QuickLoad Data Error 40 SW and Updated List

[JohndeFresno]

Another QuickLoad error that greatly impacts pressure information.

I will be loading some relatively mild 40 S&W target loads using Speer's 155 gr. #4399 TMJ (truncated full metal jacket) bullet and AA #5, 8.2 grains.

Both Speer #13 (Pg. 544) and Speer #14 (Pg. 917) relate this information:
COAL 1.120", AA#5 - Min 7.9 =956fps; Max 8.7 = 1116fps with CCI 500 primers.

Here is what QuickLoad showed me - an overpressure warning, using their bullet data:


The problem: They show the bullet length as .540", not my measured .525" (mean measurement).

Correcting the bullet data info in the QuickLoad tables I get a more reasonable estimate:


The QL estimate is still higher than that shown by the factory (Speer) data, but it is a lot closer, at least. I notice that AA Nr 5 data does not always play out well with QuickLoad. I can only attribute that to its pressure curve, but I must leave that to the more informed chemists, engineers, ballisticians and experimenters on this site.

(Images courtesy of IMGUR after having dumped the blackmailers at PhotoBucket)

Here is my upgraded table of changes, minus several that I failed to document(!)

Corrections made to new data file where noted

Barnes .44 Mag XPB 225 gr. Bullet #42922
Bullet Length .925"
CORRECTED to .892" (after measurement) in Barnes.bul

Barnes .45-70 TSX 300 gr. Bullet #45843
Bullet Length 1.100"
CORRECTED to 1.057" (after measurement) in Barnes.bul

Barnes .451 XPB 225 gr XPB:
Bullet Length .890"
CORRECTED bullet length is .810" in Barnes.bul
Changed 9-6-2012

Hornady .323 195, Hornady SP Interlock 3236
Bullet Length 1.100"
CORRECTED to 1.218" (after measurement) in Hornady.bul
Changed sometime in 2017

Hornady .400 155, Hornady XTP 40000
Bullet Length 0.600"
CORRECTED to 0.548" (after measurement) in Hornady.bul
Changed my data on 9-25-2017

EDITED after measuring new shipment: Hornady 10mm/.40 SW XTP 155 gr #40000

[earlmck]

Thanks for your updates John. I'll put 'em in my tables.

[JohndeFresno]

Most welcome, Earl.

It appears that QL does not like 40 S&W or Barnes bullets.

In preparation of some 40's, I have run into yet another huge pressure discrepancy with the Hornady 40 S&W 255gr. HP-XTP. The Hornady manual (10, latest) shows even some mid-range loads that QL puts into the red for pressure - probably bullet length error again. My moderate load shows 115% load (compressed), thus the high pressure (per QuickLoad). I will make some corrections after I receive a shipment of the XTP bullet and measure it and update the above. I'll shoot you a PM when the shipment arrives.

I wish this otherwise excellent ballistics program could get the bullet lengths right.

By the way, there is a lot of information - extensive bullet length tables - at the JBM Ballistics site:
http://www.jbmballistics.com/ballistics ... gths.shtml

But you had better use this for a rough reference, since it is not all accurate. At least some of the data appears to be derived directly from the QuickLoad tables - same measurements, some of which have proven to be erroneous.

I submitted my data (above) through the provided e-mail link for the author's correction, but there does not appear to be any change in the incorrect data for those bullets.

FYI, I measured my bullets out of the box, both on the tip and in the middle of my electronic digital caliper, checking the bullet grouping each time against my 1-inch calibration block before recording the measurements, and then took the mean measurement of several samples.

Same proviso - measure your bullets in hand before relying on any data.