I agree with Eldeguello above post.A 3 Shot is all you should need for a hunting load.

I have found the 160 gr Accubond to work well in my Rem 700 7STW w/ 26" 1-10 Hart Barrel. Although, I cant seem to get 140 grain bullets to shoot well. I can usually get .75-1 inch groups at 3300 fps w the 160's. I took about a 300 lb. (live weight) mulie buck in Montana this year with this combo.

I like to shoot whaqt the gun like. I don't think that 20 grains is the difference between harvesting an animal or not. I would try the Failsafe. A great bullet. It seems to have less "negativity" compared to the X bullet (Which I like too, along with partitions)

If you really want you can set up wet news print and shoot into it and see would channels for the 140 vs the 160 gr.

As for trying to find a load and worrying about buring out the barrel. Once a load is found are you going to shoot the barrel for extended practice and shooting or once the load is found are you going to just check the sight in? If you are not going to shoot the gun much then I say try to find a load. That is half the fun of handloading. Have you tried a bunch of powder wight charges? You gun might like to be throttled back in that bullet wieght. One of my rifles. It is more accurate with a less than max powder charge. The extra 100-75 fps is not going to max a difference on the animal.

Good luck

Hcliff

Range was around 250 or so-Ididn't range it. Got a complete pass through-though the lungs- buck ran about 50 yards or so and piled up! Seemed like everthing worked just fine. Didnt make a real gory mess out of it either but I suspect things would have been different if it was at a closer range. Buck scored 167 B&C- I was definitely pleased for my first mulie. Hell of a lot bigger than our coastal NC whitetails.
I did however shoot a doe last week with this same load for some meat. Lung shot @ 100 yards got a pass through and about a 60 yard bloodtrail that I Had to step aside to keep from bloodying up my boots and pants. Was really suprised that she ran that far! But then again I havn't shot many that didn't run a little. Except for deer I've shot with my 25/06 Improved-It kills like lightning!