Thunderbird 5070

[looseprojectile]

Gents;
I got this powder about fifteen or so years ago cause it was cheap. Never found a use for it.
Now it has come to pass that I have acquired a nice 6mmX284 rifle.
I see some loads for 7828 powder and wouldn't you know just a week ago I gave two pounds to my shooting partner cause I felt I would never have a use for it.
In scrounging in my powder locker I discovered this eight pound jug of T5070.
Should I just fill the case with it and a 105 grain bullet? Does anyone have experience with it? I know it is really slow burning.
This powder looks like little elongated footballs and round balls mixed together.

Life is good

[largom]

I used Thunderbird 5070 In a 30-378 about 10 yrs. ago. The load I used was same as 7828. Don't know about your 6mm284. Still got the t5070 powder but sold the 30-378.
Larry

[swheeler]

LP; as with all surplus powders, speed depends on the lot you have. With that said, T5070 is a very slow powder, similar to WC872. I have shot it in a couple calibers with reduced loading to compare speed and started working up a load in the 264win with 160 gr where it looked like it would be fine choice for hi vel with heavy bullets.. If your 6/284 is a fast twist/heavy bullet long barreled gun it may be fine, Hodgdons #26 shows data for H870 starting at 85 gr bullet weight up to 117 gr, and I believe T5070 to be slightly slower, but you never know. FWIW I found my lot of T5070 to be faster than my lot of T5020 and slower than my lot of T870.
To give you an idea of its speed
6.5x52, 170 cast @ .272" 215 FC pr and Grafs brass-all shot same day 40 F temp
T5070-30-37 grs 1381-1775
T5020-30-37 grs 1369-1701
T870- 30-37 grs 1486-1881

for comparison samo-samo- but shot on different days
WC860-30 grs 1479
WC872-30 grs- 1318(this is my fastest lot of WC872 and the other is considerably slower- 200 fps @78 grs in 264 with 140 horn)

I'd use a mag primer to spark it off. .02

[looseprojectile]

Thanks men for the replies.
I first loaded my reformed cases with 50 grains of H 4831 and 80 grain jacketed. and got dismal accuracy. Fireformed nice.
Several reasons due to the rifle, scope alignment, trigger, crown, and bedding.
At this point I am confident in using at least 50 to 52 grains of T 5070 with 85 grain Sierra game kings. I did not find a burn rate chart that listed this powder.
I have used this powder in a 7mm Mag. in the past and it worked but don't remember the details.
The rifle is a 98 mauser action with a one in ten twist twentysix inch barrel. Plastic stock. Not sure if one in ten will stabilize the longer bullets. Mounted a good 4.5 X 18 fifty mm Tasco scope. I think it will all come together.
The only problem I have left to deal with is the feed problem, rails need to be relieved for the fatter case.

Life is good

[swheeler]

LP; that sounds pretty light to start. I would use H870 data and work from there, the lot I have is slower than H870.

Hodgdon's data manual#26- 6mm/284-26 inch barrel

85 gr bullet- H870 60 grs- 3281 fps- 40.8K-no start load shown
105 gr bullet-H870 58.0 grs-3147 fps-45.9k- no start load shown

240 webby data minus 10% should also get you started

[looseprojectile]

Way cool, thanks.

[roverboy]

I know this is a old thread, but I wondered if anybody had some loads using T5070 in a .30-06?

[leadman]

I found some old data from Thunderbird Cartridge on this powder that I scanned. This is a burn rate chart and load data for the 7mm Rem. Mag. I also have some data for the 300 Win Mag if someone wants it.

[swheeler]

leadman: thank you for posting this. From the load data you supplied I see T5070 faster than T5020, same as I found testing in 6.5 Carcano and 264 win., the burn rate chart shows it to be slower, but that's not unusual. I printed this out for my files.

[smokemjoe]

I use WC872 in 30-06 , fill up to the start of the neck in case. Seat a 200 gr. + bullet, shoots okey, lot of muzzel blast noise.

[roverboy]

Smokem, does it leave any unburned powder? I tried 64 gr. of T5070 and a 180 gr. J-bullet and got some unburned powder.

[rockrat]

Leaves unburned powder in my '06 w/872

[looseprojectile]

Brang this old thread up to update you loonies that like to live on the wild side.
The story goes, I traded off my 6mm284 to my ex son in law for two Swede mauser carbines. He just wanted something different.
He fired the 6mm284 at a hundred yards with my loads of 57 grains of T5070 and my homemade 84 grain hollow point bullets. First one went in the small orange dot. Second one was right next to it. About a half inch spread. He said good enough and went home with the rifle.
Then I offered him a 30 06, 98 mauser for the 6mm 284, a much nicer looking rifle and what he really wanted to start with. I only had $140.00 in the 30 06.
The 6mm284 is mine again. I am so tickeled that my swaged bullets shoot so good.
The load of 57 grains shows a fair flattening of the primer and no un burnt powder, may be close to max. When the weather smooths out some I will set up the Chrony.
Thanks again to all those that led me down this path. So many guns, so little time.
This will be a perfect coyote gun and I could even use it on deer.


Life is good

[swheeler]

Good to hear, I've still got a jug of it to use up. Go get those coyotes and if you make it over this way take a few wolf hides back with you!:)

[looseprojectile]

swheeler;
Ya think a wolf pelt would be worth anything with most of it's head blown off?
And I'm afraid in a few years we will have our own wolf problem here, western Washington, the way it is going.
I have a friend in Winchester Idaho. He says wolves are a problem near town.
[cats and dogs].

Life is good

[swheeler]

swheeler;
Ya think a wolf pelt would be worth anything with most of it's head blown off?And I'm afraid in a few years we will have our own wolf problem here, western Washington, the way it is going.
I have a friend in Winchester Idaho. He says wolves are a problem near town.
[cats and dogs].

Life is good

Yes, a big THANK YOU![smilie=w: