Labeling reloads

[kmw1954]

Looking to see how everyone else does it.
I do have a printed label tat I put inside my reload boxes that is pretty standard with Date, cal., powder type, powder weight, bullet type and weight, primer and OAL.

My real question is with the powder weight. I charge with a Lee powder measure, either the Drum or the Disk but mostly with the Disk measure. Now with the powders I'm using I find I get a variance of about 0.1gr., so say this using cavity #40 it will consistently drop between 4.1 and 4.2gr equally which I can live with for my pistol loads.

So how would you label the weight? I've started just using the volume reference and the weight which I think is too much info.

[OzeanJaeger]

Label it the one you’re trying to hit, or just put the range of weights.

When I’m boxing a ladder load I’ll put, for instance, 40-45gr, .2 gr X 5. First 5 are @ 40gr, second 5 are @ 40.2, the third 5 are 40.4 gr, etc.

This is kind of an extreme/poor example, but my thought/goal is that somone else can pick up the box I’ve labeled and tell exactly what’s in it.

[Don Fischer]

I keep a roll of 1 1/2" paper tape on the bench and a 3" piece is plenty of room to write everything I need to know on. If for some reason I change the load, the tape pull's right off and a new piece goes on. I got no use for those stick on things that come in a box of bullet's.

[Charlie98]

I just put the weight or target weight of the charge... that would tell me more about the load than the drum or dipper setting. I know, at least in my case, that my pistol powder charges are +/- .2grn, because I load Unique through a volumetric drop. In the instance where I use the drop for my rifle cartridges, it's always a generic mid-level load, nothing that would redline the pressure. Any sort of max load or test load gets measured on the 5-0-5.

As far as a box tag, I have an Excel spreadsheet for the loading records... I print 2 off... one for the file, one for the box (10 per sheet.)

[Don Fischer]

Ya know, I doubt anyone get's exact wt on each drop. Never seen a scale that was more accurate than +/- .1 grs! Finally broke down and got a small digital scale to weigh cast bullet's with and it's also marked accurate to +/- .1 grs!

[kmw1954]

OK, interesting.

I do keep a notebook log of all my loads and in it I also have a chart that I've made up that shows what each cavity is dropping with each powder starting at the smallest going up to just past what would be the max charge I'd throw with that powder.

What I am really trying to decide is how to label the powder weight for the finished box of bullets.

Using the Lee Disk measure I find that in most cases I can get at best 3 different loads with the cavities available. Usually the first would be close to a start then a midrange load and then hopefully one that isn't over max.

So in my example the 40 load is very consistently between 4.1 and 4.2gr in equal amounts. If it were more to one side of the weight than the other I was thinking I would label it that way as either 4.1 or 4.2 and leave it at that. But because it's neither more one or the other is why I thought of using the measure number because that is fixed and doesn't change and takes in the weight variation.

In other words when I'm looking at the boxes on my self I can see I'm almost out of say 124gr, #40, HP-38, 9mm with WSP primers. Make sense?

[briandg]

that is probably the only precaution that I don't take. I don't feel that I need to. I rarely use different bullet weights and my charges are all universal, all set to start charges and safe and predictable. Anything that lies outside of the norm I label.

No matter how many 9 mm 115 rounds I load, they will all be 115 with X grains of #xxx and same goes for .38. 158 swc with x grains of #xxx. Even using different bullets isn't important, it will still be loaded to the adjusted equivalent of every other round that I produce, meaning a start load equivalent. a safe load for any gun and good for casual shooting.

Rifle ammo? different story. different load circumstances. Rifle is loaded with bullet and powder maker and weight.

BTW, I do load all of my pistol in 50 round boxes, rifle in boxes too. One last hand inspection as they go in.

[Nick_C_S]

My labels look like this example:

38 Special . . . 7/4/76
148 DEWC . . . #678 (this is the load number per my records)
3.2gn W231 . . . WSP (the primer)
(oal if applicable, or other notes here)

The labels are a 1" x 2-5/8" (I think) sticky. When I peel them off the backing, I contaminate the sticky stuff by repeatedly touching them with my fingers. This weakens the adhesive so it can be peeled off the box top when the time comes. I also fold over the left edge so I can grab n peel when the time comes.

The same info - and sometimes more - is documented in my loading log. The loading log is an excel spread sheet on my computer - which is due to be backed up on a thumb drive, now that I think of it .

If I'm doing a load work up and there's several different charge weights in the same box, I label a little different. And I also mark the side of each case (loaded round) with the charge weight - in case they get mixed up. If the work up was - say - 3.2, 3.4, and 3.6 grains, the cases will be marked "2," "4," & "6" respectively.

If I used dippers, I'd mark the label with the dipper used, and the intended weight.

[Damon555]

I document the charge weight that I'm trying to load.....but with my Dillon press mounted powder measure it's always right on the money once I get it set so there's no issues there. As to the actual label.....well there's so much scrap paper floating around my reloading bench that there is never shortage.....it simply gets taped to the box of ammo with the following info.....bullet, powder, charge weight, primer and over all length.

I also have a bunch of blank labels that come inside the bullet boxes and MTM ammo boxes laying around....they contain all the appropriate fields for recording your load data.

[kmw1954]

I have printed labels that are cut to fit right inside the top of the Berry's plastic ammo boxes I use or will slip into any reused factory box.

I'm cheap so I buy bullets as they come on sale at the local Cabela's or online such as Midway. So I keep a few different weights and brands. But that's not the issue.

After writing this and reading thru the posts it seems that what I am doing will work as if/when confusion sets in all I would need to do is look at my notebook to see what that #40 is throwing with that powder. Guess no one else will know what it means but I will.

[BigJimP]

I buy sticky labels...2" x 4" ...and on my plastic boxes I keep the reloads in ...I put them on the ends of the box...so its easy to spot since I stack the boxes on a shelf. I hand write, with a sharpie marker...the info on the label before I stick it on.

I would just label them "powder name 4.1 - 4.2" --- date, bullet etc..

[Metal god]

I agree with noting the target weight you are trying for unless you know you were consistently off more then .1gr of that . If that's the case note what the new number is or the average should be .

I stopped using permanent stickers long ago because I don't have enough boxes to have several for every load I have and shoot . Here's what my labels look like in the box . These are index cards I cut down to size if needed . Now this is a load development but if this was all one charge that charge weight would be noted next to the powder type at the top . The rest of the info would be the same . There should be a L-1 on there which is times cases have been loaded ( L-1 , L-2 , L-3 etc )

[Tsquared]

I use printable 3.5" floppy drive labels on ziplock hardware bags (I found 4 large boxs of the labels that was going to be thrown away at work). The first line will be Date and quantity. The second line is bullet mfg./weight/profile/coating. Third line is powder info with intended weight. The fourth line is case info and primer info. The last line is COAL and FPS.

When I press out range ammo I do 80 finished bullets per bag for my .45 and 103 finished bullets per bag for my 9mm. That is the quantity need to fill all of my range magazines. The completed ammo bag goes into it's corresponding labeled ammo can.

For rifle I do batches of 50 the same way. I may press out 300 rounds in an hour but I will put 50 per bag with it's own label.

[444]

I use an index card.

I put as much information as I possibly can on the index card. Including what dies I used, how I primed the cases, how many firings the brass has had, how many firings since they were trimmed................absolutely anything I can think of.
Anything I forgot about, will be exactly what I need to know after the fact.

The powder weight is what weight I was supposed to be loading. For me, this only comes into play for pistol ammo loaded on a progressive. For rifle ammo or test loads for pistols, each powder charge is weighed to within 1/10 of a grain. In other words if I am loading 42.0 grains, the charge in the case is 42.0 grains: I have no way to measure anything more accurately than that.

Usually, if I am loading various charges : working up a load; I write the charge weight on the cartridge case itself with a Sharpie. I have tried keeping them in rows and all that and then spilled them and had no idea what was what.

I also try to duplicate all the load information (every detail I can) on a computer text file stored on a cloud.
No matter how careful I try to be, at some point I look something up and I either didn't write it down or I forgot the one detail I wanted to know.

[briandg]

I label my cigars when.I get a box, year of purchase with self printed computer labels

That three year old punch is ready, that partagas is almost ready, That one is past its prime. Going through the thousand or s so that I have accumulated in my temp controlled storage can always bring up surprises.

[jag2]

I used to do that but at some point I realized I was paying no attention to them. I (or you) am still the weakest link so the best thing I can do is practice, practice, practice.

[DaleA]

What works for you is fine for you.

However, if you want to share load data telling someone it's a #40 load isn't quite as clear as telling them 'it's X number of grains'. Disclaimer: I don't share loading data so not an issue for me.

When you change to another powder measure you're going to have to look up and see what the #40 is. Disclaimer: If you're happy with your powder measure and it breaks you might just buy the same one again and this would not be a problem.

When you see some recipes on line they'll list the powder in grains. You'll have to look up #40 to see where you are in relation to the new recipe.

I just think it's more 'universal' to list the powder weight in grains but see my opening sentence. (Reminds me of Colonel Potter's advice to Hawkeye Pierce, 'There's a right way and a wrong way to do everything. And the wrong way is to try to make everybody do things the right way.')

[Sevens]

I really like all you guys and the attention to detail shows me (or anyone who reads this thread) just how seriously you take this craft. I mean this respect genuinely.

However at the same time, while I do NOT profess to be an expert or pretend to know that I have it all figured out, I feel like I have been there in the past and I have streamlined what I do... to the point where the things I read seem like excessive busy work that would muck up a streamlined process.

My log contains every bit of information that I need. I use that information to learn from, I use it as a guide for what to repeat or sometimes, for what NOT to do again. I use the info so that I am constantly familiar with what I am making, and I also write detailed notes about how loads performed for me.

My log is an Excel spreadsheet and I make multiple back-ups routinely. And all of the relevant info is there in detail.

On the ammo boxes themselves? No! If it's a totally new load, bullet info, powder, COAL is there, but the magic key on all of my ammo boxes is the DATE. And with the date, it takes mere seconds to find it in the log.

My ammo boxes -- basically all Berry's plastic flip-top. Info that I need on the ammo box? Medium point dry erase marker.

Stickers are a nightmare and writing down info for each box when I do a run of 700 rounds? Oh hell no, the very thought gives my hand a cramp.

My system is in constant refinement over three decades and just feels like a well oiled machine to me.

[OzeanJaeger]

Keeping everything organized and logged is a big part of hand loading.

It isn't so critical for pistol on a progressive, but once you get into rifle cartridges for precision you are trying to remove every variable possible.

If you don't have good records and can't go back and see exactly what you did you will repeat things that didn't work and won't progress.

[kmw1954]

Simplify this, The question is marking the label not making one or what all should be on it.

Question, regardless of measure used the thrown charge is between 4.1 and 4.2gr. for a box of 50. Would you label the finished box; 4.1, 4.2, 4.1 - 4.2 or something else?

If all I were loading is one load and everything was 9mm, 115gr NR, Berry's, Bullseye, 5.0gr, 1.150" CCI500 primers I suppose there would be no need to label anything.

[reddog81]

If i'm on the border, I have used "4.1/4.2" and have also used "4.15" to denote the conundrum you are experiencing. In my head 4.15 means it is splitting the difference between 4.1 and 4.2.

Regarding generic labeling I have some boxes that only have a bullet and powder charge listed i.e "H&G 68 4.3 BE" means 45 ACP with a 200 grain H&G 68 SWC with 4.3 grains of Bullseye with an OAL around 1.24 and some type of LPP. On rifle loads I get more specific but for blasting ammo i'm never going to look back and wonder what type of primer was used.

[308Loader]

When I have a load I use regularly I use the MTM load label, make note of every little thing, cal, bullet, powder, COL, trim length...makes it easier when I want to load the same thing again, just open the box and its all their. when I'm trying something new, I use index cards and make my notes, then add notes from the range test. if it is a new cartage and I'm playing with things I will keep the last card rolled up around a case in the box to compare to the last thing I tried. when running ladders I use a sharpie to mark the case to indicate powder charge, and use different colors with each step up. The corresponding index card will have same colors and charge weight. I also keep a spread sheet with all cartridges, rifles-pistols and things I've tried, and the result.

Recently I got a DYMO labeler (label writer 450) off the CraigList for cheep. its the kind you use to mark file folders or bulk mailers and such. Works great for marking the loads I use regularly. it also has the ability to make barcodes and QR codes that I can scan with my phone. I can link barcodes to my spread sheet (theoretically), and the QR codes can contain all the info you would ever want in a postage stamp size label, can also link them to a HTML page or what ever a guy would want.

my 2cents

[GeorgeandSugar]

I had the same situation. I checked several drops to see what the consistency is. If i had drops like you described, I label as: 4.0 +.1-.2 or if I was short then it would labeled as 4.0 +/-.2 for example.


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[jmr40]

I use blue painters tape attached to the container with the info written with a sharpie.

[Metal god]

Simplify this, The question is marking the label not making one or what all should be on it.

Your question was answered several times in this thread . IMHO if you have not read a good enough answer yet . That means you already have an answer in mind and nobody has said it yet .

Now my suggestion is to do what you will best remember . I do this when abbreviating things . It may not be what everybody else does but I understand what it means and that's all that matters . Example ( CHS means to me the distance from head to datum point on a case ) ( Comp is the distance from case head to seated bullet ogive ) ( L-1 or 2 or 40 is times cases were loaded )

Do what you will understand and is repeatable . If your target load is 4.1gr and every charge is under 4.2gr It's pretty obvious what charge weight you should put IMO