Accuracy VS Velocity

[Weatherby223]

I have been loading 55gn V-Max bullets for my 223 for quite a while but have always kept the Load mild and never bothered to hotten it up until the weekend. I settled for a load of 23.5 gns of Benchmark 1 powder which i found to shoot around .65''moa all day which is more than enough accuracy for my needs as the main targets i pursue are Foxes. Last week i got the idea to hotten them up a bit to see what would happen. At just a Half Grain more the best group was .80''moa :eek: . I was at the understanding that more FPS would give better accuracy, which seemed was not the case for me. I was stunned with the result so went to my other load i use for Foxes which is a Sierra 40gn using 27gns of BM1 Powder and upped 5 rounds to get a grouping. THE SAME THING! Wider groups :eek: , so my question is to all you reloaders,
Have you had the same experiences or have you found that Velocity does equal to accuracy?
Happy Hunting...
Mick.

[ricciardelli]

:roll:

[Val]

Increased velocity definitely does not equate to accuracy. Your experience with increasing the velocity is typical.  I always load for optimum accuracy. Some load for max velocity.

[jhm]

Accuracy first then some vel. increase.   It doesnt do any good to get their first if you cant hit it.    JIM

[Stan M.]

It's rare for me to find a Max. load that is the most accurate, usually just under max. seems to produce the best accuracy for me. I use the most accurate load I can for my varmit rounds but will sacrifice a little accuracy to get more velocity out of my big game rounds. That's just my personnel preference.
 I explained this to my neighbor, who I introduced to handloading last night. He had the hotter is better syndrome. We will get to see what happens on his 22-250 loads as we test them this afternoon. I'm betting the max. load will not be the most accurate.
Keep them foxes under control,
Stan

[Duffy]

Ahhh yes grasshopper it is a fine balance you must achieve to perfect your loads!
I have found too that some loads (and guns) prefer just under max but sometimes by switching to another powder you may be able to eek out a few more FPS without a drop in accuracy. That's what makes reloading interesting and keeps the manf in buisness.

Ryan

[longwinters]

When you look in the reloading books, the max load is rarely stated as the most accurate.  Infact, I think often it is the minimum load in my Nosler book, and quite low in my Sierra book.
 Now here is a question.  Is the difference in accuracy soley due to pressures in the chamber if all else is equal with your components?  And one question derserves 2:   With higher velocities/higher pressure, would backing off the bullet from the lands a little more give you the best of both worlds?

Long

[Bullseye]

The higher velocity loads are rarely my most accurate.  One rifle I do have that likes the high velocity better is my 25-06.  That is one rifle out of .....oops here comes my wife, can't type that number.

[Duffy]

I've often thought about what causes the accuracy to fall off with hotter loads. Could be a pressure spike flexing the action, different or wrong bbl vibrations, more of a blast from the muzzle that tosses the bullet different each time. The list is endless. I also have one that shoots better with hot loads and that's my Mini 14. I have some PMC military ammo that's crimped and sealed and almost scary to shoot but it's the only thing that gun will group. I chronoed it and it's around 3200 and my hottest handloads are around 2900 out of that bbl.

[onesonek]

Each gun (barrel ) has it's own personality. Some like it hot, some not.
But a fast miss, is pointless. jmho.  I like as much speed as I can get out a given chamber. But accuracy is always the goal. Then it becomes a question of, how accurate does it need to be. That depends on the firearms and their intended application.
Dave

[Rmouleart]

I always load for accuracy, but some of my loads are at the max using some carts and are the most accurate,My SRH 44mag 240gr Hornady xtp 24gr Win296, cci mag primers, and a lee factory crimp, this is the max load,I shoot clover leaf using this load, just matters what the gun likes for a load as well, recoil flinch is a shooters fault not the gun, what ever the best accuracy is don't matter if its max load or not, the load can and will expire what you are hunting as long as you are loading the right cart and bullet for the game you are hunting. Thats the bottom line. Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

[papajohn428]

My experience, while somewhat limited, is that as you test different powder charges, the groups open and tighten like bellows, until you find the accuracy load.  The innumerable variables regarding pressure, barrel vibrations, condition of the bore, all have an effect on accuracy.  I generally start about 8% below max, then work up in half-grain increments.  Groups tended to open and close with each load, until they suddenly tightened, and my testing ended.  Any pressure signs also shut down further upward development, naturally.  Hope this helps.

PJ

[warf73]

I'm kind of a backwards reloader.
I load for FPS once I find the FPS I desire then I start tweaking the OAL.
I start with the longest OAL that can fit in the box mag. (also make sure your not touching the lands) and work my way down in OAL in .005" increments.

Like I said I find the FPS desired and this comes from what bullet I’m going to be using what I'm shooting and so on. That doesn't mean all my loads are max loads for caliber X but are max loads for bullet X.

Prime example I run my Barnes X bullets slower than Nosler Partions, and then the Swift A Frames slower than the Swift Siroccos. (I can reload beyond the bullets optimal performance level and there is no need in that)

But I have noticed in all my bullets you take them up to full throttle the OAL always gets smaller for the most accurate round.