Fellow Reloaders;
My question has probably been asked before but I really don't wish to read 63 pages of posts to find the answer.
There is a "weighting factor" that has an effect on your inputs that changes your results. To your knowledge how do you determand the number between .2-.75 to use? I read on a post that "QL" doesn't handle straight wall cases well. What has been the problem and what is the cure? Thank you to everyone who would help me use this great program better.

Steve

I know this isn't much help but here is a comment a writeup on QL gave.

The Mysterious Weighting Factor--QuickLOAD has a "weighting factor" it uses to help tailor output values to cartridges of various different shapes and sizes. The default for bottleneck cases is 0.5. "Overbore cases" have been assigned a value of 0.33. But if you click on the 6mm Dasher cartridge profile, the weighting factor is 0.4. Presumably that represents some kind of judgment call, but QuickLOAD doesn't really provide any criteria for assigning a weighting factor to a particular cartridge that is not a "typical bottleneck." For what it's worth, the default value for the 6BR is 0.5, but we got better results using a value of 0.45.

Steve,

I have no idea what to do with the “weighting Factor”. I’m not that smart but it’s adjustable.

“I read on a post that "QL" doesn't handle straight wall cases well”. Yes QL has problems with them but how would QL calculate a “bullet crimp”? How could QL calculate a crimp into a shot start calculation? Hard crimps and soft crimps are subjective.

You can play with the weighting Factor and see if it works for you.

I would guess you would have to figure out your own "Weighting factor" by shooting crimped and uncrimped loads and comparing the velocity differences.

I played with crimped and uncrimped loaded in my Ruger BH 44 Mag way back when I was shooting steel...no crimp, light crimp and heavy roll crimps using 2400 and H110(and some with tapered crimps). The amount of crimp was arbitrary as I had no way of actually measuring the "pull".

I think you would have to decide what type of crimp and just apply an amount that "looks" right then do a comparison with a whatever bullet you happen to want to use...or not worry about it.

Load from a Disk isn't any better with straight walled cases nor is any of the other Powley algorithm based programs.

The "weighting factor" in QL is important but a mystery fudge factor based on how over or under bore a cartridge is - over bore cartridges are supposed to have values under .5 and under bore cartridges to have values over .5. But, how far under or over remains a mystery to me. It has to do with how much unburnt powder is excellerated down the barrel based on cartridge neck to case diameter - over bore cartridges less and under bore cartridges more.

Basically, it's a fudge factor, which IMO, makes QL not so useful - at least not until this mystery is clarified.

Be careful with QL.

Regards, AIU

Thank all of you for your input.
From what I am reading on forums you all are right the way you are using "WF". It was pointed out that the program is a tool and not a manual and we should consult a manual to verify the figures we get from "QL". There are a lot of areas in the program a person can change. We must use a chronograph to check the results. I fire a min of 5 shots and total the results to get the averages for vel, SD, hi & low vels. I also check the figures for bullet lenght and weight, case capacity, case lenght, barrel lenght including the threaded lenght in the action, the temp at the time of fireing the loads, just to name a few. For me it all depends on how fussy I want to be.....a target load or hunting load. There is so much to the program that a person can make it fustrating or keep it simple...our choice. I reload for the enjoyment of developing loads I can't buy to hunt with from the factory. This is trying new bullets for the most part.
My reply is turning into a book. It is great we use "QL" so the author will update the program when new powders and bullets hit the market. Accuratelreloading.com is the best place to get answers I have found but we must still use our head when we use data from here.

Steve