finally decided on a color protocol

[jimb16]

With all the colors available, I was having a bit of a problem figuring out which colors I wanted to use on which boolits. Finally made up my mind. Since I have a number of different rifles and pistols in similar/close calibers, I've gone with a modified stop light system! Red for the largest (don't use in the smaller calibers). Orange for the mid-sized calibers (can be used with caution in the smaller calibers i.e. .312 in .308) and green for the smallest. I know there are some "in betweens". Those can be colored with yellow and blue. It works well for the ".38s" (.357 vs .355) and the .45s (.45 colt/.45 auto) as well. While it is easy to tell a .45 from a .357 at a glance, the actual diameter isn't. The color code will make that easy! Comments?

[RP]

Have not got to that level yet I am still into just having cool colors

[Walter Laich]

I was in love with the bright colors when I started...
then...
I've coming to appreciate the more muted ones. Like orange in black and purple in black...
next week...
who knows??

I still enjoy it as much as I did when I started

[jimb16]

I just finished PCing and sizing the boolits that I cast last week. Just over 1600 of them. They were for the .45 ACP, 7.62x54 and the 8mm Mauser. Put home made brass GCs of many of them too. I love being self sufficient.

[OS OK]

Are you kidding…I started doing this 30 years ago!

Red…for HOT loads, the ones that make my Ruger fly back over my shoulder.
Yellow…for those days I'm feeling Cautious.
Green…for shooting with a Hangover.
Maud…for when I'm feeling indifferent.
Purple…'People Eaters', all my hollow points.
Black…for those days I get up on the wrong side of the bed.
Pink…for my feminist side.

Any further suggestions?…OS OK..:bigsmyl2:

[RogerDat]

Well pink or purple go on the 38/357 or 45 colt bullets for when my wife or daughter want lite loads. Or as daughter put it "want to join the Barbie army". Any other color in that caliber is just for fun except black. In my mind black means gas check which comes from having rifle molds that cast both plain base and GC bullets. PC over GC makes it hard to see the gas check so I had to pick a color just for GC when I PC 8mm or 303 bullets.

After that again it is just for fun to have different colors. I might decide to pick out a certain color if I'm loading some heavy and lite loads or trying a different powder and they will end up in the same case. The label will have the load info adding the color will just help and will only apply to that box.

Step son gets Green and White as full power 44 mag, and blue and yellow for lite loads (if you're from Mich that makes sense) But if I was using a different load or powder for a batch I would just pick out a different color so he would have a visual clue to look at the label.

Problem I have with specific color scheme is it is a second place that provides the same data. My cast bullets are labeled in their storage, when made into ammo that container is labeled. If I count on the color code for the label information what the heck do I do when I don't have the right color, or have different loads with the same colors? I know my organizational limits, I can manage to have 1 color for GC if that caliber has both GC and Plain Base. After that I had better have written it down and stuck it on or in the container or I'm hosed.

[bangerjim]

Color coding is a good idea and PC makes it very easy.

I just tumble/spray what is set up in the tub or gun! I never worry about colors any more. If you would look at a box of 50 of most of my loads, it like a box of Skittles. They all go splat at the other end anyway. I keep track of my detailed load data on the white boxes I store my loads in.

The only color coding I now use is for the 0.451's I use in my 1911's for 45ACP. I sprinkle or dab a contrasting color on the nose B4 baking to highlight the smaller sizing from all my larger 45 Long Colt sized slugs.

But color coding is there very easily for those that want to use it.

banger

[Smoke4320]

Are you kidding…I started doing this 30 years ago!

Red…for HOT loads, the ones that make my Ruger fly back over my shoulder.
Yellow…for those days I'm feeling Cautious.
Green…for shooting with a Hangover.
Maud…for when I'm feeling indifferent.
Purple…'People Eaters', all my hollow points.
Black…for those days I get up on the wrong side of the bed.
Pink…for my feminist side.

Any further suggestions?…OS OK..:bigsmyl2:

Bacon Grease.. when I feel Militant
Gray.. when I can't self identify :) :)

[reddog81]

I use different colors to identify hardness/softness of the lead and sized/unsized.
Blue means sized
Red means unsized
White means hard
Black means soft
I mix the PC to get the desired outcome - for example I can tell a bullet with a red and black mix should be around 10-12 BNH and unsized.
A bullet with a white and blue mix would be a around 16 BNH and sized.
It probably sounds a little confusing at first but it makes sense to me and I can throw 2 or more different batches of bullets into the same container without worrying about being able to tell them apart at a later date.

[runfiverun]

you guy's are killing me.

[jimb16]

I see most of you are using color to designate load power. I'm using it to indicate actual caliber (.357 vs .355 or .452 vs .454) Different concepts. Both useful.

[vrh]

I only reload for 3 calibers. Blue is for my 38 specials. Red is for my 40 S&W. Green is for my 30-06 rifle. If I wanted a different color...then I would have to buy another gun. ( That would upset the boss). LOL