What do you all include in your logs?

What you listed, plus what primers were used. And if I charge with Lee's PAD, which cavity cc was used. I'm starting to include the date, in case the ammo case gets forgotten for a while.

Anything you might find you need. I have a spot for the case fired and sized length measured with a headspace gauge, OAL measured with comparator, +- comparator OAL if the bullets vary widely. I keep track of the dies used and whether I loaded all or part of the rounds on the single stage, progressive or both. At the bottom of my sheets I have a place for chrony data and formulas set up to figure SD, ES and average. When loading cast bullets the cast load sheet has a place for casting info, mold temps, pot temps and average bullet cast weight.
I keep a sheet for each firearm where I note scope height, max comparator OAL and mag OAL for each bullet I've loaded for that rifle. I also keep a loose round count for each firearm and make notes about load workup, what worked and what didn't.
My sheets keep evolving, I load for 20 calibers and a lot of times it will be a few years between loadings, If I find I have to rework something because I didn't have it written down I add a spot on my excel sheet so I make sure and capture the data.

Yep, primers are good. Headstamp too.

Yes, I think it is a good idea to sort handgun brass. But if you use mixed brass, fine, write that down.

Sometimes I use Lee's FCD, sometimes I don't. So that gets jotted down too.

Bottleneck cases I keep track of times fired. It's a non-issue on everything else though if you ask me.

If you have a chronograph a lot of interesting information can be extracted and recorded. Average velocity, standard deviation, etc. I enjoy nerding out on the numbers. I'll even formulate basic ballistic tables sometimes if I know the bullet's coefficient.

You can make notes about accuracy if you want. I don't really measure handgun groups like I do with rifle loads though. Either it shoots well, or it don't in my book. For rifle stuff I will cut out the group from my paper target and tape it into my notebook.

The important thing besides the above is to keep track of the failures as well as your good loads. If nothing more than being able to see that you have already tried some load/bullet/propellant and found it was a no good one already. Saves time and materials to not have to repeat the test. And I KNOW my memory is not good enough to remember even half of those lousy loads I have already tried. For the good ones I just note group size and temperature when shot along with the particulars of what I need to repeat it from scratch as well as what firearm it was tested in. I also make a primerless dummy round with each bullet used and seated as I assemble it, to be able to reset the dies back to the same place easily. Then I write the bullet type/weight on it with a sharpie. YMMV

ETA I also put the basic info on a piece of paper and include it in the batch of reloads for future reference and as a reminder that I need to reload that brass with said recipe again to restock.

FROGO207 said:

as what firearm it was tested in.

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That’s a very important piece of information to put down. I have several firearms in each caliber I load for and they all like different loads.

Not enough info is what I record

I was looking at my log the other night thinking I really am not detailed enough.

Typically I record powder/amount, bullet (weight and description), COAL, crimp/no crimp, firearm chamber size and case full length size for rifle, primer used as well as firearm used for testing.

The more I reload the more info I want. Typically I am loading rifle for hunting, and other range play. I hardly ever sort brass except to load all same headstamp. For AR I almost always load mixed brass. I want to load for more accuracy this next year so I'll be sorting out some by headstamp, weight/volume, etc and trying to keep track of it.

-Jeff

I include lot numbers for primers and powder. You never know when they come in handy. About 13 yrs ago now I had some primers that started piercing. Knowing the mfg and lot numbers was able to get these replaced quickly. Include all the data you can thing of. Because some were down the line you will be wondering why this load is shooting different. In most cases it's a change in component (lot) or weather conditions. Just helps you track it down.

Practically all handgun rounds here so:
Powder, bullet, primer, and date loaded.
For range time: Date tested, which gun, barrel length, velocity and PF.

I haven't gotten to the level of barometric pressure, altitude, temperature, humidity, sky conditions, lumens, yet.

I just use a Word doc and print off sheets of Avery label #8163

For loading information... just the basics. When I started loading rifle in earnest, I added COAL, because that makes quite a difference, and since I've started checking it in my pistol cartridges.

When I check my loads across a chrono I don't get too excited about detail... I don't have that good of a chrono, anyway. If it's extremely hot (I have done load testing in 118F heat, for example) I'll note that... because it DOES make a difference in velocity. I also try to test for velocity in two different sessions, because I have found there may be an anomaly between one session or another... like chrono setup.

In addition to bullet weight and type and powder type and charge, the date of loading, +p or standard, crimp on tapered auto cartridges, primer.

In the case of 45 acp I note if it's SPP or LPP brass also.

I also leave room for notes on how they shot and in what guns and also the quantity loaded.

One thing I should start writing down is, which manual did I use for the data.

Many good ideas above. Notes from the loading bench need to contain enough information for comparison, but should not be overwhelming as to take the fun out of it. Also, notes need to be appropriate for what you're loading. I would take more care in noting everything for accurate rifle loading but only write down the basics for my tried and true plinking handgun rounds.

What I would add is to take good notes at the range. These are the results of your hypothesis. Date, time, temp, wind, group size (and how you measured - edge to edge vs center to center). I also try to shoot a good, known load to check myself since we all have bad shooting days. Then you can compare. Did the wind increase your group size? Or was it the temp (higher/lower velocity)? Or was it the guy in the next lane with the muzzle break?

This is the one I came up with.

Always keep info on loads the DIDN'T work. Years from now that info might just keep you from trying a certain load again. Can't have too much info.

In addition to all the component data, I add comments on performance, recoil, muzzle blast, accuracy etc. And effectiveness/bullet performance for my hunting loads.

somethingbenign said:

At what distance would you recommend starting to track atmospheric conditions? I'm going to be hard pressed to shoot passed 200 yrds for many years.

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Always record temperature. Density altitude is easy enough to jot down as well, but at least get temperature. Temp will always vary, and will affect your powder (some more than others, but all some).

I'd rather record too much data and not need it than not enough and wish I had it someday.
I'm always changing and improving my system. Currently I have
1. "recipe" cards which I use when testing a load, those will have data like the chronometer readings
2. log, basic loading data from the recipe cards but not the initial details.
3. training/range log, which records when I shot and conditions.

Great ideas here. I had fantastic intentions to track lot numbers but in reality it's hard for me to do it. In my Excel sheet I have a column for powder lot number. I should add one for primer lot number.

The following is only kind of log information to track - but it helps me make the bridge between what's in the log and an actual box of ammo: I create a batch number for a given box I've loaded. I make sure that batch number (plus other information that goes in the log) is on the ammo box. It gives me an easy way to link a box in my hand to an entry in the log. The batch number is the date plus a sequence number - the sequence number being which batch of that day it is. For example, 20181213-01. I only go to "-02" if I load another batch that same day. In my nomenclature a batch is a box (or less)......something I would do in one session at the bench.

I label boxes too

Each box is numbered, then the log lists the box#, quantity and the same info on the boxes plus the lot #'s