What's the lowest velocity load you've ever chronographed

[R.W.Dale]

A result I had today got me to wondering this.

Blue Dot+ 38special +158grn JHP= crap

On the second string of .3grs under max as per Metallic Reloading I chronied some velocities in the mid 400 FPS range Needless to say I was counting bullet holes in the target.

So what misadventures have you guys had towards the bottom end of the velocity spectrum?

 

[Doug b]

Wow what velocities were you getting as you worked your way up to 3/10th under max?

 

[ljnowell]

I loaded some weak .45s that averaged 710fps.

 

[Sport45]

The lowest velocity I remember chronographing was about 150fps, but that was with a paintball marker.

I think what you are seeing is typical of Blue Dot. When I tried it for .38 special I saw erratic ignition and it seemed half the charge wound up on the bench in front of me unburnt. What was supposed to be roughly equivalent to the Remington 158gr LSWCHP +P was showing velocities similar to what you were seeing. I suppose a tighter roll crimp might have helped, but gave up on it. It does work reasonably well with 230gr jacketed bullets in .45acp for me.

 

[Remo-99]

Blue Dot usually wants pressures up there a bit, atleast to get full burning.
Thats why it calls for a fairly firm crimp and light charges should be avoided.

If it's a sunny day, I'd bet folks watching could see the bullet streaking down the range, at those velocities.

 

[Mal H]

krochus - how close were you to the chrono? If you get too close, the hot gases can beat the bullet to the first trap to turn on the timer, and the bullet turns it off at the second one.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Wow what velocities were you getting as you worked your way up to 3/10th under max?

oddly enough about 50fps higher?????????

the chrony was a std 10 to 15feet out, and while I have had a rifle cause erratic readings from a chrony too close I have not seen this happen with a handgun

 

[Claude Clay]

110 feet per second

it was a 25acp thrower

 

[Mal H]

Yep, 10 to 15 feet should be fine.

That's weird! Did the shot feel as weak as it was?

 

[R.W.Dale]

Yep, 10 to 15 feet should be fine.

That's weird! Did the shot feel as weak as it was?

Yep in recoil and report. It did shoot rather well at 25yds though:banghead:

 

[Walkalong]

Between 300 and 400 FPS. (Powder forward/powder back experiments) Much slower you have to knock the bullet out of your barrel with a brass rod.

 

[RidgwayCO]

610 fps. This was shooting a S&W 396 and using a 200gr LRNFP with Universal Clays. According to the book, I should have been getting 870fps ... (I've always wondered if I got part of the slowest batch of Universal ever released to the public)

But at least the recoil (out of an 18 oz revolver) was manageable ...

 

[Hardatwork]

17 FPS staple gun. I was bored!

 

[jerkface11]

17 FPS staple gun. I was bored!

Awesome what kind of staples?

 

[dagger dog]

.177 cal 36 gr pellets from a Beeman R9 725 fps

 

[41 Mag]

Had some old stuff my pop bought who knows when for the 38sp, it shot in the low 700's.

Ran some arrows across mine before archery season in the mid to upper 260's.

 

[JDGray]

On the second string of .3grs under max as per Metallic Reloading I chronied some velocities in the mid 400 FPS range Needless to say I was counting bullet holes in the target.

My Son has a few airsoft guns that shoot 400fps And that is the lowest that I've recorded.

 

[redneck2]

17 FPS staple gun. I was bored!

If those had been Weatherby Magnum staples you would have gotten at least 25 fps. Of course, the staple gun would have jumped more, made more noise, and would wear out quicker.

I'd try a quicker powder like AA5 or 231.

 

[Floppy_D]

Yep in recoil and report. It did shoot rather well at 25yds though

Interesting. My favorite 44mag target load is with 2400 loaded way down, and it's by far the most accurate load I can muster for my Super Blackhawk, as well as being gentle. It's slow enough you can see the bullets hit the X at 25 yds.

 

[LeonCarr]

Arrow from old school compound bow...196 fps

Tried a wrist rocket with ball bearings once...did not register on chrony .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[jmorris]

18 fps, bumble bee

 

[Mark whiz]

When I first got my Chrono I decided to try it at home before I could get to a range.............I chrono'd some spit wads at 50 or fps.

 

[evan price]

Zero (missed)

 

[MCMXI]

The chronograph that I'm borrowing from a friend (Chrony Beta Master) lists the slowest speed at 30fps and the fastest at 7000fps. What the HECK kind of round moves at 7000fps?

You guys claiming < 30fps ... what make/model of chrony do you have? evan, you don't need to answer that question ... you're a "special" case.

 

[jmorris]

You guys claiming < 30fps ... what make/model of chrony do you have?

I was using an Oehler when I clocked the 18fps.