... I think the ammo manufacturers aren't as prone to exaggerate velocity as they used to be besides making ammunition that is safe for any old clunker out there in order to cover their own butts. I find that most of the hype and wild claims now are aimed toward terminal ballistics of the bullet. Something like "This bullet will drop your target first hit and will chew a tremendous wound channel through the main guts." Bullets are being made more scientifically and generally better but companies still tend to try to outdo each other. However, even now there is a lot of info on the web about terminal ballistics tests of factory bullets. If you want the best, you will most likely get it by hand loading your own. I only have three needs. Target, plinking and defense. I like being able to shoot flatter at 100yds but in a defense situation if I need to shoot beyond point blank range, I don't need to shoot at all unless they have me "pinned down behind the rocks" like they do in cowboy movies. I have hot .38 special +Ps for home defense because I don't want a .357 to blast my ears out. Also, I like shooting a lot more than I do cleaning lead out of my barrel so for me shooting lead at magnum velocities is out.