Lever Evolution powder for reduced loads

[lead collector]

Hello,

I am wondering if anyone has used Lever Evolution for cast loads? I have a few pounds of it, and don't really have much use for it. I hear that its an outstanding full power load for 30-30 and 35 Remington, but I don's shoot full power loads in these guns, just reduced lead loads.

There does not seem to be much info on these powders except for in their intended uses..

Since some powders do really weird things when reduced, I wanted to ask if any of you had experience with this powder.

Thank you to anyone who can help..
LC

[metricmonkeywrench]

The Levers are a performance powders leaning towards full power loads. As you noted all the published load data is towards jacketed which reflects what i know as well.

[Larry Gibson]

I have done a considerable amount of testing (pressure and velocity) using LeveRevolution powder under cast bullets in the 30-30, 308W and the 35 Remington.

LeveRevolution powder, as mentioned, is a performance oriented powder for use at top end psi's for the cartridge using bullets having sufficient mass. That generally means the medium heavy to heavy cast bullets for the cartridge. LeveRevolution is not conducive to giving performance with any sort of "reduced" loads. That is why you don't find any data for such.

[243winxb]

Ball powders don't download well.

[xrider472]

I have done a considerable amount of testing (pressure and velocity) using LeveRevolution powder under cast bullets in the 30-30, 308W and the 35 Remington.

LeveRevolution powder, as mentioned, is a performance oriented powder for use at top end psi's for the cartridge using bullets having sufficient mass. That generally means the medium heavy to heavy cast bullets for the cartridge. LeveRevolution is not conducive to giving performance with any sort of "reduced" loads. That is why you don't find any data for such.Mr. Gibson, I'm curious of your results with this powder in the 308W and what weight boolits you were testing. Your info with this powder and the 311041 in 30 WCF helped me with my Lee 170g FP in the same cartridge. I have been thinking of trying this powder and the Lee boolit in 308W. Your thoughts? Thanks for your time.

[lead collector]

Thank you all for the information.. Just what I figured. This stuff seems to be great for what it was developed for, and that is performance out of lever guns.
I was given bunch of 308 ammo that a guy loaded with this stuff. A great guy, but a loose screw, when it comes to reloading. When this guy loaded it, powder was in short supply, and he used data for CFE 223, since the burn rate is similar. Not a good idea at all.
It is really hot, and unsafe to shoot, so I have been breaking in all down, and saving the powder, and replacing the powder with 4895... what should have been used in the first place.
So long story short, I will have over 10 lbs of this stuff, when I am finished breaking all of this ammo down... About 1500 rounds total.. Just trying to figure out a use for it, as I dont load 30-30 or 35 Remington with full house loads.. Only cast, with light charges of Unique, or Green dot..

Larry, I am grateful for your response. You seem to have way above normal means of testing for pressures.

I will finish breaking this stuff down, and shelve the powder for a rainy day..

Thanks again!
LC

[popper]

I use leverE for jacketd and cast in 30/30, works great. Larry did the cast pressure testing for me. 185gr RD GC & PC. Also use it for the FTX, as designed. Should be able to get a pretty penny for the cfe223 if you don't have to ship it.
4895, 8205xbr and Autocomp work great for jacketed in 308W.
I did try 20gr LeverE under a 170PB cast, 30/30, worked OK. Accurate but slow fps. for the powder used. Not efficient.

[Larry Gibson]

I primarily tested LeveRevolution under the 165 gr 30 XCB cast bullet in 12 and 14" .308W rifles with 26 and 27.5" barrels Loads that gave a semblance of efficient burning produced velocities in the 2500 - 2650 fps range. With the slower 12 and 14" twist barrels accuracy was acceptable but other powders produced better accuracy and at higher velocity. I had just started testing with the 311299 but the 30x60 XCB arrived and my further testing focused on that rifle. I also tested LvR in the 30x60 XCB attaining some 2900+ fps with reasonable accuracy. However the velocities attained would probably be a bit much.

Were I to continue testing LvR powder in the 3.8W I would definitely look at using a 200 +/- gr cast bullet in at least a 12" twist barrel. Pressures need to be in the 37,00+ range for LvR to begin to burn efficiently. LvR is definitely not a powder to use for "reduced" loads because there are many other powders that perform a lot better.

Note: the position of LeveRevolution on "burn rate charts" belies it's actual burn rate characteristics which appear more cartridge volume oriented compared to bullet mass than other "conventional" powders such as CFE. It is not a good idea to use it's comparative position with those other powders. As mentioned previously, LeveRevolution is an excellent powder for it's intended use. Outside of that it is not.

[xrider472]

I primarily tested LeveRevolution under the 165 gr 30 XCB cast bullet in 12 and 14" .308W rifles with 26 and 27.5" barrels Loads that gave a semblance of efficient burning produced velocities in the 2500 - 2650 fps range. With the slower 12 and 14" twist barrels accuracy was acceptable but other powders produced better accuracy and at higher velocity. I had just started testing with the 311299 but the 30x60 XCB arrived and my further testing focused on that rifle. I also tested LvR in the 30x60 XCB attaining some 2900+ fps with reasonable accuracy. However the velocities attained would probably be a bit much.

Were I to continue testing LvR powder in the 3.8W I would definitely look at using a 200 +/- gr cast bullet in at least a 12" twist barrel. Pressures need to be in the 37,00+ range for LvR to begin to burn efficiently. LvR is definitely not a powder to use for "reduced" loads because there are many other powders that perform a lot better.

Note: the position of LeveRevolution on "burn rate charts" belies it's actual burn rate characteristics which appear more cartridge volume oriented compared to bullet mass than other "conventional" powders such as CFE. It is not a good idea to use it's comparative position with those other powders. As mentioned previously, LeveRevolution is an excellent powder for it's intended use. Outside of that it is not.Thank you sir. That information clears up a lot of my curiosity & questions for this powder in 308W. I believe I'll stick with using LvR in the 30 WCF only.

[Larry Gibson]

That's what I'm doing.

[farmbif]

one thing I noticed is when LVR first came out there was load data published for 32 win spl but now on the Hornady web site the top performance loads are with cfe223 and 8208.
wondering why, I would think if it works well at top velocity with 35 rem and 30-30 why not 32 win spl

[lead collector]

Thank you every one! This is good stuff, but just not so good for my needs. We never know how bad we may need powder someday, so it can sit in my temp controlled reloading area, and I or some one else my be glad to have it some day.
LC

[MT Gianni]

one thing I noticed is when LVR first came out there was load data published for 32 win spl but now on the Hornady web site the top performance loads are with cfe223 and 8208.
wondering why, I would think if it works well at top velocity with 35 rem and 30-30 why not 32 win spl

I saw the same thing. There were loads for 25-35, 30-30 and 35 Remington but if you tried it in 7/30 Waters there was no data.
I have seen the same with the 280. 20 powders double in the 270 and 30-06, use any in either, but only 8 or 9 were listed as applicable for the 280.