I started loading in about 1978.
Bought a chronograph last year, haven't had it to the range yet.
What are the group sizes? Safety. Reliability. Group size. My opinion about order of importance as you evaluate your reloads.
I can't remember any time that I ever got the smallest groups with the highest velocity loads. Best groups, for me, have always been at lower velocities/pressures than the max. loads.
Depending on the powder and your reloading practices running near max or max can put you over the edge sooner/faster. In the danger zone.
Some powders measure very consistently. Some don't. If I'm using a powder that I can't get true consistency from with a powder measure and loading near max loads (my self defense hollow points with Blue Dot or 800X) I use an electronic powder measure/scale so I get a consistent amount of powder.
Sounds like your bullet is a range/target bullet, so it doesn't need to be a "max. load" to achieve the purpose of shooting good groups, safely and reliably.
There's a lot of posts here about loading issues. Lots of good info on the effects of bullet shape, bullet seating depth, brands/types of cases known to cause probles, etc., etc.
One more thing. Every work on cars? If so, you've found that information you need that is missing from one shop manual can be found in another shop manual. Same for reloading manuals. I have manuals (recently purchased - I won't list all the older ones I've bought over the years) from Lee, Sierra, Lyman (two - the standard reloading manual and the cast bullet manual). I need to buy a Hornady manual, just haven't gotten around to it. Not only will they contain reloading info for specific brands/styles of bullets they will have different powders/primers and even powder charge weights for the same powders, different velocities, etc. Most list the barrel length (used to be understood by many of us, years ago, that the velocities stated in the manuals were often obtained with barrels longer than any of us might ever use - like shooting .357 magnums out of 8 to 12" single shot handgun barrels when we were reloading for a 4" or 6" barrel revolver.)
Buy different manuals and read through the information/technique chapters, too, not just the reloading data tables. You'll be surprised at what you pick up from them. And ask questions here. There are some guys here that have learned a lot about reloading over the years. Some are very technical about it and some won't always agree with others (sort of like reloading manuals) but they'll tell you why they disagree (based on what they've done/learned over the years.