Alliant 300-MP

[jonp]

I was looking at Natchez and saw 8lb jugs of 300-MP in stock so looked it up on Alliants sight and they posted some pretty astounding numbers for it.

For example they have a 357Mag 158gr GDHP over 18.6gr at 1686fps where 14.8gr of 2400 yields 1265fps according to my Lymans 49.

They also list 44Mag 240 GDHP over 25gr at 1570fps where 24.5gr H110 gives 1233fps.
The closest for this bullet is a max charge of 24gr of 296 at 1292fps still almost 300fps less than the 300MP

These numbers for this powder over all loadings I saw are yielding 200 - 400fps over all other powder.

Has anyone tried this powder yet? At $116/8lb jug it is looking pretty good to me.

[RDub]

I have been using 300MP for a while and it is outstanding powder.
Check this out. This is a little workup I did with two .357 revolvers..

http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/267122-357-mag-158gr-study.html

I'm loading up some .44 Mag rounds to test 300MP against some other powders.

[starnbar]

I have one on order let you know how it works. I don't load completely to max but it will be faster than 296 will use my chrony and give you some velo when it comes in.

[jonp]

Excellent post, RDub. Have you gotten to boolits as this is what I am interested in. I am also interested in using it in other calibers especially my 45Colt. With the numbers posted its hard not to buy a keg and start in as one of the posters mentioned. I was thinking of using it mostly for 357Mag and 45Colt.
Wonder how fast it will be. With the charge weight higher than that of H110 it should be rather close to that don't you think?

Read on a different forum that it was similar to 296 in burn rate. That would make it good for 44Mag and 45Colt big loads I think

[felix]

It appears to me that BlueDot is the 357 mag winner overall at the retail prices for powder these days. I have used 10.0 grains BD for 150-165 boolits with perfect satisfaction at 25-80 yards with pistolas since when the powder first came out (1974 era?). Lately I have been using 13.0 of the various AA9's (WC820's), not paying attention to which version. As opposed to BD, the 820's have a very smooth top end and will tolerate over-charging when loaded at this lower level just under so-called book max. ... felix

[RDub]

Excellent post, RDub. Have you gotten to boolits as this is what I am interested in. I am also interested in using it in other calibers especially my 45Colt. With the numbers posted its hard not to buy a keg and start in as one of the posters mentioned. I was thinking of using it mostly for 357Mag and 45Colt.
Wonder how fast it will be. With the charge weight higher than that of H110 it should be rather close to that don't you think?



Read on a different forum that it was similar to 296 in burn rate. That would make it good for 44Mag and 45Colt big loads I think


I haven't shot 300MP with boolits yet.. It's real hard to beat 2400 and AA#9 in these applications for accuracy and velocity.

H-110 and 296 are the same powder made by St.Marks. The difference is, faster lots wind up in cans labled H-110 and slower lots end up in cans labled 296. That's the way it seemed to me.

They both do their best work at max pressures and both require magnum primers.

300MP also does the best with max pressures. I have found that reducing loads with this powder isn't benificial as accuracy falls off.
But, 300MP does well with standard primers. Mag primers are not needed.

As far as boolits go, try it and see.. It just seems to me that 300MP is a hot-rod powder for jacketed bullets.

In the .357 with hard cast it might do fine, but in a .45 Colt, I'm not so sure.. Ruger Blackhawk?

[jonp]

Yrs, blackhawk with 7 1/2 barrel which is what had me looking at 300mp

[jonp]

It appears to me that BlueDot is the 357 mag winner overall at the retail prices for powder these days. I have used 10.0 grains BD for 150-165 boolits with perfect satisfaction at 25-80 yards with pistolas since when the powder first came out (1974 era?). Lately I have been using 13.0 of the various AA9's (WC820's), not paying attention to which version. As opposed to BD, the 820's have a very smooth top end and will tolerate over-charging when loaded at this lower level just under so-called book max. ... felix
I agree on blue dot. It was, I think, the second powder I bought when I started reloading with Unique being the first. Had great luck with it in my 357 blackhawk but when I got a 41 and 44 mag I switched to H110. I found some 300 which is why I was asking about it. With powder in short supply I am looking at alternate powders to buy when I see them. A little bit ago I ran across a large supply of american select and green dot in a store in Richmond and asked about them. Hard to pass up any workable powder kinda like primers

[44man]

I have given 300 MP some thought but considered the additional velocity and it might not suit me.
296 gives me a match to twist even with very heavy boolits and I never need max loads so speeding up the boolit would probably need a reduction in charge that the powder might not go along with. I have not read reports of how much reduction 300 will be safe at.
It might be the way to go in the .500 S&W, no idea.
I can't get into the velocity game if the gun loses accuracy. It will take you fellas to show me what it does.
Thinking of the bad twist in the Marlin .44, maybe the powder would spin up a boolit enough. It might be a savior for the gun but I sold the Marlin.

[jonp]

The test results i've seen in other threads for the 460 and 500 are hard to believe but true I guess. As we have seen, though, velocity isnt everything as a 270gr boolit over H110 in a 45lc Blackhawk shows. Roy Weatherby was a believer in high velocity but I dont think its really needed for the majority of shooting with the associated recoil which I dont care for. Its interesting to see what you can get to and 30 years ago I was doing it for kicks but now i'm a little jaded in it. At least now that i'm trying out boolits and finding slower boolits and the penetration i'm getting

[Mal Paso]

Unless they changed formulation since I tested it, MP-300 is Slower than 296/110 and not my choice for 44 Mags 6" and shorter.

It's denser than 296 by a couple percent and you'll need that extra density to equal 296 performance in a 4" 44 revolver (250g Boolits). Magnum primer brought down the ES with a very slight increase in speed. Primer accuracy was not tested. With 4" & 6" Revolvers I was never able to come close to the published velocities Alliant achieved with an 8" sealed test barrel so I figured I was on the wrong side of the curve. Like 296 reduced loads not recommended. Impressive flame!

I think Alliant missed My market but it's bound to become someone's favorite. I understand MP-300 represents a more modern tweaking of the burn rate. I know it has a following in 22 bottleneck cartridges.