Why should I care what velocity my handloads shoot if I hit what I am aiming at?

Now, let me clarify. I know there is a minimum velocity needed for proper bullet expansion and an ethical velocity to use in hunting loads. Outside of this why do I care? Using my competitive archery backround, I don't care if the guy next to me is shooting 50 FPS faster - a fast miss is still a miss. I read threads that say caliber A will get you 70 fps faster than caliber B........so what?

I don't mean to sound like I have a chip on my shoulder about velocity claims - I just need educated. Thanks for any replies!

TC Nimrod:
For a guy shooting a 22-250 and a 50 grain bullet, how much will it matter if he blasts a prairie dog with a load that has a MV of 3800 or 3700? None...and the prairie dog will never voice a complaint. I shoot a number of 6.5x55 rifles, and with my favored 140 grain loads, starting velocity can vary from 2500 to 2800 fps. But again, the deer and hogs I harvest can't tell a lick of difference between getting whacked with a '94 carbine and its 17.7" barrel or a long-barreled custom rig that gets an additional 300 fps.

But in single shot pistols, especially in the smaller calibers used for hunting, the fps become more significant. For instance, I have taken quite a few deer with 6x45s (6mm-.223s) using an 80 grain Sierra Single Shot Pistol bullet at 2700-2750 fps. I realize the limitations of the caliber and place a premium on precise shot placement. But an 80 grain bullet at 2700 fps isn't exactly a powerhouse to begin with. So if you find you most accurate load is clocking only 2400 fps and one with a little less accuracy is doing 2700 fps, which do you choose for hunting? In this case, you MUST go with the additional velocity to ensure a quick, humane kill.

Velocity is less significant when a cartridge overmatches the game, as in the instance of a 22-250 on a prairie dog. But in the world of single shot pistols, the velocity factor often must weigh more heavily in the equation.

With that being said, once you reach the 6.5mms, there is not a deer on the planet that can't be cleanly taken with a proper 120 grain bullet (meaning a Speer or Nosler BT) at 2350-2400 fps. That particular load will do the trick well out past 200 yards. You simply don't need any more velocity than that -- in THIS particular case. Granted, you can go to a necked-down coke can and launch the bullet at warp speeds, but you then must ask yourself about the reality of the gains, not to mention the ideal velocity window for proper bullet performance.

Thus, it all boils down to a matter of common sense regarding your particular application of a bullet/cartridge combination. And sometimes, velocity does indeed matter...

I agree with Bobby, but must add that many of us are caught up in "what if" thinking........as in....."what if" that buck of a lifetime is calmly feeding broadside at 300 yards......and there is no way to get closer.....would you rather be carrying your 30-30 barrel on your contender.....or maybe your 309 JDJ barrel???

If conditions were ideal, I might take the 300 yard shot with my 309......not a chance I'd try it with my 30-30!

Is "what if" thinking realistic? Maybe, maybe not, but when it comes to killing, I'd much rather have more than I need than not enough!!!

[ 02-03-2003, 20:08: Message edited by: GonHuntin ]

Yes, I am in full agreement/understanding with what is "needed" for specific applications. I guess I'm looking at the minute differences, say 20-80 fps. Take Bobby's 6mm for example - lets say he gets 2750 fps with the 80 grn. pills; do you worry about getting max velocity (say another 30 fps squeezed-out w/ load development)out of this combo now? I'm not sure if I can communicate my question well enough or not.

This is a hypothetical fps., just for explanation purposes.

I agree with what Bobby and GonHuntin said on the other part of your question to me that is up to the one doing the load development in most of my gun I will take the time to try difference powder, primes, and bullets and get the most out of it. In some cases I will push it as hard as I can then back down to what load I will be using. To me it is what you fill safe and happy with some people have to have every dime they can get out of it.

T/C Nimrod

Bobby & Gonhuntin couldn't have said it better. I fully agree with the statements about the smaller the cartridge for the game hunted, the greater the impact of bullet velocity. In my own experience I have taken a few head of Whitetails with the 6mm-223 Cartridge. I consider it an excellent cartridge for this task, but others might consider it marginal. IMHO I think that the 6mm-223 works so well in that the bullet are designed well enough, and that there is enough impact velocity to insure quick / rapid expansion. In other words the quicker the bullet expands in flesh, the more tissue disruption it causes. This is all created due to higher velocities, which also flattens trajectories. The late Jack O'Connor pointed this out on several occasions.

Personally I always strive for the best accuracy I can squeeze out of a given cartridge / bullet combination. If I do not reach the level of Velocity I am after, my apporach is to switch to a different powder, and start over. In the case of my current 6mm T/CU V.V.C.G. Barrel, I am getting more velocity out of my fireform loads than I ever did with the 6mm-223's I have had in the past. What is the reason for this, is it the barrel, or the components I am now using. I think it is both.

First of all when I loaded for the 6mm-223 I used Military .223 Brass, and either H-322 or W-748 Powder. Now I am using H-335 with Commecial Brass, and getting much better performance with equal accuracy. However I have tried both H-322 & W-748 in this 6mm T/CU Barrel while working up fireform loads. Neither provided the velocity that H-335 does, even though they were the accuracy equals.

Some times you can indeed have both Velocity & Accuracy, it is just that with some cartridges & barrels it takes a little more looking. For these smaller capacity cartridges I think it is worth spending the range time in finding that just right combination.

Larry

T/C Nimrod wrote:
"I guess I'm looking at the minute differences, say 20-80 fps. Take Bobby's 6mm for example - lets say he gets 2750 fps with the 80 grn. pills; do you worry about getting max velocity (say another 30 fps squeezed-out w/ load development)out of this combo now? "

TC Nimrod-
Had I been getting 2750 fps, I would not have made the post. The 2700-2750 fps range is what I, after lots of hunting over the years with the little 6mms, consider optimum for performance on coyotes, small deer and exotics. Thirty fps is irrelevant. But when you're talking 150 fps and a cartridge that requires every bit of horsepower to achieve optimum performance, then that does indeed make a difference.

You have to draw a line somewhere, and I'm not sure I'm giving you the explanation you are seeking. My advice to you is get out there, do some ballistics/expansion testing, shoot a few varmints to see how the bullets are performing -- and then let common sense guide you in pursuit of game.

Hey thanks, you (collectively) did answer my question(s). There seems to be a trend between published velocities and achieved velocities recently, and some are close enough to call even. Thanks again for your time!