I am curious about how some choose their final load for a rifle.


I have a couple of new rifles being built right now and one of my friends is trying to convince me to change the cartridge chambering on one of them because he can’t understand why I’m willing to spend money on a semi custom rifle and settle for anything less than a laser beam.

I do have one rifle that can be called fast for caliber/bullet/cartridge combination, but the rest of them would be considered middle of the road for velocity. I usually take into consideration effective range, energy at impact and muzzle velocity just after choosing a caliber but always before choosing a cartridge to chamber a rifle for. I even handicap myself further by only using temperature stable powders (Hodgdon Extreme). So far I have been able to meet my goals every time.


As I have helped a few friends learn how to extend the range they are comfortable hunting at, most have them decided to have a semi custom or full custom rifle built. Almost all of them have wanted to chase the highest velocity they can get before anything else with their new rifles.

Out of accuracy, velocity, extreme spread/avg.velocity, powder temperature sensitivity, effective range, what do you consider to be the most important?

Accuracy and only accuracy. If it’s accurate at range then the ES will be low anyway. If your Es is high it will not be accurate the further out you go. On the other hand a great ES doesn’t mean accurate. I usually find two different nodes that provide good accuracy. I do continue load development past that until I find pressure signs. I will then back down to the faster node if accuracy equals the slower one. If accuracy can only be achieved at the slowest loads I change powders.

As far as being 50-100’ off of max pressure velocity it doesn’t bother me one bit. For hunting I use enough cartridge for the job. If I need more I’m not going to max pressure I’m changing guns.

I’ve only had one rifle that performed best with flat primers. That was a CTR .308 with 178 Amax and Varget. The faster I pushed it the better it shot. I’m did keep that flat primer load.

Accuracy is king for me. If I can keep my shots where I want them, most "hunting" chamberings will have enough energy on target at the ranges that I plan on hunting at (and that 99.9% of hunters are capable off). I don't need a laser beam as long as I know the speed of my bullet, I can calulate drop and compensate for it, either by dialing the scope or by using the reticle on it.

Honestly, with the great variety of scopes available today, it makes much more sense to spend the money on good glass and learning how to use it than on building a "laser beam" that is going to beat the snot out of you or be using a bullet so light that it is useless after 300 yards, regardless of how flat it shoots.

I had people on here telling me I was crazy doing a semi custom in 6.5 Grendel. When the Creedmoor is faster, that I should do the Creedmoor instead. I already had a 6.5-284 and a 264 WinMag, so wasn't looking for more speed with this build. What i ended up with has become my favorite hunting rifle that weighs 7.2lbs including scope, sling and loaded. That with a couple loads it shoots under half MOA doesn't hurt.

Said all that to say it is your $ build what you want.

Accuracy is king.

Wyatt Earp said something like speed is fine, accuracy is final.

The biggest confidence builder at the range, in the field, or in competition is knowing that your firearm is shooting its absolute best.

A rifle that shoots one hole groups, a handgun that shoots groups at 50 yards that most handguns shoot at 15 or 25, a shotgun that knocks down birds every time or shoots tight buckshot patterns or slug groups tells you physically and mentally that you are the only variable.

It is like teeing up a ball on the first tee box at a public golf course with three other guys you just met watching you. If you bomb it 300 plus and it lands in the middle of the fairway, the confidence in the rest of the round is much greater than if you duck hook it on to the adjacent fairway or subdivision street.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Any cartridge I'm loading for, consistent shooting is number 1 priority. Shoots tight, low ES, and I too only use temp stable powders. I will take a slower very consistent load over a faster less consistent load every time.

I don't even have a chronograph, so I put little faith in the data estimated velocity.

Till now most of my shooting was 200 or less most at 100 or less yards. Have started shooting further and it has been fun so I intend to continue to do so.

The only load that I have ever worked up that was a max load was in my 243 win with imr 4350. The more powder I put in it the better it shot till I started seeing extractor marks and went to my last best load before it. Accuracy is what matters to me.

Not that the PRS shooters as an a whole are the be all end all but...

Just from what I read, and NO personal experience, a great example of this concept as a caliber choice is the 6.5x47. I understand it is not as fast as the other mainstays of the 6.5mm, short action calibers. I presume 6.5cm and 260 are noticeably faster without looking at the numbers. The 6.5x47 has staying power because of its inherent accuracy, and apparently also is easy on the brass and works very well over a variety of bullet/powder combos.

Go for a good round that you want and can shoot well. Don't worry about the "Ricky Bobby" shooters!

All correct.

6.5X47 makes less velocity than all the ones that hold more powder. But, the velocity it makes, it ALWAYS makes. I have seen 5 shot strings that made an ES of 0 fps with the 6.5X47. Maybe some other cartridge has done the same, but I have not seen it.

Does that mean I should call it the "257 Ricky Bobby"?

Velocity is almost completely irrelevant to me. If I hunted, it'd be a different story, or if the velocity difference was monumental. But find the most accurate load within a couple hundred fps of max and you're good to go.

Now if one load shot .6 MOA at 2900 fps and another shot .5 MOA at 2700 fps, I'd go with the faster load, but the difference in accuracy would have to be nearly inconsequential to pick a faster, less accurate load.

Accuracy first, velocity second. It make no sense to me to have a very accurate magnum rifle that will only deliver the accuracy at sub magnum velocity. I can get that from a standard caliber and burn 1/3rd less powder.

I would consider quality brass availability a higher priority than if it can run on Extreme powder. Lots of good stable powders out there nowadays.

Most hunters are overgunned and underpracticed.
Your friends likely will see better results by picking a rifle that is very comfortable to shoot and shooting more often than staring at marketing numbers.

Speed doesn't make any difference if you miss the target. Stick with accuracy.

Agree with Johnny.

I don't much care how fast they're going, I just want them to all land together..

Ive killed an ark full of critters with bullets going under 3000fps..