Newbie here. A friend does reloading and has agreed to do some for me. He's already set up for reloading 38 special and .357 so I'm good. At the range last time I noticed that some folks mark their brass to keep track of it as well as how many times they have reloaded a particular one. I didn't get a chance to ask them what they use for marking. I will ask when I see them next but figured I'd ask here as well.

Any suggestions?

You can use a marker across the head of the case.

I use a felt tip marker on the case heads to distinguish different charges in a given lot of handloads during load development. There's nothing magic about the "code" so just use one that means something to you. I just put 1, 2, 3... 4... marks on the head and they correspond to my loading book. Some folks mark the primers, so they don't have to clean off prior marks during the next loading.

Keeping track of the number of reloads by marking the case seems problematic. A felt-tip mark would scuff off during reloading/tumbling. Notches in the case are probably not a good idea. My solution is to keep my brass separated into lots and keep good records.

Most people mark their brass with a marking pen to keep track of "their" brass, not so much how many times it has been reloaded. I keep track of the number of times a case has been reloaded with the reloading data.

I mark my test loads c/o brass, primer, bullet , what ever, just in case the ammo box takes a spill.............

Nothing worse than six to ten test loads falling out on the table or deck. I might also mark a few cases that have a small split or is damaged in some way, to be able to check it
and see if it is a go or nogo for the next loading.

As the above have suggested, I use "magic" markers of different
colors (on the base) to denote different loads. I use black for loads
that might be off due to being made during die setup, etc. These
I use for foulers or to let guests blast away.
You can get quite a lot of combinations by using separate colors on the primer and the base.
I keep track of load numbers on the box. I mostly use the hinged
plastic variety. I try to keep each box of 50 as well matched as possible.

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Nemo

Why not have your friend teach you how to load your own? That way you know which ones are yours and you get more knowledge about your hobby. There's nothing like the bang of the first cartridge YOU load going off.

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Quando omni flunkus moritati.

Big fat ol' magic marker. I use red, blue, green or black, depending on what's handiest at the time. Also good for color coding different loads during load development testing.

I'm in a similar situation as the OP. but I'm accumulating, albeit verrry sloowly, components, press etc. I've scheduled a weekend visit of reloading 101 with my equipment to get me started. I'm jazzed, and haven't even pulled the handle on the first hand load! Go for it Baa baa

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Reg. Magnum wants/Rossi wallet

Who cares how many times a case has been loaded?

If a case passes visual inspection it's good to go.

I've seen cases go over 50 loadings. I've seen cases loaded once or twice develop a split. The visual inspection is what counts.

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

I'm with Moxie, load them until they split or otherwise become unusable. I do use magic markers for load development.

I blacken the primers of cases that I want to retire after that firing. If I'm testing several recipes, I write the test load number on the primer with a fine-point Sharpie. For reload count record, I use Lyman labels available in rolls from MidwayUSA. I keep my loaded handgun rounds using brass from factory loads in the boxes the factory loads came in and loaded rounds in cases that were purchased as new brass in plastic 50-round boxes purchased at MidwayUSA or my local gun shop.

I place a new label over the old ones with each loading. The labels tell me the case brand, date loaded, primer number, powder brand, powder weight, bullet brand, bullet weight and bullet type. In addition, I write in the chronographed muzzle velocity and number of times those cases were loaded.

Yeah, I'm a little anal retentive but it comes from years of handloading rifle and shotgun ammo.

Ed

I do.

Naturally a close visual inspection is important.
But, knowing the brass' history helps me decide how heavy a load I can use.
For my light reloads (32 S&W, 38 Spl. etc.) I've gotten a great many times out of them.
(One batch of 38 Spl. is on its 28th reloading.)
However, I restrict my magnum brass to three heavy loads. After that they get midrange loads only.

If you are just throwing lightly loaded cast bullets down range for plinking, the effects of neck tension don't matter.

But, several Magnum powders (296, 110 etc.) need a strong crimp and good bullet retention to burn properly.
Overly worked brass is suspect in that area.

So, mixing magnum brass with varied loading histories opens the door for variable neck tension.
Keeping brass in well identified batches and reloading them the same amount of times provides just one more level of consistence in your reloads.

Call me overly cautious if wish. But I like to reload in batches.
I use colored Sharpie pens to mark the primers.
Each batch of the same cartridge has it's own unique color.
The fired brass is stored in Zip-Lock bags until all the rounds of that batch are fired.
Then the whole batch is reloaded at the same time all with the same load.

There are times that knowing the brass history is important.

Stopping a charging Grizzly is not the time for a case failure.

Eagle air strip Alaska May 1982 S&W M629 44 Magnum.

[I was using 265 Gr. 444 Marlin bullets.
At the time, the heaviest 44 Magnum bullet available was 240 gr.
So, I decided to reload my own Bear protection ammunition.
Even though the 444 bullets were soft points, I didn't expect them to expand at 44 Magnum velocities.
I just needed a heavy deep penetrator for bear defense.
These were in very carefully inspected once fired brass.]

Since I consider reloading as a hobby in itself, I go the extra mile and keep track.
You have to make up your mind on how you want to proceed.
If reloading is just a drudgery that you have to go through so you can shoot, keeping records of how many times a brass has been reloaded would be redundant if you keep loads in the lower midrange and inspect for cracks before reloading.

I've been reloading since 1962 and now reload for 38 different cartridges (counting the wildcats).
Using colored primers (or just rings around the primers using the sharp pointed Sharpie pens) has assisted me in keeping track of my brass history.

You pays your money and you take your chance.

Steve

Shooting someone else's handloads?

Brass ID would be way down my list of concerns.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

For hot magnum loads I use 2400. Never noticed that it needed heavy crimp to aid ignition.

Heavy crimp's main function is to prevent "bullet jump" with heavy loads. Aiding ignition is a very secondary use.

Regarding case neck tension, the acid test is the "push test." Simply push the bullet of a completed cartridge against the side of your bench. If the bullet stays put you have good neck tension. The number of times the case had been loaded won't be an adequate predictor of case neck tension. if the round passes the push test you're good to go, regardless of number of times the case was loaded.

But, we all have the freedom to do it our own way. We need to be able to discern, however, among those steps that are essentials, and the reasons why, and those steps that are simply nice to do.

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

I hate to be the party pooper here but since nobody has mentioned it, when you load for somebody else, I think by Federal law, you become a manufacturer which requires a Federal license. I believe if your friend loads ammo for you, he becomes a criminal. I have reloaded for a long time and would like to load for friends but I never do it. Also, manufacturers carry liability insurance for their product and your friend will not have that.

The friend is probably OK from a legal standpoint if they are not selling the reloads they make, but only giving some to a friend (no business intent). To be sure, best to consult a lawyer that understands this.

But I would also be concerned about using reloads I didn't make myself. And will your friend accept liability for any problems you have with the ammo, including potential injuries? If I were the friend, I'd ask for a liability waiver from you.

I bought a bunch of plastic bins and just seperate out my lots that way

If it's spit before loading, throw it in the scrap can. If it's split after reloading, shoot it and then throw it in the scrap can. How many firings it takes to split is really irrelevant.

This is what I do. I shoot .38 & .45lc in SASS Cowboy pistol & rifle so I usually mark the rifle loads for long range so they don't get mixed up. I shoot brass until it splits, usually in the revolvers.

Cherokee Slim

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NRA,SASS,BOLD#808,Semper Fi

Bottleneck rifle cartridges are more problematic. Mouth splits are no big deal, just toss the case. But things like head separation are best caught before they rear their heads.

Not until I have a safe reloading area to set up the gear and go watch him for a while. I am sure I'll end up there but it's going to be a while. Meantime, I'm going through a hundred rounds every other week or so and factory ammo is hard to find. Couldn't shoot for a couple of weeks because no ammo.

Absolutely, but, again, the only reliable test is a thorough visual, before and after reloading is complete. Beyond that, all there is is NDI and that's a bit beyond most of us. You need a real NDI shop to do eddy current, magnaflux, etc.

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

Been reloading for 45 years. Still learning new things. Recently had a 38 spl 158 gr lswc go poof! and lock up the cylinder on my model 66. Have never had that happen before. Used a dowel rod to drive the bullet back out of the barrel. Upon examination the case had a small split in the mouth and burn marks indicated the pressure was lost there. I never use a case that has a split but apparently this one got by me.

x2. It's useful for keeping loads separated during range testing. It will also serve to show which loads have pressure signs, get tossed into the neatest pile etc.

I also keep a marker in my range bag. That way if several of us shooters /reloaders are shooting the same caliber, I can stripe my brass to keep us all honest when it comes time to collect our empties.

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Dave

I've only noticed the need for strong neck tension with the ball powders, not the flake like 2400.

I've been reloading for the 44 magnum since 1968. I used 22.0 grains of 2400 under a 240 gr bullet in my Super Blackhawk for almost 30 years... Great powder and was a great accurate load.

I agree, the push test is nice to weed out the cartridges that may back out under recoil.

But for powders that need a strong neck tension, I still limit the heavy loads to three.



No need to add an additional potential problem for serious loads.
Some of us keep track and some of don't.

Of course I don't keep track of Junk brass (range pickups, commercial reloaded brass etc.)
This brass is relegated to the Junk load bin.
Junk brass is inspected visually and lightly loaded for plinking.
Not ever used for serious use.

Reload anyway you feel comfortable with.
Just be safe

Steve