Chronograph Question

[gary2232]

Getting ready to jump into reloading. Sooooooo much to buy. Am I going to need to have a chronograph also? I shoot IDPA and need to have a min power factor of 125,000. Can I load my own rounds and know that I meet that min with out a chronograph? I intend to get one down the road but for now I would prefer to spend my dollars on dies and scales. Thanks

[HighLander51]

Can I load my own rounds and know that I meet that min with out a chronograph? Thanks

The only way to know if you meet the floor is to chrono your rounds out of your gun. Either buy one or have someone that has a chrono at your range run it. Keep in mind that in IDPA, the floor is met by the longest barrel gun in division, so if you run a G19 in SSP, for example, and your loads don't make the floor, you can ask to have it run out of a G34. It will never happen at a local match.

[wtkaiser]

Or you could load to whatever your minimum is (I don't shoot IDPA) and bump it up a couple tenths, and figure you're good. I've been reloading for a long time and I have never used a chronograph, BUT that doesn't mean I wouldn't love to know what some of my loads are doing. I'm just too cheap for my own good, and it's a major hassle setting it up and hoping I don't somehow pull the shot low and center it's innards.

[joelogic]

If the load will work the action with a stock spring it is probably over the min.

[OldShooter32]

Some ranges have chronos you can rent for the day. The one I got for $95 is a lot of fun for the cost tho.

[gary2232]

Great info guys. As usual I tend to over complicate things. Just keep it simple.
Thanks Again

[G60]

You'll end up wanting a chronograph anyways, but browsing & searching the brianenos.com forums should net you some results for loads that will make power factor in your gun.

[Whiterabbit]

I'd suggest loading for accuracy above all else. I was talking to a competition gunner the other day and made some comments about speed vs accuracy, assuming all you guys cared about was 8" at 20 yards or whatever size steels you guys shoot at. He explained just how important accuracy really is.

min load is meaningless if the accuracy sucks! Load for the most accuracy you can eek out.

you can take that for what it is worth. I don't shoot competition.

[HighLander51]

assuming all you guys cared about was 8" at 20 yards or whatever size steels you guys shoot at.

you can take that for what it is worth. I don't shoot competition.

In competition we care about a 1" group at 25 yards, that's the difference between an A hit and a C hit, I don't now where you got the 8" thing from. Then just shoot everything really fast, whether it's Steel Challenge, 3 Gun, USPSA or IDPA. However loading to minimum plus a couple of tenths, or cycling the slide, or even factory ammo is no guarantee that the ammo will make the power floor. And the velocity will not be corrected for temperature or pressure, what it reads is what the RO writes. You will not be chrono'd at a local match, but if you shoot a State or Area, you are going to chrono. If you want to find out you didn't make the power floor after traveling, match fees, hotel, gas, food, etc. then good luck.

IDPA does have a rule that says if you can’t make the power floor with your gun, for example, a G19, then you can ask to have it chrono’d thru the largest gun in division, for SSP, that would be a G34.