Purpose of load logs?

[Lovesbeer99]

Can you please remind my what the purpose is to record each batch of rounds that I load? So I load 100 .357 magnums, all within spec. I label the box in case I forget. Why do I need to record this on paper? When will I need to go back and see that I loaded 100 357 on June 10, 2009?

I do keep records of rounds that I tried so that I now what I like and don't like, but once I find my standard 357 round, why keep recording it?

I must be missing something.

 

[Mags]

I basically just record new recipes and the results.

 

[Walkalong]

So when they shoot great, you can reproduce them, compare powder results in different calibers, etc, etc, etc. Records come in handy in ways we never think of in advance. I have 150 loads recorded in .45 ACP & 109 in .357 Mag. (As of now) Less in others. Way too much to remember.

Sometimes I will go back just to see if I tried something I don't remember about. The log started out all simple with a few loads I could remember, but just kept getting bigger and bigger.

I keep it all on the computer in an Excel load sheet I made, and print it out and keep hard copies in a binder as well.

 

[hokeyplyr48]

Do you think you could send me your load sheet? Just for the sake of comparison/knowledge? I'd really appreciate it

 

[floydster]

My targets are my LOAD LOGS, simple and fun to look at,
tells me all I want to know.

 

[Walkalong]

My simple log. Sometimes I use a full sheet for one load or two to four load at the same time, but this is my basic format.

 

[243winxb]

Purpose of load logs?

When accuracy goes away, or misfires happen, is nice to check lot numbers of components, to see what has been changed. Even more so in a very accurate rifle.

 

[Lovesbeer99]

Ok all great answers, but let say you have a favorite or standard load. For me it's my 38spl with 3.3gr unique and a 148 gr BDWC. (I have more details but...). If I load 50 tonight, and 100 next week, and 200 the week after, is there any value in keeping track of this?

I do acknowledge the benefit of trying new recipes and I also practice this.

 

[Mags]

In my opinion no, providing all components and measurements are always the same.

 

[D. Manley]

Ok all great answers, but let say you have a favorite or standard load. For me it's my 38spl with 3.3gr unique and a 148 gr BDWC. (I have more details but...). If I load 50 tonight, and 100 next week, and 200 the week after, is there any value in keeping track of this?

I don't.

I have 2 loose-leaf notebook logs...one, just hand-written information on new loads and the results of the load test. The other is my proven loads only (including comments and with "favorites" color-coded) I record in MS Word using tables. Once a proven load is in the book, I see no need to continue to note it anywhere...it's purpose is replication. I only keep the hand-written trials for the times I forget whether I've tried a particular combination or not (yeah, I forget). By keeping trials separate from proven loads, clutter is reduced a bit. As for format, I just made my own to fit my needs.

 

[jarhead]

I always keep a log on all rounds reloaded… I “try” to get in the routine of using cold winter months to reload for the rest of the year – having a log lets me know which rounds I need to shoot first (oldest) and since I load in generally 1k-2k round batches, if I begin having a feeding issue with a particular handgun I can usually rule out ammo issues if it is from a batch that I know to be reliable.

Not to mention, if I ever have an issue with a round (i.e. bad primer seat, maybe contaminated primer or heaven forbid a double-charge) then I know I can know with certainty that I can pull a lot and label them as suspect rounds for plinking in only certain guns.

I had reloaded some .45GAP rounds to shoot in my Glock 37… after several hundred rounds, I had a case blow out – these were mid-range loads, no excessive pressure signs (it’s possible that there wasn’t enough crimp and the bullet seated deeper during cycling… but with the thick web I don’t think that is too likely to be the culprit). I pulled that whole lot and marked it suspect and only shot it in my S&W 625 revolver… I didn’t have any more issues with shooting them in the 625, though I did notice that some loads from the same lot appeared to vary in performance (lower than normal recoil or “bang”). My best guess is that it was really wet during that reloading period and there were a lot of temperature extremes that may have affected the powder humidity level…

Regardless, having a reloading log is a really good safety step for knowing you can isolate all rounds loaded during a particular setting.

 

[Mark whiz]

Not only do I keep a log - I also keep my labeled targets for each load so I can compare them to find my most accurate loads. After I've experimented with a certain powder/bullet combination - cull out the not so good examples and record the best in my log on my Lee Shooters program. That way my best loads are always at my fingertips.

 

[Walkalong]

For me it's my 38spl with 3.3gr unique and a 148 gr BDWC. (I have more details but...). If I load 50 tonight, and 100 next week, and 200 the week after, is there any value in keeping track of this?

I don't. I just mark the loaded rounds as to the Load # in cases like that. If for some reason they don't shoot well, which hasn't happened in pistol, I can go back and check things.

With Rifles I expect to shoot extremely well, I record lot numbers. With pistols I do not, but since I record the powder setting from my 10X, I check each new lot. Usually it is a bit different, and then I throw out my settings/weight numbers I have recorded, and start over.

 

[James Thomson]

If we've tried a particular powder and it didn't do well, you should note that so you don't go down that road again. Thomas Edison called this negative evidence and it's important. This is the important reason to write down every primer, powder, etc, you use. When something looks promising and you get better closer groups from that particular rifle you're testinng, you know you might want to experiment more with that powder, primer, case combination and tweek it a bit.

 

[something vague]

If we've tried a particular powder and it didn't do well, you should note that so you don't go down that road again. Thomas Edison called this negative evidence and it's important. This is the important reason to write down every primer, powder, etc, you use. When something looks promising and you get better closer groups from that particular rifle you're testinng, you know you might want to experiment more with that powder, primer, case combination and tweek it a bit.

I don't believe that this is the OP's question anymore. Keep reading the posts so we're not replying to something that has already past.

Yes, I make a short log in a notebook on every batch of reloads I make. I have been known to miss a batch of handgun rounds here and there but never miss a batch of rifle. My short log is a notebook that has tabs for every caliber. Then I've put in another set of tabs for every proven load. In that proven load I just have a listing of made up log numbers that corresponds to all the minor info (# of rounds, brass make, # of firings, primer, etc) of that batch of reloads. This is just for safety purposes and I rarely ever have to refer back to this log. To each his own.

 

[jinxer3006]

Even if you already have a "pet" load, it can still be a good idea to keep records. A few examples of why:

--Let's say you load three different lots of the same load over a three week period. You don't get around to shooting them for 6 months. Somehwere in the middle of shooting you get a round that seems a little weak. You check your barrel to verify it's clear and shoot another. Another weak round. After going home and pulling a few bullets, you realize you have a low powder charge in the rounds. After some investigating, you determine that your scale is off. Good records and labeling can help you determine any other lots that may be incorrectly loaded.

--Powder manufacturers occasionally change their formulation. Those changes theoretically could have an affect on your load, such as reduced accuracy. If your record keeping is good, you would know that a certain lot of rounds was loaded with a certain container of powder which could make troubleshooting the accuracy problem easier.

Neither of these scenarios may apply in your case, so you'll have to conisder your loading and shooting habits and determine what works best for you, but I just wanted to give a little food for thought.