Please tell me where the line is and why

[KnotRight]

On the 45-70 forum on Facebook there is a thread about someone shooting a buffalo with an extreme 45-70 load that is pushing the upper (way upper) limits.

I do not hunt so I am not sure why someone would push the limits of a gun when 75 to 80% of the max load would work.

 

[Bailey Boat]

Ego..... our worst enemy....

 

[GymB]

Compensating for something.

 

[J R Green]

There's a bit in The Last of The Mohicans, The book not the movie, where Natty is telling Uncas about overcharging his musket saying something like there isn't a man nor beast that won't fall to a proper load.

So you see, the concept isn't exactly new.

I used to tell other reloaders, If you have to supercharge the bullet you bought the wrong caliber.

 

[BowWow]

45-70 is a great round because you can safely get so much more out of it in a modern firearm. Pushing the limits of safety is not so great......

 

[Howland]

I tinker with powder, charge, seating depth to get the tightest groups. I'm analytical.

I start at the start charge and increment up. As I do, I have always observed group size shrink. When they start to open up, I pull the remainder. I've found the optimal load. I don't want to know what happens after that. Nothing good can happen. Thar be dragons!

If I then need more velocity, I just buy a bigger gun.

 

[Grits]

Stupidity knows no bounds. You take a chance on a top end load over max and you could be in the morgue.

The line is there for a reason. If you cross it at your own risk. Sometimes there are mistakes in load data. You assume the risk by your own hand.

Sent from my SM-J320V using Tapatalk

 

[Mightyox04]

On the 45-70 forum on Facebook there is a thread about someone shooting a buffalo with an extreme 45-70 load that is pushing the upper (way upper) limits.

I do not hunt so I am not sure why someone would push the limits of a gun when 75 to 80% of the max load would work.

I don't get it because 45-70 kills buff at standard velocity.

 

[Downeast]

"On the 45-70 forum on Facebook..."

Now that's funny!!

 

[Charlie]

As long as he is not being a danger to himself or to others, what is wrong with loading to max? His rifle may perform more uniformly at max loads, and a fast bullet will have less drop at a particular range than will a slow bullet. Hunting buffalo, he may want all the range he can get out of his rifle.

I occasionally hunt with one of my 45/70 rifles and do not load them hot, but I am trying to shoot whitetails that come into fairly small food plots rather than a buffalo on open plains.

On the other hand, he or she may just want to impress friends on Facebook. Were load data given?