What's a good way to keep track mk y brass.

B

Bytesniffer

New member
I'm starting to gather several
Groups of brass that I have
Fired once, twice ,
Three times, etc

I'm going to get them mixed
Up.

I was using notes but that's getting
Messy.
I write on the brass with a felt tip pen
But thats not good, it washes
Off. Etc.

Thinking of little scratches
On case. Like roman numerals.

What's good way to organize
Brass into groups thats not going
To get mixed up.
 
Get a sharpie and use several colors.

I color the back of the primer several colors when I'm building up loads. Just set them in bags labeled when you size and deprime.
 
Zip-loc bags and a post-it not inside . Been working well for me since I started reloading .
Click to expand...

This ^^^. If you're going to keep track of times fired, do it by batches of brass, not individual pieces. That would drive me crazy. (although I’ve been told that crazy is not a drive, just a short walk for me)

Some people don’t keep track of number of times their brass has been fired, but I do. That’s just me. Since you have multiple batches of brass fired different numbers of times, I’ll offer a way to simplify bookkeeping. I had 2 batches of 9mm brass that had been fired a different number of times. After tracking them separately for a couple of cycles, I decided to just recycle the least times shot brass until it caught up to the more times fired brass and combined the 2 batches into 1 batch, all fired the same number of times. Made my reloading life easier. ymmv
 
This is what works for me.
I understand,maybe you buy boxes of 20 loaded rounds or by other means have small,odd lots of brass. I try to avoid that. But suppose you have 38 ct Win Cases. They have three loadings on them and some PMC and Federal.

Ok,baggies or whatever,use them up,but don't continue to invest in chaos.

For myself,I can't afford factory ammo,and seldom can I buy the identical ammo. Rem 150 grs one time,Federal next time.Waste 9 rounds checking sights.Gee,this time all that's on the shelf is Hornady Light Mag 165's.Change sights again.

You reload now.You can be done with that.

Plano and MTM cartridge boxes hold 50. Brass comes in a bag of 50 or 100.
WW,Rem,whatever.Pick one. IMO,WW is a good choice.

Loading blocks,get two that hold 50.Ammo boxes.Get two that hold 50.Brass.Get 100. (or more,but 100 works good,or 500,or 1000)
Bullets come in a box of 100.Primers come in a box of 100.

If I load up two boxes of 50,I always have one box full,and one box being emptied.When its empty,I can load it.
Or you can use two batches of 100.I'd say make each batch a range session.
Two batches,one range session each.That is my "Lot" of working brass.

They all get loaded the same number of times.They all get trimmed at the same time.At some point,neckswill split,I can discard that lot.Perhaps as "walking varmint" ammo that can lose some brass.

So,for a while,till you use it up,keep track of your small lots.

But then,upgrade your system to buying 100 lots of virgin brass.Shoot only handloads.Life will be simpler.
 
higgite said:
If you're going to keep track of times fired, do it by batches of brass, not individual pieces.
Click to expand...

l1j3PX.jpg


Yep , I have triple this amount now , maybe 5 times that amount . All in bags and all separated by head stamp for rifle brass . For pistol I have some head stamps separated out ( Win , WCC , Fed ) and two other lots of mixed brass ( thin walled and thicker walled ) . These lots including rifle brass have as few as 200 pieces and as many as 1500 . I will continue to load one lot until all pieces have been loaded . That lot after being loaded and fired then gets prepped and goes for a 2nd , 3rd , 4th run all while staying separated and keeping track of times fired .

If you are going to buy ammo to shoot then use the brass to reload . I recommend only buying one brand for this . For me I only buy Win 45acp , Rem 30-30 , Fed 9mm etc . This way I build up the number of cases in each same head stamp lot .

If you can ( I can & do ) only take one head stamp per caliber to the range . Makes for keeping cases separated easier especially when you're using an auto loader and the brass is being thrown all over the ground . Again not an issue for me because I have many large count lots to load from .YMMV
 
Last edited:
for my bottleneck casings I use Wal-Mart plastic food storage bins. They stack nice and neat, and it's easy to transfer casings in and out of the containers. Ziploc bags are a PIA to use and can easily tear.
 
If you can ( I can & do ) only take one head stamp per caliber to the range . Makes for keeping cases separated easier especially when you're using an auto loader and the brass is being thrown all over the ground . Again not an issue for me because I have many large count lots to load from .YMMV
Click to expand...

I have taken 12 different loads of 10 rounds each for one rifle to the range when testing a rifle for 'what it likes'. Each 10 round group has a different head stamp, the different head stamp allows me to tumble and then separate in an effort to 'keep cases together. I am not in mortal combat with reloading, I do not load ahead.

And then there is was the article that was written before the Internet. The shooter/reloader gun writer purchased 500 cases from one manufacturer thinking they were from one lot, his test proved he purchased a lot of cases and that does not mean they were made on one machine in 15 minutes.

His exhaustive experiment of sorting and matching, shooting, indexing etc. left him with 47 cases that he considered perfect/match quality; and that left him with the rest of the cases that could be considered acceptable but found it necessary to index the case to get the same consistency.

The 453 cases that were not perfect in his opinion had powder columns that were not centered, thin and thick case heads, necks that were thick on one side and thin on the other and we went on and on and finished with case head problems and cases with thick and or thin case bodies and we all know that would have an effect on volume.

F. Guffey
 
Ok,baggies or whatever,use them up,but don't continue to invest in chaos.
Click to expand...

I like that, don't continue to invest in the chaos. It is easier for me to sort, box and stack. I purchases 4"X4"X4" boxes for storing cases. , each box holds 100+ 30/06 cases.

F. Guffey
 
Is it really so important to keep track of the number of times a case has been reloaded?
Is that a trust worthy method to decide how long to use it?
How about just inspecting your cases before reloading?
 
g.willikers said:
Is it really so important to keep track of the number of times a case has been reloaded?
Click to expand...

Depends. If i'm shooting free range brass I don't care how many subsequent reloads I get. I inspect the necks and base for cracks or if I feel an overly loose primer pocket it get's tossed. When I spend $80 on premium new 308 Lapua brass then dam right I want to keep track of reloads. For one justifying the cost and two it's good comparable knowledge.
 
g.willikers said:
Is it really so important to keep track of the number of times a case has been reloaded?
Is that a trust worthy method to decide how long to use it?
How about just inspecting your cases before reloading?
Click to expand...
Who said they don't inspect their cases before they load them?
 
I am pretty well doomed.

I am bad at trying to sort and keep sorted out,

Marks a lot comes off of course, vibratory tumbler .


I may try a vibrato pencil and just use hash lines and log it.

I did one batch that way crudely and it works.

On the other hand, as I can get mine annealed (thank you brother) it may not make any real difference.

My problem is I wind up short of loads, start grabbing brass to get what I want for the range and then it gets mixed up.

I could use a bit of OCD.
 
I keep track of number of firings mostly so I know when to anneal ( every 4th or 5th ) . I do think keeping track could/should help you determine when you might want to start doing a more detailed inspection of your brass . I don't run a paper clip in every case looking for case stretch every time I load it . I do start checking that after the 4th or 5th firing though .

Although keeping track of pistol case firing like 45acp and 9mm is not really needed . It's a habit I got into when I only loaded rifle cartridges and it transferred over just like separating them . It does not take any real effort as far as the actual keeping track because of the way I sort and bag and load my brass . I need to write what the brass is and how it was sized ( what the head to datum length is as well as bushing used ) . Some times I prime all the cases in one lot so they are quicker to load . When I writing all that down on the post-it note it takes very little effort to add L-1 , L-2 , L-3 etc and when I get there I note if annealed and how many times . So it would read something like

LC-12 / Bushing 335
Sized to 1.633
L-7/A-1 ( loaded 7 times / annealed once )
 
Is it really so important to keep track of the number of times a case has been reloaded?
Is that a trust worthy method to decide how long to use it?
How about just inspecting your cases before reloading?
Click to expand...

A new owner of a rifle built by a long time friend walked up to him at a gun show and accused him of building a rifle with head space problems, my friend was at a disadvantage because when he sells at gun shows he does not bring his shop. So he did the next best thing, he suggested the new owner bring the rifle to his shop and an agreement was made. The new owner handed the builder a case that he claimed proved the rifle had a problem.

And then finally the new owner moved down to where I was setting; I ask to see the case the owner was so proud of; after examining the case I ask him if that was the only case he had for that rifle and I asked him if he fired and reloaded that case over and over and over etc. I then offered to form 200 cases for free. I explained to him there was not enough brass left in the case body to pull the case out of the die when the ram was lowered, I explained to him that case was so thing it would not stand up straight.

My old friend heard part conversations and then got up and came down to investigate. He took a closer look at the case and suggested 'we' get a third party opinion. He sent the new owner to a third part type with the understanding the new owner was not to tell him what I said or who build the rifle; all he was to do was render an opinion of the case. I short time later the new owner returned, he was not happy. He said the old man ripped the case apart and measure the thickness of the case body; he then said the old man ask him if that was the only case he had for that rifle and wanted wanted to know if he was reloading and then firing that case over and over and over etc.. He informed the new owner .002" is OK for paper but not case bodies. The new owner was very proud of that case and then this old man of few words ripped it apart to measure the thickness of the case body.

Anyhow the new owner never took the rifle back to the shop and he never contacted me about forming cases for him even thought I offered to form the cases for free.

F. Guffey
 
No scratches on your cases for starters. Keeping 'em separate really doesn't make any difference unless you're shooting bench rest. Sorting 'em by brand doesn't matter either.
"...know when to anneal..." There is no specific time or number of reloads for annealing. It's done when you get 1 cracked neck.
"...plastic food storage bins..." From a dollar store cost less than Wally World. Shoe boxes and shopping bags work too.
 
And then there was this claim a master reloader/shooter claimed he fired 308W cases 45 times with no measurable effect on the case: and I asked him about the weight of the case when he started and the weight of the case after firing 45 times. He has not said a kind word to me since.

No mention of annealing, no mention of trimming and he claimed he full length sized the cases ever time..

One more time; the case work hardens when fired, work hardening the case increase the cases ability to resist sizing and then there is sizing. sizing the case works the case.

And then there is that part where it is claimed reloaders can neck size the case 4 times and then start over by full length sizing/restoring the case to minimum length AND THEN START OVER.

Start over? The case was fired and then full length sized and neck sized and fired 4 times. It seems some are issued an exception to the rules because I can not figure how it is possible to start over with a case that has been fired 5 times.

F. Guffey
 
I like the zip lock bags
Cheap and keeps the brass separate
From the other brass.
I do write on the brass with a sharpie
With details for that load, but that's not
Permanent.
I have 308 win brass and
7.62 brass. I bought 1000
Once fired military brass.
Some , I have reloaded twice already.
I also have 500 rounds of new
7.62 ammo . some will be loaded three
Times already.
I have been told that the thicker
Stronger mil spec brass can be
Loaded many times without
Issue and it takes a little less
Powder per round.
Last week at the range
Between my son and I
We fired 50 7.62 rounds
And some 308 rounds.

I'm not just wasting ammo
Each set of10 rounds has been
Loaded with different specs.
Powder charge, bullet type and overall length for that bullet etc.
To see how they perform
 
Little hint when it comes to using the zip-loc bags , never write on the bags . You will reuse them many times for different brass or calibers . It got old real fast crossing out what's on the bag to write something different . Pretty soon you're looking for space to write . A note inside with the brass has been the best way for me to keep track .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top