Keeping track of round counts

[YVK]

One gun per weapon type (i.e. one pistol, one rifle) per range trip, fixed amount of ammo per range trip, small round count for each training session, Excel spreadsheet, and not fretting about missing 3-5 rounds makes round count quite easy. The same spreadsheet is used for maintenance log and observation notes.

I keep a separate spreadsheet for 1911 magazines.

[Cruncher Block]

I've started tearing the ends off shot ammo boxes and throwing them in a ziploc baggie. One baggie per gun.

I'm a software developer and I've sometimes wondered if a round count/maintenance tracking app would be a useful thing to develop.

And by "useful" I mean "profitable".

Does anyone think police departments, training organizations, or security companies might an interest in something like that? What about individuals who just want to keep pretty detailed records?

[EzGoingKev]

For my rifle I load all my mags with 28 rounds and bring plenty of mags to the range. I then keep all the figures such as round count, date, location, and some general notes in on an Excel spread sheet for the rifle/pistol.

I also have a spreadsheet on the mags. I don't track round count but stuff like when I got them, what follower and spring is in them, whether or not they have been test fired or not.

[Belmont31R]

I count empty magazines when I get back home. For pistols I count boxes of ammo I take with me.



For AR mags I use a paint pen with an abbreviation code for what type of ammo is loaded into them. For instance Federal/LC XM193 is simply F193. Prvi M193 is P193. Blackhills 75GR OTM is BH75.



If I have an issue with a magazine I seperate it, and then put a 1 with the paint pen on the back rib. Two times failing on me, and it gets junked.



I usually shoot multiple AR's when I go so simply counting mags is 100% accurate but I just keep a mental note. I shoot to enjoy the experience so I find sitting there keeping records in between magazines takes much of the fun out of it, and Im not doing any scientific type testing. A couple guns I dont really even keep track of at all.

[kwelz]

People keep track of roundcount?

[arizonaranchman]

I keep a big notebook with a "chapter" devoted to each weapon. I keep track of the date, rounds fired and anything noteworthy including malfunctions or the loading I used, sight adjustments or changes, etc. Over the years you just can't keep track of all that in your head especially with multiple weapons.

I don't go crazy with it, but i like to keep a basic tally and performance record for maintenance reasons.

[Texas Patriot]

I prepared a simple Excel Spreadsheet to track rounds fired by each firearm.

It tracks as header type info:
1. Gun (listed as make and type)
2. Serial no
then lists as table elements:
3. Date
4. Type ammo
5. Number of rounds fired
6. Comments

It automatically calculates total rounds at the bottom. I use a separate "tab" for each weapon and color the tabs for similar guns, such as my AR's are all colored blue.

If you're interested, send me and email and I will forward it to you. Looks like the data below except with cells for easy movement from place to place.

ROUNDS FIRED LOG

Gun: Serial No:


Date Type Ammo No. Rounds Comments




























TOTAL ROUNDS FIRED 0

[Dienekes]

I've been at this a while. About 30+ years ago I started keeping chronological typewritten notes in manila folders with acco fasteners on my guns--sort of a carryover from work as I handled files like that all the time. I still use that basic paper system for routine recordkeeping. I also have a computer program as well which is nice but I don't trust it as much--although I keep a flash drive backup for it in a fireproof gun safe.

With a fair sized gun collection--and I do most of my own gunsmithing--there is no way I can remember all the work done over the years. I maintain a round count on every centerfire, work performed, and parts replacement, whether just PM or a malfunction or breakage. It's not that big a deal once you have a system in place. I have done the same on vehicles for years, and I finally started keeping book on my own health!

I was responsible for keeping track of around 100 plus weapons in my job, but my agency didn't care much about actual recordkeeping as long as all the guns could be found. Some still have trouble just doing that...

[rob_s]

Google docs for me.

I do think that, for those that have them, an iPhone app for this might be nice.

At classes and such I know what I took with me and in what containers (mags, ammo can, original boxes) and keep track that way.

Keeping track of individual guns is frankly a relatively new thing for me. I never really had any issues worth tracking and was way more interested in total rounds I fired in a given year from a training perspective. some recent issues with Wolf 75 grain and the pain-in-the-ass M&P15-22 I've been dealing with I figured it was worth starting to keep track.

[f.2]

I've found the simplest method works best and is maintainable. I'm sure if I used a spreadsheet from the get go I'd have abandoned it. I've started from round 1 in my first handgun and have accurate counts on every handgun and long gun to date.

One large lined post it note (4 X 6) per firearm (with several pages).

Each range trip, log:

date / rounds fired that day / total rounds to date / ammo used and notes

i.e.

1.15.10 / 050 / 050 / 25 AE 115 gr, 25 RA9T
1.22.10 / 150 / 200 / 100 AE 115 gr, 50 SGD 124 +P
2.01.10 / 250 / 450 / 250 AE 115 gr

Notes include maintenance (spring changes), malfunctions, rounds through threaded bbls, etc. Log sheets stay home and I log when I get back from the range. I have a log sheet for rounds through suppressors also.