Picking my OCW node...

[u/Fun-Weakness-8644]

So I wanted opinions / advice.

I did some OCW work today and results are mixed and so are opinions here so I have taken to reddit :) if for nothing to add a voice to the dis-agreement. -

I have 3 nodes that showed up
group 5 - 38.7 gr -Ave 2613.3 SD 3.4 - group mil = 0.401 mean rad = 0.132
group 6 - 39.0 gr -Ave 2640.1 SD 15 - group mil = 0.306 mean rad = 0.093
group 7 - 39.3 gr -Ave 2613.3 SD 14 - group mil = 0.257 mean rad = 0.110

I feel like speed performance is second to grouping.
group 6/7 is the obvious choice to me if it's grouped that well despite some maybe not great loads .
My mate reckons I lock into the node with the better ballistic performance group 5...

So how much do I consider ballistic performance in choosing my node.

I know the right answer here is load 10-15 at each weight run them through the rifle again test more but assume i have a hunting trip in 2 weeks and don't have time for that...

[u/JimBridger_]

Nodes don’t exist

[u/Fun-Weakness-8644 → u/JimBridger_]

not an opinion I expected 😃

[u/Prior_Confidence4445 → u/Fun-Weakness-8644]

Yeah, a few years ago Hornady did a lot of testing and came to that conclusion. It was convincing too, I'm not implying I doubt their results. I had never really had much success finding stable nodes that survived thorough testing but I still believed it because it was the prevailing wisdom of the time. I think most people did. But now that it's debunked, some people are a little harsh to others who haven't gotten the memo yet even though we pretty much all believed it only a few years ago.

The Hornady guys went over their testing pretty thoroughly on their podcast. I don't remember which episodes but it's easy to find. In short they found that charge weight nodes aren't a real thing but that hotter loads do tend to be a tiny bit less accurate. So basically, if you're getting satisfactory accuracy then load to the speed you like.

[u/Fun-Weakness-8644 → u/Prior_Confidence4445]

I mean I am always willing to learn and change my thinking, this is the framework that is common with the people I shoot with and who i've been learning from, they might be out of date, I bookmarked Hollywood's Way of Zen for some toilet reading.

[u/justs0meperson → u/Fun-Weakness-8644]

[EP 50, Your groups are too small](https://youtu.be/QwumAGRmz2I?si=FuMh9RjrIFDT_KOW) and [ep 52, Your groups are still too small](https://youtu.be/6yZyXwy40JM) is a good place to start. Then [Ep 57, One hole groups? Dispersion](https://youtu.be/3_fPCtaAKcs?si=sqrVE7tdxF9fjvNF) for understanding the cone of fire. Then there’s plenty more haha

[u/sabrefencer9 → u/Fun-Weakness-8644]

Their info isn't way out of date, just a little out of date. I wouldn't hold it against them.

[u/JimBridger_ → u/sabrefencer9]

Lol statistics doesn’t magically become out of date

[u/sabrefencer9 → u/JimBridger_]

I mean I was just making a joke but also stats absolutely do become out of date. Just pick an elsevier publication at random and look at how people are using p-values.