Where is your fast/slow powder cut-off point?

[fatelvis]

Until now, I've always stayed with the faster burning powders for my cast rifle loading. I've had good luck with Unique, Red Dot,2400, 5744, and 4759. I've kept my velocities under 2000fps, and usually under 1800. I have been taking notice that a lot of knowledgeable loaders swear by slower burning powders for more of a gentile "push", rather than a "smack" to the boolit. It makes perfect sense to me that this may contribute to better accuracy. It does, however, seem that they use the slower powders (i.e. 3031, 4895s,4064s,4350s, etc.) when the velocities are at the higher end of the cast boolit envelope. Please share what pressure/velocity/alloy or any other factors determine what powder you use. I'm always learning from you guys!

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I tend to start chosing a slower powder as the boolits get "heavier for caliber".

[Tatume]

a lot of knowledgeable loaders swear by slower burning powders for more of a gentile "push", ...

I'm not sure why religion would matter. :-)

[runfiverun]

in rifle rounds 4064 is still a medium burn rate powder. [one that does better with a filler usually]
it's about after 4350 that where you get into the slow powders.
up to rl-22 is slow after that you get into the magnum type powders they have their uses with cast boolits too but sometimes they need 'help' burning properly.
the fast rifle powders come up to about the 3031 speed.

[TXGunNut]

I think it has more to do with the cartridge being considered, I consider powders as relatively slow or fast for a given case capacity and boolit weight. A powder I consider slow for the 32-20 would be a medium powder for the 30-30 but on the fast side for the 35 Whelen.

[Bzcraig]

I'm not sure why religion would matter. :-)

Good catch...I had to read it twice to catch it!

[sthwestvictoria]

I think it has more to do with the cartridge being considered, I consider powders as relatively slow or fast for a given case capacity and boolit weight. A powder I consider slow for the 32-20 would be a medium powder for the 30-30 but on the fast side for the 35 Whelen.
This is a great point.
Another side is which of the medium-slow powders are best for reducing to cast bullet velocities? I feel that H4895 is great as we know from Hodgdon we can safely reduce it by up to 60% max load. I get concerned about reducing powders much slower than this point although have used Varget with up to 5% reduction.

[runfiverun]

that's where the super -slow magnum type powders come into play.
a case 105% full will burn well enough to hit cast boolit velocity's.
but keeps the pressure down to the same area as a little bit of fast powder just over a longer period of time.
the super slows need a little help to get them into this same 40-50K area and burn somewhat efficiently.

[fatelvis]

The "super cheapness" in me keeps me from delving into the "super slow" powders.....cuz I have to use too much of it.

[btroj]

I use powders based more upon a desired velocity window than anything else. In a bottleneck case I get good results with 2400 up to 17-1800 fps. After that I turn to RE7 to 4895 type powders.

I haven't really gotten into shooting cast over 2100 fps but soon will be doing just that. I have 5 pounds of RE19 waiting for that use.

[shooter93]

Lamar...while I agree how do you get that extra 5% to perch outside the top of the case before you seat the bullet?????....smiles. I have trouble stacking those little grains up...lol

[runfiverun]

scott...:lol:
i use a real big press and a long handle.
i also got a silver tongue so i just talk it all in there.

[fatelvis]

Wow, I just tried the popular 40grns of 4831 in the '06 last weekend. Not accurate and left a whole bunch of soot scattered down the bore. Much different than the spotless, shiny bore left by 2400, 4227 or 4759. Mark one down for the faster powders!

[RobS]

Being 10-12 grains under a minimum charge with such a slow powder will be dirty especially if you don't use a filler to help consistent burn/ignition. Personally I would look more toward the line of 4895, 4064, Varget area for cast as the mid rifle powder burner pushing 2,000+ fps in the 30-06.

[DrCaveman]

Ive tried h4350 for that use. A case full behind a 200 gr slug was a bit much in my situation, accuracy was not really there. My throat fit was also prob not quite right

48 gr got me 2400 fps but no accuracy
40 gr with filler was still too much and shot around 2100 fps. My notes say to decrease more, and add more filler

Funny i just found a note on a previous page regarding 41 gr, and i told myself to bump charge up because of sooty necks. Since i added the dacron filler after that point, sooty necks went away even with a lower charge

H414 has worked better for me in both 30-06 and the 30-30 believe it or not, even though it seems a little faster than 4350. Always used filler, since i didnt want screaming velocity

Ive squeezed over 2000 fps from a 30-30 with 200 grain slug, good accuracy, no pressure signs. Still, better accuracy was around 1900 for me in that gun

30 grains of varget KILLED it in my '06 with a 160 gr slug. Didnt have my chrono yet when i shot it but it hit sub-MOA with no tweaking, and that was a LOW charge. Velocity guess is about 1800

[popper]

Interesting question. I suppose someone with QL could give a better tabulation.