I'm all set for this Tuesday

[Buckshot]

.............I have all 100 rounds of 7.5 Swiss (284 Win brass) loaded up with 18.0grs of 2400 under the Ly 311291 sized to .308". They're crimped into the top lube groove. They actually come out of the size die at .3086" and are 17 BHN. Chambering and extracting shows a bit of scuffing in the throat. It must be right at .308" dia.

I also had bought 32 lbs of surplus Nobel Tubel 2000 powder from Graf's. The description suggests a burn rate similar to 4198 (that's why I bought so much). I have 50 rounds of 30-06 loaded with it for shooting from the M1917. Ten rounds of 23.0 H4198 + Dacron and the Ly 311284 as a baseline comparison. Then I have 23.0, 26.0, 29.0, and 31.0grs (all with dacron) of the surplus powder loaded up.

The Tubal 2000 is made in France and is an extruded small diameter type powder. The small tubes aren't real consistant in shape, such as 4198. In a sample some are bent, some have a tapered end, or a curved up end, etc.

Sheesh! 100 rounds of fireforming (Swiss) and 50 rounds of velocity/load checking, and it's supposed to be in the high ninties :D . Last Tuesday during the match after 5 rounds the barrel was too hot to hold on to.

Speaking of last Tuesday I won the match. Used my first 1891 Argentine loaded with the Bator/Lee custom C316220RF sized .314" lubed with BGHL over 21.0grs of H4198 + dacron. I HAVE to work on that trigger! I shot an 87-2X but should have been in the low 90's. Shot a 7 and too many 8's. Except for the 7 (low) and one 8 (high right) the group formed about a 4" cluster.

.............Buckshot

[BruceB]

Rick;

It'll be VERY interesting to see your results with that frenchy powder.

The longer I play around in this rifle/cast boolit game, the more convinced I become that the 4198-speed powders are just about perfect fits for an awful lot of case/bullet/bore combinations. I could happily use nothing but 4198 for cast loads in the .270, 30-40, .30'06, .303 British, .338, .416 Rigby, .45-70....you get the idea. Of course, handloading life wouldn't be nearly as interesting (or frustrating!) if I had only one powder to mess with.

What sort of price did you have to pay? What size containers does it come in?

[Buckshot]

"............What sort of price did you have to pay? What size containers does it come in?"

It was $61 for 8 lbs. FWIW with the measure set to throw 23.0grs of H4198 it dispensed almost exactly 1.5grs LESS Tubal 2000. The description said that this was the fastest of the extruded single base Nobel rifle powders and was ideally suited for the smaller rifle cartridges, such as the 223........... Which made my eyebrows go up thinking of Dupont's description of IMR4198.

We'll see tomorrow. I'll be happy if it's faster then 3031. Hopefully my chronograph has gotten over the gollywobbles or whatever was going on with it a couple weeks ago. Giving absurd velocities for 5 grs of Bullseye and a 267gr WC in the 45 Colt (1100 fps and such).

.............Buckshot