The thing with handloading people don't know an undercharge can explode a gun just as bad as an overcharge. The minimum charge is the starting point because it is the safest point to start where you can get decent performance and then you go up from there.
Unrealistic expectations are often the key to failure, trying to get 7mmSTW velocities out of a 20" barreled 7-08 is not going to happen.
My mentor told me to load for precision not speed. having 100fps more with a 2MOA group has less chance of hitting a deer at 400 yards than a 1/2 MOA group that is 100 fps slower. There is more variance than there is drop difference
400 yards +- 1.5 MOA is +- 6 inches variance vs +- 2" meaning you could be dropping 4" lower with the faster bullet.....
100fps and drop difference at 400 yards with a 7-08 168 grain bullet between 2700 and 2800 is a delta of .6" (using JBM ballistics)
so you lose 4" of accuracy to gain .6" less drop.... and push everything harder than it needs to be
Now my 300WSM gained accuracy as I go up in pressure and speed and am sitting at almost max and starting to flatten primers i can go 61-65 grains and 64 is the ticket of best precision with 165 Nosler PT but that would be above max load for a HDY GMX 165 (max is 62.5) According to Hodgdon reloading site.
Staying within the chart is important but staying within what the gun is capable is also important.
Handloading is very rewarding and fun (and yes frustrating) but attention to detail is utmost and the books were written by people that do this for a living and subject to liability so they take it seriously.
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