Measuring the speed of different cartridges

schmokinn · Apr 8, 2017

Really love to know how you are going to measure the speed of shot down range?

Got to get it close enough to the chronograph to measure but not shoot the equipment :smile:

jwpzx9r · Apr 8, 2017

ips said:
Imo speed is no big issue, you get used to a cartridge which is why a bulk buy of same brand is advisable (if your serious) for me the important thing is consistency. If a manufacturer cannot produce a load with consistent speed then that in itself is enough for me to question the quality of components and the implementation or rather lack of it of any quality control.

The number of misfires I have seen from the most expensive Fiocchi competition load suggests, to me, that your faith in what manufacturers do to test the quality of their product is badly misplaced. The cartridges are tested to an industry standard and no more. Further more you get no guarantee that any of the cartridges you buy will actually meet that standard ... only that the ones they tested did... that says nothing at all about the ones in the box that you got ! That is the great get out clause that cartridge manufacturers have.

Just as an aside. Why is it that cartridge manufacturers insist on trying to get shooters to buy their most expensive load simply because someone really great at shooting won a championship using it? I not saying I don't understand why thy use that method it makes sense from the point of view of getting shooters on board but in a world where nearly everybody is pressed upon financially and savings have to be made... you would have thought manufacturers would be going out of their way to highlight what a really great shooter could do with their LEAST EXPENSIVE LOAD... of which I am certain they will sell more of anyway. If you can grab that end of the market exclusively you are going to make serious money ? Is it just a not a case that they really don't want you to know the truth about cartridges?

ips · Apr 8, 2017

my chrono tests on a dozen or so makes and models concluded

cheap = inconsistent speed

expensive = more consistent speed

on the day fiochi black, blue and golden summat were the most consistent, however that was three years ago. This was a pretty scientific test with recorded data (on the day) we also had a friend who is a ballistics guru rip them apart and analyze the powder and even did a drop test for antimony and consistency of stated antimony. Again a scientific test. He concluded expensive is better as far as quality and consistency of components .

I can not elaborate any further, people are free to shoot cheap if they cant tell any difference, people are free to shoot expensive if they can tell or more importantly if they are very serious about a team place and want one less thing to doubt .