Ammo Reloading Software

03March2019

[Lando Lincoln]

Any recommendations for ammo reloading software? I'm really enjoying the activity and am trying to move on beyond the novice stage.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I don’t know about software, but here is an open source link you might find interesting:

http://reloadersrfrnce.sourceforge.net/

[Varmint Al]

Some Finer Points on Handloading/Reloading
Nit-picking and improving accuracy by careful case preparation.

Good Hunting... from Varmint Al

[MCF]

I don’t have but I’ve seen others reference it:
https://www.neconos.com/details3.htm

[Varmint Al]

Some Finer Points on Handloading/Reloading
Nit-picking and improving accuracy by careful case preparation. Link works now....

Good Hunting... from Varmint Al

[M Kehoe]

Bttt.

5.56mm

[Levy78]

Avid reloader here... to do what specifically? Track your own loads or for industry load data?

[Clean_Sweep]

Try this:

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/node

[PROCON]

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[Elderberry]

Acoustic Shock Waves and the Optimal Barrel Time loading concept!

http://www.the-long-family.com/optimal%20barrel%20time.htm

Tweaking QuickLoad to get a great match between the prediction and actual measured load chronograph data!

http://www.the-long-family.com/Tuning%20QL%20to%20achieve%20best%20results.pdf

This site contains information that is related to extreme long range rifle accuracy, including research into certain aspects of internal ballistics and how these issues relate to rifle accuracy.

http://www.the-long-family.com/

[Lando Lincoln]

Good question - I should have specified more. I definitely want to track my own work. I have the basic books from Hornady, Lee, Lyman, Nosler but I might want to go off-book with some loads. So, I need a predictive tool, I guess. I don’t want to overfill or over pressure anything.

I am loading mostly rifle calibers. I just picked up a Swiss K31 so now I want to load 7.5x55.

[Carriage Hill]

Hang this sign above your workbench:

★★★NO HOTLOADS!★★★

[Lando Lincoln]

Agreed. I want everything well inside the ditches. I’m not even a “Magnum” guy with hardware. No Hotloads Ever.

[GaryCrow]

I have the basic books from Hornady, Lee, Lyman, Nosler but I might want to go off-book with some loads. So, I need a predictive tool, I guess. I don’t want to overfill or over pressure anything.
****************************

What you’re talking about is quickload, it’ll allow you to model loads from a database of powders and bullets.

Really what you should get first is a good chronograph. A good chronograph will do much more to keep you safe than quickload. All rifles are individuals so data from reloading manuals is only really accurate under the conditions and using the rifle they tested in the book. Knowing the velocity your rifle is actually giving you with a given combination is the best indicator a reloader has of pressure without going to a strain gauge pressure testing setup like the RSI pressure trace system.

Buy the chronograph first, then worry about quickload. Without being able to accurately measure velocity everything else is just a guess.

[fatboy]

Do you have a chronograph and know how to use it?

Do you have a comparator and overall length gauge know how to use them?

Are you neck sizing only? Are you using match quality dies, especially the sizing and seating die?

Are you rifle barrels match grade?

Do you record all of your data (powder and load weight, chrono data, group size, bullet data and so forth)?

Have you defined your goals?

Here is a freebie for data.... https://loaddata.com/

There are software programs that you can use to develop loads using powder/bullet/seating depth that are not conventional. I think these are subscription services which makes sense because in the last 5 or so years there have been quite a number of powders that were discontinued and new ones introduced.

There are many forums dedicated to handloading where you can ask a question, free advice. Personally and this is just my opinion, I would put the money that it costs for a program into the high quality dies and powder scale and get at least a dozen load manuals. Two books to consider, Powder Profiles and another titled Cartridge Comparison Guide 2. And stick to published tried and true loads.

Having said that I have worked up 1 rifle and 2 handgun loads using powders that have no data for the calibers I loaded them for. I did this because I had a bumper crop of odd powder and was looking for a use for it. As an individual that consumes 12K to 14K handloads per year I don’t think it is worth buying any software or working up loads using powders for calibers that are not recommended or have published data.

A good but low traffic forum for handloaders is handloadersbench.com There are guys there that use predictive software and might be able to help. Another forum which I don’t use is cast boolets http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/ These guys cast their won bullets (duh) but also get into the nitty gritty of everything handloading.

[Seruzawa]

I’m not sure that I would trust such data from the internet. I’d as soon stick with my tried and true manuals.

[Lando Lincoln]

Good Hunting... from Varmint Al

Thanks Al. It will take awhile for me to absorb all of that but it looks to be excellent info.

[HartleyMBaldwin]

“I just picked up a Swiss K31...”

I’m envious. Almost had myself talked into one, years back when they were cheap, but I didn’t want to take on another caliber. Wish I had.

[Lando Lincoln]

Thanks guys. I had a Caldwell chronograph but I hated the need to hardwire it to a iPad or smartphone to log the data. I just upgraded to a ProChrono with the bluetooth module. I haven't used it yet.

I log all my work. Early on, I made one mistake with my loads which taught me a lot. I seated magnum primers in some .30-06 which over pressured the cartridge. Split several... never again.

I size the neck and casing. I size the primer pocket. I gauge the length. I debur the mouth.

I really appreciate the comments.

[chuckles]

Man, I must be old. I still use my books from the 1970's. How tough can it be, try a load, see how it shoots. make a little check mark by the ones you like. Use a scrap of paper to make a note or two if needed.

Most loads shoot better than I can so if it's within a quarter at 100yds good enough for me. I have 1 gun and 1 load I can get inside a dime usually. The rest are inside a 50 cent piece. Pistols are a little different. The powder and bullet makes huge differences. My 30.06 likes slower powders and heavier BT bullets. My .308 likes quicker powered with 150grn or 130grn bullets.

I can't imagine software that would be able to guess what each rifle would like more than others. Barrel length, bullet weight, even bullet seating all has to be custom fit, IMO. One barrel with one twist against an identical barrel with a different twist makes a difference.

Besides, I reload for fun. The fun part is trying different loads to find the special one my gun likes. I'm not sure a computer could suggest a common load that would work with each situation.