factory velocities

[bruce moulds]

how are guys finding factory velocities compare to advertised.
of particular interest is 375 h&h 270 and 300 gn, but other calibres are also interesting.
bruce.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Wish I could help. I'm solidly stuck in reloading my own now.

 

[JimP]

Generally speaking the factory published velocities are usually a bit higher than what you will experience.

You have to figure that they use test barrels and not real rifles in most cases.

I also haven't shot a factory round out of a rifle in over 30 years except for a few that I will get when I first purchase a new rifle. But all the rest are reloads.

 

[tarbe]

Hornady 450/400 is advertised at 2,050 and my No 1 pops them out at 2,000. At least it did....I ran 2 boxes of factory through it while waiting on brass.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Out of my 375 H&H MRC 24”, these are what I chronographed:
Fed 300 TBBC 2,478
Fed 300 Sledgehammer 2,481
Fed 300 Nosler Partition 2,489
Fed 300 Swift A-frame 2,486
Barnes 300 TSX 2,529
Hornady 300 DGS 2,530
Swift 300 A-frame 2,553
PPU 300 Solid 2,459
PPU 300 Soft Point 2,456
You’ll have to look up what each claims it is.

 

[crs]

Couple of points:
1. When magnum cartridges and rifles entered the market all velocity data came from longer barrels, such as a 26 incher for a 300 magnum. Even then, some factory ammo claims were optimistic and not easily replicated.
2. For factory ammo, I just see where it shoots and go hunting.

3. I only chrono handloads until reaching the desired performance and then go hunting.

4. For primary use rifles(.308, 338 Win Mag, .45-70 double,.405 double, etc) I find the ammo that shoots best in each rifle and then go hunting. For instance in my M70 Featherweight, since Hornady came out with Light Magnum ammo, that is all I have used. That is now SuperPerformance 165 grain ammo. The scope on that rifle has not been adjusted in decades and it never misses - any misses are my fault.
My old poker playing room mate, Cal, always said "never kick a winner" and I never forgot that.

 

[bruce moulds]

interesting.
all those loads obviously work or people would not purchase them.
handloading i would chase 2550 for a 300 gn if accuracy happened to coincide.
i know some can get more, but that seems a good max with powders like h4350. (talking 375 h&h here)
some of those loads above are like 375 flanged, and i have been told there is no noticeable difference in the field between that and belted loads.
in years gone by some calibres were 200 fps down on claimed, but no one had a chronograph then.
i remember my first chronograph, had to replace 2 screens every shot. what a bore, but fantastic then.
would love to be able to afford a labradar.
obviously bullet type, wt, and placement are more an issue that 100 fps velocity.
i have not fired a factory round for well over 40 yrs, and just wondered how guys that use them feel about speed.
bruce.

 

[crs]

Bruce,
I quit hand loading my old accurized and magna ported M70 .308 years ago when Remington and Winchester 150 and 165 grain loads also shot 5/8 groups as did my best hand loads. - no point in it anymore. Hornady are just as accurate.

I never needed to hand load my Ruger 77 .338 as it shot all loads of interest(210- to 250) in to a killing group from the beginning. It had been tuned by my older brother with slicked up trigger, good bedding and magna porting.
Both of those rifles are well broken in and well worn and worn slick and smooth. The Leupold scopes are set so their trajectory is essentially the same out to 250 yards. Put cross hairs on desired POI and they go off and the target goes down.
My two doubles both have sub minute of angle McGowen Precision barrels and those have been expertly regulated to shoot R&L groups of an inch or less at 50 yards .

Like Cal said, ,,,,

 

[Shootist43]

Bruce, I think the short answer to your question is "a bit optimistic."