Out shooting this morning with my first batch of reloads for my BLR in 300 Win Mag. I tried 5 differnt powder loads and it really seemed to like the one shown, it also grouped at about the same elevation as factory Hornady 165's. Unfortunately no chrono so I was hoping someone could calculate velocity for me.

Std. Rifle Primers
69 gr. H4350
165 Gr. Hornady SP flat base

Thanks,

My old Hornady manual shows 68.4 grains for 2800 FPS and 70 grains for 2900, so you're likely close to 2800. But those are only estimates, and the only way you can get the info on what it's doing in YOUR rifle is to chrony it.

Um, that Hornady load was for IMR 4350. But I think you'd be pretty close to that, anyway.

You can use tables or calculate velocities but there could be significant error due to differences in chambers,barrels and components.I have seen differences of over 100fps with the same load used in two rifles with equal length barrels.Without a chronograph you can't be accurate.

I knew it wouldn't be accurate but was looking for a calculated velocity to see how that measures up with published factory loads.
Thanks,

Have to make some assumptions on this, but assuming a barrel length of 26", a seating depth of 0.370" (to stay within the max. OAL of 3.340") and that the bullet is 1.100" (according to the mfr.), 69.0-gr. of H4350 should give around 3,100 fps. Shorter barrel will result in lower velocity.
Regards,
HockeyPuck

Thanks Hockypuck, does that come from the loadtech software? I'm going to have to break down and get something like that. I saw in the web page you even had the 300 Sherwood listed, I've got one on a small frame Martini action and had not been able to find anything for load development.
Thanks,

BrowningGuy,
Yes, it does. The list of calibers you saw on our web page was for AccuLoad II. It had 1,105 different cartridges. We're nearing completion on AccuLoad III and the number of cartridges is well over 1,400. It's the new cartridge database that's in LoadTech right now. Also 160 powders and 4,500 bullets. (We've been busy!)
Email me with some of your Sherwood data and I'll send you a load sheet.
Regards,
HockeyPuck

As has been said, every rifle's different. Hornady at least got their data from loading cartridges and shooting them in a rifle. There's not 300 FPS of difference between IMR 4350 and H4350 at that level. Nor is the difference between Hornady's 24" and Accuload II's 26" going to make a big velocity difference. I think the formulas in the software have made some assumptions that may not work out in practice. At best any loading software can give some useful approximations. Don't take it as gospel.

NotRicochet
You are very correct. There have never been, and never will be, any software programs that can accurately calculate a specific velocity for a given load in every firearm ever made. We don't have 1,400 firearms available to test individually, I wish we did! For the firearms we don't have, we have generated a powder model based on the information available from the powder manufacturers, bullet makers, etc. From that we have developed formulas that are "best fit" for a specific powder over the entire range of available data. This is how we have been able to generate loads for wildcats, past, present and future.
There is no substitute for range work over a chronograph. We don't even try to pass off ourselves as a substitue for that. In our opinion, loading software gives a customer a wide range of powders, case capacity utilization and loads that are a safe starting point and provide ample warning before danger occurs. If a person has a cartridge to load and wishes to know which of the 160 plus powders is best to try first and which load to try safely, then this is for that person.
Velocities published in the various reloading manuals tend to show off their powder, or bullet or cartridge in the best possible light when compared to others of the same genre. As such, they tend to exaggerate the effectiveness of their product. By generating a model of the powder over a wide range of calibers, bullet weights and loads, we have attempted to normalize those exaggerations.
Use software as you would a reloading manual: a reference source for powder loads that are safe and work for the best accuracy you can attain at the range. Shoot over a chrono, then you'll have the velocity to make ballistic calculations over various ranges.
Our calculations have charted a reliability factor, expressed as a percentage, as compared to the data published. If the charge or velocity reliability is 98%, then our formulas have come within 98% of the published values provided by ALL of the published data that we have available. I don't think anyone else does that.
Regards,
HockeyPuck

Sounds like you've really been doing your homework!

Still, it's an estimate. Helps in choosing components for efficient loads to reach a specified velocity. Then you've got to get out the chrony and check what you've got.