Quickload software

[bushwackr]

Hello everyone, good day

I was considering buying quickload program. I have a few questions for people that have it. Is it worth it? Does it have any wildcat cartridges, or are they easy to add?. Is it accurate enough to take that info and actually start a load.
Is there other software out there that does a better job or liked better. Thank you all

 

[capona]

IMO.
Ql Is the gold standard. It's not perfect. Don't use it to start high, you still need common sense.
It will get you into the node.

It saves you in ammo and reloading components and pays for itself quickly.

 

[jeremy.b]

I've personally used quickload to:

• Find possible powders to try for a given cartridge/bullet combo (to help fill in gaps where reloading books don't cover some powders for a given cartridge).
• Estimate velocities for a given bullet/powder combo (must calibrate actual case velocity, and burn rate to measured values)
• Get a feel for calculated pressures after calibration. Obviously watching for actual pressures signs trumps this but it can give a ball park to watch for.

Quickload does have quite a number of wildcats, and adding a new one is just a matter of building one in the cartidge designer.

There is also Gordon's Reloading Tool which is free/open source. I've only used it a little bit but it does similar to the above. The powder profiles are not as well filled out as quickload, but its free and when used with common sense and caution work as well.

 

[Mikecr]

One of it's powers is that you can calibrate powder files, provided you have a good chronograph. These files would then be VERY accurate with various cartridges.
You can measure and enter your H20 capacity.
You can enter seated bearing into necks(affecting capacity).
Adjust load starting pressure and weighting factor(efficiency).
Adjust bore numbers for a tight/loose barrel.
Stuff like that.
You can't do any of this with manuals, so you can't predict anything with manuals.

Around 10yrs ago I designed a wildcat using a cartridge design program and Quickload.
The cartridge design gave me capacity, and then I would run the numbers in QL. I would go back & forth until had just what I wanted, and then filled out a reamer print for the final design.
When the gun was finished, brass fire formed 3 times, the muzzle velocities ended up dead nuts on original predictions.

For this kind of adventure, QuickLoad is awesome.

 

[epoletna]

Helsyeah mentioned Gordon's Reloading Tool. From what I can see of it, it is a good (and free) program.

Be advised: it only works on a Mac if you have a program that makes Safari work like Windows.

 

[65WSM]

I find Quickload is better than a lot more useful than factory data. Hodgdon .223 Remington data shows pressures, like Quickload, which is great, but their data for 53 gr bullets show a maximum of 26.0 gr of Benchmark (48,900 CUP) producing 2932fps while max with the slower burning IMR-8208 is 25.4gr at 53,400 PSI and only 2789 fps. I found similar errors with .223 Remington data on Nosler's page.

Since I like "wildcats" (.20 PPC, .20 BR, .22 BR, .22 Dasher, .224 Nisqually, .22-25 Ackley, 6mm- 30-40 Krag, 6.5 WSM, 6.5-06 Ackley) Quickload saves a lot of powder that would be blown out the end of the barrel and not generate enough pressure and velocity to be useful.

With "obsolete" cartridges like .222 Remington Magnum with only old powders published, Quickload is a big help. Where else can I learn that Alliant AR-Comp would be great with 55gr Bergers in the .222 Rem Mag? In the .35 Whelen, I found with Quickload that IMR-8208 was more than 100fps better than VV N-540? It proved true and IMR-8208 is fabulous in that "obsolete" cartridge.

 

[capona]

Many benefits with QL.

Finding alternate powders
Tuning the load to the node for barrel length. A charted graphic visual of this aspect.
Tuning the H2O volume of the specific cartridge.
Customizable by based on your recorded chrono velocities for your rifle .

I've only scratched the surface of the capabilities of QL. I probably use 20% of its full capabilities.

 

[Dragoon300]

Without a doubt, it is a must have!
There is a lot to learn about using it correctly though. But, when you do you can quite accurately predict velocities and pressures. I would not want to go without it. They also sell Quickdesign for designing your own wildcat.

 

[Seabeeken]

Been using ql for years. It's worth the money and does have a large number of wildcats which is why I bought it. Gordons reloading tool is also awesome and free. It doesn't have as many bullets and powders as ql but it gets me on a node fast with its obt calculator. I tested it with known accurate loads and ran the obt. It recommended very tiny powder adjustments whichgreed that I was on a node.

 

[Blackdirt Cowboy]

Wish you could run it on a Mac.

 

[Justice1327]

I've been using GRT for about two months now. I found it to be very useful in getting to know which powder to use in a given cartridge and what load to start with to get to a node much quicker. It works great on my windows 7 and 10 computers. Best of all they have great support and directions from Charlie and Gordon online.

 

[epoletna]

Blackdirt Cowboy:

You can, but not directly. You need to use a Windows emulator, which is a program that sits in your computer and acts like Windows when you open it. I'm not computer literate enough to figure that stuff out.

 

[skipglo]

Hello everyone, good day

I was considering buying quickload program. I have a few questions for people that have it. Is it worth it? Does it have any wildcat cartridges, or are they easy to add?. Is it accurate enough to take that info and actually start a load.
Is there other software out there that does a better job or liked better. Thank you all

I would highly recommend Load data.com. For 39.00 annual fee....you have access to hundreds of thousands of reload combinations bullet/powders with velocities for every load. Take a look for free...it only hides the velocity. And virtually all wildcats as they come available.

 

[asd9055]

LoadData is a library, something like the reloading manuals. QL is a software. Totally different. Used properly you can get to a load very quickly. Each has its uses. GRT looks very promising, though right now I am having problems with proven loads. I am still looking into it, still learning. It could be user error.