I find a load described above in 20 rounds or lessvia OCW at 150 yards. If everything is right, that load can be confirmed at 250 or 300 yards with a couple or three groups.Another 10 or 15 rounds might show a need to tweak seating depth. It might take 40 or 50 more rounds to confirm a drop chart.From there on out it's just shootin' and gaining knowledge of the load/rifle...having fun doin' it. So I fail to see the need to worry over killin' the barrel during R&D.

A barrel is meant to shoot bullets out of and since they roll new ones out every day I dont fret it in the least.

I don't hunt at 1K as I tend not to stretch it past 6 or 700 yards very often,so a near max load in a standard or AI'd chambering with a good bulletis all I need. I'mfine with 1 MOA, but can like 1/2 MOA better. I deal with standard type gearand mostly light for caliber bullets, and work within those limits wilst puttin' the boots to the dirt...don't much care for "huntin'" out of a shootin' tower and such.

Did do a short stint with a 300 RUM once but didn't like thecase life. My kid just talked me into a 300 Weatherby and we'll see how that goes. The RUM and the Roy is about my upper limit on "high intensity" and I see zero shame in that.......