Without a chronograph you do not know your velocity. Without knowing your velocity your ballistic app will not give you accurate solutions. It really is that simple.
Help me understand the importance of measuring velocity for reloading.
- Thread starter BirdDog50
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
Velocity plateaus and how would you know your at max velocity without one?
Bob Wright
Well-Known Member
You may have no idea why in a multiple shot string the bullets are striking high and low. Could it be the shooter, the bedding, or bad setup in shooting?
Is the box ammo or handloads not working well?
At least with velocity and the bullet strikes in tandem can tell you a story if you study them.
Cause and effect.
Is the box ammo or handloads not working well?
At least with velocity and the bullet strikes in tandem can tell you a story if you study them.
Cause and effect.
You can guess based off published data and true your calculator to correct it. You need to true your results based on actual observed drops anyway, it'll just be a little easier if you start with a relatively close MV from a chronograph.
When I started the only chronos where at the ammo companies however when we got one it made life easier to shoot past 300 yards we could determine lethal range of our rifles without the (Hold my beer watch this) technique
Don Rackley
Well-Known Member
Long range shooting is really a pretty interesting math puzzle. Knowing more about the variables in the math equation helps us solve the puzzle.
Gravity starts pulling the bullet down at a constant rate as soon as it leaves the muzzle.
If you know the muzzle velocity and BC of the bullet you can more accurately predict the bullet path (drop data).
The next level, SD and ES are indicators of how consistent the bullet speed is and therefore how consistent the bullets will track the predicted path.
Gravity starts pulling the bullet down at a constant rate as soon as it leaves the muzzle.
If you know the muzzle velocity and BC of the bullet you can more accurately predict the bullet path (drop data).
The next level, SD and ES are indicators of how consistent the bullet speed is and therefore how consistent the bullets will track the predicted path.
Bang4theBuck
Well-Known Member
Honestly, measuring velocity is of paramount importance in reloading, especially for long range. Velocity consistency is the only real measure of your individual reloading practices. Most often, and only with rare exceptions do you find a load with excellent consistency in velocity that doesn't shoot accurately put of your rifle. Conversely, I've had velocity spreads as high as 120 fps that shot little bughole groups, but translate to huge elevation differences in impacts on target at extended range. So, if you can find velocity 'nodes' where there is a lot or room for variance in either powder charge or outdoor temperature tolerance, you can expect positive results. You have no way to knowing those things without measuring velocity. Also, while you should always be careful and work up slowly on powder charges, so as not to get into unsafe ranges of charges, having velocities recorded can give you indications of when you are approaching max charge, based on velocities.
I have the new Garmin.....its is awesome!
I look at a chrono as a valuable reloading tool. Most book charge weights are just ball park. Every chamber is different. Velocity equals pressure. Trying to read pressure signs is vodoo as when they start showing up your likely over. As mentioned also for longer range shooting velocity spreads become important. It's also nice to be able to plug in data and get your come ups close. That garmin is worth every penny. Save your money, sell off your first born. Just get one.
kfreeze
Well-Known Member
You really aren't giving up much. No vertical in groups tells all at the longest ranges. A known velocity only gives you a place to start and drops with a ballistics app. Some like to know the velocity differences from shot to shot, but the vertical in groups tells all in the end.
Yes and if your load has an es of 75 you know it's going to be bad and your wasting your time. Thats what a chrono will do for you. There is no excuse in todays world not to have one. If your going to spend several thousand dollars on a high end rifle build you can afford a chrono.
MagnumManiac
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2008
- Messages
- 5,588
Reasons to use a chronograph boils down to what you're handloading for.
When I started shooting Military Rifle comps with a 6.5x55 in the 80's, all ranges were known, sights were adjusted for each range. It was simple and you held for wind…
Moving on to other comps, 3 Position for instance, ranges were also known, Silhouette had varying ranges on the same targets, also, none of these required knowing velocity, dopes were done on target.
For hunting using these fundamentals, you could get your dopes on target and extrapolate holds for mid-ranging differences of up to 50 metres within hitting a 8-10" circle.
Moving to using a rangefinder and apps for dope, velocity (actual) is fundamentally required to get correct results. This extends the range at which you can shoot accurately, without this, even without a rangefinder, you are very limited to the point where you are just spraying and preying for a hit.
Even using MPBR you are limited to whatever that maximum range is, and without a rangefinder, an app or other things like a dope card, you are guessing if you don't know your actual velocity.
Cheers.
When I started shooting Military Rifle comps with a 6.5x55 in the 80's, all ranges were known, sights were adjusted for each range. It was simple and you held for wind…
Moving on to other comps, 3 Position for instance, ranges were also known, Silhouette had varying ranges on the same targets, also, none of these required knowing velocity, dopes were done on target.
For hunting using these fundamentals, you could get your dopes on target and extrapolate holds for mid-ranging differences of up to 50 metres within hitting a 8-10" circle.
Moving to using a rangefinder and apps for dope, velocity (actual) is fundamentally required to get correct results. This extends the range at which you can shoot accurately, without this, even without a rangefinder, you are very limited to the point where you are just spraying and preying for a hit.
Even using MPBR you are limited to whatever that maximum range is, and without a rangefinder, an app or other things like a dope card, you are guessing if you don't know your actual velocity.
Cheers.
You can be as consistent as possible with everything in reloading and precision long range shooting, if your velocities aren't consistent you are wasting time and money. Components are more expensive than ever, the Garmin will be worth the investment!
FireFlyFishing
Well-Known Member
Tell your wife it's a necessity as it is a piece of safety equipment.
I run a competition electronics optical. Works great and talks to my phone. Bought it at midway not too long ago for like $114. Only pain is the setup. Plus, you need a tripod. If I set it up correctly, it doesn't miss shots even on a sunny day.
I have the original version of the magneto and the V3. These are great as they capture every shot. The downfalls are they are limited on which weapon you can use it on, and your POI will change when mounted. I have a love hate with these. They also don't have an app and Bluetooth to my phone.
Never tried a lab radar as they were crazy expensive, needed more expensive parts to work, and setup could be a pain. I heard they work great when you have all that figured out.
Garmin. Def the way to go if you want the best option. Many used options out there nowadays after the Garmin was released…for good reason.
I run a competition electronics optical. Works great and talks to my phone. Bought it at midway not too long ago for like $114. Only pain is the setup. Plus, you need a tripod. If I set it up correctly, it doesn't miss shots even on a sunny day.
I have the original version of the magneto and the V3. These are great as they capture every shot. The downfalls are they are limited on which weapon you can use it on, and your POI will change when mounted. I have a love hate with these. They also don't have an app and Bluetooth to my phone.
Never tried a lab radar as they were crazy expensive, needed more expensive parts to work, and setup could be a pain. I heard they work great when you have all that figured out.
Garmin. Def the way to go if you want the best option. Many used options out there nowadays after the Garmin was released…for good reason.
