Why buy QuickLOAD?

[mscott]

I'm on the fence about buying this program. How is it going to pay for itself? I typically pick a good bullet for the caliber I'm loading and then decide on a powder to try. After running a basic ladder test to find the pressure limits I shoot some groups and keep going from there.
How can QL tell me how far off the lands to seat bullets, how much powder to dump in, and how it will shoot in MY rifle? What am I missing? Is this just one of those things that you didn't know you needed until you got it?

 

[former naval person]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

Way back when, powders were $2.50 a pound (yes Virginia, there was a Santa) and bullets were $3.50 a hundred...No...you could experiment all you wanted to. Now...Bullets at 50 cents to $1.30 each...Powder at $28 a pound...better get a better aim at your starting load. Bullets are MUCH better. That is the biggest variable out of the way. The good starting load is what the program delivers. Spend your money your own way. JMHO

 

[blksno]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mscott</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is this just one of those things that you didn't know you needed until you got it? </div></div>

Yep.

Well, almost. I don't think you NEED it, but as a novice re-loader, I find it amazing how accurately it can predict a lot of variables.

It will give you a very good estimate on where your pressure levels will be without having to do an extensive ladder test. (you still need to test, just shouldn't need quite as many loads to do it)
I'm sure some guys that use it more often, can give you a lot more benefits than me.

 

[WDL]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

Mike, come on down to my "wheel estate" and I'll show you some of the things QuickLoad can do. And bring along info on a couple of your most accurate loads and we'll see if QuickLoad and Chris Long's OBT (Optimum Barrel Time) can predict your loads.

 

[blksno]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

There ya go, Bill knows his QuickLoad, he'll make a believer out of you for sure.

 

[mscott]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CamoWildcat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mike, come on down to my "wheel estate" and I'll show you some of the things QuickLoad can do. And bring along info on a couple of your most accurate loads and we'll see if QuickLoad and Chris Long's OBT (Optimum Barrel Time) can predict your loads. </div></div>

Thanks, that sounds like a good idea.

 

[Hummer]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

I don't even have the latest version of QL but the main thing I like about it is gives you the percent of powder that will be burned in a given barrel length and bullet weight. Some powders will only burn about 92% of the powder. The rest is blown out the muzzle. It is interesting to change barrel lengths as well to see how the burn rate changes.


You can also determine the pressure curve and see if the powder you have chosen will have a sharp spike or a long curve. I am finding the best loads are down in the yellow zone lower side or just under it.


Bottom line it is a very good program and unless the newer programs tell differently I don't think there will be any recommendations of how much stand off of the lands is best.

Bear in mind that with the variation of bore diameters between manufacturers you may get two entirely different results with same caliber/load/barrel length in two rifles. There is no requirement that barrel makers run tubes of specific tolerances unless you have gov't contract barrels for DoD and there is requirements on those.

In other barrels the only requirement is you pay them for it before they send it.

 

[Bevan]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

It's a lot of money to get what amounts to an educated guess for an answer most of the time

 

[Bevan]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

^^ that is speaking as a person who has it.

 

[taseal]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bevan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's a lot of money to get what amounts to an educated guess for an answer most of the time </div></div>

In the end though, it's a damn fine educated guess.

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

"Way back when, powders were $2.50 a pound (yes Virginia, there was a Santa) and bullets were $3.50 a hundred...No...you could experiment all you wanted to"

What's missing is that the typical weekly salary of a young guy with a family ran about $90, before taxes. We could NOT shoot all we wanted to!

QL is a computor projection but all it can do it give us an educated guess. The typical value of educated guesses (and computer projections) shows up in weather reports, economic and employeement projections, election results, global warming, futures/commodity prices and other stock market projections, etc. Just like them, anything the QL predicts may be correct sometimes but we had better be ready to test them before willy-nilly loading a lot of ammo.

If I'm gonna have to test my stuff anyway, why should I buy an expensive helper to obtain "educated wild-ass guesses"? I think QL is a great keyboard entertainment tool for reloaders who are computer geeks too but that ain't me.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

I don't have QL, and have never used it. I am somewhat familiar with what it does.

That being said...seems to me that it would basically be a waste if you're shooting and loading for a common, well-pioneered cartridge such as 308, 223, 300WM etc etc etc...

If your'e pioneering a new cartridge, or into wildcats, and want to try out a 6mm-338LM, seems like QL would be a GREAT, SAFE place to start.

Either you have to go from solid experience and good old know-how, or you need a mathematical model that can make calculated predictions.

Just my completely ignorant rantings...

 

[blksno]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

What does a chrono offer you that you cant achieve by a couple calculator clicks?

Quickload, IMO, is a heck of a lot better investment than a Chrono and the price difference is minor depending on the chrono of your choice.

 

[Kevlars]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

Well Quickload is theoretical and a Chrony is empirical. If you are just calculating what you should get given the load that you THINK you measured that is great. But if you want to know what you really are getting to make sure that you are loading it correctly and with the proper components then you need a Chrony.
The calculator will not take into account temperature and primer inconsistency, barrel length inconsistancy (basically human error during the build). If you are going to reload you need a Chrony, if you want to take that data and determine “what if” based on your data then Quickload. It allows you to play with your data without wasting shots, but once you have established baseline. I use it to determine max pressure and to verify what I am seeing on the range to what it is calculating. When I saw a difference it indicated that my powder measure scale was off. Once I acquired a new scale my predictions and range impacts were inline. At least that is my opinion.

 

[Clark]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

If you shoot one cartridge with one bullet, one powder, and one rifle, you won't get much good.

But if you have 60 cartridges, 300 bullet types, 50 powders, and 100 rifles, then Quickload saves a lot of time.

 

[blksno]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

What I meant was that the chrono only tells you one variable...but it's almost never 100% accurate, its still only a very good estimate and you've got to tweak your dope to make it perfect. Same as with Quickload.
With Quickload, it can predict velocity close enough to get you on paper and still find exactly what your true velocity is based on your bullet drop at a certain distance.

The calculator comment is simply that as long as you chart all of your load data, and atmospheric conditions, you can still find your true velocity based on the bullet drop, according to those conditions.

I used it to realize that the chrono we were using was roughly 150 fps off on the day we used it. Couldn't figure out why I was hitting low when shooting at 700, turns out the chrony info was off. The bullet drop doesn't lie.

 

[CTone03]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

+1 to CamoWildcat and c_bass 16. If you want to find the perfect load, Quickload will tell you where your OBT is, as well as all the other stuff. That will save you lots of time, which will give you a load that is very consistent in various temps. If you're making a bunch of different loads in a bunch of different calibers and rifles, Quickload will save you years of time. And as c_bass noted, chronographs are not all that precise, but will give you an indication of your velocity, and more importantly, ES and SD. I've found that Quickload estimates a load within about 20 fps most of the time. It can be off with some of the latest powders though.

 

[WDL]

Re: Why buy QuickLOAD?

Thanks CTone. Chris Long believes in its value and that's good enough for me.