First test with chronograph

[p..]

This is my first trip to the range with a chronograph to test my handloads. Just curious if anyone has comments about the data. I just shot them over the chronograph into the backstop, didn't shoot for groups. Was trying to just trip the sensors without shooting my chronograph.

Loads are done with a Dillon 550. I set the powder bar using a beam balance, then load away, don't check each load. Each test is a series of five shots except the one noted with 38 Special. Brass is all sorted by headstamp, all once fired Federal. Primers are all CCI 500 SPP. I marked each series of brass with different colored markers, then recovered and sorted them so I could later review for pressure signs.

Avg St dev Max Min ES note
9mm, 115 grain FMJ, COL 1.140", Sig P228
Power Pistol
6.4g 1178 13.3 1196 1168 28
6.5g 1177 14.2 1191 1159 32
6.6g 1189 15.1 1211 1178 33
6.7g 1199 9.2 1209 1189 20

.40, 180 grain FMJ, COL 1.125", Glock 22
Unique
6.1 1042 17.3 1064 1024 40
6.3 1056 11.8 1075 1046 29
6.5 1088 24.7 1128 1062 66
Power Pistol
6.2 963 14.5 983 946 37
6.5 994 7.1 1004 985 19
6.8 1019 13.8 1062 1030 32 slide hitting stop hard

38 Special, 158 grain lead SWC @ crimp groove, S&W 442
Winchester 231
4.0 696.3 27.7 744 662 82 (data is from 10 shots)
Unique, +P load
5.0 831.0 19.8 850 801 49 brisk recoil

 

[mac1911]

It’s good to see data. Although it’s not always telling.
Especially with pistol for me anyway.
My most accurate load out of my ruger 100 6” barrel is
158 grain wad cutters cast with wheel weight lead.
Low charge of a Clays powder: Run these over a crony and I get high SD and ES .
For my 357 and 45 acp loads I found that upper mid range of data to give best results most of the time.
Also with my 357 target loads(basically 38spl data in the 357 case) I found that my ES and SD numbers went down after switching to the Lee crimp die.