bandit86
Before desktop computers there was the Powley pocket computer, a slide rule type device for selecting the correct burning rate powder based on the burn rate of DuPont IMR powder for your rifle. To make a long story short it was based on your bore diameter, barrel length and bullet weight along with the "expansion ratio" of the powder.
Today we have Quickload that can show you the pressure curve of a given powder. Below is a lite practice load for my .44 magnum, what I liked was is shows where 100% of the powder is burnt in relation to barrel length. My .44 S&W has a 5 inch barrel and the chart below shows all the powder being burnt at 2.4 inches of barrel length. If I had used a max load of 296/H110 a much slower burning powder a large percentage of the powder would have been burned "outside" the 5 inch barrel and creating unneeded additional "rocket thrust".
But as Ganderite stated you can look at the loading manuals and get an idea of the chamber pressure and velocity and not spend $160.00 for Quickload.
There are many variables on load data, for example if you fed a can of beans to sunray and then yourself, who would produce more fecal debris.