About every 3 or 4 months I start itching to buy Quickload, and then I see something or other that causes me to hold off.

What ARE the advantages/disadvantages, if any, of relying on that software for
1) Choosing powders?
2) Estimating pressures?
3. Finding which of comparable velocity loads will produce the least recoil?
4. Identifying unsafe charges BEFORE trying them in the gun?
5. User friendly operation?

Are there any basically unsound assumptions in the software's operating premises?

Thanks for your collective views.

Alberta Canuck

I've been using QuickLoad for a number of years and I like it a bunch....... However, it is not a substitute for load books..... Some of the powder values are a little flakey...
but overall it is fine.... I generally use mine for fine tuning a load, i.e. switching bullets, changing overall lengths etc.

Most of the time it is within about plus/minus 5% of the predicted speeds on the Chrony....On some powders it is not so good though....

The exterior ballistics part of the program aint bad too....
John

Quickload is the next best thing to having your own ballistics lab. It is not idiot proof, however. When you pull up a cartridge in Quickload it defaults to a conservative set of values for things like case capacity, COL, and barrel dimensions. These conservative values will result in a velocity and pressure that are probably higher than what your gun is actually producing. You really need to edit all those things for your particular gun. If you do that, Quickload will predict velocity extremely well, usually within 50 fps, and it's fair to assume that the pressure is pretty accurate, too, since the velocity numbers are computed using the pressure curve.

I find Quickload especially valuable for cast bullets, since there is little or no pressure data for many cast designs.

One drawback is that when a new powder is introduced, like Lil Gun or Ramshot Hunter, Quickload is slow to offer updates for the new powder.

I've been using Quickload for about a year now. I'm very happy with it. I would recommend it to any body who wants to reload.

I have been using "Quickload" for a couple of years now.

I try to use as much real world data as I can such as the actual H2O capacity of my own cases.

I will set a pressure ceiling and a load density limit. (usually a slightly compressed load with extruded powders)

"Quickload" will then print out loads that are @ or below these pressure/density limits in descending order of velocity. These velocity values are usually very close to real world results, but sometimes (rarely) they are not.

Caution is still the rule! Always reduce and work up, verifying "Quickload" data with published data where practicable.

I would highly recommend it to anyone that has enough experience to exercise the appropriate caution and restraint.

"Quickload" also comes with an excellent exterior ballistics program called "Quick target".

Perhaps you should investigate the advantages of "Load from a Disk." You can download a demo 30 caliber version from their website.

www.loadammo.com

Put me down as another really happy user. I was to neco's website today and see they have an update I should probably get. The updates seem to get it even more accurate and it's awful good just the way it is!!

I've been using Load from a Disk for a year of so. It decides on and only allows a few powders for any given cartridge/load combo. It doesn't consider compressed loads and seems very conservative in it's pressure estimates.

I called the seller with some questions and he's about as cranky as his software.

Shoulda bought Quickload.

Canuck,
As an alternative, I use and wholeheartedly endorse RCBS.Load. (www.gmdr.com). Greg has a LOT of data, and coupled with the cartridge designer feature, gives excellent case capacities with various bullet seating depths.
None of the various programs are a substitute IMO for carefully working up loads for your gun.
The only affordable way I know of to get pressure data is the pressure equipment now available from http://www.shootingsoftware.com/pressure.htm.
This will be my next purchase in the pursuit of more understanding of internal ballistics.
Cheers,
R*2

QuickLoad is quite good, and I am happy with it. It does, however, occasionally give anomalous results. All that really means is that you still need a good loading book to by which to judge the results.

It is excellent in predicting desired barrel times, so you can use it with a spreadsheet to predict barrel times that coincide with vibration nodes. It isn't automated, but between the two, you can start smart.

Once in a while, as mentioned above, the pressures and velocities will be off. Most of my experience is with the .308 Win and sometimes it recommends an overload. I have tried custom parameters and that helps a little if you have, say, a tight barrel. It even knows the difference between 7.62 x 51 mm (as military cases) and .308 Win as commercial cases, although the commercial case capacities are only in the ballpark.

I have a place in back of my house where I can shoot a little. When using loading books and quick load, I load one and step out back and fire it. Then I look for pressure signs. It helps to avoid getting to the range with a bunch of ammo that will have to be disassembled rather than shot. The other day, I could see a load progressively loosen the primer pocket in a Remington case (without primer flattening) and the same load in a Winchester case with similar capacity would flatten the primer but not loosen the primer pocket. The load was reduced until neither case objected. None of the loads produced the oft-looked-for resistance to opening the bolt handle, either.

Personally, I don't know what I would do without it now that I have learned what to expect. Perfect, no. Darn useful, yes.

Thanks Savage, dunno why my url didn't work. And here's for RCBS.Load; www.gmdr.com
Cheers,
R*2

Quickload has always been very close to what my chrono says with bottle necked cartriges.

It is sometimes way off on straight wall, which QL admits in the instructions, due to the unpredictability of unburned powder blowing out muzzle.

But with 45 Colt, it is right on the money for velocity.

The pressures that *Assclown* predicts with Von Misses calculations for the web failures in .223, 308, and 8mm have been very close to the QL pressure prediction for my loads that cause web failure.

All in all, it has been worth many times the price.

Thanks everybody -

I already have "Load From a Disk" & "RCBS Load" resident on one of my PCs, along with three other ballistics programs.

Seems to me that if a person had Quickload AND Dr. Oehler's ballistic equipment/software, he'd just about have it covered, so that's sorta the direction I'm heading in. Any comments/warnings in that respect?

Thanks again,

Alberta Canuck

As in most everything, there are alternatives. I bought Load from a Disk and Dr. Oehler's model 43PBL because of the many glowing reviews by gun scribes and other users. Some here are quick to point out that other pressure measuring equipment can be had at less cost. I gambled that Oehler Research and their software maker Dexadine would still be in business when I needed them. I gave both a call when I upgraded from Win98 to this Dell with the XP system and they both sent me new installation disks at no charge or postage. One each for M43PBL and Ballistic Explorer. They don't charge for their product updates either.

I'd put the $150 QL money towards the M43PBL with the acoustic target. But you make up your own mind.

Onefunzr2 -

Obviously you are thinking along the same avenue down which I may be about to turn.

Are you suggesting that with the Oehler M43PBL that the Quickload may be superflous or redundant?

If so, in its own way that would be good news. The PBL with the acoustic targets is my ultimate goal.

Thanks,

Alberta Canuck

You've already got 2 programs; the LFD and the RCBS. How many "what if" programs do you need?



I don't know exactly what Quickload can do. But I do know that the 43PBL will give you real world data about whatever cartridge you fire in whatever weapon you fire it in. Imperical knowledge. It measures pressure and downrange performance. It's the ultimate for the handloading hobbyist.

I've compared its outputs to that from the load books. It's generally off, and there's some fudge factors the author suggests you use without a full explanation as to why. However, used the way he suggests, it does an admirable job of predicting what performance you can get from a case and bullet combination within the pressure limits of your gun.

Do not expect it to tell you which powder or how much of it to use to reach the limit. It is not that accurate and never will be. It's modeling of bullet engraving, primer effects, etc. is crude. I suspect these aspects will never be handled by mathematical models of internal ballistics, for there are too many variables beyond the control of any software author.

If you really want a look inside your rifle, spend the money on the PressureTrace system others here have pointed to. QL is a great tool for learning trends, but it is no substitue for either a strain gauge rig or for a collection of load books. I don't for a moment regret spending my money on QL, but I'd never put my face beyond some max load it predicts.

AC,
In terms of what's needed past a press, dies and a scale I rank things as
CHRONO
Quickload
and a pressure system...

I don't have a pressure system YET... working on an RSI

Quickload tends to give fairly accurate results and has saved me more than it's cost in not buying XYZ powder

while the newest powders don't make it that day, they do make it into updates. One version of QL had an issue with 748... always, always, always stated pressure and vel at +15% or more.. emailed the creator, worked with him, and it got updated... the case in point were factory 358 loads, btw.

since you can adjust barrel length (it wants ATF barrel, not outside the action length), case capacity, OAL, and pressures, the tool is majorly flexible.

there's 2 sure cool features..
1: "load to a pressure" which then looks at the powders and gives you estimated results
2: start from X weight, and give me +/1 10%

I find it to be an excellent tool, and generally the bashers of the program don't have it, or, frankly, aren't used to computer simulations

is it 100% accurate? NOPE... but, when adjusted, funny enough, the results can be FAR closer than a reloading book.. as you adjust lengths and depths

jeffe

Thanks Jeffe - Just the kind of balanced comments I was looking for.



I have more than one "what if" program, for a variety of reasons. I have RCBS Load because I think it has one really useful feature...it's "Design a Cartridge" function where, when YOU change any one dimension of a cartridge, IT recalculates and shows all the other dimensions which have to change to make your new dimension possible.



I have "Load From a Disk" because it is an automated version of Powley's Computer, which I found quite handy when it first came out. And, I bought it before Quickload ever existed.



I want to try Quickload (now that I have heard from others here) because most of the cartridges I load these days are NOT factory cartridges and there is NO book data for most of them.



I have over 50 loading books already and, sure, I can interpolate data from them for just about any new cartridge I come up with. Quickload will hopefully save me the time and effort of calculating my own interpolations of loads, with a more refined feel for the parameters within which I am working. My 60+ years of shooting (more than 55 of which have included handloading) give me an "instinctive" feel for where I am at and where I am going, but anything more refined than that is always welcome.



In a way I guess I want to try Quickload for the same reason I have AutoCad and, for that matter, a computer. Even though I had 4 years classroom/practical training as a draftsman, AutoCad and the computer are a much easier and faster way to do the same work.



I particularly like the aspects of being able to easily get approximate loads for a particular level of pressure(s) for a variety of powders and other components.



One of the things I HAVE learned over the years is how and when to work up a load. So my uses of such a tool do not include anything like using it to get to some calculated "Maximum" load. I do not think much of maximum loads anyway. I feel if you want much more power than a "standard" load, you either need a bigger, heavier bullet, or a bigger cartridge case, or both. My own personal opinion is that a rifle is like all other heat engines...if you run them at max all the time you can expect "accidents" and short working life. Applies to cars, airplanes, rifles, and any other heat engine of which I am aware. Guess it's why I have always preferred more cubic inches in making horsepower than over-engineered, multiple cam, 10,000 rpm car engines... YMMV, pardon the pun.



I am constantly designing and making my own cartridges, and chambering/barreling for them. Am about to start on rifle actions as well. Have worked out a rather different design intended to minimize each of the problems noted in Dr. Vaughn's book "Rifle Accuracy Facts", to see what to what degree reduction of the "problems" he identified may be helpful in real life shooting.



My purpose for Quickload is to be another, hopefully faster, tool for me in some of my experimenting, but it is NOT intended as a substitute for my own judgement.



Thanks to all of you for the input.



Alberta Canuck