alcan-7

[ahunter]

Anybody have any reload data for 38.44.45. Using alcan7 powder.

[429421Cowboy]

Just looked in Speer 5&7, Lyman 45 and Hornady manuals, they only show AL-5 and AL-8 in all loads, sorry.

[dagunnut]

Alcan 7 load data--This is right from the book Alcan Reloaders Manual XI dated 1966 (The recomendations in this charge table are maximum loads and should be approached with caution. Suggest a one grain reduction for initial loading.) The question marks in the 357 Magnum velocity column are because those last two digits are obscured and not really sure what they are.

38 Special 6" Pressure Barrel
Powder Charge Wt Velocity

125 Gr Cast R.N. Sized - .358"
AL-7 8.2 Grs 1120


148 Gr Cast W.C. Sized - .358"
AL-7 7.2 Grs 1120

156 Gr FMC - .3585" Dia.
AL-7 8.0 Grs 1080

Speer 158 Gr Jacketed S.P. .357" Dia.
AL-7 6.8 Grs 940



.357 Magnum 8 3/8" Pressure Barrel
Powder Charge Wt Velocity

125 Gr Cast R.N. Sized - .358"
AL-7 10.5 Grs 1570


148 Gr Cast W.C. Sized - .358"
AL-7 8.8 Grs 13??

156 Gr FMC - .3585" Dia.
AL-7 9.7 Grs 13??

Speer 158 Gr Jacketed S.P. .357" Dia.
AL-7 9.5 Grs 13??


Handloaders Digest 6th Edition also shows AL-7 data in the 357 Magnum on pages #18 & 21 under ballistics table I and II.
It can be found and downloaded from http://www.castpics.net/ It is under references tab and then under the reprints of cataolgs tab. Its the 1972 Handloaders Digest.


BALLISTIC TABLE I
6" bbl. 2" bbl. % retained
Powder/grs. MV ME MV ME MV ME

110-gr Super Vel JHP
SR4756/15 1657 673 1442 506 87% 75%
630-P/19.5* 1649 664 1468 527 89 79
N1020/18 1640 657 1427 499 87 76

125-gr. Hornady JHP
SR4756/14 1612 719 1402 544 87% 76%
N1020/16 1578 693 1341 498 85 72
Unique/10.5 1540 658 1340 498 87 76
630-P/17* 1475 603 1313 478 89 79

140-gr. Speer JHP
SR4756/13 1408 617 1239 477 88% 77%
AL-7/12.5 1399 609 1231 470 88 77
N1020/15 1385 595 1191 440 86 74
630-P/16* 1378 591 1226 466 89 79

158-gr. Speer swaged RN
N1020/13 1470 757 1250 548 85% 72%
SR4756/11 1399 687 1203 504 86 73
HS-6/10* 1350 638 1188 496 88 78
AL-7/11 1336 624 1149 463 86 74

160-gr. Speer JSP
N1020/13.5 1368 666 1218 528 89% 79%
SR4756/11 1350 646 1175 490 87 76
AL-8/13 1290 590 1135 456 88 77
630-P/14* 1287 589 1145 464 89 79

•Signifies CCI 550 Magnum primers; all others are CCI 500 small pistol. Super Vel 357 Mag
cases used for all loads. Test rounds shot in Colt Mk III 6" and 2" handguns. Data taken on
Avtron K233 with K101 photoscreens. Energy calculated using Powley tables. MV = muzzle velocity.
M E = muzzle energy.


BALLISTIC TABLE II

6" bbl. 2" bbl. % retained
Powder/grs. MV ME MV ME MV ME

110-gr. Super Vel JHP
AL-7/12.5 1412 486 1214 360 86% 73%
HS-5/9.5* 1425 495 1254 384 88 77
Unique/8.5 1362 452 1185 343 87 76
HS-6/11* 1401 479 1233 371 88 77

125-gr. Hornady JHP
AL-7/11 1289 461 1109 341 86% 74%
Herco/11* 1309 475 1165 378 89 79
Unique/8.5 1295 468 1129 354 87 76
AL-5/11 1310 476 1140 360 87 76

140-gr. Speer JHP
N1020/13 1246 480 1059 349 85% 72%
SR4756/11.5 1251 486 1076 360 86 74
AL-8/13 1248 482 1098 374 88 77
HS-6/10* 1218 461 1089 365 89 79

158-gr. Speer swaged RN
H-110/13* 1181 488 1039 379 88% 78%
AL-5/8.5 1164 476 1013 359 87 76
HS-5/8* 1180 488 1038 378 88 78
Unique/7.5 1177 485 1024 368 89 79

160-gr. Speer JSP
AL-5/10 1148 467 999 354 87% 76%
AL-7/9.5 1178 493 1013 363 86 74
Herco/9.5* 1182 496 1040 384 88 77
N1020/11.5 1151 469 978 339 85 72

•"Signifies CCI 550 Magnum primers; all others are CCI 500 small pistol. Super Vel 357 Mag
cases used for all loads. Test rounds shot in Colt Mk III 6" and 2" handguns. Data taken on
Avtron K233 with K101 photoscreens. Energy calculated using Powley tables. MV = muzzle velocity.
ME = muzzle energy.

I have not had a chance to check online for 44 or 45 data with Alcan-7 yet. These were just information that I already had. I hope it helps.

Mario
dagunnut

[ahunter]

Thanks for the info.

[Reload3006]

Alcan 7 was my hands down favorite powder in 12ga field loads. What made it so special in my book was that it was slow but an alcan rep told me that it was progressive burning. He explained that it started slow and accelerated as the burn continued. I don't know about all that but I do know it made some of the best 1 1/4 lead heavy field pheasant loads I have ever used. They would flat roll a pheasant out to 60 yards with a modified choke. ... the down side to it all was it was DIRTY with a capital D. Its one of the things I am still pissed off at Smith and Wesson for. I do so miss that powder. I never tried it in handguns though.

[Rocky Raab]

Using my never-fail "mystery powder" method, but skipping the first two trials, load a few test shots using BlueDot Start loads. Compare the velocity you get with what BlueDot would have given and adjust your workup loads accordingly.

I fund AL-7 to be close to BD in handguns. I don't load to maximums and stopped at about 90% of the velocity equivalent BD loads would give.

For those who have never seen the several posts I've made on this, you begin with loads at Bullseye charge levels. (I use .38 Special loads fired in a .357 Magnum revolver for added safety.) Compare velocity. If the mystery powder shoots as fast as Bullseye loads at that charge weight, use Bullseye data for that powder. If it is slower, repeat the test with Unique data. Then Blue Dot data and finally 2400 data. You will be able to quickly and safely determine the mystery powder's burn rate compared to a well-known powder.

[ahunter]

Thanks rocky.

[RG1911]

Clever. Another thanks to Rocky.

[Rocky Raab]

Just to be pedantically complete, be sure to use START-level loads at each step. And, to be absolutely sure about the delivered velocity, it's best to have chronographed the same loads with Bullseye, Unique, etc IN THAT GUN.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Bumping this thread.