Reloading / chronograph questions

[sneakboxer]

The wind died down enough to try out my new chrony. I thought that a chrony would shed a new light on loading and it did. But i still haven't been able to get my head around all the data.
First i ran a 4 shot string of my hunting load threw the screens and the data was slow but very promising.
165gr Nos BT, 44.5gr RL-15, CCI LR primer, Win necksized brass, and Lee crimp did this.
AVG VEL:2534 SD:2.5 ES:9 GROUP .45in @100yds
What is up with the velocity? I'm shooting a 22in barrel and it was only 25deg out but this seems kinda slow. Nosler lists 2820fps as max velocity on a 44.3gr charge and Lee lists 2780fps over a 45.5gr charge. I'm not looking for any more speed just trying to figure why i'm 200+fps slow and don't have any pressure signs.
Can you recommend any good books on this aspect of loading?
What do you think?

 

[rdl65]

The data shown was probably fired out of longer barrels. And the low temp will affect it some too.

 

[paradis1142]

Was most likely tested in a 24 inch barrel.

 

[mr.big]

the Nosler book is the worst to go by for velocity,,

I have gotten to where I like the Hornady Manual the best,,they use factory rifles with factory barrels to get thier speeds from.

I use to use RL15 and the 165 Sierra in a model 7 with 20 inch bbl,,I used 46.5 grs and got 2720 fps.

I changed to 46 grs Varget last year and dont see as much fall off in cold weather.

with the chronie and watchin your primers and other things I bet you could work up to speed,,but they may be too hot when the weather heats up..

 

[megalomaniac]

I think you got a slow barrel or a bad chrono.

I'm not a big fan of just continuining to work up the powder over recommended max until you reach pressure signs on the case just in an attempt to reach published velocities.

 

[Kimberman]

I shoot 45.5 gr of RL15 with a165 AB out of my 22" Kimber Montana, and get 2750 out of that combo.

 

[mr.big]

I have run into barrels that would get top book speeds 3-4 grs before reaching max book charge weights also..

 

[Kimberman]

Alot of it could be a slow barrel. If you have that kind of accuracy, a deer wont be able to tell the difference.

 

[Tiny]

All the above.. and

The distance you shot over the chrony at.

Differnce in your load vs there book load,ie powder lot,primer type,case,col ect.

One thing I like to do is get as close to possible to my load at least one or 2 boxes of factory ammo,if 2 one is from a different company,and run them first before doing Handloads.

 

[sneakboxer]

Thanks for all the comments.
I have a safe good shooting combo so I think i'll keep it for now. I don't think 200fps is worth losing what i got (>.5min groups and a SD of 2.5). I have killed two deer with this load and they never noticed the low velocity.
When it warms up i'll really get after it. This was the first time i used the chrony so maybe i'm part of the bad data. I'm working on some 168 and 178 A-Maxs over R-15 and varget is on my short list of things to get.

I just reviewed my notes and i shot the 165s in the last hour of daylight. Yesterday my chrony started to give me fits about the same time of day. I was working up the ladder at .5gr intervals and getting about 30-75fps at every jump. I refreshed my targets and BSed with the RSO then the chrony showed errors for two strings and two really slow readings on my hottest charge (i'm talking 50fps over what i started at slow).

I guess i'll shoot with a high sun and do a little testing with the 22lr in the lower light periods of the day till i figure out this contraption.
Bad data is worse than no data,
thanks for the help,