The first thing that I do when I go to see what QuickLOAD will predict for a cartridge is to see what it says is the optimum powder for that cartridge, bullet, and OAL.
Click on the right-most of the two white squares at the top of the screen, then enter your criteria in the little menu block that drops down.
For strong bolt-action rifles, my criteria are (a) 90�100% net case fill and (b) 50,000 lb/ sq in. maximum pressure. I run the two sliders all the way to the left and right (to include all the powders in the QL data base).
I don't like compressed loads � don't consider 'em necessary with the optimum powders.
Almost always, QL predicts a slower "optimum" powder than most handloaders customarily use in that specific cartridge. (Your favorite powder in your older favorite cartridge may not be the best for your new cartridge.) The manuals, unfortunately, often don't even list loads for the powders that QL predicts as optimum for your case-and-bullet combination.
