You tell me.....

[RMulhern]

why I need a chronograph!

https://flic.kr/p/mLJq7n

Overall diameter of the black is 44" which I use to train for Palma shooting using irons, the white AR400 plate is 20" with the small plate in the center measuring 5".

I fired this about an hour ago from 1000 yards using this:

https://flic.kr/p/jtxu29

It's a Jon Beanland build and in an old and outdated cartridge at 108 years of age...the 30/06. Did I use a chronograph to develop this load?? NO! I went to the Sierra Reloading Manual like I've always done...looked at the loadings and found one that would possibly give me a lightly compressed charge and I chose IMR4350 at 55 grs. because I have already tested earlier starting at 53.5 gr. of the same powder and then I worked up to the present load which I will stay at. The bullet is the Berger 185 VLD Target bullet. Quite often there comes the question here...."Do I need a chronograph to work up loads?" and I always get a belly laugh from this question as I HAVE NEVER in over 60 years of shooting relied upon a chrony to work up loads! Rather...I do just as I've stated above and then I go see what the load I've just put together will deliver ON THE FACE OF THE TARGET! I will readily admit that I am not hampered with range problems because my 1000 yd. firing line is only 500 yards from where I'm typing this so I can understand why someone would wish to use a chrony possibly not having a good range at their disposal. With this being said....I don't trust any chronograph as there are just too many variables that can come into play. There is NO VARIABLE when I can see what's on the face of the target.

 

[gohring3006]

I don't use one either I'll bet with 60yrs. Of experience I could learn alot from someone like you I wish I was your neighbor then the bonus would be your 1000yrd range in your backyard the 3006 is my favorite cartridge

 

[cowboy]

RMulhern: Not disagreeing with you at all. I can't tell you how many rifles, loads, targets shot and animals killed before chrony's even existed. With that said during that time I never used a cell phone, let alone an iPhone, a computer, ipad, fax and all these new inventions. Now I have them all - just saying. I think they call it progress. Do you have to have them to get things done - hell no.

 

[Bigcat_hunter]

What do you do if you develop your load at sea level the n go on an elk hunt at 8000ft?

 

[gohring3006]

What do you do if you develop your load at sea level the n go on an elk hunt at 8000ft?

I definitely wouldn't take a chrony with me to the top of the mountain every time I went hunting I would shoot a few to check point of impact and adjust accordingly heck if I took a chrony why not take everything to develope a load at 8000ft then when I drop to 4000 I can start over

 

[RMulhern]

What do you do if you develop your load at sea level the n go on an elk hunt at 8000ft?

I'd get a zero at 8000'!

As a sidebar....in '92 I shot the Palma course at Raton, New Mexico. My zero here at 80' ASL from 1000 yards was 5 full MOA high at Raton. Look up that elevation.

 

[RMulhern]

RMulhern: Not disagreeing with you at all. I can't tell you how many rifles, loads, targets shot and animals killed before chrony's even existed. With that said during that time I never used a cell phone, let alone an iPhone, a computer, ipad, fax and all these new inventions. Now I have them all - just saying. I think they call it progress. Do you have to have them to get things done - hell no.

Cowboy

Even though I'm an 'old phart' I keep up with modern tech! I have an iPhone and am pretty decent with computers being as how I had to use them in aviation. As for figuring out a velocity for my loads....I've found the Ballistic AE program is quite good for giving me a probable figure for that just by using my drop/MOA changes and inserting a MV figure within the program to match my MOA zero!

 

[WildRose]

I'd get a zero at 8000'!

As a sidebar....in '92 I shot the Palma course at Raton, New Mexico. My zero here at 80' ASL from 1000 yards was 5 full MOA high at Raton. Look up that elevation.

I know Raton pretty well and grew up hunting Antelope just east of there near Capulin Mountain.

The air is most certainly a good bit thinner when you get up at 7,500ft Plus vs the sub 1,200ft where over 2/3 of the human population of the planet resides LOL.

A chrony is a nice piece of equipment if for no other reason than to measure extreme spread for a given load which can quickly help a guy eliminate one variable if he's trying to figure out why he can't get a good consistent tight group.

They also give you a good starting point for working out your initial drop charts so again, helpful but not essential.

Is it essential? No but they are helpful.

Now for those guys who don't have access to long range shooting opportunities who are trying to get ready for long range hunts the equation changes and for them it's going to be even more helpful because they may not get a chance to verify their drops beyond 3-500yds before getting to where they are hunting.

 

[4xforfun]

Well, for the purposes of this web form, at some point, you will need to know the speed of your bullet. That way you can shoot anywhere on the planet. And, your muzzle velocity does not change with elevation, so you are right.... you wouldn't need to take a chrony to 10000 feet ....the velocity will be unchanged.
But, you are correct about not needing a chrony for testing and load development. If you have an ES problem, it will show up on on your long range target as verticle. But then again, so will seating depth issues, neck tension issues....ect..ect...

 

[RMulhern]

Well, for the purposes of this web form, at some point, you will need to know the speed of your bullet. That way you can shoot anywhere on the planet. And, your muzzle velocity does not change with elevation, so you are right.... you wouldn't need to take a chrony to 10000 feet ....the velocity will be unchanged.
But, you are correct about not needing a chrony for testing and load development. If you have an ES problem, it will show up on on your long range target as verticle. But then again, so will seating depth issues, neck tension issues....ect..ect...

4xforfun

"neck tension issues"

If I had to pick any one thing that was FIRST and ultra-important to consistent accuracy....it would be that of obtaining 'consistent neck tension' and seating depth as second in line!!

 

[Korhil78]

I used a chrono once for the first time this year. I had my drops all down pat out to 1 mile with the velocity that I had come up with on my own through validation at different ranges. I decided that I would borrow a buddies chronograph and see how close I was to the velocity it spit out. I was 7 fps off haha.

I don't really need a chrono to tell me if I have a good load or not. Shooting out at longer ranges will tell me that. BUT it is faster to get your velocity and help validate your drops faster thus saving bullets and barrel life. I was shooting a 338 LM so I want to save all the barrel life that I can so I could see the positive in the chrono. As for the barrel life of your 30-06...we will probably both be dead before that thing burns out.