Considering accurate powders

[drklynoon]

I am considering breaking out of my comfort zone and trying some accurate powders, (as I can get them.) I have a great working relationship with hercules and IMR... wait a tick.... Alliant and Hodgdon. lol I'm thinking about expanding my horizons into the Accurate realm. I'll probably start with #2,5,7,9 and maybe trueblue. Has anyone found that these powders provide significant advantages in specific uses? Or would I be wasting my time and should stick with what I know. We all garner that working relationship over time and can pick out what loads from the book that are most likely to be the best just by our understandings of the charecteristics of the powder; however, this has led me down a narrow path. The only non herc, dupont powder that I use is tight group and have yet to be sold on it.

[rexherring]

I use a lot of AA#5 and #9. The #5 is a little slower than Unique and the #9 faster than H110. They both measure good and have not had any problems with them. My .45 ACP likes the #5 with heavy boolits and my .45 Colt Ruger loads like the #9. I've also loaded .38's and .380's with #2 and #5 and both worked nice.

[mikeyd23]

I also like Accurate, 2520 for .223 and Accurate #5 and #2 for 9mm, .38spl and .45acp with great results.

[uscra112]

Use AA#9 in mid-range loads (1400 fps) for plain base boolits on .25-21. Better S.D. over the Chrony than 2400 by a factor of two. Works well in larger cases, too, even up to .32-40. I also use it in .357 Magnum. Good stuff. Just wish it was easier to find at the LGS.

[mpmarty]

I use AA-9 for my 10mm loads. This is the cleanest burning powder I've ever used. Loaded in new Starline brass the fired cases are as clean inside as before loading. Amazing stuff and good velocity with 200gr boolits also.

[Kraschenbirn]

AA#5 for the .45 ACP with 225 & 230 gr. boolits. Also works pretty good for duplicating factory loads in the .44 Spl.

Bill

[Hardcast416taylor]

I`ve lost track of how many 8 lb. jugs of AA - 5 I have used for my pistols. I have long ago settled on AA - 2230 powder for my .223 and other rifle calibers. The .416 Russian Express round has shown a likening for AA - 2520.Robert

[**oneshot**]

My 41mag just loves #9, but can't get it local anymore. I also tried it in 357 with good results.

[drklynoon]

Hmm. Sounds like a pretty fair following. I like that #9 is cleaner burning and more flexible than 2400. It sounds like I need to get on the bus. I stay with cast for all my hanguns and it sounds like AA allows for more flexibility while still being clean burning creating better S.D.

[390ish]

AA7 is the best powder I have found for 38 super. I like 2 and 5 for 9mm Mak. 9 is good for heavy 38 super loads. They all meter very well. Was interested to read that Western (owns AA) Shilouette powder is the same powder as the old Winchester Action Powder, which is one of my olde favorites from the Clinton administration. Great powder.

[GH1]

I use #9 for my .357 loads. I like it because it's clean burning, meters consistently, and I can use standard small pistol primers. Additionally, #9 is a low flash powder, very suitable for low light situations.
When I used to load for .380 ACP I used #2 with good results. My 45-70 loads are with AA5744. Unlike #2 &#9,which are ball powders, 5744 is a bulky stick powder that does a very good job of filling the 45-70 cases. I like AA products.
GH1

[Marvin S]

I use several Accurate powders. One main reason is when they first came out they had the initial big red loading manual full of data for obselete calibers and cast boolits.

[stubshaft]

I buy #5 in 5lb jugs and use it with the same load data as Unique. I also use alot of #9 for sub-sonic 7.62X39 and Whisper loads.

[drklynoon]

Interesting. The couple burn rate charts I seen list #5 as a little faster than Unique but that doesn't say much to how it loads or the volume of it. That is interesting that it seems to perform similar to Unique. Heck I think I'm sold and I can even find it still and it's cheaper than the Hodgdon guys.

[winelover]

I like Accurate powders and have been using them since their introduction. The first powder I tried was AA2520, it does exceptionally well for me in two different 308's and a 243W, with J-words. I also use AA4350 with 338W, 270W & 243W. Currently working with AA5477 and cast in a 338W Mag. Shooting one hole, ten shot groups, @ 55 yards. Need to see what it does at 100 yards. Recently picked up a pound of AA7, works fine in 9mm and 125 grain cast, haven't tested it for accuracy though.

Winelover

[Rocky Raab]

Been using Accurate powders for several decades. Now that Western has taken them over, the powders will be much more consistent from jug to jug - which was definitely not the case before. Very good powders in general.

The old red manuals should NOT be used for load data. Many loads in it were overly warm. Use ONLY the free .pdf you can download from their website.

[rexherring]

Interesting. The couple burn rate charts I seen list #5 as a little faster than Unique but that doesn't say much to how it loads or the volume of it. That is interesting that it seems to perform similar to Unique. Heck I think I'm sold and I can even find it still and it's cheaper than the Hodgdon guys.

I've seen some burn rate charts on this too. They're wrong though, it's slower than Unique. I can shoot 11 grs of #5 in my .45 Colt BH but would never do that with 11 grs of Unique. Personal experience on that one. But very safe if you use Unique load data in most pistol calibers.

[drklynoon]

Rex, I'm thinking that they may have a different process for retarding the speed of their powder than Alliant. Maybe #5 is faster but a little less energetic due to shape or coating or something. This would give the impression of it being slower than Unique yet cleaner burning due to it's speed. I could be full of it but that would be my guess. I'm looking forward to giving it a try.

[rexherring]

Rex, I'm thinking that they may have a different process for retarding the speed of their powder than Alliant. Maybe #5 is faster but a little less energetic due to shape or coating or something. This would give the impression of it being slower than Unique yet cleaner burning due to it's speed. I could be full of it but that would be my guess. I'm looking forward to giving it a try.

I'm sure some have different ways to test. I've been looking online and out of the 8 charts I looked at it was 50/50 for it being faster or slower. LOL

I'm just saying that in my experience with pistol loads using both powders over several years, #5 is slower and lower pressure per grain in my loads. What will flatten a primer with Unique won't with the same load of #5. Out of a longer barrel or bottlenecked round could be different. But either way, both good powders.

[drklynoon]

Cool, I'm looking forward to trying some different things. It's not like I need to or anything I have really good success with alliant for pistols and imr for rifles but a little change isn't a bad thing, right?