[Pond, James Pond]

You seem to have the idea that low loads are preferred.

Not necessarily preferred per se, but certainly the place to start, or at least that is the general message I'd been getting from members and manuals.

Beyond that I was happy to stay at a low/starting load because I was just making practice/range loads. My powder would go a bit further and my gun would be less stressed, or so I thought....

Still, if a bit hotter is better, then so be it, I'm fine with that too.

As far as the Astra is concerned, it may be OK, but I can't say I'm optimistic. It is supposed to be my carry gun for the few times that I decide to do so in town. It may be relegated to practice gun otherwise.

If it is a goner, I'll be sad. The SA action was second only to the single-set trigger on my CZ rifle!!