Exploring the upper limits of load data

[Koda]

I could never get Barnes to adequately group in my 25-06

I guess ill find out, if they dont ill sell them and pick something else. Ive only read good about Barnes accuracy but every rifle is different.

 

[baker3gun]

Do you think the Elk will be able to tell the difference?

Conventional wisdom:
Nosler Partition is a good bullet.
120gr is "light" for elk.
For close work, your bullet is fine for well-placed shots.
In the context of close work, whether a 120gr bullet exits the muzzle at 3100 or 3300 doesn't matter much to the animal on well-placed shots.
At 400 yards, your energy has faded and your probability of placement error has increased = "unreliable" for ethical clean kills on big mammals.

IMO.

 

[Koda]

Conventional wisdom:
Nosler Partition is a good bullet.
120gr is "light" for elk.
For close work, your bullet is fine for well-placed shots.
In the context of close work, whether a 120gr bullet exits the muzzle at 3100 or 3300 doesn't matter much to the animal on well-placed shots.
At 400 yards, your energy has faded and your probability of placement error has increased = "unreliable" for ethical clean kills on big mammals.

IMO.

I dont shoot past 250-300yds max for elk.
Why I was interested in getting all the velocity I can outta the handload.

 

[quneur]

Theoretically, if you stay with SAAMI specs (63,000 psi) you should be fine but that would depend upon the condition of the brass. I'm sure publish data from known sources would stay below SAAMI.

I'm wondering about barrel life. That's a lot of pressure and shooting hotter rounds is going to shorten barrel life but I think it shouldn't be much for a hunting rifle.

 

[41mag]

totally willing to call it good but in the back of my mind is why is there published load data if its not usable?

not rifle rounds, granted, yet the principle I believe is the same;
IHMSA matches of decades ago was always generating similar theories for making "the best" go ever faster. Sure, there was a special challenge in knocking down the 50# steel Rams at 200 yards with an iron sighted revolver.
Given 44 and 41 loads were capable, the next challenge was doing the same with 357 Mag loads. I tried it with many loads. I was a novice in both IHMSA & reloading, yet the allure was self reinforcing.
I read everything I could find on hot 357 loads and every week had a couple of new favorites to try.
Trouble was as the velocity increased, the recoil increased. So did bore fouling. Lead and copper jacket clean up demands demonstrated while a few accurate shots were possible, the normal match string of 40 demanded considerable attention to restoring the normal bore dimensions.
It was a lot of work for just a little more velocity, less accuracy, more clean up time, & less enjoyment on the line.

While pistol ballistics ain't the same as rifle, some basic laws of physics are shared.

Good luck with your studies of 'usable data' vs 'desirable'.

 

[Koda]

not rifle rounds, granted, yet the principle I believe is the same;
IHMSA matches of decades ago was always generating similar theories for making "the best" go ever faster. Sure, there was a special challenge in knocking down the 50# steel Rams at 200 yards with an iron sighted revolver.
Given 44 and 41 loads were capable, the next challenge was doing the same with 357 Mag loads. I tried it with many loads. I was a novice in both IHMSA & reloading, yet the allure was self reinforcing.
I read everything I could find on hot 357 loads and every week had a couple of new favorites to try.
Trouble was as the velocity increased, the recoil increased. So did bore fouling. Lead and copper jacket clean up demands demonstrated while a few accurate shots were possible, the normal match string of 40 demanded considerable attention to restoring the normal bore dimensions.
It was a lot of work for just a little more velocity, less accuracy, more clean up time, & less enjoyment on the line.

While pistol ballistics ain't the same as rifle, some basic laws of physics are shared.

Good luck with your studies of 'usable data' vs 'desirable'.

loved the story, I decided to not explore the max end of the load data.... Im already at the upper end anyways. Glad I asked the question here, and enjoy listening to actual gun lore like this along the way.