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View Full Version : In praise of Alliant PB powder



DaveSpud
03-16-2014, 07:26 PM
...I mean IMR PB.

The current powder shortage has caused me to branch out in powder selection. The local gun/safes/reloading store, which actually has staff that know reloading, recommended I try PB as a replacement for Unique and Blue Dot, which are non-existent, locally.

Tried it with both .45 Colt and .45acp, using the Lee 200gr. cast boolit. Results were great! Virtues:

-Meters great
-Economical--small, fluffy charges. A little goes a long way
-Clean burning
-Accuracy was good with both loads.

So, if you can't find your favorite, and you CAN find PB, give it a try.

ps I wondered if the name had anything to do with lead boolits, but no. The name refers to "porous base"--donut shaped granules.

35remington
03-16-2014, 08:17 PM
PB is being discontinued this year. It is not made by Alliant. It is made by IMR in Canada and distributed by Hodgdon. The big IMR label on the can should have been a dead giveaway.

You'd better stock up. You're about to lose it as a powder selection. If the local store you had patronized actually knew reloading, they would have known that it's not long for this world in terms of availability and would have advised you of that already.

Scharfschuetze
03-16-2014, 08:18 PM
Sadly this year will see the demise of a couple useful powders.

DaveSpud
03-16-2014, 08:21 PM
That's probably why it was in stock--nobody wants to buy what's discontinued. :-(

leadman
03-16-2014, 08:21 PM
Also IMR SR 4759 and I think 4756.

35remington
03-16-2014, 08:28 PM
And 7625.

Bill*B
03-16-2014, 09:04 PM
Too bad. PB is a nice, clean burning powder in moderate .38 Special loads.

9w1911
03-16-2014, 09:33 PM
yep I am on the look out for a keg of PB, dont need it but want to have it available to me

Outpost75
03-16-2014, 10:56 PM
12 grains of PB with plainbased 160-grain cast load in the '06 is a nice 1200 fps plinker.