chronograph , do I need one

[bigbird1]

Quote:
Originally Posted by USSR
Underpowered accurate loads are like kissing your sister



Reminds me of the movie Joe Dirt, I'm your sister , I'm your sister,
funny but sick.

 

[USSR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by USSR
Underpowered accurate loads are like kissing your sister.

Kind of depends on what you intend to shoot. I don't hunt, so my rounds just have to be powerful enough to poke a hole in a piece of paper. I'll take accuracy over velocity any day. (Good thing I don't have a sister.)

A chronograph would satisfy curiosity about bullet speed, but I'll let the target tell me if the load is good for me and my firearm. If you're intending to hunt I'd say knowing bullet velocity is much more important since it has to perform once it gets there. Many bullets have a velocity window in which they will properly mushroom.

Well, I don't hunt either, but I do shoot at LR (1,000 yards). Velocity determines how much effect the wind will have upon my bullets. A missed wind call with a slow bullet results in a "7", which with a bullet at higher velocity might be a "9". Also, there is no "one" accurate load. In most cases, there is an accuracy node near the high pressure end of load development. Seeing that there are a pair of accurate loads separated by about 150-200fps, why not take the load that offers enhanced performance?

Don

 

[sarge 14]

I find a chrony is good for hunting ammo mainly. Most of my other stuff is just for plinking and I certainly don't use reloads for defense.

 

[smitty_bs]

I've been reloading for many years without one. I want accurate hunting loads and it doesn't matter if they are going 2700fps or 2600fps. Therefore it isn't needed for my purposes. I've shot deer at 25 yards and 240 yards and didn't know the exact velocity, but I did know I had a very accurate load and had the confidence of making the shot count. For trajectory knowledge purposes I just took the lower velocities from the manuals for my charge weight, and used that to be conservative. That coupled with what I observed at the range of where the bullet printed on the paper I had a good idea of what I could hit at long range, but usually just sighted in at 200 yds anyway.

That being said I want one now. It is more a matter of curiosity than anything. I want to know how the loads compare velocity wise to the Manuals and also just to know what the velocity is. I see one in my future.

If you have the means, get one.