Piggybacking on another thread in the Hunting Rifles folder, I'm trying to work up a whitetail load using 120 TTSXs for a Rem Mtn Rifle (RP brass, Fed 210 primers). I worked up to the Barnes max of 43 and kept going at 0.5-gr increments, all the way to 45gr of Varget.

I've typically been quite chicken and have been happy to stop at book max for hunting loads. In this case, I couldn't help but notice how much lower the Barnes data was; I wanted to eek out a little more FPS for these bullets; and others had gone as high with good results.

At 45gr, I noticed none of the typical pressure signs: bolt lift normal, primer looked normal, head showed no ejector marks that I could find after multiple iterations of trying to make myself see them. I won't be able to shoot over a chrono anytime real soon. The 'groups' shot were at 45 and 43 grains, and the 45-gr load showed much more promise (only single rounds were fired at other powder charges). When you get down to it, I probably wouldn't be at all apprehensive were I not 2 grains over Barnes' max. Of note, their max for Re15 is like 44.7, practically identical to Nosler's. Why is Varget the one that has such a delta?

Anyway, I'm soliciting advice. Should I be scared of the 45-grain load? Any other first-hand experience with it?

Last edited by turkish; 11/21/15.