Alliant 2400 re-visited today......

[sargeny1]

Hi All....After some 35years gone by, I decided to try some of the "new" 2400....last time I used any was around 1975...wasn't impressed then and am NOT now either....
but...seems this "new" 2400 burns cleaner...did NOT have much unburned powder...

ACCURACY was VERY disappointing though....first was my S&W Pre M27 1952 vintage...6" bbl..blue finish...load was New WW Brass..WW Sm Pistol Mag Primer...12.5gr. 2400
Hensley & Gibbs #51 160gr Keith SWC sized to .358 cast of 92-6-2 Alloy....
2 to 3" group at 25yds....little unburned powder...THIS revolver shoots into ONE HOLE with same components and 12.5gr. Accurate #9 Powder.....

Next up was .44Magnum...Ruger Super Blackhawk 5.5" Stainless....Bowen Rear Sight..Load was New Starline Brass...WW LP Primer ....18.5gr 2400...Ancient Lyman Mold #429421 Hollow Point 227grgr. sized to .431"...92-6-2 Alloy...AGAIN 2 to 3" Groups at 25yds....BUT little unburned powder....THIS one too will shoot into ONE hole at 25yds. with 20gr. Accurate #9 powder.....

I have a feeling though that I may have to push these bullets a little faster though using this hard an alloy...I have been using Lyman 32 Alloy (BHN 15)....this alloy is around 18BHN..I also noticed MINOR leading the length of the barrel....maybe not enough ooomph to seal the bullets in the barrels....recoil did seem less than the afore-mentioned Accurate #9 Loads....

WELLL...what say ye learned gentlemen....????

Thanks...
Pete

[btroj]

2400 is a great powder. Does not mean it is the best in any one gun/bullet combo however.
Give it more time, work up loads for it. One load does not mean ALOT.
You may find that in that it works as well as AA9, then again it might now.
Where 2400 shines, for me, is as a reduced load cast bullet powder in rifle cartridges. That is where most of mine is burned.

Brad

[USSR]

load was New WW Brass..WW Sm Pistol Mag Primer...
Hensley & Gibbs #51 160gr Keith SWC sized to .358 cast of 92-6-2 Alloy....


For starters, never use a mag primer with 2400. Not necessary, and doesn't shoot as well as with a standard primer.

Don

[leadman]

Standard primer as said for 2400. Check Alliants' website for data.

[jmsj]

Like the others have stated, use standard pistol primers.
Sorry to hear you're having a tough time w/ 2400. I know a lot of guys have great success w/ H110 and 296 but I have always had better luck so far w/ 2400 in .357 and .44 magnum cartridges. I also like that you have more latitude in pressure levels w/ 2400 versus H110 or 296.
jmsj

[Dan Cash]

I say, since you have such great results with other powders, use them and forget about 2400.
Every powder I use shoots everything into one hole with every gun I use. Of course, I only need to shoot one shot to achieve that esteemed level of accuracy.

[JIMinPHX]

2400 works well for me with cast boolits in most bottle necked rifle cartridges.

[Bret4207]

I won't try and sell you on 2400, but I will make this observation. You have highly accurate guns with loads you have worked up for that powder/alloy/design/brass/primer/gun. All you did is change one thing- dynamic fit. 2400 is not #9. They differ and that difference alters your dynamic fit, ie- what happens to the boolit when you pop a primer. Give 2400 the same effort you put into finding a top load with #9 and you might find it shoots as well or better, or it might be your guns just hate 2400.

[imashooter2]

You tried one load each in 2 different cartridges and based on that you are going to write off a powder? Makes no sense to me at all.

[buck1]

Every gun is a law into itself. as for me I have never had a ruger 44 mag that didnt do very well with 2400. It is infact origanally a small rifle powder.

[Fugowii]

I tried 2400. Did some loads with the same gun (SBHH) and boolits and found there wasn't much of a difference between 2400 and #9. I thought the #9 was a little cleaner but other than that there wasn't enough of a difference to switch over from #9. Nothing wrong with 2400, just didn't have enough of a reason to move from the #9. Both are excellent powders.