no chronograph

[aldar]

I do not have a chrono, or have access to one. With that said, is there any way I can get a velocity reading on my hand-loads? or just get a real good idea of velocity?

[Questor]

If you're using the Speer manual, I've found that load data from it to be very realistic.

What problem are you trying to solve?

You can get a decent chronograph today for about $100.

[ncsurveyor]

It goes back to algebra.

You have velocity, ballistic coefficients and drop.  You need two to solve for the last.

given that, if you are a real steady and consistent shot, you can shoot the same line of sight into multiple targets at varying ranges.  Again, you need the drop from line of sight.  Given these numbers, you can plug them into a ballistic calculator along with the ranges, and the record BC, and this should give you a velocity.

HOWEVER:

record BC's are typically overestimated as a marketing ploy.
your ranges need to be exact
you cannot waiver from your shooting the same line of sight each time.

Without the chrono, published values and estimates are your only real source for an approximation.  I believe there are formulas to tweak this a little depending on the load, barrel length, etc.

Jeff

[SHOOTALL]

I don't know of a way , but i have been loading since about 1977 or so and have never worried about it . I look at the data in the tables and figure I am close , most bullets work over a range of different velocity ,  and say 4 or less inches in bbl length won't be more than 50 to 200 fps loss in a standard rifle cal. I realize some will go nuts over 200 fps but in reality check a 300 win mag vs. a 30-06 at say 450 yds the slower 06 is catching up in energy , you see the faster you start a bullet the faster it slows down
I try to get the most accurate load and stay safe , the velocity will work itself out . after all the bullet must hit its mark first !
a load that clocks say 3300 fps at 90 degrees temp. won't do it at 40 degrees so in reality you really don't gain alot of piratical imfo. , and if you are looking to meet a power factor the reloading tables will do that for you
IMHO !

[beemanbeme]

If you take a current reloading manual and replicate EXACTLY the recipe they published right down to the rifle used and the barrel length etc, you would have a fair guess, +/- 100fps or so.  Or, as posted, pack you lunch for a week and buy an entry level Chrony.  Actually, for much less than the quoted $100, you can get a re-furbed one.  

[Catfish]

I have a chronograph and can tell you that the velocity listed in the manuals can be anywhere from right on to no where near. So far as I know there is no way to get a good reading on the velocity of your ammo. If your only loading for 1 or 2 guns that you will be using at long ranges it`s cheaper to just take them to the range because you`ll still have to check them even if you know the exact velocity.

[Coyote Hunter]

Tw suggestions:

1. Go to midwayusa.com and get a Shooting Chrony F-1 Master for $79 -- on sale now.

2. Go to www.huntingnut.com and download "Point Blank", a free and very useful ballistic calculator.

[jhalcott]

Before I bought a chronograph I would 1st load for accuracy at 100 yards. Then I'd shoot a group at 100-200 and 300 yards on the SAME target . Then with a couple manuals, I'd compare the drop tables to MY bullets drop. After I got the chrony I found that SOME of my SWAG'S (scientific wild azz guess's) were close. Most were a couple hundred fps off though.!

[aldar]

thanks for all the great ideas and tips, guys. I'll give all a try and see if I can the data I want

[Lloyd Smale]

like was said any serious loader NEEDS TO OWN A CHRONOGRAPH!! Theres no excuse not to now that they can be had as cheap as a single stage press.

[Castaway]

I don't pull out the crony until I have an accurate load.  Then I record the data so I can replicate the velocity with different lots of the same powder.

[SHOOTALL]

why do you need one ? better ? what difference does it make ? I stay with in the limits of the guides , so safety is taken of !
I care more about a tight group than speed , in reality if i have the best group why would i mess with speed ?
If you enjoy knowing these things that's great but to say they are necessary or to try to shame folks into having one is just not right !
one posted they used it to duplicate loads , ok do they wait for a day that has the same temp. and humidity to test ?
if not then you are back to being CLOSE , i would rather duplicate groups because in the finial analysis placing a bullet where you intended is the most important factor !

[Lloyd Smale]

if you stick to standard loads and powders and dont care about the alimate accuracy of your loads there not nessisary. If you use powders like surplus that theres no loading data for or shoot enough powders that you use differnt lots of the same powder and want to duplicate ballistics they are needed. As to the accuracy. Ive shot many loads with excellent 25 yard accuracy that opened up drasticaly at a 100 and even more at long range and i do shoot alot of long range. Many times a guy will bad mouth a  bullet design and say its unstable at long range when in fact your standard divieation is over a 100fps. Yes loads even with 200 fps dieviations can shoot one inch at 25 yards. When i work up a load that shoots at 25 and run a couple accross the chrono i know imediately that a load has possiblitys or doesnt. It will show you better then anything other then a pressure guage when you are nearing pressure problems either high or low. Mine have saved me easily what they costed me in ammo savings working up loads. There are also many bullet and powder and primer combinations that arent covered by reloading manuals and many differnt cartridges that arent. If a guy has only say a 44mag and a 06 and sticks with jacketed bullets and factory loads and doesnt really care about accuracy past a 100 yards there probably a waste of money.  Me i like knowing what my ammo does i like knowing that its not going to give me pressure problems or ignition problems in extreem high an low temperatures and hell i just like playing with toys!! To me its kind of silly not to have one when you can get them so cheaply.

[SHOOTALL]

ok , i load a 2506 load , been doing so since the mid 80's been thru at least 6-7 lbs of powder picked up over the years from different stores , i test at 100 yds and set scope for dead on at 175 yds , have killed ground hogs at 350 -400 to hear you tell it that shouldn't happen ! but it does , as far as 44mag i have shot many contest at 50 ,100 ,150 and 200 meters and had no trouble now at 500 yards i only got 21 targets out of 40 but with open sights i don't feel that was to bad ! 30-06 my loads are good to 500 yds , longest range i get to shoot on , the same is true for 708, 308 , 223 , 22-250, and a boat load of others ! they shot long rang before the war of northern aggression and the avg. man couldn't afford a crony up until a few years ago ! how on earth did we /they do it for so long ?
Its a nice touch on your bench but for the re loader a trip to the range will tell the group size far faster that a speed trap !
by the way whats the rim fire guy to do ? that is other than range time with different brands ?

[Lloyd Smale]

Dont know but id about bet every long range competitor and bench rest compeditor and probably about every pistol compeditor on a high level owns one and uses it. Dont know and wont comment much on rifles as about 99 percent of my experience is handguns but am no dummy as to rifles either. Ive been loading for 34 years. I know for a fact that i have loads that will almost shoot into a single hole at 25 yards out of a handgun with bullets i know that fly well for testing in other loads, fall flat on there face at 300 yards and in just about every case its a load with inconsistant velocitys. Id about bet if you actually got that kind of accuarcy with your handguns you lucked into a very consistant load. Me I load for over 50 handguns and 20 rifles. I dont have just one load for each of them either most have many. Ive learned through the years that consistancy is probably the biggest trick to getting something to shoot. Not everyone loads like i do and probably couldnt live without his chronograph but like i said at the price they sell for i see no reason for even a loader that just loads occasionaly to have one. But then thats just my opinion.

[Savage]

The chrono is another tool for measuring load performance available now to the casual reloader. Don't know why anyone would be without one.
Savage

[SHOOTALL]

haven't needed one !
as far as 50 yds. vs. 300 with a hand gun i could believe that , so what did the crony tell ya ? to try another load ?
i suggest the target did also !
if you have one enjoy it ! if you want one get it but its not mandatory !

[beemanbeme]

One of the uses of a Chrony is when you are determining a new load and are ascending a sequence of powder you can determine that you are not gaining any, or very little, additional velocity. You are merely burning more powder.  You have reached the operational max for your rifle with that powder.  Also, if you know for a fact how fast your bullets are going, you can go to the ballistic tables in your load books and dope out a drop chart that is based more on fact than fancy.  This is especially helpful if you are trying to sight in a rifle and don't have ready access to a rifle range with yardage beyond 100 yards. And too, when you know you velocity, you can figure out just how much payload a given bullet is delivering downrange.
When I was doing a lot of Pdog shooting, each spring I would reset the COL of my cartridge to allow for throat erosion.  I would then Chrony the round and add powder to bring the velocity back to my original velocity.  That put me out of the book but was still safe considering the extra room the erosion gave me.
I'll be the first to admit that a Chrony is not a "got to have" item for reloading.  But it is certainly  a nice to have gadget.  I'd much rather have one than a whole wall of primer pocket buffers and flash hole uniformers and bullet comparitors and those other gizzies designed soley to snare reloaders.  In fact, if a fellow were to forego a couple of those gizzies, he'd have enough for a Chrony.

[SHOOTALL]

what ya say makes sense ! i always watch the flash for to much powder , i have a 500 yd range so i get the benefit of seeing where i need to sight ! with bbl. erosion it would have to acy. for me to make a switch !
If you keep posting you are going to convince me to get one !