Best Method of Marking Hulls?

[Keith Doty]

I assign a lot number to each reload using the date of the original loading. The boxes get the lot number, gauge, length, shot weight, and size. Basically what info is on a box of factory shells and the lot number references me back to the "book" I keep with every reload, good or bad, I've loaded in the last many, many years. All segregated by gauge. I NEVER leave orphan shells out, always return them to the box even if there are only a handfull ( or even 1) that didn't get fired. This has kept me out of trouble since high school days and my first 20 ga. loader 50+ years ago!

[Mike of the Mountain]

I color code primers like Daryl does. If I need more info I just write it on the hull with a sharpie and add info onto any label I stick on the boxes when I place the reloads into them.

[J. A. EARLY]

Waterfowl shells: seal the primers with cheap fingernail polish. Blue for steel, red for hevi-shot. Then the hulls are marked with a sharpie for shot size. Even mark factory shells about three times each with a sharpie since poor markings come off.

Buckshot: Yellow or White marking pen.

Bird shot: Black hulls 9s, Red hulls 8 or 8.5, Green hulls 7.5, High brass hulls of any color, marked with a sharpie for 6 or larger.

Placed in a used cardboard shell box with printing label on top marked as to the load.

In MTM 100 boxes blue painters tape marked and placed on top for each 25 section as to weight of charge and size.