Log Book for Range

Trinity-Nine · November 7, 2007, 06:16 PM

What is the purpose of keeping a log book when going to the range?
Does anyone keep records of their placement, ammo, conditions? Can you share a photo of such or describe how you enter your data?

davlandrum · November 7, 2007, 06:58 PM

Trinity - I am not a benchshooter, so hopefully other, smarter people, can help you out.

What I did do though is start keeping targets from my favorite -06. I just scribble load info on them, some terribly unscientific notes about the weather, and anything else I might want to know and throw them in a file folder. I guess that would be a quick and dirty log book. This is the first year I started numbering the shots and recording time taken to shoot the whole group, so I have some idea of a clean barrel versus dirty, warm versus cold barrel.

hodaka · November 7, 2007, 07:09 PM

If you reload, it is a must. If not, I wouldn't know. I only shoot reloads.

HawkeyeNRAlifer · November 9, 2007, 10:29 PM

I scrible notes at the range and then pit them in my loading book back home. I reload, so I keep notes as to what a powder/bullet combo is doing for future reference. I know long range snipers keep a logbook to keep notes on each of their shots, also for reference.

williamd · November 9, 2007, 10:47 PM

Rifles/handguns: Keep log of loads .. firearm, scope, powder, brass, primer, bullet, date, weather, velocity (if I Chrony), accuracy (at times, the bullseye part of the target

). A simple table I keep by hand ... and plan to (some day) put it in Excel. Have data going back almost 40 years and refer to it often. Plus, it brings back the times - good and bad. Have a couple of shadow boxes with target and round mounted. Have done similar with antlers/round or horns/round on a nice piece of wood .. my trophy mounts!

Shotguns: Not much, but do keep lists of guage, powder, primers, hull, wad, bushing number, grain weight (I never trust the bushing charts) and how they went through my loaders. Get away from the problem hulls that way. Have a shadow box with my first 200 patch (skeet) and a Winc AA together ... this is the old, good AA, not the new junk! The patch also has "Rem M3200" penned on it (faded now .... me, too

).

It is a good and easy habit.

FirstFreedom · November 9, 2007, 11:42 PM

Yep, what William said - and, it's fun to track your progress (accuracy).

shooter_john · November 10, 2007, 12:06 PM

I keep a log book that is fashioned after our Precision Rifle Marksmen Data books at work. It has sections for calling/ plotting shots as well as a place that you can tape glue actual targets into the book. (Book is made of half sheets of paper.) I also handload, so it gives me a space to keep up with my load data too. I have a master copy that can be cut in half and assembled... if I free time I'll try and get it scanned and maybe I can dissemenate copies. I keep those books for all of my rifles that I seriously load for, and then I transcribe my data into a master loadbook that stays at the house. Also helps keep up with round count on barrels. If anyone is sincerely interested, let me know and I will try to scan copies of the pertinent info/ pages from my book and make it email-able.

Superhouse 15 · November 10, 2007, 12:22 PM

I printed some target and data sheets for a couple of rifles that I handload for. It has a 1" bullseye and one inch grid squares on the top, printed info underneath. I put spaces for load data, wind and range, etc. I keep it in a binder and just put the targets in there when I'm done. Unless I shoot a group bigger than 8 1/2 X 11 I don't have any trouble. The actual target grid is like 8" by 8",lines for data underneath. Downloaded the grid target for free from somewhere and added the data lines myself.

On one rifle it was a big help when I finally glass bedded it and was still having problems.

November 7, 2007, 06:16 PM	#1
Trinity-Nine Member Join Date: July 13, 2007 Posts: 63	Log Book for Range What is the purpose of keeping a log book when going to the range? Does anyone keep records of their placement, ammo, conditions? Can you share a photo of such or describe how you enter your data?

November 7, 2007, 06:58 PM	#2
davlandrum Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Lane County Oregon Posts: 2,547	Trinity - I am not a benchshooter, so hopefully other, smarter people, can help you out. What I did do though is start keeping targets from my favorite -06. I just scribble load info on them, some terribly unscientific notes about the weather, and anything else I might want to know and throw them in a file folder. I guess that would be a quick and dirty log book. This is the first year I started numbering the shots and recording time taken to shoot the whole group, so I have some idea of a clean barrel versus dirty, warm versus cold barrel. __________________ U.S Army, Retired Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. -Potter Stewart

November 9, 2007, 10:47 PM	#5
williamd Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 801	Rifles/handguns: Keep log of loads .. firearm, scope, powder, brass, primer, bullet, date, weather, velocity (if I Chrony), accuracy (at times, the bullseye part of the target ). A simple table I keep by hand ... and plan to (some day) put it in Excel. Have data going back almost 40 years and refer to it often. Plus, it brings back the times - good and bad. Have a couple of shadow boxes with target and round mounted. Have done similar with antlers/round or horns/round on a nice piece of wood .. my trophy mounts! Shotguns: Not much, but do keep lists of guage, powder, primers, hull, wad, bushing number, grain weight (I never trust the bushing charts) and how they went through my loaders. Get away from the problem hulls that way. Have a shadow box with my first 200 patch (skeet) and a Winc AA together ... this is the old, good AA, not the new junk! The patch also has "Rem M3200" penned on it (faded now .... me, too ). It is a good and easy habit. __________________ "Outlaw guns and only outlaws will have guns!" Unfortunately, we may be moving in that direction. NRA Benefactor, Conservative!, VN '64-'65. Never sell a gun or a car ... and retire rich!

November 10, 2007, 12:06 PM	#7
shooter_john Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2002 Location: ALABAMA Posts: 1,472	I keep a log book that is fashioned after our Precision Rifle Marksmen Data books at work. It has sections for calling/ plotting shots as well as a place that you can tape glue actual targets into the book. (Book is made of half sheets of paper.) I also handload, so it gives me a space to keep up with my load data too. I have a master copy that can be cut in half and assembled... if I free time I'll try and get it scanned and maybe I can dissemenate copies. I keep those books for all of my rifles that I seriously load for, and then I transcribe my data into a master loadbook that stays at the house. Also helps keep up with round count on barrels. If anyone is sincerely interested, let me know and I will try to scan copies of the pertinent info/ pages from my book and make it email-able. __________________ TROTAC.com

November 10, 2007, 12:22 PM	#8
Superhouse 15 Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2007 Location: Sunny Florida Posts: 844	Records I printed some target and data sheets for a couple of rifles that I handload for. It has a 1" bullseye and one inch grid squares on the top, printed info underneath. I put spaces for load data, wind and range, etc. I keep it in a binder and just put the targets in there when I'm done. Unless I shoot a group bigger than 8 1/2 X 11 I don't have any trouble. The actual target grid is like 8" by 8",lines for data underneath. Downloaded the grid target for free from somewhere and added the data lines myself. On one rifle it was a big help when I finally glass bedded it and was still having problems.

November 7, 2007, 07:09 PM	#3
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	If you reload, it is a must. If not, I wouldn't know. I only shoot reloads.

November 9, 2007, 10:29 PM	#4
HawkeyeNRAlifer Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 316	I scrible notes at the range and then pit them in my loading book back home. I reload, so I keep notes as to what a powder/bullet combo is doing for future reference. I know long range snipers keep a logbook to keep notes on each of their shots, also for reference.

November 9, 2007, 11:42 PM	#6
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	Yep, what William said - and, it's fun to track your progress (accuracy).