QuickLoad: Is It Really Beneficial?

[nhm16]

Chronograph is essential. As far as QL, if you're dabbling in wildcats and other cartridges that don't have a lot of load data floating around, or if you want to find alternate powders (as suggested above) then QL is very useful indeed. However, if you're, for example, loading the usual suspects (.223, .308, etc.), for which there is a lot of collective wisdom floating around, and you just intend to use a popular powder for that cartridge, I not sure if it'd be worth the money.

 

[savagedasher]

Chronograph is essential. As far as QL, if you're dabbling in wildcats and other cartridges that don't have a lot of load data floating around, or if you want to find alternate powders (as suggested above) then QL is very useful indeed. However, if you're, for example, loading the usual suspects (.223, .308, etc.), for which there is a lot of collective wisdom floating around, and you just intend to use a popular powder for that cartridge, I not sure if it'd be worth the money.

Without the use of QL I never would of found H4350 could be used in a dasher . so far it work better then an popular powder. If you use the same powder as the rest you will always get the same result as they do. as far as a crony if our not shooting over 200 yds they don't mean much. Larry

 

[Sheldon N]

Agree that a chronograph is important to use in conjunction with QL. Even if you're shooting shorter ranges where you won't see the effects of velocity variations nearly as much, it can help you to match up the predictions in QL with real world results from your rifle. I don't think QL would be nearly as useful, or as accurate, if you didn't have a chronograph as well.

If your budget is tight on getting a chrono as well as buying QL, look at the Magnetospeed Sporter. It has the same accuracy as the full V3 version, without the nicer display and associated features. For half the cost of the v3, it's a good deal if all you need is velocity.

 

[savagedasher]

I think old school is better. Many of time I use a crony at 600 when testing. one at 25'' and the other at 600. I still can't grasp the though how you can hang something on the barrel and get the same accuracy on target.
Some how it seem to me your wasting bullets. ;D Larry

 

[Phil3]

Chronograph is essential. As far as QL, if you're dabbling in wildcats and other cartridges that don't have a lot of load data floating around, or if you want to find alternate powders (as suggested above) then QL is very useful indeed. However, if you're, for example, loading the usual suspects (.223, .308, etc.), for which there is a lot of collective wisdom floating around, and you just intend to use a popular powder for that cartridge, I not sure if it'd be worth the money.

This makes me think. I just want best accuracy out of a 223, 6mmBR, and 6.5 Creedmoor and get to it quickly without burning through a couple hundred rounds or more of ammo. Load information on these cartridges IS plentiful, so your comment begs the question do I need to reinvent the wheel? I think the chronograph is still useful, as it could point out problems, such as wide variances in velocity that might happen with an ideal load. I have been wondering about this given that I am experiencing occasional wide variations in bullet seating pressures. That may not make much difference at 100 yards, but I still would want consistent ammo. Can the OCW test work at just 100 yards? I am thinking this could help me understand the proper charge.

Phil

 

[thefitter]

Years ago I had developed a damn good load in .308 Win after trying combinations of the usual powders and bullets everyone else was using in .308 Win. Being the nut case that I am I could not leave well enough alone and started doing powder searches on QL in the amateurish simplistic way I use QL. : I ended up trying a powder brand that it seems does not get a lot of press. But QL showed it to fill up the case well, 100% burn and decent velocity. Well it bug holes in this rifle. I never would have tried it had I not been playing around with QL... and being a nut case that can't leave well enough alone.

 

[Phil3]

I am the OP, and have decided to buy Quickload. I downloaded the QL demo and it looked intimidating. A friend sent me some screen shots of the program along with some other docs and then he spent an hour on the phone with me going over the program. That tutorial made QL far less intimidating and I found it fascinating and in my opinion, very useful. I have no problem doing the work to gather the data the program requires. By the time I hung up, and with consideration given to the input I received here, I knew I would be ordering QL. I feel I have a tool that will help steer me to an ideal load vs the uncertainty I felt before. I know QL is not the last word in a good load, but believe from what I saw, that it will be very useful.

Thanks to you all, and my friend who helped out.

Phil

 

[BenPerfected]

My suggestion is to pick a load off this website or from an experienced shooter and stick with it. Spend your $ on a barrel tuner and adjust your barrel harmonics to the best node. No one load is going to consistently shoot well in all weather/air conditions (temp, humidity, etc.). IMO, using a barrel tuner the easiest, quickest and least expensive method to tune any rifle.
Ben