I went to a class at Rifles Only in TX. Depending on the situation I used ear muffs
But I ALWAYS had plugs in my ears.
You never know who you will be next to. I found myself on the line to the right of a guy with an
AR10, which ejected onto my head. He also had a muzzle brake.
I only do precision/tactical rifle matches these days.
At 58, with an office job, I get my butt kicked, but boy
does it build confidence in dealing with tough shots.
For load development I use a sand bag. It's a different objective than practicing
or hunting. I don't use a bipod when I practice. Only improvised and comprised
positions.
H4350 is the best powder. And the 260 seems to easy to find a load for.
1- do a pressure test with your bullet
2 - drop down 1.5 to 2 grains.
3 - follow what ever technique you like, and increase the powder charge until you find your load.
As Sam said H4350 is temperature insensitive