Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Marking cases to track # of times loaded

I have researched this quite a bit and haven't been able to find a solution that seems worry free yet effective. Using s sharpie only works until I tumble, keeping them sorted and in boxes sounds like a great idea, but for me is idealistic not realistic.

So, here is what I have been thinking...and looking for opinions and other ideas. I have been thinking about taking a dremmel or other small file to just make a small, but distinct mark on the belt (for belted magnums) or on the case head for each time a case has been fired. The mark should stay on the case and I wouldn't think it would affect anything or create an unsafe situation.

I'm all ears at this point

Thank you.

Boxes and labels are cheap.
And simple.

I like gallon ziploc bags and sharpies.

David

Every bag of brass I open goes into boxes and I keep the # of firings, and annealing data on each box.

Ditto.

Gallon bag for prepped cases, when they're fired they go into a quart bag inside the gallon bag. The large bag is marked with the chambering and rifle if I have more than one for that chambering. Each bag has a small slip of paper with the times fired, # of times fired when last trimmed and when last annealed and since I neck size mostly when last FL sized. When they're all fired they get neck sized or otherwise prepped and go back into the main bag along with the empty quart bag. Most batches of larger rifle cases (30-06 sized) only have 100 or so cases in a batch so this works well but if you need bigger lots you can use two gallon bags.

Started off with pairs of stackable bins but they take up too much room, gallon bags offer more leeway in how they can be stored.

+ whatever

Same here. and if I happen to lose an empty in the weeds after firing it, I don't replace it, I just run with 19 in the box, not 20.

Dale

I use baggies and sharpies

I just load them till the primers fall out, then throw them away.

I always return the fired brass to the box, from which it came. The box has our “homemade” computer generated labels showing load data, as well as load date. Also, has an area, using Roman Numerals, to represent the number of firings. memtb

I've been realistically able to keep track of them that way for a long time.

I do not want to have to look at each case to see what lot they belong to, or to take the time to mark each case after each firing.

I use zip lock bags for fired and/or ready to load brass.
I assign a lot an alphabetic code to a batch of brass.
If brass has been weight sorted I usually end up with 3 groups and will note each as L (light), M, and H(heavy) as part of the lot code.
Quantity usually runs from 20 to 200 pcs.
Roman numerals as noted above tell me how many firings a batch of brass has been thru.

I put loaded ammo in standard 50 piece plastic boxes. I will note the caliber and maybe bullet on outside.
I use a piece of masking tape on the inside of the lid for specific ID.
ID will include brass lot number with firings noted, primer, type and weight of powder used and bullet used.
If I am working up loads, I may also note cartridge oal or powder variations on the tape also.
Using colored magic markers each variation will get a dab of color on the back end to match the variation on the label.
That way if they get mixed up, I can restore order for shooting or for inspection and measuring after shooting.

Works fine for me. Some brass has been kept straight for over a dozen firings.

I have four large three ring binders that have ALL my loadings recorded. I also noted are performance results as needed..

I suppose if working under the influence, it would be possible to get this system messed up, but no problem with that happening.
Loading and shooting deserve more respect than to let that happen.

Just my 2 cents.
Tim

Man, seems like a lot of folks spend more time loading than shooting. Everyone has their own way of doing things, and mine is probably wrong, but I just want to shoot stuff.

300Winnie: Use a small sharp jewelers triangle shaped file to file a tiny groove in the very base of each case every time to reload it!
When you see one of your just fired cases and it has "one" file groove on it you know its been fired twice - two grooves in it and you know its been loaded three times etc etc etc.
This is the most fool proof method and I used it for many years.
I have been retired now and shoot more Rifles and do more reloading but at a more leisurely pace so I now use the larger case holder MTM type boxes with "labels" inside that show number of reloadings.
Good luck to you with whichever method you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I use an electric engraver to put a mark on the case head



then color it in with a magic marker




I can go to any box and know how many firings on each case



Works for me

Me too. Realistically, literally and figuratively.