I'm just getting into reloading and read somewhere that less fps is best. I do under stand just because one round works great for one but might not be so great for mine and that's why you should test.

there are alot of variables concerning velocity and accuracy but the primary are going to be the twist rate of the gun, the particular bullet and design and the powder being used. Some powders work better at lower velocities and some at higher. A good example is H110, in all of my firearms and with most people I know a max load of h110 normally gives the best accuracy but you can have load data for two different powders with similiar velocity spreads and one will group better than the other at the same velocity so there is no set rule on whether a load will be accurate just based on velocity and the best way to approach it is decide what kind of velocity you need or want and experiment with different powder and bullet combinations until you get one that works.

Hey Wapitirod,
Thanks for your time.

Rod is 100% right. It is crucial to match powder, barrel length and bullet to maximize accuracy.(That doesn’t necessarily mean max velocity!) Also take under consideration the velocity of your bullets for what they were designed to do. EG Nosler stated that their 120, 140, 150gr 7mm BT need at least 1600 fps to expand properly while Hornady sates that their 139 SST needs at least 1800 fps.

Duane

Ever gun is a law unto it's self. So it's best to work up a few loads with a couple different combinations and see what it likes. My 223 Encore barrel likes 50gr bullets pushed quite fast. The Encore 218 BEE barrel seems to shoot best with 40-45gr bullets under max velocity.

Some powders work better at different load densitys too. Rod is right about H110, it likes to be loaded at max charges and has a small load range. All the different variables is what makes handloading fun.