Why all the "hype" about velocity?

T

tobnpr

New member
I've tried to wrap my head around why every shooter (mostly reloaders that have the ability to produce what they want) is so fixated on velocity, velocity, and more velocity...

I don't own a chrono (yet, but I'll get one), just do my load development the way the books told me from day one. Start low, work up, and find the magic combination that keeps the holes closest together.

Maybe I'm an aberration- but I've found that the "best" load has never been the maximum load/velocity for any of the four rifles/four calibers I load for.

In fact, in our .308 and 7.62 x 54R, the most accurate loads are both towards the lower side of mid-range. "Hot" loads have never produced maximum accuracy for me.

Now, let me add that I understand the physics, and don't need anyone to explain the greater velocity means less flight time, less time for external influences to impact bullet flight, etc, etc... I get that. But, that doesn't explain to me why a load that produces more inconsistent groups would be preferred just because it flies to the target faster.

So why I am I different than everyone else? We shoot very accurately at long range, even if it means a few more clicks on the elevation turret...

I just have not seen this supposed correlation between pushing loads to the point where the primers flatten and maximum accuracy :confused:
 
For big game rifles I want the fastest most accurate loads I can get. If I have a moderate load that gives me sub 1" groups and a maximum load that shoots 1.5" groups, I'll choose the max load for the extra penetration that extra velocity gives me. Now I'm not talking about flattening out primers here, that is a sign of excessive pressure and not a responable reloading practice. In 38 years of big game hunting in mulitiple states for deer and elk I have only shot a handful of animals that were over 200 yards away. Sub MOA is not needed but I found out very quickly how tough elk are and that exta penetration is. Just my opinion.
 
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Oh, I don't know, maybe as Americans we like speed. NASCAR wouldn't be nearly so much fun at 55 mph.

Generally, I tend to agree with you, but speed has a certain ... je ne sais quoi that's easy to understand. When you do get a chronograph, you'll start looking at things like Standard deviation, extreme spread and other numbers that I find much more compelling than velocity.

But, once in a while, you stumble upon that load that gives high velocity numbers with low Sd and Es, and you know you've got a winner.
 
In the hunting field, higher velocity means more energy on target, longer point blank range, less wind drift, and less concern about exact range to target. Sure you can "just add some clicks" if you know the range and paper doesn't move around or run away while you're twiddling your knobs.
I'm don't believe in pushing a cartridge over max if there's a bigger case available to make the bullet go faster.
 
I was shooting my 500 mag into phone books one day and dug some out. the one on the left is (according to the book) 1400 fps and the one one the right is 1750 fps. I think ill stick with the faster one
 

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When I load I go with the most accurate out of my experimental loads. Sometimes its towards the fast end sometimes not. If I find a very accurate load and still have the ability to add I will just to see if I can keep the accuracy and gain velocity. If I can gain velocity and keep my accuracy then I will load it faster.
 
OP: To add to Mobuck's reply, your's is a loaded question (pun intended). In general higher speed (ie time of flight) minimizes drop and wind deflection at longer range, and also retains kinetic energy when it gets there. For pure accuracy, while some handloaders have found better results at higher nodes, I have found that slowing the bullet down a bit (.308 in particular) yields maximal accuracy vis a vis the MOA criterion. So, it really depends what the target is and what you hope to achieve.
 
For me, high velocity is fun, in a sick, morbid kind of way. Shoot a prairie dog with a 2900 fps .223. Then shoot a prairie dog with a 3900 fps .22-250. You’ll see what I mean.

You have to have a sick sense of humor, (or a sick mind) to enjoy shooting prairie dogs. :p
 
I like velocity but i don't sacrifice it over accuracy. I take what i can get. Although technically all my groups with the berger 175gr were pretty decent i just took the best one.
 
I agree with most of what has been posted, all good points, especially about velocity being desirable even at the loss of a little accuracy because of the extra energy it delivers to the target. I had not given that a lot of thought.

I have noticed that it seems folks new to reloading sometimes fall into the illusion that more velocity = more accuracy, but as several have pointed out that is not always the case.

What makes loading so fun is all the options of different bullets and ability to tweak loads to accomplish different objectives, or just to see what it will do if..... and I sure enjoy and learn from all the experience and ideas posted here.
 
I've found that there seem to be nodes of accuracy, depending on the caliber of the rifle, low, medium, high. If you're all about punching paper then it really doesn't matter, just a few clicks in elevation. If you're about taking game, velocity can make a huge difference. As an example, my uncle took a deer Christmas morning with his 6mm Remington. The deer was out at between 350-370 yds. He was using 57gr. vmax bullets and the shot literally blew off the top of the deer's heart. It would not have been possible without the velocity generated by a near max load. It all depends on just what you intend for the bullet to do.
 
I load for the most accurate load possible,, I have no chronograph,, but according to the books, my loadings are up there in the respectible velocities.

The proof is in the pudding, if you load to accurately put your rounds on target and your bullet does it's job, that's all I ask for in my handloading.;)
 
"I've tried to wrap my head around why every shooter (mostly reloaders that have the ability to produce what they want) is so fixated on velocity, velocity, and more velocity..."

I don't know where you have come up with the conclusion that shooters in general and re-loaders in specific are fixated on velocity. If you will spend some time on the re-loading part of this site and some of the more popular casting/re-loading sites like "Cast Boolits" you will read time after time where experienced re-loaders are counceling new members to quit worring about velocity and to concentrate on accurate loads first. For cast lead bullets some of the more moderate speeds translate to great expansion upon impact. Higher velocities mean nothing if the bullet misses the intended target by too many inches.
 
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