Anyone using a computer program to track your hobby?

[Epd230]

As I peruse Microsoft Excel looking for a template to assist in tracking my inventory of powder, molds, alloys, bullets, toenail clippings, guns and primers, I had to wonder. What do you guys use?

Has anyone made a template, or found a useful program to track all of the important stuff?

Tell us what you use.

[Sticky]

I use Excel, but make my own forms up, which will vary according to what I am keeping track of. I also use it for casting logs, load data and tons of other stuff where I can basically make up a form and fill it out. Most of them get continually tweaked along the way too... lol

[tallwalker]

Wouldn't be at all hard to write something. The hard part is deciding the database form, and allowing for the inevitable "tweaks" that Sticky refers to.

[dragon813gt]

I use excel to catalog molds and firearms. I don't bother w/ anything else because it's pointless. Purchases are tracked through Quicken as far as the financial side goes.

This is a PDF screenshot of the spreadsheet. The pics don't show in the spreadsheet on my phone which is why I have a PDF version. It has all the info I care about. It's more just to keep things straight as I keep buying molds.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa39/dragon813gt/TimeToMakeAmmo/4C0E08AA-45FF-424B-A8F7-88C28328641E.png (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/dragon813gt/media/TimeToMakeAmmo/4C0E08AA-45FF-424B-A8F7-88C28328641E.png.html)

[Bo1]

I created an excel spreadsheet with formulas to track current levels, stock levels, and need to purchase to get to stock levels for powders and primers.......Next project will be a new page to start recording all of my load data...

[khmer6]

Access database. Link tables. Inventory guns. Make notes of favorite loads. Has sections for all the boolits molds sizers dies powder primers too for inventory. Also can add picture of your firearms. Cost. Sale dates etc.

[Bzcraig]

Excel as well. It has been real helpful because I reload on a Lee turret press and use the Pro auto disk kit. I have a spreadsheet for all the powders I use with the various combinations of disks, all my load data and my molds with the weights and sizes of boolits.

[JimmyTheDentist]

. . . Has anyone . . . found a useful program to track all of the important stuff?

Tell us what you use.

great question! and i hope folks here can help us out with more of their ideas.

i'd much rather be out at the range than stuck in the shed keeping track of inventory. smoking a nice Cohiba while i'm missing my targets is what it's really all about. but i've got a small fortune wrapped up in this hobby and the same limited budget as everybody else. i'd like to track what i spend and what i use and what i need to save up for. but the stuff i want to know about my powder inventory/usage/costs/etc. are not the same things that i want to know about my finished rounds or my sizer dies or whatever.

add to that the fact that membership at the local club allows me the luxury of having access to all sorts of supplies from all sorts of sources. i'm always buying/selling/swapping/losing/ruining/shooting/spending and so i'm usually pretty confused about what i've got lying around the shop.

i know they're separate concerns but i'm also trying to accurately/efficiently track load data/chrono results/ballistics info/range performance/recipe variations/etc.

there are ballistics software programs on the market but i don't think they have anything to do with inventory.

started trying to capture some of this with Excel but it got really big really fast.

been playing with Access but i'm not nearly as proficient with Access as i am with Excel so the going is slow.

i'm thinking of using Quickbooks Point Of Sale software . . . it's designed for running a retail operation and plus also i already own a very old copy from a previous life. doubt it's worth trying to get that whole system running again as it's probably way more than i need/want to track.

i could skip all this stuff and just hope i never run out of primers or beeswax . . . but the hoarder in me needs to tell the miser in me how much junk is in the garage.

anybody got a way that works?

thanks.

Jimmy

[30Carbine]

I use reloaders reference it has inventory and cost in there along with firearm info you can put in there. and a lot of other neat stuff.

[dikman]

I can't be bothered with inventorying what I've got (sounds like a lot of unnecessary work!) and I have no trouble keeping track of my powder, caps, primers, cast boolits etc. - which is the important stuff!

I did, however, use a simple money program when I got started to keep track of overall expenditure, as I know I'll have trouble in a few years remembering how much I paid for which bits. I've also just downloaded Google sheets (free, and it's Excel compatible, not that I need it) to start up a simple record of load data - powder type/quantity, projectile type/weight, patch used, lube type, wad etc.. I intend to use this on a (small) tablet, so I can keep it with me at the range.

[Mal Paso]

Anyone using a computer program to track your hobby?

Who has time for a hobby?

One of the members here wrote an Excel spreadsheet for recording Chronograph results. Fill in the cells and it calculates deviation, energy etc. Years ago I started chronographing every load and recording it. It's one of the most valuable tools I have now.

[RogerDat]

The lead alloy calculator works well as an inventory of lead and alloy recipes. One can copy it into a new work sheet of same file or save as a new file name. I also use excel for items on my shopping list. Mostly to force me to prioritize my spending. But then that list has more than just reloading & casting items. Paint for the shed, stain for the deck, stuff for the camper, or mower or.... It helps me figure out where my money should go next. Unless of course I find a great deal on....

Casting / reloading info is on 3x5 index cards. Really should do something better. Inventory is word document with images and any relevant text notes but that is for general insurance purposes and covers the whole house. It does not change much, not buying many things that really need that level of insurance documentation.

[texassako]

I have used computers with other hobbies, and you can eventually end up on the computer entering data more often than enjoying the actual hobby. I limit this hobby to a firearms inventory, chronograph spreadsheet, and printable forms for various things like load data(in a binder) and mold info(in with the mold) on the computer. The chronograph spreadsheets are even handled by my Magnetospeed chronograph as the standard output on a microSD, but they do need a little cleaning up and labeling on the computer.

[DR Owl Creek]

I use Excel too.


Dave

[John Allen]

I am using excel to track my guns, molds and dies. I have a tendency to buy a mold or die set and then realize I already bought one.

[Tom Myers]

As I peruse Microsoft Excel looking for a template to assist in tracking my inventory of powder, molds, alloys, bullets, toenail clippings, guns and primers, I had to wonder. What do you guys use?

Has anyone made a template, or found a useful program to track all of the important stuff?

Tell us what you use.


Precision Load Records (http://www.tmtpages.com/New_Prec_BR/PrecRec/Prec_Rec-Bas.htm)

Precision Ballistics (http://www.tmtpages.com/basbal/bal.htm)

Precision Firearm Records (http://www.tmtpages.com/printarms.htm)

Bullet Mold Information Database (http://www.tmtpages.com/MoldListBuy/index.htm)

[Lars-K]

Another one: http://www.heavymetalsoftware.com/

[Expat74]

I'm using gunmanager and I like it. I only use Excel to calculate the cost of a bullet vs the amount of lead I buy. All the data (guns, reloading data, ammo in stock, reloading components) goes into the other.

[John Boy]

Anyone using a computer program to track your hobby?Excel - for years!

[M-Tecs]

Excel

[Tar Heel]

I use Excel, but make my own forms up, which will vary according to what I am keeping track of. I also use it for casting logs, load data and tons of other stuff where I can basically make up a form and fill it out. Most of them get continually tweaked along the way too... lol

Ditto on the above. Access has limits here and Excel rocks.

[Jim_P]

I use reloaders reference it has inventory and cost in there along with firearm info you can put in there. and a lot of other neat stuff.

+ 1 For Reloader Reference. http://sourceforge.net/projects/reloadersrfrnce/

It also allows me to import Data from my Chrony.

[Pressman]

I use Access, but the darn program is smarter than I. The early versions were user friendly but now I find that I am going to have to take an expensive, multi-hour Community College course to learn to get the most from the program.

For my needs Access is best at tracking hundreds of items, Excel has too many limitations.

Individual data bases for Reloading Presses, Scales, Powder Measures, Tools; ie trimmers, dies, sizers and all the other "stuff". Another data base for magazine ads, specifically the early issues of American Rifleman. Another data base for all the paper work, instructions, catalogs, sales sheets, etc.

Time consuming, in the beginning yes. Now it is just add data whenever there is an addition or change.

Ken

[Lars-K]

+ 1 For Reloader Reference. http://sourceforge.net/projects/reloadersrfrnce/

It also allows me to import Data from my Chrony.

Hi, where is the import function? I must have missed that one.

[dikman]

Mal Paso, is that chrono spreadsheet still available?

[Lars-K]

Here is my excel sheet for chrono data:

http://www.weatherbyrifler.com/Download/Pics/chrono2555.png

[svr4]

I am currently using excel to manage/track load data, number of rounds through each firearm etc.
All other notes I now enter in text document using notepad. Build a database and a browser based application would not be to difficult and probably could generate some neat reports. However I just do not track that kind of information anymore, and like other posters have said you will spend more time entering data then actually doing the hobby, and in reality probably never use the data either.