A Zen like question for the group to meditate on...
If a wolf is shot in the forest... and no one is there to hear it...Is there a sound?
And further....
Can the wolf tell the difference between a 180 HP travelling at 1050 fps vs 1000 fps... or even 950 or 900 fps?
Think on it Grasshopper...
If you believe there is... then you must never shoot game beyond very strict distance parameters... within about 20 yards or so, and never shoot if the outside temperature is lower than 72 degrees! That 180gr bullet travelling at 1050fps at the muzzle will only be travelling at around 1000fps within 25 yards, 900 within 50 yards, and that same load will start out 100-150 fps slower at the muzzle if you shoot at 20 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
If the wolf CAN tell the difference... then you have run into a Wolf that is way smarter than you... and you are already DEAD MEAT !!!
See what I am getting at here...?
Bullet performance is more a function of SHOT PLACEMENT ... bullet construction and bullet weight in that order...
For defence against unknown and various size threats, (ie... man to moose in your case...) moderate loadings of a reasonably substantial bullet weight is the best you can do.
You can optimize a load for one type of target..man or beast... but not for both at the same time.
So... My main concern is always to achieve 100% functional reliability in the weapon I am literally staking my life on.
I would always...DEFINITELY choose a loading a few fps slower if I could save 6000psi in chamber pressure...absolutely!
Best thing you can do with a handgun after you make damn sure it goes BANG every time, is put a big deep hole in one side and out the other. T/C bullets are about as good as HP or semi-wadcutters in real life performance on game, in my experience, and they penetrate deeper and feed better. The only real underachievers are Round Noses... (except for .45 hardball of course!)
IMHO - 800x is the best powder for top velocity loads is 40s&w, if you don't mind weighing charges, a lot of lot to lot variation, and temperature sensitivity. Power Pistol and Longshot eliminate some of the temperature sensitivity, measure much better, and don't really give up that much velocity ...except at the top end... like Clark sez.
If I am feeling particularly indecisive, and I often am, I load my 40 or my 10 mags with alternating 180 gr FMJ T/C and Speer Gold Dots...both real good performers at this velocity level.
Don't load up a whole lot of ammo before you test a few loads in YOUR pistol...and btw...what pistol are you getting?
If a wolf is shot in the forest... and no one is there to hear it...Is there a sound?
And further....
Can the wolf tell the difference between a 180 HP travelling at 1050 fps vs 1000 fps... or even 950 or 900 fps?
Think on it Grasshopper...
If you believe there is... then you must never shoot game beyond very strict distance parameters... within about 20 yards or so, and never shoot if the outside temperature is lower than 72 degrees! That 180gr bullet travelling at 1050fps at the muzzle will only be travelling at around 1000fps within 25 yards, 900 within 50 yards, and that same load will start out 100-150 fps slower at the muzzle if you shoot at 20 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
If the wolf CAN tell the difference... then you have run into a Wolf that is way smarter than you... and you are already DEAD MEAT !!!
See what I am getting at here...?
Bullet performance is more a function of SHOT PLACEMENT ... bullet construction and bullet weight in that order...
For defence against unknown and various size threats, (ie... man to moose in your case...) moderate loadings of a reasonably substantial bullet weight is the best you can do.
You can optimize a load for one type of target..man or beast... but not for both at the same time.
So... My main concern is always to achieve 100% functional reliability in the weapon I am literally staking my life on.
I would always...DEFINITELY choose a loading a few fps slower if I could save 6000psi in chamber pressure...absolutely!
Best thing you can do with a handgun after you make damn sure it goes BANG every time, is put a big deep hole in one side and out the other. T/C bullets are about as good as HP or semi-wadcutters in real life performance on game, in my experience, and they penetrate deeper and feed better. The only real underachievers are Round Noses... (except for .45 hardball of course!)
IMHO - 800x is the best powder for top velocity loads is 40s&w, if you don't mind weighing charges, a lot of lot to lot variation, and temperature sensitivity. Power Pistol and Longshot eliminate some of the temperature sensitivity, measure much better, and don't really give up that much velocity ...except at the top end... like Clark sez.
If I am feeling particularly indecisive, and I often am, I load my 40 or my 10 mags with alternating 180 gr FMJ T/C and Speer Gold Dots...both real good performers at this velocity level.
Don't load up a whole lot of ammo before you test a few loads in YOUR pistol...and btw...what pistol are you getting?
