Basic software?

[jrdeahl]

I am having a hard time finding basic load data software.

Here is what I am looking for:

I have reloading book data of 22-250 as:
40gr bullet, 36gr IMR4064, 3,877 START
40gr bullet, 38.5 IMR4064, 4,187 MAXIMUM

Here is the problem. If I use 37.5gr....what is my velocity?

I can break it down on a calculator, but there is probably software out there to do this.

Thanks,
John

 

[Lapua40X]

Even though I doubt it will do all the work for you, this is the only software that I know of that even comes close to what you're looking for:

http://www.neconos.com/details3.htm

 

[Webster]

I am having a hard time finding basic load data software.

Here is what I am looking for:

I have reloading book data of 22-250 as:
40gr bullet, 36gr IMR4064, 3,877 START
40gr bullet, 38.5 IMR4064, 4,187 MAXIMUM

Here is the problem. If I use 37.5gr....what is my velocity?

I can break it down on a calculator, but there is probably software out there to do this.

Thanks,
John

Graph in Excel since it's between 2 numbers. Of course your rifle probably won't match what you come up with. Every reloading manual will give different data for the same loads. No chronograph? Sight it in for 100 yards at the range then shoot it at 400 yards if possible. Run various fps numbers through the free Berger ballistics program until you enter a fps that matches your drop at 400. You have to realize any software is only an approximation.

 

[dmoran]

@jrdeahl
40gr bullet, 36gr IMR4064, 3,877 START
40gr bullet, 38.5 IMR4064, 4,187 MAXIMUM
________________________________________
(subtract both the above, then divide, then add to START)

2.5-gr / 310-fps = 12.4-fps per 0.1-grains of IMR4064

Extrapolation: 37.5 = 4063-fps

 

[jlow]

Donovan’s method is the simplest, but keep in mind that unless the company fires the round (at the very least) with the same barrel length that you are using, those velocities will not relate to your rifle….

 

[savagedasher]

The loads I get with QL and H4350 is within 10 FPS
14 years of using QL Larry

 

[jrdeahl]

Guys, I have been reloading for 46 years. I know all the problems with reloading manuals, barrel lengths, velocities and weather conditions.

I've got several reloading manuals. One of my favorites is the 1980 Hornady manual that lists 5 different velocities (by 100 fps) for a powder and bullet.

I find manuals are good for finding the start and max limit, and trying to find the sweet spot under, or below, the max.

The Hornady manual is also good for finding, like on the 22-250, where a person can find a powder and grain amount with several bullets weights. ie: the Hornady 40, 52 and 55 grain bullets can all be used with IMR4895 at up to 36.5. Now that is the max for a 55 gr bullet, it is above the min and below the max on the 40 grain bullet. But there is no velocity listing for that load.

I know any paper powder vs velosity vs barrel length is not going to be exact, but so is weather conditions.

All this is a guide only, but it does give a person an idea. If they were not any good why would they publish the data?

I am working on a software program to do this since I have not found a program.

 

[Ned Ludd]

Did you follow Lapua40X's link to the reloading Program called "QuickLoad" at neconos.com? It's been around for a while...very useful. You might want to take a look before writing your own code.

 

[jrdeahl]

No, I have looked at it already. It requires more work than I want to do.

I wrote an old program (dbase) in an couple of hours for it.

 

[Webster]

I am having a hard time finding basic load data software.

Here is what I am looking for:

I have reloading book data of 22-250 as:
40gr bullet, 36gr IMR4064, 3,877 START
40gr bullet, 38.5 IMR4064, 4,187 MAXIMUM

Here is the problem. If I use 37.5gr....what is my velocity?

I can break it down on a calculator, but there is probably software out there to do this.

Thanks,
John

Buy a chrongraph. Some are reasonably priced. Any program you write or buy is still guess work and not real numbers.

 

[seymour fish]

I am having a hard time finding basic load data software.

Here is what I am looking for:

I have reloading book data of 22-250 as:
40gr bullet, 36gr IMR4064, 3,877 START
40gr bullet, 38.5 IMR4064, 4,187 MAXIMUM

Here is the problem. If I use 37.5gr....what is my velocity?

I can break it down on a calculator, but there is probably software out there to do this.

Thanks,
John

Quick load, and the meaningful inputs it requires will be an eye-opening educational internal ballistics experience and guaranteed to make your original question your low-water mark

 

[jrdeahl]

Decades ago I realized that when writing computer programming that it is not all good data. There is a thing of too much data. Sometimes referred to as "garbage in and garbage out". It is kind of like, can't see the forest for the trees.

All that data may be fine for some people, but for others it ruins the experience.

I have an electronic and programmable scope. It tells me all kinds of things. It is like a heads up display on a jet pilots helmet. A person can program into it the bullet coefficients, wind, etc. But at a point you feel like its just to much crap. It is not like I need it to shoot a nats ass out to 1 mile. Maybe just 100 or 200 yards.
Before even taking it to the range, while playing with it at home because of the large learning curve, I realized that I could miss target opportunities while I was setting a shot up!

For most of us, it is too much effort and borders on overkill.

 

[Ned Ludd]

FWIW - with QuickLoad, you really only need your barrel length, case trim length, case volume, COAL, charge weight, and ambient temperature in order to get decent predictions. Most people are going to have those values anyhow as part of the reloading/shooting process, so it doesn't require much extra effort to get them. With the exception of barrel length, COAL, and charge weight, the program even has preset inputs for case trim length and volume if you don't know your specific values, and COAL if you're loading to mag length. The preset values may not be spot on, but are fairly close for a given cartridge. The other inputs can be selected from the libraries that are part of the program (i.e. bullets and powder).

I always "calibrate" the program to my specific setup first by adjusting the preset burn rate for the powder I'm using until the predicted velocity exactly matches my actual measured velocity for a known charge weight. Otherwise, it really takes very little effort to get it working for you; it's remarkably user-friendly and you can decide how much (or little) of the outputs you pay attention to. For load development, I'm typically interested only in 4 outputs: case fill ratio, pressure, barrel time, and velocity. The program is certainly capable of doing far more, but you really don't have to bother with all the other features in order to get good, usable information.

 

[Webster]

FWIW - with QuickLoad, you really only need your barrel length, case trim length, case volume, COAL, charge weight, and ambient temperature in order to get decent predictions. Most people are going to have those values anyhow as part of the reloading/shooting process, so it doesn't require much extra effort to get them. With the exception of barrel length, COAL, and charge weight, the program even has preset inputs for case trim length and volume if you don't know your specific values, and COAL if you're loading to mag length. The preset values may not be spot on, but are fairly close for a given cartridge. The other inputs can be selected from the libraries that are part of the program (i.e. bullets and powder).

I always "calibrate" the program to my specific setup first by adjusting the preset burn rate for the powder I'm using until the predicted velocity exactly matches my actual measured velocity for a known charge weight. Otherwise, it really takes very little effort to get it working for you; it's remarkably user-friendly and you can decide how much (or little) of the outputs you pay attention to. For load development, I'm typically interested only in 4 outputs: case fill ratio, pressure, barrel time, and velocity. The program is certainly capable of doing far more, but you really don't have to bother with all the other features in order to get good, usable information.

Your saying you use a chronograph to measure fps then force the QL to give the same result. Sounds disfunctional to me. You still have to shoot at a target to see what works. It's not that difficult. I don't care what barrel time is. Just look at the targets.

 

[jfseaman]

No, I have looked at it already. It requires more work than I want to do.

I wrote an old program (dbase) in an couple of hours for it.

Those where the days....

 

[Ned Ludd]

Your saying you use a chronograph to measure fps then force the QL to give the same result. Sounds disfunctional to me. You still have to shoot at a target to see what works. It's not that difficult. I don't care what barrel time is. Just look at the targets.

It's not "forcing" QL to do anything, and it should only seem dysfunctional if you have no understanding of how the program works. No program of this type can have preset values that cover every type of cartridge, powder, bullet, etc. Pressure is directly related to case volume. As such, it changes depending on the case (pressure cell) volume. Powder burn rate is dependent on pressure, and as such, a different cartridge with different case volume may require adjustment of the preset (factory) powder burn rate. It's that simple. Most of the program powder burn rate values were determined, at least in part, using a laboratory pressure cell that may or may not correlate well with the rates observed for a given cartridge with a given charge weight and a given bullet mass. Further, no two Lots of even the same powder will necessarily have the exact same burn rate. The program writers were aware of these facts and included a simple mechanism to allow the user to calibrate the program to their specific rifle/cartridge setup, and thereby obtain much better predictions.

 

[MTmagazine]

Computer code can be finicky....better spell "velocity" correctly or it might skew the data (Wink ).