we ALL are. To be human.......all the planning, all the carefulness, all the preciseness of one day, fades into forgetfulness of next year (maybe even next week the older you are).....even if you think you documented everything. Too often the most important part gets left out.

What to do? Plan, be careful and meticulous, be precise and document. Then hope for the best....and if that isn't enough....try again.....after an ice cream cone.

 

[SamT1]

I should have snapped a pic. The can says “308 LC ready to load” I guess that’s true, they are all clean and sized with a loose die and decapped. You could load them, but I can’t cram the primers in the crimped cases good enough though on the progressive!

 

[1976B.L.Johns.]

Do not want to punch myself at this age,btdt. Notes are good! On the downside, the older you get, the more notes you will have..........but more free space in one's old brain to remember other stuff.(Maybe)

 

[sparkyv]

Only been reloading for 5 yrs, and I pay close attention to the "experts" here and cast boolits, and as such, have managed to not screw up to such a large degree. I can't imagine what it would be like to have to pull down 500 rounds!


My case tracking sheet looks like the one otisrush uses..

 

[fotheringill]

Punch myself?

Being a masochist makes it a self fulfilling exercise.

Just the other day, I loaded up and seated 50 rounds and then first realized at the range that there were no primers.

I enjoyed that beating