If we use standard law enforcement qualification courses as a guide, few shoot at ranges beyond 25 yards. Because my experience suggests that a range of 15 yards is where most shooters begin to show accuracy problems, I chose to set up a drill using standard bullseye targets at that range. I did not try for precise accuracy but used a center hold and shot offhand at a rate that would meet qualifying time limits--just a little faster than the bullseye rapid fire pace of five shots in 10 seconds.

Starting with the factory load, I fired a five-shot group and drew a red circle around it. Then came the lighter handload, followed by the heavier load. I did the same for each of the three guns, and when all was said and done almost every shot was within the original circle drawn for the factory ammo.

This established the fact that it is not necessary to duplicate velocity precisely to have acceptable accuracy at combat ranges. Even at 25 yards differences were very small.

When we talk about handguns with adjustable sights it's really a different ballgame. My recreational shooting is largely done with 1911 type pistols or S&W revolvers, all of which have adjustable sights. None are used in any defensive context, so it is simply a matter of finding an acceptably accurate load. In my case those are in the "target" velocity range of 750 to 850 fps and are almost always shown as starting loads in the manuals. Even though powder may be the least expensive part of the reload, it is still an expense to manage, so unless I need the speed, light loads rule.

A standard load can be anything you want it to be because nobody else can set your priorities. If you just want a comfortable plinking load, you could do worse than taking a recipe from any standard reference that shows the components you want to use and take the starting load. Then load 50 rounds and go shoot them.

If the gun works, and you don't shoot worse than usual, your problem is solved.