Is a chronograph necessary?

[charlie b]

NO Don't waste your money unless the rules of your 'game' require knowing the exact vel. Invest that money in bullets or a good barrel.

I develop loads by target.

The tool I use the most is the ballistics program. I use GRT cause it is free This is used to get me in the ball park for a load test.

The rest of the story....

I am an engineer by trade. Back in my early years I made my own chronograph just for fun.

Later on I bought one of the first Chronys and used it until it got shot The screen types were such a PITA that I only used it for 'hot' loads.

Now days I have a Labradar, I use it to record all my bench shooting. I'll plot the numbers and make graphs and such. Just another part of the hobby for me.

 

[KMW 1954]

Two camps; needed and not needed. I land in the Not Needed camp.

Is it a useful tool? Yes, it is. But not needed to work up and find an excellent load. To use it to compare against someone else's work or data sets would be like having a Comparator and using it to try and copy someone else's load and expecting it to be the same.

I do have a Magneto Speed and I carry it with in my bench box all the time. Though I find I very seldom use it. When I do a workup, I always do a straight-line 3 shot ladder. For me, I want to see real time, on paper results. After I determine the best load I will then shoot it over a chrono just to determine what I'm producing.

That's what I do and how I feel about it. If your method works for you that's great. Keep using it. It is all what it is about. Finding what works for you.