The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Reloading for the 30-06

Smokey Joe · August 31, 2005, 01:48 PM

DimitriS--Staying within the max load is a good thing for 2 reasons:

Safety: Less than the max load listed is very likely to prove safe in your firearm also. You always watch for over-pressure signs when developing a load (the manuals, or better, the ABC's discuss these). Pushing it to the max is just asking for trouble. If you just gotta have that last top 100 feet per second more, what you really need is the next hotter cartridge and a new rifle. Believe me, the deer or moose will never know the difference if your bullet goes right through his engine room at 2600 fps instead of 2750 fps.

Accuracy: The hottest possible load (in terms of pressure and velocity) is rarely the most accurate. And one of the many reasons we reload is for enhanced accuracy--we tune the load to our individual rifle.

Bottom line: The safe side of the max load is a Good Thing.

August 31, 2005, 01:48 PM	#8
Smokey Joe Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2001 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,106	Max loads DimitriS--Staying within the max load is a good thing for 2 reasons: Safety: Less than the max load listed is very likely to prove safe in your firearm also. You always watch for over-pressure signs when developing a load (the manuals, or better, the ABC's discuss these). Pushing it to the max is just asking for trouble. If you just gotta have that last top 100 feet per second more, what you really need is the next hotter cartridge and a new rifle. Believe me, the deer or moose will never know the difference if your bullet goes right through his engine room at 2600 fps instead of 2750 fps. Accuracy: The hottest possible load (in terms of pressure and velocity) is rarely the most accurate. And one of the many reasons we reload is for enhanced accuracy--we tune the load to our individual rifle. Bottom line: The safe side of the max load is a Good Thing. __________________ God Bless America --Smokey Joe