My thoughts on 47-59

[GOPHER SLAYER]

47-59 reminds me of the friend with many faults such as, you learned long ago that you never lend him money or depend on him when you need help but he is very likable, makes you laugh and he is great to party with. The powder takes up lots of room in the large rimmed cases we love to shoot and it performs well. The down side is, it doesn't meter worth a dime. It constantly bridges in the measure. I have started rapping the side of the measure with a plastic mallet to encourage the powder to let go and fall into the case. Another complaint I have is the fact that it leaves it's calling card in the barrel in the form of, what looks like unburned powder after the bullet is gone down range. I obtained an eight pound jug of surplus 47-59 from Buckshot several years ago and I am still working on it. If we had not lost our local range the jug would have been emptied by now. As it is I will keep loading the stuff and just put up with my all my friends faults.

[Marlin Junky]

47-59 reminds me of the friend with many faults such as, you learned long ago that you never lend him money or depend on him when you need help but he is very likable, makes you laugh and he is great to party with. The powder takes up lots of room in the large rimmed cases we love to shoot and it performs well. The down side is, it doesn't meter worth a dime. It constantly bridges in the measure. I have started rapping the side of the measure with a plastic mallet to encourage the powder to let go and fall into the case. Another complaint I have is the fact that it leaves it's calling card in the barrel in the form of, what looks like unburned powder after the bullet is gone down range. I obtained an eight pound jug of surplus 47-59 from Buckshot several years ago and I am still working on it. If we had not lost our local range the jug would have been emptied by now. As it is I will keep loading the stuff and just put up with my all my friends faults.

He can move in with me.

MJ

[shredder]

Are you talking SR 4759? I have a handful of "most accurate loads" in my rifles with that powder. One of my favorites for sure. While it may not measure as well as a ball powder, I have not had bridging in my measure. Wonder why yours is doing that? Are you throwing very small charges? My load notes tell me that it is an excellent performer downrange and that is really the only place that it counts for me. Kernels in the barrel matter much less to me than holes in the target.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Yes shredder it is SR 47-59 and it does perform well. As for the bridging, it doesn't seem to matter what measure I use, it still does it. The measures I use the most are Redding. I have five of them I think, maybe six. I have many Lyman #55s but I have not tried them for this powder. I can never remember which one of those screws to turn for adjustments.

[Pepe Ray]

No matter what powder measure you use, you should incorporate a baffle in the hopper.
The vibrations are much more effective with smaller supply to chamber.
Pepe Ray

[BCB]

Just curious...

Does your container of SR-4759 have it written this way or does it have it written 47-59 as you indicate?...

Never have seen it that way...

BCB

[d garfield]

I also use 4759 and love it. I found that the Lee powder measure will throw it the best or any. If you are having trouble with unburnt powder try putting a small crimp on it and it will burn better, I crimp all of my loads.[smilie=2:

[JSH]

Two words for you.
Belding&Mull
I went down the same road several years back. Fast is not always more gooder.
Jeff

[GOPHER SLAYER]

BCB, attached is a picture of the 47-59 container. JSH, I have two Belding & Mull measures which I usually reserve for black powder but I will give them a try with 47-59.

[frnkeore]

I use a B&M measure for it most of the time but, I've also used my Redding with the pistol measure insert for charges up to 24 gr (my pistol insert will go .200 below the housing) in a 308 load, w/o bridging.

I used it in my 45/70 at up to 24 gr also, that's when I got the most unburnt powder. I was in a hurry one day and didn't clean it before leaving the range. Those unburnt granules stuck to the barrel and discolored it. The discoloration went away over time but, I'll never do that again!

Frank

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Capital OOPS, I forgot the pics.

[BCB]

I was just curious about the “dash” between the 47 and the 59…

In this business, punctuation marks, exact names, etc. can matter…

As an example...

Hodgdon makes:

CLAYS
International CLAYS
Universal CLAYS

Alliant makes:

CLAY Dot

Can be confusing and a bit nonchalant refering to a powder just as "CLAY"

So from your pic, the correct name for the powder you are discussing is SR-4759…

Now I understand what you are discussing...

BCB

[gnoahhh]

I meter it with a Belding&Mull, set light, and trickle up to full weight in the scale pan. Then again, that's how I dispense all rifle charges. A slight inconvenience, but once I'm rolling it goes pretty quickly.

If I could have but one powder for cast bullet shooting in rifles, it would be SR-4759.

[mac60]

Had never loaded with it and reading about it here, decided to give it a try. I bought 2 1lb. cans of it. As soon as I started working with it I noticed it didn't meter worth a flip in the 3 measures I have (redding, hornady and RCBS). I ended up running it through my PACT dispenser. The accuracy I was getting with it in .30-06 didn't impress me as an improvement over 2400, so it's sitting on the shelf collecting dust.

[TCLouis]

I started out reloading with Milsurp 4831 and a Lyman 55 measure so after that anything is easy.

21.5 grains of 4759, 175 grain GB boolit and my 98 7.92X57 make for very small groups!

[Ray1946]

I would never NEVER, ever dream of dropping a charge of 4759! It just wasn't meant to be. I have used this powder in 7.62X54r and 7.5 Swiss with fantastic results. So, whats the big deal with trickling to get an EXACT charge? If you are shooting cast boolits in rifles, you are spending a lot of time making those little sweet-hearts and all of a sudden there is not enough time to properly charge the case? Get with the program and load PERFECT reloads, you know you can do it.......................

[frnkeore]

For thoughs that shoot at matches (CBA or most any CB group) most competitors (at least in Hvy, UNR and PB) load at the match and tricking isn't a option. When I first got my B&M in '85, I did a test for accuracy and got +.1 -.2 gr max variation. Technique is important when using a powder measure and sometimes you can't use a scale.

Frank

[BCB]

For thoughs that shoot at matches (CBA or most any CB group) most competitors (at least in Hvy, UNR and PB) load at the match and tricking isn't a option. When I first got my B&M in '85, I did a test for accuracy and got +.1 -.2 gr max variation. Technique is important when using a powder measure and sometimes you can't use a scale.

Frank

I agree…

The sticks of SR-4759 are small enough that I have found it meters quite well…

I shoot 13 grains of it in a 357 Magnum with the 358429 and 22 grains of it in the 45 Colt with the 45-270-SAA…

When I first set up, I set my scales for 3 times the charge I want. That is 29 grains and 66 grains depending on cartridge being loaded…

I throw 3 charges into the scale pan and then weigh. When I get near the 29 grains or 66 grains depending on which load I am working with, I then set the scales back to 13 or 22 again depending on cartridge being loaded…

I throw a few more at the wanted charge weight and check to see how close they are. If O.K. I drop the charge into the cases. Weigh every 10th one or so and then look into the cases with a flashlight to see if the powder level is the “same”. If so, I seat the boolit and go to my range and shoot them…

Accuracy is good…

Nope, don’t trickle that powder…

Good-luck…BCB

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Ray, I have been reloading ammo since 1959, starting with 20 guage shotgun and I have never loaded even one round without weighing the powder charge. At that time I ordered a powder measure,scale and trickler from Herters and I still use them. What I find very annoying about 4759 is the fact that it hangs up in the measure. I would never short one case and overload another but it is nice when the measure throws a charge that is close to what you want. All of my powder charges go from measure to scale no matter what. I don't trust progressive machines no matter who makes it. I could never be a compitition pistol shooter for that reason. Others can use what they please.

[35remington]

Gopher, I'm guessing if you do reload pistol you shoot very little.

Weighing every charge would drive you absolutely batty as it's so gawd awful slow, and if you choose the right powder it's a complete waste of time. No safety is compromised in so doing.

[BCB]

Gopher, I'm guessing if you do reload pistol you shoot very little.

Weighing every charge would drive you absolutely batty as it's so gawd awful slow, and if you choose the right powder it's a complete waste of time. No safety is compromised in so doing.

Yep...

I reloaded 100 rounds of 45 Colt yesterday using H-110 and Lil'Gun and I only weighed the beginning rounds for each powder...

A flashlight did the rest as they were sitting in the reloading block ready for the 45-270-SAA to be seated and crimped...

It actually takes longer to size, bell, and prime the cases then it does powder charge and seat the boolit...

BCB

[GOPHER SLAYER]

35remington, you are right about how little pistol shooting I do, even though I own many handguns. Since we lost are local range and we have to drive so far, I don't shoot anything very often. As to your point about driving a person batty, my wife often tells me I am there already, in fact she said it just a few hours ago. Not much chance of her kicking me out though. On June 13 we will have been married 55 years. Some might ask, if you don't like 4759 or far that matter any powder, why do you use it? The reason is simple, because I have it and as I said in my original thread, it does what I want. It takes up lots of room in big cases and it produces good results.

[Ray1946]

I hear what you are saying. You have me by 11 years on the wife. I have a quantity of powder I used to use when I was reloading for Sporting Clays. I will find a use for it!. I am thinking mid-range loads for my 9mm and maybe some .45 ACP. I am thinking with the 5" barrel on my Walther, I can just make "Minor". Haven't shot IPSC in about 7 years, need to do something different for a while; bullseye's getting boring...................................

[JSH]

I don't weigh every charge unless I am right up against the very top end of a load. Yes I still shoot a few flgc's. as to trusting of a progressive press I use mine as an auto turret press. I still throw a fair bunch of them by hand. Some pistol cartridges I go full progressive but I sure keep an eye on everything.
I have borrowed and used some very expensive measures over the years. All had there place. I will say the belding and mull is a have to item for those that load stick powders. You guys are hollering about sr 4759 try some h1000. That will make you expand your vocabulary.
Jeff

[BCB]

I don't weigh every charge unless I am right up against the very top end of a load. Yes I still shoot a few flgc's. as to trusting of a progressive press I use mine as an auto turret press. I still throw a fair bunch of them by hand. Some pistol cartridges I go full progressive but I sure keep an eye on everything.
I have borrowed and used some very expensive measures over the years. All had there place. I will say the belching and mull is a have to item for those that load stick powders. You guys are hollering about sr 4759 try some h1000. That will make you expand your vocabulary.
Jeff

Yep...

OR 5010 pulldown...

EACH kernel of powder weighs in at about 0.1 grain...

Sometimes refered to a "logs"...

BCB

[35remington]

Gopher, I have no argument with any of that as I use a lot of it myself.

FWIW.....in the Lee Pro Auto Disk metering is fairly good with SR 4579 in charges appropriate for my 25-20 and larger rifles on up in size. I never have squibs or light charges, and a favorite is the 0.66 CC cavity with the RCBS 85 FN and dacron. About 1400 fps and good accuracy. As good as the bullet is capable of shooting. I never weigh these charges because there is no need to, and weighing doesn't lower extreme spreads in velocity or increase accuracy.

[shredder]

I tried 4759 once...meters like gravel. .

Though I have never had gravel in my measure you sure gave me a good laugh! I imagine a crunch crunch sound coming from the loading room

[hubel458]

We use 4759 in 12ga slug loads, performs as if it was made just for that.
With 90gr 4759 and 600gr slug we get over 1900 fps. Ed

[EDG]

SR4759 is my favorite powder by a wide margin. Those of you that gripe about it need to change your thought processes a little. I use a Lyman Autoscale for all my extruded powders. It will dispense a scale weighed load in about 15 seconds or less. I use SR4759 in a lot of 45-70 and 40-65 loads.
If you have a strong rifle the unburned zombies will disappear when the pressure gets to about 19,000 PSI.
If you still have 2 to 3 zombies another 1/2 to 1 grains or a heavier bullet will get rid of them.I

[EDG]

SR4759 is my favorite powder by a wide margin. I use SR4759 in a lot of 45-70 and 40-65 loads.Those of you that gripe about SR4759 need to change your thought processes a little. I use a Lyman Autoscale for all my extruded powders. It will dispense a scale weighed load in about 15 seconds or less and I never have an issue with bridging or concern about large charge weight variations.
If you have a strong rifle the unburned zombies will disappear when the pressure gets to about 19,000 PSI. Lyman published pressure data with 40 cal and 45 cal cast bullets they sold for BPCR use. The zombies were minimized when I was using the Lyman maximum data. If you still have 2 to 3 zombies another 1/2 to 1 grains or a heavier bullet will get rid of them.

The zombies are not really the fault of the SR4759 but rather the low pressures used for cast bullets. They are worse with short barrels and light bullets. At jacketed bullet pressures you never have unburned grains.
The charging issues due to the large granules are real but an Autoscale works basically perfect.

[leadman]

I use alot of SR4759 commercial powder woth no unburnt powder in the bores. Could this surplus powder be the Russian version, or out of spec military?
I also found the Lee Pro measure works well with it. I do weigh ever rifle load no matter the powder. Top end loads in handguns are also weighed.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

leadman, I don't know where the 4759 is surplus from but I am quite sure it is purely American. At any rate it behaves the same as commercial powder that I have.

[Green Lizzard]

love the stuff

[waco]

47-59 reminds me of the friend with many faults such as, you learned long ago that you never lend him money or depend on him when you need help but he is very likable, makes you laugh and he is great to party with. The powder takes up lots of room in the large rimmed cases we love to shoot and it performs well. The down side is, it doesn't meter worth a dime. It constantly bridges in the measure. I have started rapping the side of the measure with a plastic mallet to encourage the powder to let go and fall into the case. Another complaint I have is the fact that it leaves it's calling card in the barrel in the form of, what looks like unburned powder after the bullet is gone down range. I obtained an eight pound jug of surplus 47-59 from Buckshot several years ago and I am still working on it. If we had not lost our local range the jug would have been emptied by now. As it is I will keep loading the stuff and just put up with my all my friends faults.

RCBS Charge Master 1500
Enough said...

[curator]

I measure my SR4759 with either Lee dippers or a custom dipper I made for a specific charge. Fast, easy, no bridging or cutting those little logs with the powder measure.

[bbqncigars]

My B & M is the only measure I'll use on 4759 or certain other powders. Within +/- .1gr every time I check it.