Dupont P-5066

[richhodg66]

Can anybody tell me about this powder? Seems it was discontinued about the time I was born, but was considered a good powder for cast .38 special and .45 ACP loads. I'm pretty sure I have data for it in one of these antique load manuals.

Was this stuff a stick powder? I opened some and was surprised at that? It looks and smells fine, just wasn't expecting a stick handgun powder.

[Krag1902]

I use it in .38 and .44 Special. It is about like Unique. Data can be found in many of the 1950s Ideal Handbooks. Let me know if you can't find data.

[richhodg66]

So it's a stick powder? Seems weird for a pistol powder.

I think I have some 50s manuals that will have some data, I'll let you know if I need some.

[Vopie]

Shot up the last of mine in 12 ga. trap loads. Shot great, but smelled like an old rubbish fire.

[runfiverun]

that would indicate it being closer to green dot then unique.

[Poygan]

I bought a Lyman Ammo Maker for .45acp in 1964. It came with a powder scoop for P5066. It was NOT a stick powder! As I recall, which may be faulty, it was not a graphite coated powder. I used the last of the can only a few years ago. Were I to guess, someone put a rifle powder in the can....

[richhodg66]

I bought a Lyman Ammo Maker for .45acp in 1964. It came with a powder scoop for P5066. It was NOT a stick powder! As I recall, which may be faulty, it was not a graphite coated powder. I used the last of the can only a few years ago. Were I to guess, someone put a rifle powder in the can....

This is what I was suspecting. Guess it become lawn fertilizer now.

[Bent Ramrod]

I shot up all the P-5066 I had in my .32-20 revolvers. As I recall, it was the successor to DuPont #6, which was slightly slower-burning than #5. It was supposed to replace both of them, and, as far as I could see, the loading and performance were similar. Haven’t seen #5 or #6 for a long time, but still occasionally see a can of P-5066 at Gun Shows.

It was small granules, looking like smaller-sized 2400. Recommended for standard pressure loadings in revolver cartridges; no squibs or Magnum loadings. It burned pretty clean and the loads were accurate. If you have Phil Sharpe’s handloading book, you are well set up to load all these old powders.