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Ammunition and Reloading Forum All about ammunition, reloading and reloading equipment |
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04-08-2006, 09:55 PM | #1 |
KaBoom Kontrol Modulator
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Colorado, Western Slope
Posts: 16,229
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What Records do you keep?
One topic that has not been mentioned so far is record keeping.
Most people have mentioned my records as being somewhere between being anal and Paranoid. And I think I do a decent job. When I was shooting competition I was positively maniacal! Including giving each cartridge an identifying mark and keeping it's own little report card. But even so ... A couple of years ago I gave a friend a batch of maybe 220-230 9mm reloads that were getting kind of ancient on my shelf. He came over 3 weeks later to tell me they were the most accurate cartridges he'd ever used. Said they were just barely powerful enough to work the action on his M-39 Smith, and they left the barrel filthy, but they were unbelievably accurate. He's one of the finest rifle and pistol shots I've ever know, outside of the few world class guys, so his opinion carries some weight. I was feeling pretty smug until he asked my what the recipe was! Except for the dirt being a tip-off to Unique, I couldn't tell him a thing! I had not a clue!. So, what records do you keep and what do you not keep that you really think you should? Be nice to know what kind of shooting you're reloading for too. Regards, |
04-08-2006, 10:09 PM | #2 |
Southern Gun Girl
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 7,058
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i file all the paperwork that comes with each gun we purchase.... legal paperwork as well as manuals and such in one hanging file folder for each gun with manila folders for legal, warranty, manual etc.
we haven't gotten into reloading yet. would like to, and my da has extensive experience in it, so when we've got what we need on the smithing side, i'm sure we'll get into that....... i'll be picking your brain too, 5knives if you don't mind
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04-09-2006, 03:05 PM | #3 |
Retired Soldier
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: South Central PA
Posts: 14,148
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PPW;
I think he is talking about records of reloads. I have a ledger in my shop. I record the date, lot number, (I assign a lot number to every batch I make), case manufacturer (by lot number if possible), bullet size, weight, and lot number if possible, propellant, type, weight in grains of the charge, and lot number of the propellant batch, die set used to produce, press used to produce, and general weather info. I record the temperature, and humidity level in the shop at time of production. Now that might seem excessively anal, but humidity level in the propellant charge does impact it's performance, even months later. Keep in mind, that if your crimp is set properly, what ever the air in your shop was like at the time you loaded, that air is now trapped inside your cartridge. Therefore, high humidity in your shop will affect the propellant performance down the road. I have a de-humidifier in the shop, and try to regulate the humidity within a certain set of parameters. Some humidity is actually good. I can't tell you what amount is good for your area, you have to experiment. Here, I have a certain amount that I want in the ambiant air, it assists the propellant to burn to a better gas level. What you are after is a very hot, rapidly expanding gas that will push your projectile at optimum speed, for that projectile, from that weapon. All this is dependant on how radical you want to get loading for your respective weapons. I really don't worry to much for my common pistols, and rifles, but for my competion weapons, I get down right fanatical about making every load just perfect (within my capabilities to do so) |
04-09-2006, 03:17 PM | #4 |
Southern Gun Girl
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 7,058
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ohhhhhhhhhh sorry! duh!
i thought he meant those plus all other records... Horse, excel spreadsheet sounds perfect for that |
04-09-2006, 07:59 PM | #5 |
KaBoom Kontrol Modulator
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Colorado, Western Slope
Posts: 16,229
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Thank you Horsesoldier176 for an excellent summary and explanation!
Serious about your competition loads , aren't You? That's what it takes folks, every imaginable variable should be noted and recorded, leaving only the nut behind the trigger as an uncontrolled variable, and Range Logs and Proper Practice can fix that. Great Response, exactly what I was hoping for! Just the sort of information we need to get out there for the new reloaders benefit when they check out this Forum. Anymore comment? Anyone? How about those loading strictly for self-defense or hunting purposes? How much can you relax for practice or plinking ammo? Regards, |
04-10-2006, 12:00 AM | #6 |
Retired Soldier
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: South Central PA
Posts: 14,148
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Well I don't reload for self defense. Liability issues.
For plinking, I just don't get quite so critical on the propellant weights. As for competition, you bet. The shooter is the only uncontrolable variable, so if you make absolutely certain that everything else is squared away, then it is up to the trigger puller. A#1 ammo, can mean the difference between first, and second place. Last match one of my guys fired, his shot was just inside the line, and the other guys just touched the line. End of story. Shooter swears it was all ammo. |
04-10-2006, 12:25 AM | #7 |
Chaplain/Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 11,321
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This is all good info. I have never taken such strict measures, but then again I was only reloading for hunting purposes. So we're only talking about a 4-500 yard shot max. Good stuff to know for when I want to try further shots.
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You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children's children say of us we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done. Ronald Reagan - 1964 Bunker Member #4. |
04-10-2006, 03:06 AM | #8 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9,710
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I keep a log of bullet wight and type, and powder charge wight and type. I do load for defence and hunting as well as plinking. I no longer shoot competition, but my brass is kept in 100 round boxes for hunting, each goes with a rifle, loads for that batch of brass is kept on the inside top of the lid on a label as well as number of loadings for that batch. I load close to max for hunting. I find just below max to be more accurate in most of my rifles and handguns used for the sport.
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04-10-2006, 01:14 PM | #9 |
Retired Soldier
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: South Central PA
Posts: 14,148
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The only problem with reloads for self defense, is if you actually have to shoot someone, you are now open to a civil law suit for using "super killer ammo" As an example, if you are in a shooting incident, but are using factory ammo, then any issue about the ammo, will be defended by, and litigated with the manufacturer. If you are using your reloads, then you are the only pocket to go after. All your records of reloads will be subpeoned, and challanged. You will be forced to prove that your records are accurate, that all your equipment is accurate, and safe, that you are competant to operate it, and so on. Even if you win the suit, you will have spent months of your life, and thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars defending yourself. You will have no one to go against to recover the money, or time you expend to defend yourself. The likelyhood is that the dead, or their family have little, or nothing, so what do you petition against. You on the other hand, probably have a job, insurance, and property that could be confiscated, and sold. To me, the risk just isn't worth it. I do shoot HP reloads, but only as practice rounds. When I carry, or use a weapon for self defense, it is loaded with factory ammo, only.
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