If you do not need a specific MV, then I can not see a need for a chronograph.  The target will tell you if your load is working.

Not only that, look at all of the good trigger time you will get while developing a load. 

Keep on hav'n fun!
MikeT

* Use chronograph when working up powder charges
* Use chronograph readings for trajectory table (velocity) when the right charge is determined for vernier settings.  Especially for calibers that are shot long range out to 1000yds & 200-500 meter steel

The chronograph is good for 2 things. First evaluating your loading technique. Second reading the bullet speed that is best for your gun. Please notice that I did not say finding the best speed.
  When you start with any powder and measure it is good to run your loads over the chronograph to evaluate your load technique. You are looking for the smallest ES that you can get to ideally under 10 FPS. When your combination of powder, primer and measure technique get your E.S. down as far as possible you can concentrate on finding a speed that will give you the best accuracy. For this part you don’t need the chronograph. 
Start by shooting 3 shot groups moving a couple of clicks or graduations on your measure for each group. This is where keeping good notes comes in handy. When you find the group with the least vertical dispersion. 
  Now its time to go to five shot groups start with the setting that gave you the best vertical dispersion. Take off a click shoot a couple of five shot groups. Move up a click and do the same thing then move up another click and do it again. Do the same thing over several sessions, as some powders will give you different results under higher or lower temperatures. Again what you are looking for is the best vertical dispersion you can get. The left and right is wind that is about learning to read the wind and that is a separate issue. You will find that as you learn to read the wind your groups will get tighter all the way around. 
  At any rate when you have a good speed record it. As John points out you can use it as a reference point when you get a different lot of powder or when you switch powders.

40 Rod

Nice to know velocity, not required if using standard Schuetzen loads. Results on target are much better indicators.  Most of my loads have been over a crono once or twice just to confirm working velocity. Never used it to develop optimal loads.

Boats

Cat I think he is doing the right thing if looking for the last word in testing.  Do you need to in order to work up successful loads, I don't think so. As a sport itself testing is a good one and probably the real reason for running over the Crono

Boats

boats wrote on Oct 3^rd, 2013 at 6:33am:


We are in agreement.

I only use the chrone once I have an accurate load for my BPCR rifles.  This is to check whether the load will hold up at longer ranges.  A high ES being something to avoid, even though the load might be pretty accurate at shorter ranges.