Fun with my chronograph

[JoeWilliams]

Took my chronograph out to play yesterday. Ran some factory and handloaded .45 ACP, .22LR, .38 Special and .357 loads over it, both factory and handloads. Set up 10 feet from the muzzle, 5 shots (for most,) accuracy testing was done from a rest at 15 yards.

Didn't know if the info might be useful to someone or not. I enjoy gathering and checking my results, figured I'd share.

Sellier & Bellot .45 ACP 230 grain ball ammo
RIA 1911A1 5" barrel
Velocities for 5 shots = 804, 812, 823, 821, 810, average 814 fps
Accuracy = 3 1/4" with a called flyer, 1 1/2" without the flyer

Remington bulk pack Golden Bullet .22LR 36 gr hp
Savage MKII rifle
Velocities for 5 shots = 1201, 1187, 1229, 1248, 1211, average 1215 fps
Accuracy = 1"

Remington bulk pack Gold Bullet .22LR 36 gr hp
Ruger Bearcat 4" barrel
Velocities for 5 shots = 850, 904, 922, 898, 810, average 877 fps
Accuracy = 1 1/2"
Not too shabby for a 25 year old pack of .22 bulk ammo, not from rifle or pistol

Winchester Wildcat .22LR 40 gr lrn
Ruger Bearcat 4" barrel
Velocities = 944, 962, 942, 972, 918 average 948 fps
Accuracy = 4 1/2"
Bargain basement accuracy, at least from this gun. I'll not be buying more.

Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel .357 Magnum 135 gr JHP
Ruger SP101 3 1/16" barrel
Velocities = 1145, 1169, 1170, 1161, 1174 average 1164 fps
Accuracy = 3" group, 4" low

Winchester Super X .357 Magnum 158 gr lswc
Ruger SP101 3 1/16" barrel
Velocities = 1224, 1206, 1212, 1212, 1206 average 1212 fps
Accuracy = 4 1/2" centered

Fiochi .357 Magnum 142 gr fmj
Ruger SP101 3 1/16" barrel
Velocities = 1114, 1091, 1146, 1114, 1146 average 1122 fps
Accuracy = 3" group, 2" low

Remington .357 Magnum 125 gr jsp
Ruger SP101 3 1/16" barrel
Velocities = 1349, 1335, 1348, 1318, average 1338 fps
Accuracy = 4"
Only shot four cause that left me with an even 25 in the pack. This ammo had a lot of muzzle blast, the recoil was very snappy but controllable. I just really don't like full power 125 grain .357s. The noise always makes me feel like I'm getting slapped in the face. I'm betting that contributed to my lackluster accuracy with this round.

Handload: .357 Magnum, 125 gr XTP-HP, 7 gr W231, WSP primer, 1.580" OAL
Ruger SP101 3 1/16" barrel
Velocities = 987, 1019, 1025, 993, 997 average 1004 fps
Accuracy = 1 1/2" group 2" low
Quite a bit of muzzle flash from this round, but a very accurate and controllable one.

Handload: .357 Magnum, 158 gr XTP-HP, 5.6 gr Titegroup, WSP primer, 1.580" OAL
Ruger SP101 3 1/16" barrel
Velocities = 919, 965, 922, 950, 961, average 943 fps
Accuracy = 4" centered

Handload: .357 Magnum, 158 gr lead flat point, 4.7 gr Titegroup, WSP primer, 1.600" OAL
Ruger SP101 3 1/16" barrel
Velocities = 909, 904, 929, 907, 896 average 909 fps
Accuracy = 3 1/8" centered

Handload: .38 Special, 158 gr lead flat point, 3.4 gr Titegroup, WSP primer, 1.465" OAL
Ruger SP101 3 1/16" barrel
Velocities = 737, 712, 737, 732, 706 average 725 fps
Accuracy = 1 5/8" centered
This load is a ton of fun to shoot, and very accurate. It's my favorite fun shooting and plinking load.

[Flash]

Joe, when I use the Chrony and compare velocities to accuracy, it kind of makes me take a closer look at my own shooting techniques. Like good averages and close spread, and minimal variation in velocities, and then "I" group all over the paper, means it is time for me to start again at the fundamentals.

I'm glad you could have such good tight groupings. Especially with a 3" barrel.

Oh, I re-read your post: "from a rest". Now, I don't feel quite so bad. I shoot from a rest when shooting over the Chrony now, too. Didn't useta' but then, after shooting one wire all to hell, I rethought THAT, and rather quickly too. Glad it wasn't the box that I hit. ($$$) It sent the lower half of the rod somewhere into the next time-zone, and stuck the upper section into the ground fifteen feet away. And it was only 9mm.

Hint. Chrony rods are easily replaced with #9 steel wire.

Flash

[justashooter]

replacing your best friend's chronograph with a new one is not cheap ($85 at budsgunshop.com), but it's good enough reason to buy two and keep one.

BTW, 30 tokarev will definitely pole-axe any chrony on the market. don't go shooting that stuff at twilight and keep walking it down till you get consistent response in the shadow interruption. it just ain't worth it.

if you have an expensive chrony with the remote reader, be sure to make a steel plate deflector to keep bullets out of the box.

[Flash]

replacing your best friend's chronograph with a new one is not cheap ($85 at budsgunshop.com), but it's good enough reason to buy two and keep one.

BTW, 30 tokarev will definitely pole-axe any chrony on the market. don't go shooting that stuff at twilight and keep walking it down till you get consistent response in the shadow interruption. it just ain't worth it.

if you have an expensive chrony with the remote reader, be sure to make a steel plate deflector to keep bullets out of the box.

Deflector? Hmmm m m m?

I thought, when one did shoot the thing, it was customary to declare, "Well, it NEEDED shootin'....."

Flash