QuickLoad - Again, Measure your Bullets!

[JohndeFresno]

I post something about QuickLoad from time to time. I am a huge fan of the ballistic calculation handloader's aid, and always get the latest update.

Having said that, I have again found a questionable measurement in their tables that significantly affects your load data.

The QuickLoad tables show the Sierra Pro-Hunter 110 gr. Spitzer .270 Winchester bullet, #1810, as .800 inch long. This measurement carried over to at least one website which, having given the proper acknowledgment to QuickLoad, also shows it to be that length.

This measurement caused me to reject it as a bullet with a heritage or strong influence from some old "Trophy" bullets sold by a pioneering bullet maker who has gone to his reward, per this earlier thread:
http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... 6&p=774744

I purchased some Pro-Hunters which arrived today. I measured them and re-measured them after using a calibration tool on my micrometer. Yup - .955 inch, exactly the same as the "Trophy" bullets I purchased from Gunny Mack.

As an aside, the Sierra's are very hard to distinguish from the old "Trophy's" except for the fact that the older bullets have a slightly smaller diameter on the lead point of the bullet, and the ogive is very, very slightly different. Maybe Griff and Ray had it right, and these were the predecessors to the Sierra's!

The upside is that I can use the Sierra load data for these legacy bullets from factory and loading manual sources with confidence, while making sure that I slightly tweak my QuickLoad data. Nothing is perfect, of course, but once again -
When using QuickLoad, measure your bullet lengths!

[earlmck]

Right you are, John. QL seems to have a modest number of errors, especially in their bullet database and occasionally in their cartridge length database. I think their powder database is really good, though I have been suspicious about a few results I got which made 3031 look like some kind of miracle powder (unlike my jug of 3031 which is useful but has a narrow range of usefulness).

[Bulldozer]

Quickload: interesting software.
I had one 12 years ago but lost the floppy disk,120$...

To check the software predictions I see only wo ways:
-to measure the bullet speed
-to measure pressure in the barel.

I always wondered how precise are Quickload's prediction?....

[JohndeFresno]

Quickload: interesting software.
I had one 12 years ago but lost the floppy disk,120$...

To check the software predictions I see only wo ways:
-to measure the bullet speed
-to measure pressure in the barel.

I always wondered how precise are Quickload's prediction?....

Due to the added variation of primer ignition curves and pressure differences among the different primer brands, I must presume that this situation creates too many extra calculations for the software to accurately process. QuickLoad, you may recall from when you had it installed, does not accept primer type input.

Given that observation, QuickLoad still gets very close to what I have seen on my chrono or what has been documented by responsible and valid sources. I have noticed this especially with my handgun loads using CCI 300 Large Pistol Primers.

I have noticed with revolver loads that QuickLoad seems to generally err a bit by "exaggerating" the actual MV versus the actual results. I attribute that to the gas leakage at the cylinder gap which would reduce the velocity a bit. But this is not a large figure, in any case.

As a refresher for what you are missing, and perhaps what you did not have in an earlier version of QuickLoad, here is a demo of features for the latest version of QL software. I recently put it together for a friend; ignore the first few comments because they are relevant to that person's ammo choice. The figures and displays speak for themselves. The demo does not portray all of the functions. For instance, QuickLoad also produces blackpowder predictions. And it comes with QuickTarget, which takes your entries from QuickLoad and produces a complete ballistic and bullet drop workup.

Here is a download link of my recent demo workup for a particular load:
https://app.box.com/s/dyvb21x0y1dj9gm5ba5s0gh1lbnlvwjy

[Bulldozer]

So the software's predictions can give us some clue on the pressure curve ib regard to a specific load.
Of course better to check with an official reloading data book, prior to any live test.

For the rest, nothing but to try it at the shooting club.

Thanks.