Can We Talk Swede Gallery Powder?

[Gunfreak25]

I once read on another forum that the brass used to make the Swede training ammo was often "condemned" brass deemed not suitable for full power milspec loads. The Swedes highly encouraged the use of saving brass and reloading as evidence by the plethora of headstamps in these sealed cases.

I have found the above statement I read to be true, as using 140g bullets over 33 grains of H4895 I have had 1 out of 100 show signs of head failure on extraction, I still have the case in my bucket. The head is cracked all the way around with soot around the seam, didn't fully let go and no gas felt escaping.

That being said, I wear glasses with the rifle and still consider the use of the brass okay. Not match grade stuff unless one wanted to weigh and sort each case. I paid $160 shipped to my door for 4800 rounds of the stuff from JGsales. This yields 4800 primed cases and 16lbs of useable powder loaded with Unique data.

The only waste here is the wood tips! Although I may consider keeping them and turning them into charcoal in my retort for my homemade blackpowder. It's like the circle of life around here!

[JMax]

I got back from the range today, 15 gr of IMR4227 had avg 1554ft/sec and a STD of 1.34%. 16 gr of 2400 had avg of 1750 and STD of .85%. Both grouped well at 50 yds. I will load some more this weekend and off to play some more. I am now working on getting the rest of the loaded vacuum packed ammunition. I have a Norwegian Krag made in 1916 that was sporterized with Redfield peep sights that work with my 69 year old eyes. It has nearly no free bore and I had Swede make me a mold that works well for my rifle.

Unfortunately I entered the Gibson zone and could not get any hits at 100. I calculated the RPMs and found that the 2400 load was 168,000 and the 4227 load was 145,000 and both exhibited bullet yawl on the early targets. Loaded some more hopefully under 1,400 ft/sec (the 140,000 RPM threshold) and off to the range when it is not raining later this week.

Just neck size on my T-7 then onto the Dillon and make ammo.

[Gunfreak25]

I loaded up 40 rounds of 45 Colt today using the Swede gallery powder. I started at 6 grains and found them to be powder puff loads. Sooty and unburned powder in the bore. 7.5 grains still powder puff and sooty, unburned powder in the barrel. 8 grains getting a little more power, like Cowboy action loads, less soot and same unburned powder in the bore. 9 grains nice load with good energy, very little soot and still unburned powder in the bore. I stopped at 10 grains as that's all I loaded at home, 10 grains gave a nice energetic load with no soot, but still a lot of powder granules in the bore and shell casings. Not a hot load by any means.

Will continue experimenting to solve the unburned powder granules. I tried regular pistol and magnum primers, no difference. A heavy crimp was used. It would appear this powder burns slower than Unique, it is certainly just as dirty. But fun, and cheap! I still have 15 pounds of it ready for downloading.

[Vic_vega9]

I loaded up 40 rounds of 45 Colt today using the Swede gallery powder. I started at 6 grains and found them to be powder puff loads. Sooty and unburned powder in the bore. 7.5 grains still powder puff and sooty, unburned powder in the barrel. 8 grains getting a little more power, like Cowboy action loads, less soot and same unburned powder in the bore. 9 grains nice load with good energy, very little soot and still unburned powder in the bore. I stopped at 10 grains as that's all I loaded at home, 10 grains gave a nice energetic load with no soot, but still a lot of powder granules in the bore and shell casings. Not a hot load by any means.

Will continue experimenting to solve the unburned powder granules. I tried regular pistol and magnum primers, no difference. A heavy crimp was used. It would appear this powder burns slower than Unique, it is certainly just as dirty. But fun, and cheap! I still have 15 pounds of it ready for downloading.

What’s up. Just thought I’d share my experiments with the practice powder. Shooting .38spl 158 gn cowboy lead bullets from penn bullets.

S&w 586 6 inch
4.5 gns Swede 450fps
5.0 gns. Swede 550fps
6.0 gns Swede 600fps.
7.0 gns Swede 730fps
8.0 gns Swede 875fps

All of these using a crony chronograph. So the unique website for 158gn bullets was 4.7 and as you can see was way too under powered. I settled on 7gns at 730 fps. No bulged cases or primers and extraction was good. Hope this helps someone.

[Steppapajon]

I have used it in short range 30/30 and 32 S&WL and my batch is indeed a fair amount slower than Unique at lower pressures. It was also very accurate and the Standard Deviations were tight. Once example is 3.5 grains of Unique under a 90 SWC and a CCI 500 primer gave me 963 fps from a 3 inch Barrel. The same load of "Swede Powder" was only 515 fps.
I have no way to know how your powder compares to mine so do your own research and start low and work up. Treat it like a Red Ryder or you might just put out an eye!
SPJ