QL assistance

[bomberodevil]

Hi, I'm loading two rifles for grandkids deer hunts, and I'd like to get some approximate velocities please. The first is a 6.5 CM, 22" barrel, first load of Hornady 130 gn ELDM, 42.8 gns of H4350. The second load is the same rifle, with Nosler 140 grain Accubonds, with 41.0 grains of H4350. The third load is a 280 AI, 22" barrel, with Hornady 162 grain SST, 58.7 grains of H4831.
I'm just trying to get approximate velocities for yardage drops, but we won't be shooting past 300-350 yards. Thanks in advance!

 

[Rhett Crider]

If you've got these loads already worked up, I'd borrow a Magneto Speed to verify. QL can be way off at times. Really need your case capacity and COAL to get closer.

 

[bomberodevil]

If you've got these loads already worked up, I'd borrow a Magneto Speed to verify. QL can be way off at times. Really need your case capacity and COAL to get closer.

Thanks, I don't know anyone locally that has a chronograph, the two friends that have one are hours away. I load all my hunting loads 0.030" off the lands, and neither the Hornady or the Nosler websites have the capacity of the brass.

 

[Rhett Crider]

PM me COALs for each and I'll run predicted.

 

[Justice1327]

QL and GRT work best with case capacity and OAL. I would just shoot 200 and 300 yards and measure the drop. This way it's more exact and you can also take this information and put it in a Ballistic Calculator to add in the atmospheric conditions.

 

[just_jon]

Using QL presets for COAL and H2O capacity, I come up with the following:

6.5 CM 130 ELDM: 2,738 fps
6.5 CM 140 AB: 2,619 fps
280AI 162 SST: 2,747 fps

 

[bomberodevil]

PM me COALs for each and I'll run predicted.

PM sent, thanks!

 

[bomberodevil]

Using QL presets for COAL and H2O capacity, I come up with the following:

6.5 CM 130 ELDM: 2,738 fps
6.5 CM 140 AB: 2,619 fps
280AI 162 SST: 2,747 fps

Thanks!

QL and GRT work best with case capacity and OAL. I would just shoot 200 and 300 yards and measure the drop. This way it's more exact and you can also take this information and put it in a Ballistic Calculator to add in the atmospheric conditions.

Thank you. My range doesn't have a 300 yd range available to the public, but I'll look around for one.

 

[bomberodevil]

Thanks Rhett Crider and Just_Jon for your help!

 

[waveslayer]

QL won't help... youbhave to true the velocity in QL to the actual burn rate of your lot of powder. So it won't serve you well nor give you accurate data... just shoot it and write it down. Now with your DOPE you can reverse engineer it using a ballistics calculator

 

[can1010]

QL won't help... youbhave to true the velocity in QL to the actual burn rate of your lot of powder. So it won't serve you well nor give you accurate data... just shoot it and write it down. Now with your DOPE you can reverse engineer it using a ballistics calculator

I wouldn't be surprised if the velocity is off as much as 150 fps. using uncalibrated default settings.

 

[jfolanddvm]

I bought the QL program to work up loads for a new rifle in a caliber that, at the time, I couldn't find much load data for. Just thought I would check it out by putting in some of the loads I had in other calibers that I already had chronograph and range data for. It wasn't even close. I would never base hunting drops on data from it. Actually measuring drop at the distances you will be shooting would obviously be the best, with data from a good chronograph coming in second. But if you have a good zero at 200, and know where you're shooting at 100, you can make a pretty close estimate of where you will be at 300 with those loads.

 

[Petey308]

There are too many unaccounted for variables with QL and I've seen actual velocities compared to estimates, even with specific COAL, case length, barrel length, water capacity of the case, etc still be off more than 100fps.

The number you typically tweak to calibrate QL to your actual MV is the powder burn rate (Ba). That's the linear variable that works better than anything else to true the results it spits out regarding velocity and pressure.

It's not that the powder burn rate isn't what is loaded in QL, it's that differences in ignition rate based on the primers you're using, moisture content of the powder, ambient temperature, shoulder bump, neck tension, bore area, bullet jump to lands, etc, etc will essentially alter the rate the powder burns from point of ignition to point the bullet exits the barrel.

So trying to get accurate MV estimates with QL without a chronograph can be futile. You'll get lucky at best.