Alliant 20/28 in pistols

[mtgrs737]

Has anyone tried Alliant's new clean burning 20/28 shotgun powder in pistol cartridges? I emailed Alliant and inquired about the burning rate and if they thought it would be OK to use in mid-range 44 mag cast boolit loads. My answer was it should be OK as the burning rate is just slightly faster than Unique. So I loaded up 5 rounds each of 8, 9, and 10 grains of 20/28 sparked it with a Rem large pistol primer and topped it with a 240gr. RNF cast of WW lead. These loads shot well with little residue left behind, the 8 gr. load shot like my fav. 45 colt load of 8 grs. of unique the 9 gr. load didn't feel much different than the 8gr. load. The 10 gr. load felt good and solid when I dropped the hammer on it, just like a 10 gr. load of Unique does. No supprises here, just maybe a tad bit cleaner burning than the new cleaner formula of Unique. I didn't chronograph these loads but I may do so later, how ever I don't expect to see any advantage over Unique. The fired primers didn't show any high pressure signs on any of the loads but the 10gr. load was noticably flater near the edges.

Looks like this new powder doesn't have much to offer over Unique other than a slightly cleaner burn and a slightly higher cost. I will just stick to Unique for now, but will keep an eye on what others may come up with on this new powder. Alliant said they may work up some some pistol loads for 20/28 in the future.

[fecmech]

I have been thinking about using it if it is finer grained than Unique, is it? I load on a CH Auto Champ with a bushing type powder measure and in the 5 grain range I get a +- of about .3 gr loading .38's for my rifle. I can get around this using 231 but I load a lot of 20 ga for sporting clays so I have recently been thinking about 20/28 powder. I would like to know if it's a finer grained powder.

[mtgrs737]

I have been thinking about using it if it is finer grained than Unique, is it? I load on a CH Auto Champ with a bushing type powder measure and in the 5 grain range I get a +- of about .3 gr loading .38's for my rifle. I can get around this using 231 but I load a lot of 20 ga for sporting clays so I have recently been thinking about 20/28 powder. I would like to know if it's a finer grained powder.

Good question, I did an eyeball comparison but they are so close I could not really tell for sure. So I guess the answer is that they are the same size. I would buy a pound and give it a try as the surface coating and density may be different enough to allow better consistancy for your applications.

[GabbyM]

Have a pound of 20/28 that’s sat here all summer waiting to try out in 9mm. It appears smaller and more uniform grain diameter than Unique. Should meter better and it does pack more densely for fitting into the little 9mm case. I have WW231, Unique and Power Pistol to compare it with side by side. Looking for low muzzle flash, clean burning and of course accuracy. Although my combat 9mm isn‘t any bulls-eye gun.

Interesting to hear 20/28 works in a 44 mag as that’s my revolver cartridge. If 20/28 has less muzzle flash than Unique and shot at least as well that would win me over to it.

[mtgrs737]

I was comparing it to the old (20 years old) Unique that I have so it may be smaller than the newer Unique. Alliant said that it was just a tad faster burning than Unique so you could try using starting Unique weights and work them up while watching pressure signs.

I like the idea that it is American made powder and that is why I favor Alliant prducts whenever I can. Just my humble opinion.

[fecmech]

Well I went and bought a 4 lb. jug of 20/28 to try. I currently use Intl Clays in my 20 ga but can't do much else with it so I thought the 20/28 might replace my Unique for both pistol and shotgun. It does meter better through my CH press with bushing type powder measure but in at least in this one load ballistcally it's no more uniform. I shot over the chrono today and 20/28 does appear to be a hair faster than Unique. I shoot the Lee 158 SWC with 5.8/Unique loaded out in mag cases in my Rossi 92 for pistol lever silhouette. The closest bushing I could get in my press to match throws 5.4 grs of 20/28 ( as opposed to 5.8 Unique)so that's what I tried. Accuracy and sight settings are identical so it appears it's just a slightly faster Unique. Whether it's any cleaner at this point don't really know or care. FWIW here is the data.

5.8/Unique/158 swc
1149 Hi
1099 Lo
50 ES
16 SD
1126 Avg

5.4/20-28/158swc
1148 Hi
1101 LO
47 Es
15 SD
1120 AVG

[GabbyM]

Very interesting. Same volume of powder yielded almost identical velocity.
Reduced muzzle flash is still what I’m looking for. Have some loaded up in 9mm so should just drive out in the country some night and try them out.

[fecmech]

Very interesting. Same volume of powder yielded almost identical velocity.
Reduced muzzle flash is still what I’m looking for. Have some loaded up in 9mm so should just drive out in the country some night and try them out.

Not the same volume at all. The 20/28 is more dense than Unique and the bushing that throws 5.4 of 20/28 throws 4.3 grs of Unique. That bushing was the closest I could get to the one throwing 5.8 grs of Unique. Sorry for the confusion, I was trying to compare like weights of powder as close as possible.

[RobS]

Not the same volume at all. The 20/28 is more dense than Unique and the bushing that throws 5.4 of 20/28 throws 4.3 grs of Unique. That bushing was the closest I could get to the one throwing 5.8 grs of Unique. Sorry for the confusion, I was trying to compare like weights of powder as close as possible.

You could have dropped powder by hand (trickled on scale) at 5.8 as to compare powders side by side with the same charge weight. As your chrono results reveal though in your particular cartridge 20/28 does generate more energy over Unique.

Good workup on the results and this powder may have good application for those who need a less bulky powder that meters better.

[Thin Man]

Back when I first saw that Alliant was offering the 20/28 powder I took the time to call their tech people to ask several questions about load data. That conversation led me to inquire whether the 20/28 powder had handgun load applications. The tech answered "no" and made a garbled excuse about pressure signs. I ended that conversation with the reservation that they had not tested the powder enough to make solid recommendations, but how that may happen in the future. Since that time I have seen nothing from them about this powder in handgun calibers and am still using my standard powders as before. I was looking to the 20/28 to fill a specific application, but that project is now forgotten (too many projects, too little time!).

Thin Man

[GabbyM]

Not the same volume at all. The 20/28 is more dense than Unique and the bushing that throws 5.4 of 20/28 throws 4.3 grs of Unique. That bushing was the closest I could get to the one throwing 5.8 grs of Unique. Sorry for the confusion, I was trying to compare like weights of powder as close as possible.

OK that makes much more sense.