Well, without getting into lots of detail, I'll just say that this SSK barrel (it's a 14-inch barrel) did not live up to its billing in the velocity department. As I really prefer the Sierra 80 grain SSP, that's the projectile I worked with most. Accuracy was wonderful, but with no load could I safely reach even 2700 fps (most topped out around 2625-2650 fps). I can top that with a 6mm-.223 (6x45) and burn less powder in the process. I tried a number of other bullets and quite a few powders, but with all weights, this simply proved to be a rare "slow" barrel from SSK. I've tentatively worked out a deal for a trade with a local who is interested only in accuracy. If it doesn't work out, I'll post the barrel for sale or trade here -- but I'll again mention up front that this barrel, while very accurate, can not safely reach SSK's velocity claims. It's not a rechamber and, even with my shooting, has had only around 350 rounds through it. Best accuracy -- including a number of 100 yard groups in the 3/8th inch range -- came at around 2550 fps.

Generally, I don't care much about top-end velocity. But with the smaller 6mms, on-game performance on smaller deer & exotics borders on being marginal anyway, so 150 fps is critical in this scenario. So, I'd feel better launcing an 80 grain SSP at 2700-2750 fps than at 2550. But for someone punching paper, those fps and a bullet's terminal performance really become insignificant...

[ 02-03-2003, 12:45: Message edited by: Bobby Tomek ]

Bobby - Shooting a ssp bullet, I would think anything over 2300 fps would be sufficient for bullet expansion .......... wait, I thinking as I type.......you are concerned with penetration/kinetic energy usage at that fps (2550), hmmmmmm..........someone help me here - I think the bullet will perform, just won't work very long.

Bobby
Did you try any lighter bullets. Wondering what the fastest velocity you saw was.
Rich

TC Nimrod- I posted an answer on the separate thread you started, but here it goes as well:

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...

Rich-
I was able to get the Nosler 70 grain BT and the Hornady 70 grain SX to around 2750 fps with decent accuracy (0.7 to 0.85"). Best overall accuracy came with the Nosler 80 grain BT with the Sierra 80 grain SSP running a close second. I still have a large quantity of the Nosler 75 grain solid base spitzer, and these performed very consistently no matter the powder or charge. The worst group with this bullet ran o.780, and most groups seemed to fall in the .6 to .75" range.