Paper Range Log

CouchRestShooter

CouchRestShooter

Private
Minuteman
Nov 25, 2023
10
10
Florida
#1
Hello all,

I'm trying to work out a range log to help me keep track of results at the range. Currently it is in letter format, but I might try to condense it into a smaller page size. I'm sure I'm going a bit overboard on this but looking back over my notebook, I can see that I am forgetting to mark down key points. If anyone has a better idea or can offer ideas for improvements, it is greatly appreciated.

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#3
You can get carried away with certain things in which causes distractions to where you are not mentally focused on the task at hand. While I'm a master multi taskmaster, the bench top only has what I need to shoot, fill out any pertinent info before or right afterwards. Half the time I pull a scrap piece of paper from the trash can and scribble, half a joke.
I like taking a picture with notes and place them into that guns album, easy to access, even screenshot the Garmin if needed and move that to the album. Sometimes simple notes work the best. In the end, whatever works for you. With that in mind, it all depends on what you are trying to accomplish, some examples below all different goals. It also helps as a quick reference if I can't keep key points "in my head"
Again, all in what you want and the lengths to get there, I try not to make that part a pain in the ass and enjoy the trigger time more so.
Made this up when I installed the Cortina V2 tuner on the Vudoo with Center X

Red dot

 
#4
I make my range session notes in a "Rite in the Rain" folder with roughly 4x6" pages. I record rifle info (which one), environment info, session goal(s), ammo data, scope elevation settings for various ranges, and whatever other notes that come to mind. This usually takes no more than a couple of inches a the page.

Then I transpose that info to 8.5x11" pages in a loose-leaf binder specific to a given rifle. I also keep some targets, annotated CoF pages from matches, last-cleaned date, and, above all, session and total-life round count on the current barrel.

For a new rifle or barrel, the first loose-leaf page will contain unchanging info like length and twist rate and sorta-transient info like cartridge length to lands and load-to CBTO info for fully-developed loads.

For me, the most valuable info is barrel round count, final "developed load" data for a given bullet/powder/primer/brass/CBTO combination, and tables of "bullet speaks" elevation data compared to ballistic solver solutions for ranges 100-1000 yards. I also note when I clean the firearm - it's really easy to track round count since the last cleaning.
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#6
Data books are great. I find I usually don’t use all the pages in a pre made data book, and the pages I do don’t always track all the info I want so I make my own pages. I use an Impact Data Book as the base and keep some of their reference pages in it, but past that my log pages are my own layout that I make on my iPhone and just print when needed.
 
#7
That’s what’s good about Impact Data Books as you can make a custom book with the pages you want and nothing you don’t need. Also you can get a round count book to keep track of barrel life. I have one for every barrel I have.
 
#8
Rob01 said:
That’s what’s good about Impact Data Books as you can make a custom book with the pages you want and nothing you don’t need. Also you can get a round count book to keep track of barrel life. I have one for every barrel I have.
Click to expand...
Except their pages don’t always track all the info I want to track, or in a way I want to track it. Been using their book for about 10-12 years now and have gone through multiple different layouts and pages. In the end I found it best just to make my own. I mean if their pages work for you then that’s the way to go, but I needed something slightly different than what they offer.
 
#9
I went down the path of making a 3d printed template that I could use on some cheap moleskin type notebooks, with some titles and a target I could transfer to and then write in my data. lots of good looking books out there though.
 
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#10
DM1975 said:
Except their pages don’t always track all the info I want to track, or in a way I want to track it. Been using their book for about 10-12 years now and have gone through multiple different layouts and pages. In the end I found it best just to make my own. I mean if their pages work for you then that’s the way to go, but I needed something slightly different than what they offer.
Click to expand...

There is enough room to write most anything you need on the pages. Never had an issue with room to write.
 
#12
Rob01 said:
There is enough room to write most anything you need on the pages. Never had an issue with room to write.
Click to expand...
I’ll clarify. I think Impact Data Books makes a great product that will probably fill the needs of most shooters. I still use some of their pages, but not all. I want to track data in a certain way and I find that many of the pages they offer have spaces for excess information that I don’t want to track and are missing spaces for information that I do want. I have also found that over the years what I want or need out of a data book has changed. I’m sure that I can undoubtedly make it work with what they provide but to keep things simple for me I have adopted a way to collect the data I want in a way that is best for me to understand when looking back on it later or if I don’t use the book for long enough that I somehow forget how I was going about it.
 
#14
A couple things I do that have helped me stay organized are:

Print out duplicate targets and using those to write notes on. I usually use a page with five diamond targets and before a range session I write what loads I will be shooting at each target then during shooting I can write the windspeed, holds, velocities, etc. for each target on the page. Especially handy if you're mucking with your zero or something and much easier to keep neat than little doodles of the target in a notebook.

After each range session I transfer important data from my range notes, mostly velocities but also zero adjustments, POI shifts, weather, equipment issues, and so on into a spreadsheet. It only takes a few minutes and it makes it really easy to keep track of things.
 
#15
I have gone almost exclusively to the Rite in the Rain 4x6 inch D.O.P.E. Logbooks. I have one for each rifle, and I find them easy to carry both at the range and in the field, and they have plenty of room to make notes. The paper also has a ghosted grid that I can use to make diagrams. I have used countless logbooks over the years, and these seem to be just right.
 
#18
I made it. Its not too difficult with fusion360, just a matter of making the openings thick enough for a mechanical pencil to fit through easily.

Happy to offer the file is anyone wants to 3d print their own. Could also made modifications and send the stl file to you if you wanted it more customized, its an "in progress" project for sure. I made it to fit a 3.5x5.5 notebook so it could be kept inside it, but its all adjustable.
 
#21
Out of curiosity, what items do you guys find the most useful in your log books?

I put a target in to try and keep track of cold bore shot to later shots, but I find myself hand writing most things. Round count, environmentals, load dev details.

I suppose that load dev details would be separate even from just a shooting log if you really wanted to classify stuff.
 
#22
For loading the IDB Reloading book has all the info I need to put in.

www.impactdatabooks.com

Reloading Data Book

Reloading Data Book
www.impactdatabooks.com

Environmentals, ammo and rifle is all the data book needs. Round count books are hanging near the safes and the info get put in them after a range day or match.
 
#23
OnyxSkyDV said:
Out of curiosity, what items do you guys find the most useful in your log books?

I put a target in to try and keep track of cold bore shot to later shots, but I find myself hand writing most things. Round count, environmentals, load dev details.

I suppose that load dev details would be separate even from just a shooting log if you really wanted to classify stuff.
Click to expand...
I’ve pretty much quit using the target pages where you mark your calls and shots. I don’t really track cold bore shots either. Mostly for me in a data book I keep load development pages, a velocity tracking page, DA range card pages with the DA broken down into different temps, and a round count page.

I also keep reference sheets in it such as a DA chart, wind rose and other wind reading tips, known target size sheets for milling, conversion charts, a rifle data sheet with maintenance log, notes pages, calculator, and a print out of the reticle I’m using with size data. I keep a multi-gun book so it’s arranged in dividers. I keep it all in a binder cover from triad tactical along with pencils and a sharpie, sewing tape measure, mil-dot master, range card placards, and a slope doper.

I want to develop a page for use when tracking groups but haven’t yet decided exactly how I want to go about doing it or if I actually need to do it. This is just how I’ve decided to start tracking everything and your use might be different than mine and mine might change again later on.

I basically just use it for reference info for shooting and reloading and as a backup to my Kestrel and AB app.
 
#24
I still use paper logs for each range visit, especially when sighting in a new rifle/optic change or when I am trying out a new load/ammo.
 
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