What method of record keeping have you found best for keeping track of your load developing?

Steve

I use a small spiral bound notebook. I'll note the powder charges when I load the ammo, then when I shoot, record velocity and note what combo grouped well. I also save targets and note the load on the target.

What I like about the notebook is I can flip back through it to see what I used a year or two previous, and all the data is there. Now that I use a good powder measure, I'll note what the measure was set at, and powder weight, so I can quickly set up that load.

I've debated using an excel spreadsheet, so that I can crunch the velocity numbers, but don't know how that will make me shoot better, or make my ammo more accurate. I'm after max performance for minimal effort, and the notebook works. Hmm, its also about full after 3 years use, so I think I need to make a trip to the supply cabinet.

I use the notebook similar to what Paul does.
I also use a ballistic program called PointBlank to aid in load development and to store data.
After I find a load that works. I enter it into the PointBlank database and print it out when needed.

ZM

Mine's a three ring binder with each seperate caliber tabbed. Designed the data sheets on computer, with three loads to the sheet and data fields for the items which are important to me. Ran 300 or so sheets off on a copier, then punched them with a three-hole punch.

The spiral notebook works fine, too. Just use something you can find and refer to year in and year out. You'll be surprised what you can forget if you don't write it down.

I use a form that is generated by the software that I wrote. The form records the load, weapon, and results that are recorded at the range. The advantage is I have the information in hard copy for my permanant records and in the software to run ballistics charts and place the charts with my data and target. All in a three ring binder it makes a great resource for my reloading history.
PaulS

I got in the habit of of using a little 5*7 ledger book I found at a local office supply store. They are black, hard covered, stitched and reasonablely priced.
They are durable enough and small enough that I can put them into the shooting box for the ammo or in the case with firearm.
I have one for each piece.
I keep a log of the different load combinations, impressions of the shooting that day, idle thoughts, brain storms that come to me while shooting.
If I should dispose of the firearm I pass the book on to the next owner.
Jim

When I started loading almost 50 years ago, my mentor suggested 3X5 cards as he had. I've been using them ever since. The basic load is recorded on the top of the card and then notes are added as you progress in shooting the load. When the card is completely full just staple a blank and continue. I sort them by caliber and gun and keep them in the little boxes they sell for storage, all properly indexed. That way all your records are in one place. With the advent of computers, I transfer the active data to a program which also retains it and provides ballistics data when necessary. Works great for me.

Hey Steve, I use a 3-ring binder like Stonecreek mentioned. I have a Load Data Sheet with all the things I'm interested in concerning my Test Loads.

The real nice thing about the 3-ring binder is I can put the Targets that go with those Load Data Sheets right behind them. I use the same size paper to make my Targets.

Then when it is raining I sit back and see what looks promising or what hasn't been tried yet.

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Good hunting and clean 1-shot kills, Hot Core

I am still using a Midway Shooter's Notebook formate. I have a 1" three ring binders for each rifle I shoot. I made some forms on Microsoft Word and after I shoot I post it to the form on the computer. I then update the notebook at the conclusion of any load development. I use 8.5 x 11 targets and punch and add them to the notebooks. My targets are made using Microsoft Excel and I just print one when I need it.

I also enter data in Ballistics Explorer and have started also using PointBlank. To my notebook I add printouts of the graphs and data for the loads I develop.

Type A personality I guess.

Good Hunting
Steve

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Every man dies, but not every man really lives!!

[This message has been edited by Santala (edited 08-02-2001).]

I use a little book that I have came up with on my own thru the years. It resembles a High Power record book. It is 5.5" x 8.5" and is made from card stock sheets that can be bought at Wal-Mart (cost is $5 for 250 sheets 8.5" X 11")
The sheets are printed thru my laser printer on both sides and then are cut in half to give me a total of 500 finished sheets printed front and back. I do 25 sheets to a booklet and have one booklet for each rifle. The first few sheets are for the detailed loading data and record all the normal loading information as well as the date loaded. This way it is easy to keep count of how many rounds have gone thru the rifle.
Most of the sheets are for load development and have 4 small grid patches to show each group configuration and size. There is also room to make any notes such as flattened primers or pulled shots or chronograph velocity.
On the back side of the front cover is an area for scope settings at the various ranges as well as to show the amount of wind drift at various ranges. I fill in the zero values from the scope settings so that I know I am right on and can return to the same zero time after time. It really speeds up things at the range.
All in all, a nice little useful item that costs less than 50 cents per booklet.

I use a small 3 ring binder, about half the size of a full sheet of paper. I tab them by caliber, and rifle (or pistol). I load for all the guys in my hunting party, so who's who on rifles is also important and noted. That way I can track different rifles with the same caliber, too. The thing I like about 3 rings over spiral bound, is that I can move pages around in the book without having to tear them out. And like mentioned, I can put in targets for later "evidence" or "bragging rights". Just in case a buddy misses a trophy buck and blames the ammo! LOL. I've also thought about putting in snapshots of the game taken with the load, and a brief note on how the game reacted to the shot (and shot placement data).