Does one really need to shoot the hottest load that can be stuffed into a cartridge case to cleanly harvest a game animal?
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Does one really need to shoot the hottest load that can be stuffed into a cartridge case to cleanly harvest a game animal?
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The simple answer is no. It is a lot like cars in that I do not need a 4-wheel drive to run to the store for milk but if we have a flood it sure will come in handy. I think it is human nature to seek bigger, faster, and stronger. Many people such as myself experiment with different loads to maximize the performance of a weapon. I do it to challenge myself to find a load that my rifle shoots better than any that I had tried before. Many times I discover that I need to shoot a lesser load to maximize the accuracy and performance of my rifle.
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No, but it depends on what you are looking for. I handload my .257 Roberts up hotter than standard loads because it is factory underloaded and can achieve (almost) .25-06 performance with handloads. Accuracy and consistency is far more important to me than just speed. A friend of mine has a wall full of antlers taken with his .257R with 100 grain SP starting loads! But he doesn't shoot at 250-300 yards either!
I never load my .30-06 hotter than max load data. My .358 Winchester is loaded well below max to get a nice tight group at about 2,400 fps mv.
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Consistent groups and a stable, expanding bullet. Then again, it could also be the gun you shoot it out of, is the barrel well-made? What about the stock? Is it well-bedded? I've shot $17.99/Box bullets out of my .270 and could have nickel-sized groups, vs. a spendy $30.00/Box and shoot groups bigger than 1 1/2 inch circle. The right bullet for the gun is just as important. The hottest, coolest bullet/load (also more expensive) does not equal the best for you and your gun.
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