Number of firings?

[frostop]

Ok,

I have been reloading for many years, I used to be at it all the time but in recent years I only reload as needed when working up loads for hunting etc.

Question I have is how do you all keep track of the number of firings-do you have a simple system to keep track?

The problem I have is I'll be all good while I am into it, than I'll take a break from the bench for weeks or months and loose track of where I was with the cases-which are next in line for reloading etc. It doesn't help that I reload for at least 5 different firearms-actually more

Gary

 

[woods]

First step after universal depriming is to mark the case head with an electric engraver

and fill in the groove with a magic marker

doesn't matter how long it has been or even if you mix all the brass, you can still keep track

 

[Rick Richard]

I keep brass in separate containers marked like 1X, 2X and etc. For exampl; I load from the 1X container until all fired then after resizing move them to the 2X container and so forth.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I keep brass in separate containers marked like 1X, 2X and etc. For exampl; I load from the 1X container until all fired then after resizing move them to the 2X container and so forth.

Same here. And the brass I keep in ziplock bags, I separate them by brand in smaller bags, and then each bag is marked with the number of firings the brass have on them.

And the brass I use, I keep it marked down on my reloading label how many times I've reloaded it. And it is factory-loaded brass, I always mark it down as 1, because it was loaded and fired once already.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

label your boxes and shoot the box empty before you reload for it... I was lazy at one time; Now some of the rifles I have had for years have a lot of mixed brass and I don't trust it much at all... I'm better at labeling now, but there is always room for improvement...

 

[Rich Coyle]

The other day I went pig hunting. Afterward I told one of the other guys, "One of the brass I used was fired eight times and the other was fired twelve times." "How do you know that?" he asked. "Because one has an eight and the other has an eleven marked with a felt pen." After sizing and cleaning the "8" was replaced with a "9" and the "12" was replaced with a "13".

 

[dok7mm]

I just do it the simple way, keep it in same box or you can use a plasticbag. Record on a label every firing and everytime I anneal it. Add it also to my reloading log, just in case, with notes and targets.

 

[Bullet bumper]

I use the simple way also a card inside the lid of the ammo box with 1 2 3 4 etc crossed out after each reload .
Now that's only half the story . You also have to inspect case well after every reload because some will last longer than others . Thinning of the web of the brass that leads eventually to case head separation happens at different speeds in any batch of cases.
So Every time I reload a case I visually inspect inside the case for signs of a thinning groove starting . As soon as I identify that groove starting I dump that case . Of the cases that survive longer I have a max number of reloads that when reached I dump the whole lot or if the batch gets too small I dump them earlier . I don't ever mix in new cases with old . I use a Doctors Otoscope to inspect inside the cases .
https://www.walmart.com/c/ep/otoscope

 

[dok7mm]

Well stated Bullet bumper. Good notes and close inspection make for good safety. I have anywhere from 4 to10 firings on Lapua 6.5-284 and some loads, i have pushed them some, so like you, I scope everything now. Seems like I keep adding steps, but I'm old and nothing else to do.

 

[Bullet bumper]

Well stated Bullet bumper. Good notes and close inspection make for good safety. I have anywhere from 4 to10 firings on Lapua 6.5-284 and some loads, i have pushed them some, so like you, I scope everything now. Seems like I keep adding steps, but I'm old and nothing else to do.

Thanks , you are most generous. We are both old but wise . I guess you have better scope than me . I just use a cheap otoscope but it works ok.
Seeing is believing .

 

[dok7mm]

I really like the Hawkeye with 90* mirror for the inspection of chambers, barrels and brakes, but I find the otoscopes are pretty good and handy as heck for many other things.

I apologize for jumping off the OP's topic. David

 

[frostop]

Thank you to all!!!

All very good ideas and I am sure I will be putting one or a combination of to good use, Thank you again!!


Garygun)