Is a chronograph a must have?

[FrankenMauser]

Agreed.

[Metal god]

You guys can't agree . My popcorn isn't done yet

[ligonierbill]

OK, I'm in. But a glass of wine beats popcorn. Of course you can do well loading without a chronograph,. And there is no practical purpose in trying yet another caliber, bullet or powder, but many of us misguided souls do. I couldn't do without my chronograph(s) any more than I could decide on a one-and-only load for my 6.5 Swede. My retirement would be shot, so to speak.

[Pathfinder45]

Commenting on this post:

They can't tell you if your pressure is too high or if you can increase your powder charge safely.

Not to argue, as the truth in this post, is that a chronograph can't read pressure. However, if you understand that velocity and pressure are not without some correlation, you can know darn well that if your load of X-powder is giving you velocity that is well over book-maximum loads, then your pressure is way too high, even if everything else looks OK. Case in point: My 270 Winchester using 140 grain Hornady bullets with a charge of Norma N-205 powder that was, "near maximum"......Cases and primers looked fine after one firing and no loose primer pockets. But after two firings, some primer pockets were getting loose, and after three firings, loose primer pockets were becoming common. A chronograph would have given the first warning right away if it had been used. When it did get used, it revealed an average velocity of 3,285 fps. Maybe not super dangerous, but it's a point that should be backed away from.

So my view, is you don't need a chronograph to reload safely, unless you are one of those fellows that feels the need to dance on the red-line. Velocity and pressure are co-related within a given propellant. Switching to a different powder can yield higher or lower pressure at the same velocity on the one hand, while on the other hand you can have higher or lower velocity at the same pressure. The point is, if you are getting way more velocity with a given propellant and bullet than anybody's reloading manual shows for maximum loads, then your pressure is also beyond acceptable limits.

Chronographs are good for what they are good for. I don't currently have one. I reload anyway.

[Nick_C_S]

there are guys . . . who . . . don't think fuel injection helps since carburetors worked just fine.

Carburetors work just fine. Oh, sorry. Wrong Forum

Back to chronographing . . .

I chronograph a lot. When I go out to my range without one, usually the RSO will make some quip asking where my chronograph is.

Probably going to chronograph this week - assuming I get around to loading my ladder of 125gn XTP's for 357 Mag, using AA#7.

Point is, at my place of loading evolution, a chronograph is indispensable. Such my not be the case with our OP. And that's okay.

Sometimes, when I'm chronoraphing, someone will come over and ask if they can chrono some rounds. If you're doing that, then it's time to get a chronograph. BTW, I happily comply - it feels good to be helpful. But most likely they don't realize they're putting me in the awkward situation of "do I let him shoot it through my chronograph, or do I chance shooting his handloads myself." Oddly, I choose the latter. (Please don't lecture me on this - I know the risks.)

[Doublehelix3216]

(Please don't lecture me on this - I know the risks.)

Now young man... don't you know you can poke an eye out with one of those things!!!

[jumpingeezer]

Necessary--NO--but for the price of a Chrony or similar inexpensive brand, they are the one tool that I would not be without.

Why guess when you can be sure?

[zeke]

If loading in upper ranges, you should have a chronograph for safety factor. Reading pressure signs can indicate pressure increases, or whan pressures are ready to destroy something, not what the pressures are. If you're reloading mid range or light target loads, maybe not "necessary".

Not that I am opinionated or anything

[old roper]

I loaded lot of years without chronograph. I also have reloading manual from the 70's. The old Lyman # 45 goes into great detail about pressure (visual sign of pressure).

I've got copy of Speer Wildcat manual 1959. They have good article "Pressure And The Handloader" written by Jack O'Connor reprint from Outdoor Life Magazine, June 1956.

In the Speer Wildcat manual back cover shows the Speer Ballistics Calculator to use with their manual. It show how to use that for drop tables out to 1000yds.

If some think early years no interest in long range their little mistaken on that.

Seems like the Wimbledon Cup was going strong in the 60's.

[DaleA]

"do I let him shoot it through my chronograph, or do I chance shooting his handloads myself." Oddly, I choose the latter.

You're a gentleman Nick.

I hope they give you a few rounds as sighters...have you ever been asked by someone whose rounds won't group tightly, that is, the group is so big you're afraid of hitting you chrono?

[Metal god]

I've been asked if a fellow shooter can shoot through my chrono . I say no but I'll shot your rifle through it . That's been about 4 to 6 times and not once did I think the rifle might blow up on me . Now that's all I'll think about and likely will say no from now on .

[Don Fischer]

Pathfinder, where did you find N205? I loved that stuff!

[Don Fischer]

I wonder how Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett got along without a chronograph? :-)

[Pathfinder45]

Don, I found it at the gunshow in Portland, OR. The guy at one of the tables had several cans of it and he only wanted $8 a can for it. I kinda knew it would give top velocities in my 270 Winchester, so I figured I'd try it out and just in case I ended up liking it, I bought a couple of cans. The cans looked brand-new even though they had to have been at least 30 years old, since that powder was discontinued quite a while ago. Turns out that buying those two 400-gram cans was a big mistake; I should have bought it all! With that powder I get the best accuracy at 300 yards and the most power; 150 grain Nosler Partitions running right at 3,000 fps, 5 shots sub MOA at 300. Now, if I see N205 at the gunshow, and it looks good, and smells right, I'm interested.

[Nick_C_S]

have you ever been asked by someone whose rounds won't group tightly, that is, the group is so big you're afraid of hitting you chrono?

I had a feeling I was going to have to follow up on my original statement I deserve it. No, I've never run into that specific situation. If I did, I'd have a conversation with the guy to gather info as to why their ammo sux so bad. At which point, I'd likely offer some handloading pointers. What would not likely happen is those rounds getting near my chronograph.

A little more info about this:

First, it's a rare event. I think it has happened three or four times in the last four years. Second, at no time was the ammo anything other than just range shooters - nothing extraordinarily hot. Third, thinking back on it, a couple times, it was factory ammo - the person was just curious how fast they were going through their gun. One time, it was a guy with a rifle (I was shooting pistol at the time) with his handloads. I'm not a rifle guy, so I let him do the shooting. What was common to all these events is that I evaluated the situation before proceeding.

[sixgunluv]

Finally used mine only to learn that my estimated guess on velocity was spot on based on the figures I got from my reloading manuals.

I guessed 1200fps with my home rolled 9mm's consisting of 6.7gr of HS-6 under a 115gr Montana Gold FMJ........I got... Yup. 1200fps avg

I guessed 1800+fps for 180gr factory .44mag out of my Super Blackhawk 'Sweet Sixteen". What did I get?.........1816avg.

[Dufus]

My experience was just the opposite once. I was expecting 1050-1100 fps and I got 1275 fps average.

Another couple of items a chrono will give you is Extreme Spread and Standard Deviation. A lot of times these numbers mean more to me than just velocity alone.

Sumpin' else to consider: how often does factory ammo say it is going 2800 fps and the chrono shows it is only going 2650. That can make a hit or miss difference at even 300 yds.

[Stats Shooter]

Finally used mine only to learn that my estimated guess on velocity was spot on based on the figures I got from my reloading manuals.

I guessed 1200fps with my home rolled 9mm's consisting of 6.7gr of HS-6 under a 115gr Montana Gold FMJ........I got... Yup. 1200fps avg

I guessed 1800+fps for 180gr factory .44mag out of my Super Blackhawk 'Sweet Sixteen". What did I get?.........1816avg.

When it comes to pistol handloads, I can make an argument that a chronograph isn't as important unless you are trying to make a minimum load that meets the recoil requirements for competition.
Since there are other ways to read pressure besides velocity, then it isn't necessary for safety, though it can help. Also, since pistols are short range guns, you can dope it easily at nearly any outdoor range out to a practical pistol distance.
Finally, most folks do not chase accuracy down to the 1/4 moa with a handgun and so single digit extreme spreads isn't usually a goal.


Another important point, is the relative vs nominal relationship between manual published velocities and actual. If the manual is +/- 5% with any gun for instance, then a 1000 fps pistol round would be 950-1050....not too big of a deal provided you aren't over pressure.

But with a 3000 fps rifle round +/- 5% would be 2850-3150...300 fps which is a lot, especially at longer ranges.