I've been reloading for my Remington Model 7 (308 Win) for three years and without a chronograph I've been in the dark about my velocities until my wife got me a chronograph for christmas. I went out today and used it for the first time and I noticed a couple of things and I was wondering if anyone else has noticed the same trends: Heavier bullets show less velocity loss in my gun than the lighter ones. The load data I have says that with the powder charges I use (in a 24in. barrel) a 130 gr bullet should do about 3130 fps, a 150gr around 2930, a 180gr. around 2660 and a 200gr should do about 2440. My twenty inch barrel does 2960 with the 130, 2750 with the 150gr., 2590 with the 180gr. and 2360 with the 200. That's a difference of 170fps with the 130gr, 180 fps with the 150gr., 70 fps with the 180 gr and only 80 with the 200gr.
Has anyone else noticed this before or are my results messed up? I have to admit I was pleasantly suprised because the 180 gr. load also happens to be the most accurate one that I've worked up. My guess is that the smaller powder charges used with the heavier bullets end up being more efficient, but if anyone has any input on this I'd love to hear it.