Accuracy and Hot Loads, do they co-exist?

[ubershinobi]

Excuse the title, but I just finished watching one of the many President Bush blooper videos.

If FPS surely extends the reach and speed of your round downrange, does it do so at the cost of accuracy? I haven't personally shot many hot loads other than for pressure testing. With the data I get on the chrono, pushing for hot loads will give me a "faster, longer reaching round" but is there any loss of accuracy for running such hot loads at maximum grain?

What are the disadvantages if any? Anyone care to shine some light on the subject with some first hand experience?

[Pthfndr]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends on the rifle. As a general rule of thumb though, most rifles will produce best accuracy below the danger zone. YMMV.

[Trakker]

I believe it is a good controlled burn before bullet exits barrel
excessive burn after the barrel causes accurracy problems

[Fjold]

Talk to some benchrest shooters and you will find that in some loads they will be well over book max. To them the only thing that matters is accuracy so if the most accurate load is at high pressure then that's the one that they use. Generally though the less recoil, the less upset of the sight picture and better the repeatability so if you can get the accuracy with a moderate load it will probably be easier to do it consistently.

[Beelzy]

Accuracy and hot loadings seldom cross paths. If one takes relaoding seriously
they will find that best accuracy is usually obtained before the loading gets
warm.

Those benchrest shooters who go over Max loadings have a science to their
madness the includes custom barrels. chambers, etc. and push their rigs to
the limit with every shot.

[Blacktail 8541]

As has been stated, useally the most accurate load is found somewhere below max. But that has its' exceptions. I have an AR that gets its best accuracy with a load that is at MAX and a couple of tenths. But it also does almost as good with a mid level load. So that is the one I use. I'm useing Lapua brass and don't want to beat it up, to pricy.

[thmpr]

As for the Grendel, best loads is at its max. 21 reloads is what I got out of it.

[Ahhnother8]

First of all, what is MAX? Every loading manual is different, every firearm is different, and every lot of powder is different. MAX is the maximum amount of a given powder that can be used before bad things happen (ruined brass or worse).

The manuals are a REFERENCE. Their MAX may be higher or lower than what your gun will handle. The brass and primer will tell the true tale.

Almost always, the MAX load and accuracy will coincide. When you go beyond MAX is where groups fall apart and chrono numbers get ugly. Yes, there will also be lighter loads with good accuracy. It all has to do with barrel harmonics, and you will find accuracy nodes where the gun shoots well and others that it will not. Shoot LOTS of groups and you will begin to see a pattern.

Lane

[BlueOvalBruin]

As for the Grendel, best loads is at its max.

+1, definitely likes the hotter loads.

[ubershinobi]

Thanks for all your replies. Just what I was looking for; there is no substitute for going out and shooting!