Okay, so we don't have a chronograph. I am left to guess what velocity I am getting with my handloads. And these damn manuals ain't helping me any. One manual suggests I can push a 160 gr Partition at 2900 fps. Another says 3100 fps with the same bullet. I am loading for a 7mm Rem Mag and the Nosler #5 Manual says I should be getting 3112 fps with my current load...or I could be getting 2900...what's up with that? Why is there so much damn varience? And can anybody at least put me in the ball park with what a 160 gr Partition is getting through your chrony?

Far Right - I hate to say it but the published data is probably ALL telling you the truth. The truth is simply no two guns are alike any more than people are. There is a bushel basket full of factors that can influence the velocity...and when you consider this data is from several different sources with several different guns and with ammo assembled by several different people......well, you just tossed another bushel basket full of reasons for the variations into the mess.

Most lazy reloaders such as me just sort of split the difference with these figures. My attitude is this: "Does it really matter if I don't know the EXACT velocity of my bullet?"

In the REAL WORLD, I think the answer is pretty much no. Whatever your velocity, you will sight your rifle in and get to know it according to how it performs. NOT some BS in a loading manual.

I learned the hard way, a long time ago, that you can fill your head with too many equations and get WAY too technical about this ballistic stuff.

It's great fun in the lab...but out hunting it don't mean squat. What good does it do you to know your bullets exact velocity when you turn around and have to GUESS at the range to your animal...and GUESS at his size...and GUESS at how fast he is running...and GUESS at the wind and temperature.

In the real world, the best thing you can take hunting with you IMHO is simply a good feel for your rifle and what you can do with it AND a double dose of EXPERIENCE. Beyond that, you're on your own. The books won't help you.

Good hunting.

There are certian things you can look at and compare among different manuals to get a ball park feel of what you should actually be able to get near to.

For instance Speer seems to me to be a bit on the conservative side while something like a Hodgon or Hornady Manual appears to me to stretch things a bit. Also always look at the barrel lengths of the test rifles and adjust your figures accordingly. With those things in mind I think a guy can look carefully at certian manuals in comparing and find many very close figures to get a ball park to start from. Its usually easy to get a feel for a calibers capability and in the final analisys pressure signs and accuracy are all that really matter anyway so dont I wouldnt loose too much sleep over prined data.

FarRight,
you can buy a Crony cronograph for a $100 and they work great. Then you will know what velocities you are really getting. I love mine, no more guessing.

I am with over.40 on this, The Chrony is cheap and it is a great tool to work with

Far Right, I was curious about my 7mm mag loads, so I borrowed a chrony. The gun was a Rem 700 ADL w/24" barrel:

Federal Premium 160 Nosler Part: 3097 fps
Remington 140 PSP: 3225 fps
Handloaded 175 Nosler Part: 2911 fps

I got pretty decent accuracy from all these loads, and outstanding accuracy from the Sierra 160 and 175 SPBT bullets in my handloads.

Hope this helps, although your rifle may well produce quite different results. Regards, Guy

There are mutilple factors that can effect velocity. Barrel length, temperature, powder lots, bullets and their seating length, how uniform the loading is, etc. IF you get a chrony it will be work every penny that you spend. The manuals get you close and give you an idea about speed. It is close enough for harvesting animals. 100fps isn't the differnce between getting an animal and not, the bullet placement is more important. Now we go full circle. If you are shooting long distance then speed is important so that you know you bullet drop at "X" distance.

Chronys have helped me see not only velocity but how the accuracy of loads vs the velocity vs the standard deviation of the load. The all run in relation to each other. Very accurate loads have low standard deviations. Also I have found that within the safe loading data a gun that shoots 3000 fps with one powder will be also accurate with a differnt powder with similar burn rate at the similar velocity. This is like science class!!!

Chronys are just fun too.

Have fun
Hcliff