Thread: Notching cases to keep track of firings?

Flicking through a Nzhunter mag I saw a test of some ADG brass where they filed a small notch in the extractor rebate each firing to keep track of how many times the case had been fired. Seems a good idea to me as easy to loose track if you're not going through many rounds. Are there any downsides/concerns to doing this?

Used to do this years ago. Ended up a mess but my fault for not being methodical. Gets a bit messy if you have a cartridge that can survive eg 10 loadings or more.

Nowadays for my sets of F Class cases they are each engraved with an individual number 1-100. It's not hard to do.
I run a label sheet inside the lid of their 100 MTM round boxes and mark off each time they are reloaded 1,2 3 and so on.
Also useful on the range if you get a totally unexplained shot result. I note the case number and give it a good going over when home.

For my run of the mill stuff - sporting 223 and 308 I don't serial number them. Too hard on a small case like the 223 at any rate and not worth the effort.
I now anneal and FLS each time. I store them in Sistema plastic boxes with labels on the boxes. One box for annealed and FLS'd cases ready to load. I have a label inside the box telling me the number of times reloaded and fired. Another box for the fired cases. Once I process all the fired cases from that box they go in the other box and I update the times fired label in that box.

In days gone by used to use old ice-cream plastic containers or large margarine containers. The Sistema are much better with good clip lids that don't empty their contents if tipped over.
I also keep a track of the number of times loaded in my Loading Log Book.

The only time I use a filed notch now is to distinguish between sets of cases where they are identical eg I have 2 sets of 7.5x55 SR Norma cases and 2 rifles. I don't want to mix them as the rifles have slightly different headspaces.

Permanent marker in black does the same job without hassle, quick scrub with a pot scrub when you change the number.

I put a notch on the rim for the number of time I've tirmed the case and permanet marker on the primer to keep the number of loading's the same

If you don't go through many rounds it'd not hard to keep track. Worst is when you have mixed head stamps

Greetings All,
I mostly load in batches of 50 for the rifles that are shot much and have two or three boxes, each a different head stamp but similar capacity. Loads could be adjusted to get them all to shoot to the same place but I haven't found it necessary. Times loaded, trimmed etcetera are kept track of in my load notes and a slip of paper with the data goes in the lid of the box. This way if cases from two boxes get mixed they can be easily sorted. For rifles that are not shot much one box is enough but with two head stamps as before. Anal? Certainly but it works for me.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by 257weatherby

Permanent marker in black does the same job without hassle, quick scrub with a pot scrub when you change the number.

Yip - quick and simple, easy to see

I've got about 2000 308 Lapua Palma cases.

I track the case batch number (3 different batches) and the number of times loaded.

They're full length sized every time as they may be used in 3 similar not identical actions.

When they're loaded I generate (print) new labels that stay with that batch until next loading.

Currently they vary between 15x fired and 5x fired.

Few different options by sounds of it.

I a methodical, I always and invariably put a dent in the primer rather than damage the case, but I still lose track.

I use a book and pen. I make batches in different amounts, say a batch of 30 and one of 40. then just right down when I fire the batch.

I put al my fired cases in a bag with the number of firings written on said bag.

Seems to work

I used to notch cases with a file too, but now i just keep batches separate and don't reload the batch until all has been fired out of it.
Notching them became hard when cases last quite a few firings, and i forgot sometimes