Velocity isn't everything
I spent some time over the winter shooting and developing loads for my two ruger super blackhawks (41 and 44 mag)--what an eye-opening experience that was!
If you think getting good groups with a rifle is a challenge--or you've reached a point where you feel it no longer is; you should try a revolver some time. MUCH more challenging than a rifle!
It has also opened my eyes to the fact that there is more to a good cartridge than propelling a sleek high BC jacketed bullet at as high a velocity as possible. Bullets such as all-lead semi wadcutters with wide meplats can achieve devastating results with impact forces typically much lower than what is considered acceptable for ogive/secant nose bullets (within reasonable handgun distances, of course). It's actually fired up my interest in lever-action rifles to piggyback off my revolver loads.
Velocity isn't everything
I hope for yall's sake that your fuel additives work better than that guy on the TV commercial (who's reached the age where he knows how to get things done) who gets his 4X4 pickup stuck, in 2wd, in a water hole about 4 inches deep. Then instead of putting it in 4wd, he unloads the horses from his trailer and uses them to pull the truck out!?!? (Of course, he was driving an old Dodge, so it could very well be that the 4wd no longer works.) I think that guy just didn't wanna get home real soon. Maybe his fuel additive hadn't made it to the injector yet. Or he just really doesn't like his female mechanic.
Btw, I'm a proud Dodge owner, so no hate intended
Velocity isn't everything
Come back thermaler!!
I recently bought my first centerfire wheel gun, and I love shooting it. It's an older S&W model 657 that I bought from a friend. It's a .41 Mag, and someday I'd like to go after a hog with it. But for now I've found a light load that shoots well in my gun and is actually pleasant to shoot. My wife even is able to shoot it well. It's a 170 gr. JHC Sierra over 14.5 gr of Blue Dot. Blue Dot is a very fast burning powder for this caliber, thus the light charge. There's lots of room left in the case, so you really have to be careful when charging cases so as not to double charge or over charge. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/05/6ujeru6e.jpg
You are correct that it's kinda refreshing to shoot without a benchrest and it's definitely a challenge.
Edit: add that I dont use a magnum primer with this load. I use a Federal LP 150.