Alliant powder 2400

[atr]

I trying to find out if Alliant powder 2400 is equivalent to and can be loaded the same as Hercules 2400.....
You thoughts are appreciated
thanks
atr

[wizzbang]

Hercules was bought out and the name changed to Alliant. The powder is the same.

[felix]

Same application is the only thing that can be relied upon. I think Larry Gibson is working on comparing various lots, pressure and velocity for a few select cartridges. ... felix

[Larry Gibson]

So far all Alliant 2400 has performed within normal lot to lot pressure variations in a 30-30 and .44 magnum. Testing is done with a M43 Oehler using a 21" Contender carbine barrel and a 8.4" Contender .44 barrel.

I would still like to get some old Hercules 2400 if someone has any?

Larry Gibson

[atr]

thanks guys,,,,
I did some load table comparisons and it does look like the Alliant 2400 is very similiar if not identical to the old Hercules....

sorry Larry,,,but Im holding on to my few remaining cans of Hercules2400....

[BruceB]

My own testing was far more "empirical". I let my guns tell me what was going on.

When my stock of Hercules 2400 ran out in the mid-'90s, my Model 27 S&W refused to accept the same charge level with the new Alliant stuff. It was a minor difference, in that it gave slightly-sticky extraction where no stickiness had existed with the Hercules brand. Dropping the charge just 0.5 grain solved the minor difficulty.

Our Ruger .44s on the other hand delivered exactly the same performance with the new, as they had with the old.

I believe that all this proves is that my .357 loads were somewhat closer to "the top" than were my .44s. Whatever variation exists may well fall within lot-to-lot differences.

[Larry Gibson]

thanks guys,,,,
I did some load table comparisons and it does look like the Alliant 2400 is very similiar if not identical to the old Hercules....

sorry Larry,,,but Im holding on to my few remaining cans of Hercules2400....

atr

Come old CBF bud! We live close enough we could do some shootin' together? I'm not asking for much, a quarter pound should do and I'll pay?

Larry Gibson

[atr]

I went to the range yesterday.....
loaded some .308 with the Alliant 2400 ,,,same loading as what I was using with Hercules 2400....
the point of impact was the same so Im convinced that the Alliant powder IS same as the old Hercules in 2400

(Larry.....powder and friendship dont mix !!!),,,but anytime you are over on Vashon I would welcome your company at the range

[Junior1942]

. . .and a 8.4" Contender .44 barrel. Larry Gibson

Where did you get that?????

[VintageRifle]

I learned my lesson on powder. Friend sold a rifle he used some H110 in. Gave me the remaining powder. 2 months later he bought another rifle he could use the powder in... called up and asked for the powder back.

[Larry Gibson]

Where did you get that?????

Guy I got it from put some sort of muzzle brake on the original 10" length. It didn't work so he had a gunsmith cut the cobbled part off and put a 11 degree target crown on it and the result is a very nice 8.4" barrel that I got for a very good price! I only got it because the price was right and I just wanted to do some pressure testing of the .44 Magnum. Dang thing shoots so good it is a "keeper' now!

Larry Gibson

[Larry Gibson]

I went to the range yesterday.....
loaded some .308 with the Alliant 2400 ,,,same loading as what I was using with Hercules 2400....
the point of impact was the same so Im convinced that the Alliant powder IS same as the old Hercules in 2400

(Larry.....powder and friendship dont mix !!!),,,but anytime you are over on Vashon I would welcome your company at the range

I appreciate the invite and we may just do that. I understand (grudgingly though) about the powder.....got to be someone with some old Hercules 2400 they'll part with.

Larry Gibson

[leadeye]

I appreciate the invite and we may just do that. I understand (grudgingly though) about the powder.....got to be someone with some old Hercules 2400 they'll part with.

Larry Gibson

I think I could scare some up, how would I ship it?

[Larry Gibson]

I think I could scare some up, how would I ship it?

PM sent.

[mpmarty]

I've got several pounds of H-2400 from 1970. I'd be happy to send you a few ounces for testing / evaluation. I use it in my cast 45/70 squirrel loads.

[Rocky Raab]

I think that anytime a powder shifts production to a new place and new people, using a new recipe and is then advertised as "New and improved, cleaner burning" that we HAVE TO assume it's at least some degree different. They may try to hit the old performance targets as closely as possible, but it can't be EXACTLY the same.

That small degree of difference is likely what is behind that almost infamous and hotly debated Blue Dot warning of a year ago. With regard to 2400, there are some who claim they saw differences in that powder from before and after the Hercules plant fire more than a decade ago. I don't burn enough of it to know, but I can absolutely verify that "classic" recipes for 2400 in the Hornet are WAY too hot with Hercules powder made 15 years ago. I'm not about to risk trying Alliant stuff in my Hornet knowing that, believe me!

[Savvy Jack]

Is 2400 close to what was used in the 30-30 back in 1894? If not then what powder offers 30 grains for the 30-30 to replicate the original ballistics?

Thanks

[runfiverun]

the second 30 is from a powder no longer being made.
don't lament the loss though.
there are much better powders available now, some of the old powders were actually corrosive.
iirc it was called hi-vel.

[skeet1]

I think that 2400 was initially brought out for the .22 Hornet and I think that is where the name came from, 2400 fps. I might be wrong but it seem that I read that somewhere.

Skeet1

[w30wcf]

Is 2400 close to what was used in the 30-30 back in 1894? If not then what powder offers 30 grains for the 30-30 to replicate the original ballistics?
Thanks

Jack,
The original powder used in the .30 W.C.F. / .30-30 was DuPont .30 Caliber Smokeless.
Today, 4064, Varget and RL15 are the closest equivalents. In testing, I found that 30 grs. of either of these powders
will give velocities very close to the original ballistics (1,970 f.p.s.)

2400 was not in exsistence until 1935 and is much too fast burning for .30-30 factory velocities.

w30wcf