Is 150fps worth the extra 10k in pressure?

[tek4260]

325 GR. CPB LFN PB Hodgdon H110 .452" 1.680" 21.0 1109 18,100 CUP 24.0 1266 27,400 CUP


Just curious? I have settled on 22.0gr. It gives good accuracy and is plenty for deer out to 50-75 yards. How many think the gain in velocity is worth the extra wear and tear on your firearm?

Guess this same thinking is why I rifle hunt with a 30-06 most of the time. The almighty 300 Win Mag is only about 100fps faster with a 150gr bullet.

 

[sixshot]

Only the guy getting hammered can answer this one. It sure isn't for me, there's nothing in my neighborhood that could stand up to that slug at 1100 fps, either broadside, lengthways or laying down. I'd like to see one person reply to your post thats recovered a 325 gr slug from anything smaller than a bus! Some will say it shoots flatter, I can't argue that but how far has anyone cleanly taken an animal with a 45 using that combo. If 500 people answer the question that have actually taken big game beyond 100 yds the answer will be way under double digits.
Some of the "keyboard" shooters would have you believe they are successful at 200 yds from the back of a galloping camel. :wink:

Dick

 

[contender]

+1 sixshot.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I would think accuracy would be the main thing. I would try a little under and a little over your 22.0 gr load and look for any improvement.

...Jimbo

 

[B.Roberts]

I shoot that same bullet for hunting. Have not yet taken big game with it. I experimented with H110 and found best accuracy at the top end. Recoil and muzzle blast were substantial to say the least. I found it difficult to shoot accurately after a couple of cylinder fulls while practicing for hunting season. I wanted to slow the bullet down so that the recoil would not be as distracting, but did not get the accuracy I wanted with starting charges of H110. Weshoot2 suggested HS6. I have been very pleased with the results. Hopefully, I will get a deer or elk with my bisley this year. I am thinking that bullet at 1000-1050fps will do just fine on the spike bulls that I will be hunting this year. It is probably overkill for the deer that I will be hunting. I am not yet a good enough shot to shoot past 75 yards at a game animal, so I am not concerned at all about "flattenning the trajectory".

 

[HardBall]

Just curious? I have settled on 22.0gr. It gives good accuracy and is plenty for deer out to 50-75 yards. How many think the gain in velocity is worth the extra wear and tear on your firearm?

I like to practice with the same load that I hunt with so, for me, that's a no brainer. Assuming the needed accuracy/power is there- I'd go with the load that's more comfortable to shoot so that I'm more apt to practice with said load.

 

[Pal Val]

My experience with H-110 is that it loses some accuracy at the low end. At top load, it's dragon breath. The deer won't be any deader because of a big blast coming from the muzzle. The bullet does the job. Your choice sounds fine to me. Remember to give it a firm crimp.

+1 to Jimbo. Bracket any new load, just to see which one the gun likes best. You never know until you try.

 

[63November]

I prefer 50,000 to 40,000 if it makes - and it often does- the powder burn better. But that doesn't mean I also prefer 60,000 over 50,000, because the burn rarely improves much there. As lower pressure handguns are concerned even 28,000 isn't all that harsh so I don't mind going there at all. Mostly what I use is W296 in my magnum loads anyway, and it is only getting started well when it gets into the 20s. I am somewhat concerned about wear. It's the wear on my wrists that concerns me though, not my revolvers. :grin:

 

[sixshot]

63november has some very good points & I'll say it again, its always an advantage to shoot heavy loads on game if the shooter is up to it. In my younger days if the loads were wrist twisters I didn't want them, 40 years later I'm convinced I didn't need those top end loads. If you are using H110 or 296 you'll find they do work better at the top end & they aren't recommended for reduced loads, beware!
By reducing the loads to a more controlable level your guns & wrists will last longer. Big bullets somewhere over 1000 fps or so work like magic if put in the right place, a wounded animal is still wounded whether its shot with a 357 or a 475, bad bullet placement with monster loads isn't the answer & never will be.
By going to a somewhat faster burning powder you can easily reach 1000-1100 fps with 250-325 gr loads & kill anything within reason, only on the big bears & some african game do you need the wrist wreckers! :wink: Anybody shot a brown bear or cape buffalo lately? :lol:

Dick

 

[tek4260]

The recoil is not a problem. Heck, a 500 Smith with 700 grain cast loads isn't that unpleasant. I was just wondering about the actual wear on the pistol.

 

[maxpress]

i know of people that hit elk with through and through shots with 240gr swc at 1100 fps. cant imagine being worried about knockdown with your round.

 

[any ruger]

I tend to shoot light to medium loads all the deer I've shot have been penerated by a 240 gr. bullet . most of the loads have been 1100 fps or less . How many people need a 300 gr at 1500 fps to stop a 250 lb deer or less .

 

[powder smoke]

Accuracy and consistency are the two main things. What sixshot said. The crono won't tell you but the gun will. ps

 

[dougader]

Yeah, the only reason I load hotter is when I plan to go fishing in Alaska... and then its not 45 Colt, but 454 that gets a 335 WLNGC to 1400-1500 fps.

Here in Oregon a 250-260 grain slug at a modest 1100 fps is plenty, and like Sixshot I don't care for - or need - anything more on my old wrists.

 

[maxpress]

thats funny dougader. i just had that conversation this morning. a guy wanted to shot my .44 vaquero and said it didnt kick hard. i said i load em down to 1050 with a 240gr swc. "oh range load". "no its what i ussually carry". "well you could get 1450 out of these". "do you know anything in washington that could take a 240 at 1050" he laughed and agreed with me. he was 60+ and said he liked that there are some "youngsters" that could see they dont need a masterblaster to get by. thats not to say i dont dont have a cylinder full of hornady 300gr full house in it when i go way up in bear country.

 

[dougader]

I know... when I was younger I was all about pushing my loads to find the "true Maximum" for my revolvers.

Well, either you grow up or just get tired of all that "bellerin'" (as John Linebaugh calls it), and start loading for what you need as opposed to what's possible.

A little arthritis here, a bulged disc there... anyway, I just don't enjoy blastin away with the nuclear loads anymore. I find myself mostly shooting a 32 H&R mag or 45 Colt with 250's at 800-900.

I work up some serious loads, shoot them for group size, fire a few over the chronograph, but then leave the rest in the box for when I might actually need something like that.