Accurate 3100

[Joe S]

Hello Everyone,

I have some Accurate #3100 reloading powder that I originally bought for 45-70. The cartridges that I am shooting most these days with cast bullets are 38-55, 8mm Mauser and some 45-70. The old Accurate reloading book has very limited data for 3100 except for 45-70. Has anybody had any luck with 3100 in 8mm Mauser, 38-55 or 308 or 30-06?
The Accurate book lists some compressed loads for 8mm Mauser, with limited data for cast bullets. Can I safely back off the starting load so that I do not have to compress the powder? My most accurate 8mm loads are 11 or 12 gr of Red Dot, so I am not looking for super velocity, target shooting accuracy is the main objective here.
Thanks!

Joe S

[wmitty]

The 3100 I have used has a burning rate slower than what I would want to use in .45-70; so I want to be sure we're talking apples and apples. I have used it in .308 and .30-06 and have a load for 8 x 57 worked up which I've not had a chance to shoot. It is fine for the .308/06 for near full/ full case loadings with boolits but I would not use it in reduced charges in these cases. I don't have a .38-55 but I'd think you might have erratic ignition with such a small case capacity. It works great in the .375 H & H with the RCBS boolit, but the capacity's of the two .375's are quite different.

[dh2]

I have good results with AA3100 in 30-06 and 270 Win.

[ShooterAZ]

It's a pretty darn slow powder, now discontinued. I still use it quite a bit of it in the 300 Win Mag with jacketed bullets, but it also works really, really well for me with paper patched boolits in the 30-06. I don't own a 45-70, but my guess is that it would be too slow of a powder for that cartridge? I'm sure someone with more experience with the 45-70 will chime in.