Chronograph or not for reloading?

[SamuelBerryhill308]

Just to put in my .02 when I first started out handloading I didn't have a chronograph due to running out of money to buy one and I soon found out I needed one because not having one your basically shooting in the dark just from my experience groups would be good at 100 but out past that they fell apart to me it just gives me peace at mind knowing what's going on while working up loads and helps me to understand what's going on.but just like others have said if you only shoot out to 100 yards and no more then just do load work at 100 and go with what groups the best but then you still may be going way slower than a group that is maybe moa at best just my 2 cents

 

[Alberta Wexit]

Use the chronograph after load has been developed. Unless speed is terrible that is the load I use. I have had to start over as some powder doesn't give the desired speed I look for. Accuracy is first speed is second. But chronographs do give you SD and ES which give you knowledge you have a consistent load. Had a Chrony for years upgraded to Labradar.

 

[shinbone]

For decades, handloaders worked up accurate loads without a chronograph.

For myself, I want a load that is accurate AND fast. Thus, I use a chronograph during load development.

 

[VTbluegrass]

I can't say if I used more or less components having a chronograph but unless you are shooting long distances its not going to tell you much. I mostly hunt at "traditional ranges" up to 300yards because it would almost take effort to find a spot with a longer shot. For years I just loaded up a few in half grain increment and went with the best one or if everything was crap I moved to other powder or bullets. My best 270 load was 100fps slower than I thought it would be but it never underperformed on game.
Also think about what are your goals, you can spend a lot of time chasing unnecessarily small ES or even tiny groups when you would be better served shooting and gaining skill at shooting over the "lab work" of reloading. For my rifle I do shoot across the beanfield at distances where consistent numbers really matter I got more into the weeds.

 

[esshup]

I am a pretty new reloader, and have had really good results on 5 rifles.

I am curious as to your thoughts on a chronograph's benefits to load development only. I do not shoot long range currently. Really, 300 yards and under, although, someday I would like to.

I am considering a Magnetospeed Sporter for saving components (Sattey) and safety. Currently, I have been doing seating depth at 100 yards and the powder charge at 100.

Let me know what you all think?

Thanks,
Steve

Steve:

Initial load development? I don't think it will help much, BUT it will help show you when approaching the upper limits before pressure signs show like others have said. (When developing a load, you will see where a certain "x" amount increase of powder will increase "X" FPS. When you don't see that same "X" increase fps wise with the same bump in powder charge you know you are reaching the top and it is pointless to add more powder for more speed because all you will be doing is increasing pressure.)

Where I believe it will help you save on reloading components is when you have a load that works great, then you switch lots of powder. If the FPS is different, you can adjust it quickly with minimal shooting to get back to the same accuracy node. Where it also shines is to determine if the FPS changes with temperature (same powder charge).

 

[nealm66]

There is a lot of debate about flat spots in a ladder. Some say with precision reloading practice, they can have low es/ds with any of the charges in a ladder and that flat spots are a myth. Some say harmonics and case performance can create flat spots. Ive always wondered if they see flat spots with the test barrels at ammunition factories or if it's just a dam good way to sell a lot of reloading supplies.

 

[AggieHunter]

I am a pretty new reloader, and have had really good results on 5 rifles.

I am curious as to your thoughts on a chronograph's benefits to load development only. I do not shoot long range currently. Really, 300 yards and under, although, someday I would like to.

I am considering a Magnetospeed Sporter for saving components (Sattey) and safety. Currently, I have been doing seating depth at 100 yards and the powder charge at 100.

Let me know what you all think?

Thanks,
Steve

I use the Magnetospeed for load development as in the the velocity, SD, pressures, etc. once I feel like I have the right load. It is great to use t the the range both inside and outside because the ability to strap it on the barrel. Once I am comfortable with the numbers, I remove the strap from the barrel to finalize the sight in on my rifles. Hope this helps.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Oh, I use a Pressure Trace II while doing load development, but not all of my barrels have transducers glued to them and I ran out some time ago.
Need to buy more, as I have a few new cartridges and barrels to test.
Biggest eye opener is the fact that pressure and velocity, even what the book says, are not a direct relationship. If you don't have the EXACT components that the book uses, then you are on your own when it comes to what velocity is at what pressure.
Staying within a book velocity is definitely safe, but it DOES NOT mean you have hit max PRESSURE as many quote.
A change in primer alone can sway pressure by 10,000psi either way, but velocity may not change due to the curve under that pressure reading. Where the reading is taken also affects the outcome.
Anyway, reading pressure is NOT an exact science, if it were, every load in a book would shoot exactly the same in every rifle...alas, it does not.

Cheers.

 

[cjuve]

I don't use a chronograph for load development I use a chronograph to tell me what my load is doing. Once I have a load that shoots the way that I want it to shoot I chronograph the speeds so that I can calculate drops and diagnose issues related to accuracy degradation. This helps when transitioning from new to once fired brass, barrel speedup, powder temp stability and really anything that would change POI's. for example I recently switched from new to once fired brass in my 6 BR, my previous load of 29.2 grs of Varget produced 2780 FPS with great accuracy. In the once fired brass this load produced 2820 fps with less than stellar accuracy, dropping the powder to 28.8 gr. and lowering the velocity near the 2780 FPS was all it took for accuracy to return.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Depending on what you are after. Personally I like to chronograph all my loads at the range. If you don't that fine, but you won't really have an ideal as to what the bullet is going to do at longer ranges. I want to know what my bullet should be doing and it is doing at different yardages. I can at the time of shooting longer distance, see if the bullets are doing what is shown in drop formal or not. I have found in the pass the BC was stated lower that what they really were. My grouping was about 3" higher that what the charts called out for. Adjusted my BC and it trued it up. It gave me better down range distances. Bottom line I want to know everything I can, on how my rifle and loads are preforming.
The other is having a range finder in your pocket while hunting. Close shot no big deal, but at longer ranges it is. Is it 300yd or 350yd. It also depends on what scope you are using too.

 

[LRNut]

If your max range is 300 yards, I would say you don't need one. I can't remember the last time I chrono'd the .308 Win I use for deer hunting in MN.

 

[lancetkenyon]

If your max range is 300 yards, I would say you don't need one. I can't remember the last time I chrono'd the .308 Win I use for deer hunting in MN.

This. For 300 yards and in, I wouldn't worry about ES, SD, or even velocity. Just work up an accurate load, zero at 200, and see what your drops are at 300. Done.

But, I shoot out to 1400 all the time. Finding a load with low ES/SD is vital at those ranges. Even if not looking for top end speed, you MUST know your speeds for proper shooting solutions. A chronograph is the only way to do this.
I have had loads that shoot cloverleafs at 100 with a 50fps ES. Those groups will not stay the same at 1000. 50fps can make a 10" difference or more drop at 1000. Even with relatively high BC bullets.

 

[vancewalker007]

I am a pretty new reloader, and have had really good results on 5 rifles.

I am curious as to your thoughts on a chronograph's benefits to load development only. I do not shoot long range currently. Really, 300 yards and under, although, someday I would like to.

I am considering a Magnetospeed Sporter for saving components (Sattey) and safety. Currently, I have been doing seating depth at 100 yards and the powder charge at 100.

Let me know what you all think?

Thanks,
Steve

For $180 you can get s a rock solid magneto speed to perform velocity/pressure ladders and test accurate loads for speed and consistency (ES/SD) to start your ballistics verification/validation process. Its an inexpensive (relatively) tool that you can get a lot of use out of. I say you need it. I know you say your max range is 300, but that's gonna start stretching as you get more into this. My wife has just started shooting this year and she has just been stretching to 500meters standing off a set of Viper Shooting Stix.

 

[Hugnot]

Having a chrony is a good step in load development. If it consistently shoots extremely well 300 and under velocity is not a big deal. Velocity ranges of 100 fps or so are not a big deal at ranges up to 1,000 provided shot to shot velocity is relatively consistent. For years prior to the availability of cheap electronic photo chronys the method was to use a pendulum(ballistic pendulum) and then do some funny calculations. Many 1,000 yard matches were won without use of calculated velocities.

I think if it shoots extremely well, like under 1/2 at 100, I will chrony the load so I can get a good idea of performance at extended ranges as bullet drop becomes more variable upon muzzle velocity differences at extreme ranges. Group shape is another consideration - strung up & down or side to side. Analyzing pressure indications with velocity increments is also useful.

I now have a relatively cheap Magneto Speed, acquired after a did a one shot group in the middle of my old photo chrony. No need to fuss with the stat calculations done with the Magneto Speed. I just log them in my note book then play around with them using Excel.