Here are my last 3 ladder tests. Two using the Crony that Midway has on sale for $79. The other’s from an old $100 Shooting Crony that I put a bullet through a few months back. While I’m not a statistician, using some fuzzy math you can see the probability that these chronographs have a 1% shot to shot error is somewhere in the light year realm. While the probability that it has a ½% error is in the chance to win a big lottery realm. I’d say these numbers show that even the cheap cronies have at most a .2% and more likely a .1% shot to shot error. Now that doesn’t mean that it isn’t reading a consistent 30-50FPS,or 1%) off of actual speed on any given day or in any particular condition. But for load development purposes consistency is what I’m mostly after.
New 8 twist Broughton, 6BR, Kelbly Griz2, Master Class stock, 36X Big Sky Sightron, 268 neck, 300 meters, 70F, no wind, 105VLD Berger, Varget, CCI SR, Lapua brass, 3 shot groups.
load %fps ES SD group
29.1 2738 29 ?? .93â€
29.4 2790 27 14 1.05
29.7 2799 40 20 1.67
30.0 2823 23 12 .88
30.3 2843 24 ?? .76
30.6 2885 15 8 .88
30.9 2906 44 23 1.41
31.2 2945 10 5 .94
Factory 9 twist 223 Winchester HV, 36X Weaver T36, 300 meters, 80F, 10MPH erratic wind ignored, 75VLD Berger, Varget, CCI SR, Lapua brass, 3 shot groups.
load %fps ES SD group
24.0 2812 50 29 1.58â€
24.2 2833 30 15 1.03
24.4 2871 48 24 2.06
24.6 2894 28 15 3.77
24.8 2935 42 26 2.80
25.0 2945 7 4 1.74
25.2 2963 17 9 1.73
25.4 2966 27 14 1.16
25.6 2997 23 12 1.50
25.8 3021 11 5 2.03
8 twist Brux, 6X47L, Kelbly Griz2, Master Class stock, 45X Leupold Comp, .268 neck, 200 meters, 49F, 0-5MPH wind ignored, 105VLD Berger, IMR4350, CCI SR MAG, Lapua brass, 3 shot groups.
load %fps ES SD group
38.5 3031 3 1 .51
39.0 3061 33 17 .75
39.5 3111 15 8 .81
40.0 3152 12 6 1.28,pulled big {dang Ship benches})
So because of luck you can have a small group and high SD. But show me a small 10 shot group at 400+ yards with a SD of 20+. It just ain’t going to happen but once a millennium.
And yes you can have a large group with a low SD. Bad lot of bullets, bad crown, conditions, shooter error…… And a bad SD doesn’t necessarily mean a bad load. Could be bad primer, media in the flash hole or case, lube…..
And there’s plenty of times that I’ve shot 7-8 shot groups with the same load on different days and got very close to the same results SD wise.
Edit: Photos added, 6BR & 223 superimposed onto 1 sheet for keeping. 6x47 not worth the time.