Request for QuickLoad 308 data

[WelshShooter]

Hi folks, wondering if anyone would be so kind to doing a quick calculation in QuickLoad for me as I didn't have a chronograph while I developed some loads this time last year. I think pressure wise should be fine as I know my loads are below max stated for 168gr SMK. Details are below, let me know if I've missed something.

Calibre: 308win
Bullet: 167gr lapua scenar
Powder: Reload Swiss RS50
Powder mass: 43,8gr
Case: lapua
Overall length: 2,890"
Barrel length: 20"

[HALODIN]

Please double check everything I've selected.



Bigger version here:

http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1544/2519 ... e6_o_d.jpg

[WelshShooter]

Thanks very much! Looks like this is a very anemic load!

[HALODIN]

No worries.

Thanks very much! Looks like this is a very anemic load!

[Sim G]

QuickLoad is nothing more than a theoretical program ultimately designed for entertainment and not reference. Even QuickLoads own warning carry this and state that it should never be substituted for properly developed load data as published by bullet/powder manufacturers.

Personally I didn't find it come close when compared to actual firings over a chrono.

[HALODIN]

It has been phenomenology accurate every time I've used mine and everyone else I've spoken to about QuickLOAD says the same. I use the MagnetoSpeed chrono.

[JSC]

QuickLoad is nothing more than a theoretical program ultimately designed for entertainment and not reference. Even QuickLoads own warning carry this and state that it should never be substituted for properly developed load data as published by bullet/powder manufacturers.

Personally I didn't find it come close when compared to actual firings over a chrono.

You essentially have to 'calibrate' QL for each specific bullet/powder/cartridge combination. There are several articles available on line to help you do this.
Once that's done, it is very accurate at predicting MV, powder charge or whatever you want to arrive at.

So much so, that I was able to tell a fellow shooter how much powder he was putting in his cases to within 0.1 of a grain, just by knowing the bullet, seating depth, powder and MV.
He had spent loads of time and ammo doing ladder tests, groups, tweaking this that and the other. I came up with the same load in 5 minutes using QuickLoad.

I've gone through the same process with several rifles to arrive at (or very near to) the best load by heading down to the range with a few different loads to initially check on maximum pressure and to plot a MV vs. powder charge graph, then head back to base to plug the data into QL, tweak a few parameters (mainly burn rate) and then calculate the best powder charge to get me on an OBT node.

If the last paragraph doesn't make sense, you need to do more research before trying to use QL, or you won't trust it. If you do the research and use it properly, it's a BIG time saver.

[WelshShooter]

Hi Sim, I think you've misunderstood my request. I have already performed the load development for the 167gr Lapua Scenar but the only thing I didn't measure at the time was velocity. This was done prior to me purchasing a MagnetoSpeed and I've not shot this bullet since so I don't have any velocity data for it. I am going to a shoot on Saturday and won't have a chance to chrono my load prior to going so I just wanted someone to run a quick and dirty calculation on expected velocity so that I can get a rough and ready dope chart in place. I can do chrono checks at the range but then I'll have to write up a dope chart while I'm there, and to be honest I'd rather do more shooting while I'm there :)

I followed the load data set by Reload Swiss and I know that the aforementioned load is well within the max limits that have been set out for a 168gr SMK. Therefore the QuickLoad data above is in conjunction to my load development and not a substitute. I'm honestly not surprised with the low velocity as I chrono'd my 155gr Lapua load the other day and had a chrono'd velocity of 2,550fps which is very low, this load was again in the middle of the start/max load published by Reload Swiss and the velocity is around mid-point too.

[WelshShooter]

FYI, here's a customer load on Reload Swiss. Everything is identical, the only differences between my load and this load:
- Cases: mine are fire-formed, perhaps the customer load was full length sized?
- They use CCI BR4primer, I use Federal large rifle primer
- Their barrel length = 24", mine = 20"

The customer started their load at 43,0gr and yielded a velocity of 2,592fps whereas my load at 43,8gr yielded a "theoretical" velocity of 2,370fps. The only reasons for difference in velocity is primer selection, barrel length (maybe barrel material?) and H20 capacity of cases. I imagine a full length sized case will produce higher pressure than fire-formed case and therefore produce a higher velocity.

That's my guess anyway.

[dromia]

Quickload is a very useful tool in the library of the handloader, but as has been said it is a predictive tool and like democracy if you put sh!te in you will get sh!ite out.

It is very helpful in comparing what ifs but it is no substitute for tested data when it comes to handload development. Much as I love using Quickload and get some very good results, usually with loads that have near full case capacity so has its limitations too, I would never trust it as my only source of information for loads. If I could only have one source then it would always be the pressure tested data never a computer programme.