Do you Chrony your loads or not?

[No_1]

In the beginning I would assemble a load derived from a book, shoot it at a given distance then determine if it was accurate enough for my needs. Now I basically do the same thing but shoot those loads across the chrony as part of the measure of accuracy and could not imagine load developement without one.

My question is: How many use a chrony in load development?

[bobthenailer]

I usually work up a accurate load & then chronograph to see what the actual velocity is of my pet load.

[btroj]

Depends. If I am just doing a quick trip to the range to try something out the chrono stays home

Iris am trying something for real the chrono gos along. I shoot thousands of rounds a year over mine.

I like to see if a load is consistant in velocity and I like knowing how fast it is really going. I also use it as a safety check. If a round gives a velocity higher than the book shows it should I know to back off on powder.

[Casting Timmy]

I do not have a chrony, but have read a couple places where the most consistent load on the paper wasn't the most consistent across the chrony.

I have thought about getting one, but I think it can be too easy to put to much trust in the machine and not the paper down range.

It was interesting to read in Hatcher's notebook about the National Match ammo changing to a powder that metered worst and had a larger velocity spread than the year before. It was interesting that the ammo did better down range even with the larger velocity spread and worst metering.

I will watch this one to see how well others use it and like them in use.

[geargnasher]

I use a chrony because I do a lot of work out in the twilight zone where no relevant published pressure data exists. It's the closest my budget will allow to a personal ballistics lab. If I'm working within book data, I work toward accuracy first, and when I get there I usually chronograph the load to see how the pressure compares. Often, my guns are different enough from the pressure barrels that the chronograph data itself has to be extrapolated a bit for an apples-to-apples comparison, but it's another set of valuable data that I use in load development and confirmation. I don't dote over SD and ES, only on group size. The relationship between consistent group size and consistent velocity hasn't been established by anyone I know of in a firm enough way for me to pay it any mind.

Gear

[FUBAR 6]

I use one when working up a load, changing anything about an existing I already use....

The chrony with known distance targets is the way one figures out if that "best load on paper" is true/false....

[Wal']

Makes life a lot easier having one or access to, remembering to take out the battery when not in use is whole nother story. :-)

[Mike Kerr]

Depends. Many of my loads are pretty well established. Don't need to chrony near as much as I did several years ago.

regards,

:-D:-D

[Bret4207]

I rarely use mine. I work up a good load and go from there, if I happen to have the Chrony out it might get checked. If it makes little 10 shot groups at 100 yards what difference does speed make? The fastest loads I shoot these days barely hit 2200fps. Does it matter if it's 2203 or 2171?

[jmorris]

I use them when working up loads for gun games that have a "power factor" you have to meet. Also when working down subsonic loads. For every thing else a chrono at the end to know where its at is about it. I don't worship only at the alter of low SD or ES, its the goal of one hole down range I am after and a chronograph isn't needed for that. I would hate to skip by an exellent load for a gun because I thought the chronograph was telling me it was no good.

[rda72927]

My biggest reqret is not getting a chronograph YEARS ago. If a person is reloading just to save a little cash and hear things go bang, then they don't need one. This one tool can really tell you a lot about your reloads and process of loading.

[soldierbilly1]

I use mine for various reasons. Never regretted buying it, they are pretty everyday now! I bought it originally for highpower, my rounds speed wise, had to be what everyone else's is or you are losing points to wind. I also use it for pistol, especially used for setting up cast boolit loads by checking speed and I use it for loading self defense rounds, eg, XTP's, for my 38's and 9's where data may not exist! It's invaluable, its a good indirect indication of your pressures. buy it. billy boy

[Greg B.]

I have loaded for a long time and just work with book loads until I get the most accurate one. My next purchase will be a decent spotting scope.

Greg B.

[frankenfab]

SD and ES matter more and more the farther you are shooting. I am speaking of the relationship between time of flight and gavitational pull. I don't even pretend to be able to do the math quickly, but here's an example from the Hornady Fifth Edition, Second Volume:

The difference in vertical dispersion (drop) for a .30 cal. 190 gr. spire point fired at 3000 fps, vs. 2900 fps. at 500 yds, with a 50 yd. zero is 4.2". At 100 yds., the difference is only .1". (roughly only .025" for a 25 fps difference.) By 200yds., the difference in drop has already increased to .4". (Still , only roughly .1" difference vertically for a 25 fps discrepancy. AT 200 YDS! about 1/20th of a MOA!)

Maybe I should have used lower velocities, since this is Cast Boolits. If you look at the difference between 2000 fps and 2100 fps, the number at 100 yds, doubles (.2"). So you have to be able to get a .950" group with all other factors considered in order to get a 1" group, if you have a 25fps velocity spread.:bigsmyl2:

Silly, huh?

For 99% of what we do with boolits, velocity spread doesn't matter a hoot. But, based on my comment above, I like it when I see a low ES when working up loads anyway. It's just an OCD consistency thing for me, I guess. The highest ES I have ever seen in any loads I was working on was probably only 100 fps., and I bet the powder measure was partially at fault in that case.

And +1 on chronographing for safety reasons, and just knowing your velocity as well!

[Plate plinker]

Same as Jmorris I use it to establish power factor. Also use it on my 204 loads for fun. 4400 fps high average. [smilie=w:

[r1kk1]

I use a chronograph to check surplus powders. Is Russian 4895 produce velocities similar to IMR 4895 or Hodgdon 4895? Does WC 820 closely resemble H110 in my firearm?

I use a chronograph to check crimps. Certain powders like heavy crimps, for instance H110/W296. Other powders not so much. I'm going to pick up a consistent crimp to try on my Champion press. It might be hooey but I'm looking for repeatable and consistent results.

I use a chronograph to check my shotshell loads. I have a case of Hawk II wads and it has limited data available. On the bottom of the sheet it says use WAA 12 data. I have WAA 12 wads to compare in my shotgun.

I use a chronograph on my hunting/varmint rounds and then enter the info into a JBL ballistics calculator to get tables for bullet drop and wind drift.

The target or pattern board gets my full attention. Once I have a repeatable group that I'm satisfied, out comes the chronograph. If the next keg of powder lot changes, I can readily check it against a known value in my rifle, handgun, or shotgun.

The chronograph allows me to fine tune a load. Alas, the chronograph as well as the consistent crimp tool have a certain amount of tolerance. These are not high end tools that are out of our financial reach. Knowing this, I think it will fit in my goals.

Take care

r1kk1

[Larry Gibson]

No, I don't "Chrony". I do use a chronograph and have used Oehler's since 1975. I would not do load development without one, for short range work or long range work. The chronograph if used with a sufficient test sample. 1, 3 or 5 shot test strings are not sufficient. A test string of a minimum 7 shots is needed but a 10 shot test string is the norm for industry and SAAMI as wth that you get a high assurance that the data is meaningful. A chronograph with sufficient test shots can give you a good idea of the internal ballists through the SD and ES .

A small SD and ES are no guarentee of accuracy but I've yet to see consistent accuracy without a good SD and ES. For those who like to discuss esoteric things like a barrel's "nodes" consider the small the SD and ES the closer to the same"node" the bullet will exit.

Do you need a chronograph? Certainly not as you can get along fine without one by using manual data and good loading technique/development as ascribed in most all loading manuals. The use of the chronograph can get you to good loads faster, cut down on component suage in load development and provide you with useful information about what your loads are really doing plus numerous other things. Simply put the use of the chronograph will advance your own knowlede and may keep you out of hot water.

Larry Gibson

[jmorris]

SD and ES matter more and more the farther you are shooting. I am speaking of the relationship between time of flight and gavitational pull. While I can't disagree with that, having lower SD and ES is not the end of the story. I could have a 38 spl wadcutter load that SD and ES are zero and a 50 BMG load that has an ES of 50 fps. At 1000 yards the 50 times greater SD will shoot better groups, all day, every day. A little less drastic may simply be a different bullet/powder combo that happens to work better in a certian gun than another combo with a lower SD/ES.

[Cherokee]

I develop less than max loads for accuracy, then I will use my Ohler Chron to see what is going on. If I was developing top end loads, I would use the Ohler in the process. Got along for many years without one but did get the Ohler back in the 70's and like it.

[Crlrca]

I usually work up a accurate load & then chronograph to see what the actual velocity is of my pet load.

+1. I like to know velocity for shooting longer range.

Crl

[Fatdaddy]

I finally bought one just for peace of mind.
Recently my first 357sig loads needed some major tweeking - to get back in the safe zone, even using the recommended start data listed.
The first shot: "that velocity is way too high to be right"
The second mirrored the first and I considered myself warned.
The Chrony saved me from continuing to shoot an unsafe load.

[dragon813gt]

Don't use one. I care about accuracy more than speed. I don't push loads to the max so it would be a worthless tool for me to have.


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[1hole]

"My question is: How many use a chrony in load development? "

I was once told it's some 463 of us but that may have changed. ???

[FergusonTO35]

I chrono everything because published velocity almost never matches what happens in the real world, also it doesn't tell you that the whiz bang load you were all excited about has an ES of 200 fps.

[Larry in MT]

I've had a Chrony since they first came out. I DO use it whenever I'm working up a new load. I've recently been working up 44 Special loads in a NM BlackHawk and the Chrony has really added to my enjoyment.

Heck, I enjoy chronying a 22 rimfire, just to see the results.

[375RUGER]

I only shoot over the chrono when my load development is done. That's when I want to know the velocity so I can work up a drop table.

[Old Caster]

My first Chronograph, which I still have was an Ohler model 12. It was necessary to have a chart and to flip switches back and forth and get a yes-no to derive the velocity. It was a pain but worth the effort. Chronographs have come a long way since and I have had several and now I use a Chrony. I am one who just has to know what is going on and have found that a close SD or ES is not a guarantee one way or another but can sometimes be important especially at low velocity pistol loads that are already arcing a lot on their way to a target. Vertical stringing will show up in this venue more often than not plus the slower they go the more likely it is that you will have a large (percentage wise) ES. An interesting observation is that Black Powder Cartridge loads often have amazingly low extreme spreads. Also if you ever use pull down powders a chronograph is essential. -- Bill --

[FergusonTO35]

One bit of weirdness that affects my Shooting Chrony Alpha: every so often a shot string will read about 40% lower velocity than I would expect. I move to a different string and then the numbers are normal again. Whats going on here? Is it switching itself to some other measurement?