It isn't so much that factory ammunition was loaded to higher velocity "back in the day" as it is that many shooters now own chronographs or have a friend with one. Knowing this most manufacturers today advertise the true velocity you can expect to see from a reasonable barrel length instead of an inflated number that sounds good as they used to.

A good example is Winchester 158 gr LRN with the "Lubaloy" bullet. I still have several boxes of the ammunition my department issued when this was the "standard" police load. Listed velocity on the box is 855 FPS. It actually was chronographed from three revolvers:

1948 6" K-38, 733 FPS

6" Highway Patrolman, 770 FPS

1957 6 1/2" Outdorsman, 819 FPS

I'll have to shoot some in a 4" and 2" someday to see what they do!!!!!!!



Same story with 200 gr. W-W "Super Police". Advertised velocity 730 FPS. Here is how it chronographed:

1918 5" M&P, 635 FPS and 621 FPS in two trials

6" 10-4, 684 FPS. This was a newer lot, still W-W.

Now, if you were the manufacturer today, would you rather publish the actual velocity a shooter will see when he chronographs your ammunition so the shooter is happy, or advertise a higher velocity and have your customer customer upset when he chronographs your ammunition and it really does 100-200 FPS slower than advertised?

Actually, today it is somewhat unusual to find ammunition with a published velocity, at least on the box!