Is a chronograph a must have?

S

SirNine

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I'm looking at getting into reloading soon. I'm currently looking at prices and how much everything would cost. I have two issues/ concerns about buying and using a chronograph. I am on a limited budget and would like to save where possible. I'm not planning loading match grade sub moa load just yet (my booger picker is not even that good). I also primarily shoot at a public in door range so setting up a chronograph would require a cease fire and I really don't want to be that guy. I know a magnetospeed would be great for the cease fire and indoors situation but not so much for the budget.
Any ideas or feedback would be greatly appreciated.
 
Necessary? No, but man it sure helps! I never worried about a chronograph when I started loading (9mm) and even when I added .223 I went about a year before I broke down and bought a chronograph. As long as you're staying within the published load ranges (starting low and working up) you shouldn't really need to worry about over pressure. Just watch for pressure signs as you get up near max charge.

Having the chronograph just gives you a lot more valuable information about your loads that now I wouldn't want to load without it, but not for safety reasons. Since you're not loading match ammo yet I'd agree a chrono doesn't need to be high on your list if trying to stick to a short budget.


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This is a question I've always had and never completely got a clear answer. I never got one and was able to create great loads by spending time on the range. Maybe one day I'll bite the bullet and get one but I really don't miss having one either. Where it would come in handy is when setting up my ballistic calculator.

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Not necessary at all. I reloaded several years before buying one. It is a very handy and useful tool though. Mostly mine is used for working up loads for the 1st time when using a new powder. Good for rifle loads to know your velocity and ballistics for bullet drops at longer ranges. After working up my loads and knowing rifle and pistol velocities, the chrono sits in the closet. Something you can definitely add later but not required starting out. Just follow published reload data and you will be fine.
 
I started reloading in about 1981 or so. I still don't have a chronometer, but I don't shoot or compete at long range. I shoot pigs, deer, coyotes, and paper at 400 yards or less. But, if I had any desire to shoot out to 800 or 1000 yards, my next purchase would be a chronometer.
 
Plenty of us managed to safely reload without one for decades.
But as ajandrs said, it sure makes life easier.
I bought one to be able to load major/minor for the action games.
Never ran into trouble not having one before.
It certainly helps know exactly what you're doing, though.
 
I loaded for decades before getting a chronograph. Now I see what I was missing. I load to velocity within the manuals' data rather than increase until I see a problem and back off.
 
I too loaded for decades before getting one. It is a luxury in my opinion, not needed but nice to have at some point in your reloading career. I finally bought one a few years ago and have only used it 8 or so times.
 
IMHO it depends on the type of shooting you plan to do . It sounds like you will not need one based on what you've said . I'll add that in all actuality there is a boat load of reloading equipment one does not need unless you do :eek: Heck you don't even "need" a press http://www.midwayusa.com/s?userSearchQuery=Lee+loader&userItemsPerPage=48 .

I personally chrono all my rifle loads during load development . Is it needed , no not really but like most reloading equipment . It has it's place and can help quite a bit . EXAMPLE : I was testing 223/5.56 using 55gr FMJ-BT bullets with H-335 powder from a 16" AR .

Here are the cases fired . The ones on the right were charged with 26gr with a MV of 3145fps
dSCU4O.jpg

3wFybX.jpg


No real visual pressure signs but 3145fps from a 16" barrel is right up there at what should be max pressure . So If I did not use the chrono , based on the visual signs I might think I could go with even a higher charge . The chrono is just one of many tools you can buy to help with reloading . Is it a must ? No but really most of what you can buy is not "needed" .
 
I think we were better off before we had chronograph's. Today many people rely to much on them. The only thing it really does is let you know the velocity your bullet. Some print out trajectory table's for the bullet, mine does. Before chronograph's we had no idea what the velocity was but we sighted in and then shot the load at different ranges to see where we were. Certainly knowing the thing's one does tell us is handy, but, not necessary!

If you have a flat shooting cartridge, sight it in 3" high and then move the target out maybe 50 yds at a time and you will get a good idea of the a chronograph tells you you have, learn to see pressure signs while your shooting.
 
Chronographs are nice to have, but absolutely not a necessity for the average reloader.

I shot my favorite 9x19mm load for almost 20 years, thinking it was a powder puff load at about 950 fps, only to discover that it was actually running 1,170 fps when I finally bought a chronograph.

Does that mean I need to change things, or should have gotten a chronograph sooner? Nope.
The load was worked up safely to begin with, it functions as desired, and it still feels like a 'light' load.

Some people would argue that that's a perfect example of why everyone should have a chronograph, because discrepancies like that with velocity can have huge impacts on longer range shooting.

But I look at it as an example of why velocity doesn't really matter, unless you need to know it (long range shooting, making power factor, etc.).
The only 9mm that has been with me for that entire time is a Ruger P95. That load, in that pistol, is for plinking, trigger time, and shooting squirrels at short range. Velocity is irrelevant.
 
I don't reload but typically shoot 600 - 1,000 yards. While the ballistics calculators are pretty good, if you don't know precisely how fast your muzzle velocity is, then you're chance of 'bullets = ballistics' is not high, and you're back to Kentucky windage.
 
Shooting long range is a specialty. Out to well beyond long range, trajectory can be plotted by shooting and keeping good records.
 
A chronograph is one of those "nice to have" items,but not at all necessary. I reloaded mebbe 30 years before I got my chrony, and I sometimes forget to take it with me to the range. (another not so necessary "Necessity" is a tumbler. For many,many years I just wiped my cases with a lightly solvent dampened rag while inspecting. No ruined dies nor chambers and I could spot any defects). I never went to maximum charges so a chrony wouldn't help me see high pressures/velocities.

Unfortunately, there a lot of tools and equipment recommended to new reloaders, so I usualy suggest a new reloader research each tool/equipment to see if it s truly "needed", will make any "better" ammo, or make reloading "easier". Many things are "nice or OK to have", but far from necessary to make safe accurate ammo...:D
 
If you shoot competitions like USPSA, ICORE, IDPA and others a chronograph is a necessity so that you can make sure your ammo will pass the minimum power factors for these events.

Find an accurate load and then test for power factor is important. Going to a major match and missing the lowest factor (Minor) means you just spent all you money to shoot for fun, no prizes or acknowledgement for your efforts.

And if you miss the Major ammo mark you end up loosing about 20% of you score shooting Minor.
 
I've been using one since the 80s. I'm on my second Oehler and love it. My purpose for one is to track the Standard Deviation and Extreme Spread. When they're low, the load is very accurate. For instance, I wanted a 300 Savage type load from my 308, so I loaded up 42gr of H4895 under 150 Corelokts. The velocity was 2518 for 10 shots, the ES was 12fps, and the SD was 7. Group was 1/2".
 
I also primarily shoot at a public in door range so setting up a chronograph would require a cease fire and I really don't want to be that guy.
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Good for you! It's just being polite but I'd appreciate it if I shot at your range.

A chronograph is NOT necessary as I've reloaded for years and years without one. (But mostly handgun ammo and I hardly ever load max loads.)

Also a consideration is that folk claim there are two types of chronograph owners, ones that have put a bullet thru their chronograph and ones that are going to put a bullet thru their chronograph.

Of course there IS this one that eliminates those problems.
http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/52...FNgLKR6meO-KCZt3gDZi_Lif8OxA1_2uWIaAjkT8P8HAQ

I've always thought it would be great of a range bought one of these, installed it on one lane and then charged you a nominal fee to use it.
 
I wouldn't buy one for handgun shooting. I loaded rifle rounds without one for years, but after buying one I'd not even consider loading rifle rounds without one anymore.
 
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