I’m not sure why that one shot was so fast at 42.2, but ~42.4 is also a node for me. That particular test was I stopped that test at 42.4 only because I was confirming a node I already knew. My “fresh barrel” velocity curve was 40.5 to 42.6.

Based on the analysis method, I can see why you’d recognize the node at 42.2 as well - BUT - there are three reasons why I wouldn’t load 42.2, even though it’s a node: 1) note, the velocities there are ~3160ish and that was fired at an indoor range with ammo at about 73 degrees. A match in the sun at 102, and measured on someone else’s chronograph, I might surpass the 3200fps speed limit imposed in PRS competition. 2) the 6mm Creed wasn’t included in the Berger manual I have, but the consensus seems to be that 42.0 grn of H4350 is a max charge for the 105 Hybrid. Many guys ignore book max loads, but compounding with the 3200 speed limit, I just live happy at 3084fps average in the middle node at 41.7 grain. 3) Rain. I’ve witnessed shooters be left high and dry because they were pushing a max or near max load in the rain. Failed extraction and a bunch of failed-to-Engage targets which are counted as misses. One highly ranked shooter last spring dropped something like 25 points in a match, out of ~100 possible, because she had a failure to extract in the middle of 3 stages due to rain. I had a solid cleaning rod on hand, so we could quickly tap it out, but it still meant she couldn’t complete those stages and was scored those misses.

My last barrel on that rifle had a larger chamber and longer throat, and was also only 24” (and I expect quite slow overall), but it had a beautifully wide node at 40.0grn, so I shot a LOW speed, low node most of the season last year. I did have to move up to 41.5grn to the middle node by the end of its barrel life, because I was losing velocity so fast as the barrel fell off of the cliff.

Which in fairness, I killed my buck this past winter with the last round that barrel ever fired, at 120 yards. It was still holding less than 3/4 MOA. It just wasn’t holding onto any stability in velocity any more. I don’t like to start a new match season with a “near dead” barrel, let alone one which is already completely toast. But it was certainly still holding onto sufficient accuracy to kill a big Kansas whitetail.