2400

[giz189]

I was visiting the "Ask Veral" forum on GBO the other night, just cause I have heard so much good about LBT moulds, although I have no experience with them, I was curious. What caught my attention most was the statment Veral made about 2400 powder burning the throats out of barrels faster than a lot of other powders. Has anyone else experienced this with 2400. I have shot it for quite a while, but have not experienced this condition. Not saying it does not happen, just wondering maybe how many shots approximately it would take to do this. I know double base powders are hotter than single base, just wondering how long I can expect my 657 S&W to maybe last.

[pmeisel]

I have not before read about 2400 being particularly hard on throats compared to any other powder. And I've been reading a lot for awhile.

[saltydog452]

Dumb me, but what is 'GBO'?

Thanks,

salty

[crabo]

http://www.go2gbo.com/forums//index.php

[Trey45]

Dumb me, but what is 'GBO'?

Thanks,

salty

Greybeards Outdoors

http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php

[giz189]

I have not before read about 2400 being particularly hard on throats compared to any other powder. And I've been reading a lot for awhile.

All you gotta do is go to Grey Beard Outdoors and read some more in Veral Smiths forum.

[Potsy]

Not that my collection is all inclusive, but I've read both volumes of "Gun Notes" cover to cover and don't recall St. Elmer ever mentioning 2400 being harder on throats than anything else.

He claims to have burned his way through a pound or two.

I've not burned my way through a whole can, I save it for my hunting loads out of my Bisley, shooting mostly Universal. Sooo, given that it's taken about 8 years to go through what I'm guessing is about 3/4 lb., I'm not too worried about throat longevity either way.

[JeffinNZ]

That's a fairly opened ended statement. Faster based on what? How many rounds. I can't see 16gr of 2400 burning out a .30-60 throat real quick. Maybe 100000 rounds........

[giz189]

That was my thinking too, not burn out to fast. However Veral has probably more experience than I have with 2400 as I have only been shooting it for 5 - 6 years. And only in 41 magnum. This was the first I had ever read of this condition too. Yep Elmer used a lot of it, and I too have read all of his books and never saw mention of it in any of them, not just the Gun Notes books. No matter, I am still gonna use it, was just throwing it out there to see if anyone else had ever had any problem with 2400.

[btroj]

Well, it works so darn good that I will keep using it. I doubt I will ever shoot enough rounds in any gun I own to burn one out. Besides, burned out is relative. A bullet that is burned out to a hard core bench rest shooter will do very well for most anyone else.

Brad

[Bret4207]

As others have said, the statement needs qualifying. 2400 in max loadings in a 357 or 32/20 may well be much harder on throats than a slower, cooler burning powder in lighter loadings. I've been shooting 2400 since 1978 or so and haven't noticed anything terrible in the 8-10 pounds I've used myself. But, I don't load for the max anymore.

Veral may well be correct, but he has a way of stating things that leave you wondering exactly what he meant.

[winelover]

Maximun loads of Bluedot & J-words eroded the forcing cone of my Python at approximately 6000 rounds. Since then, I've switched to 2400 and cast for top end loads in all my revolvers (357, 44Mag & 45LC) and see no further evidence of erosion. I have burned thru at least 24 lbs at or near maximum loadings. I reserve Unique for low to midrange. Don't do much rifle and cast so I have little experience with that aspect.

Winelover

[44man]

I look at it this way. Any smokeless powder gets very hot and does not harm the boolit because it is gone fast but the steel has to absorb the heat left behind.
How much heat, where, might be important but the hottest is still at the throat.
The caliber, size of the case and powder amount all figure into what goes on in the throat. Powder choice for a given caliber is very important too.
I don't think a hundred years of 2400 would harm a .44 but it might do harm to certain rifles.
Like Lil-Gun in a .357 will turn the barrel into a soldering iron!

[buck1]

I agree. I have shot 2400 for years and years and years , untold thousands of rounds in 44 mags. I even have a flat top Ruger in 44 mag I got from my dad that he got new. This gun has been shot with only 2400 and cast since it was born.
No issues with the throats.
Its not the cleanest powder but not destructive.
Now if it were to be "loaded very hot" ,.... Well we can tear anything up.

[AZ-Stew]

I remember reading a Keith article back in the 70s or 80s wherein he said that 2400 with J-bullets would wear the throat of a revolver. I looked in my Smith M-19 and saw some erosion. Most of what I had shot through it up until then was Js. His advice was to shoot plain-base cast boolits because they sealed the bore better. I followed his instructions and the erosion stopped. Don't know whether it was the change in projectiles or that the throat had eroded as far as it was ever going to by that time, but by changing to cast in my new (at the time) M-57 .41, I've experienced little or no erosion. I also shoot lighter loads from it, but it has seen some magnum loads. This is just my observation using two revolvers. I'd say the sample size is too low to make any solid judgments from it, though.

Regards,

Stew

[Eutectic]

I remember reading a Keith article back in the 70s or 80s wherein he said that 2400 with J-bullets would wear the throat of a revolver.
Stew

Ol' Elmer may have said that... but it wasn't limited to just 2400 powder. Elmer actually got 'slapped' in the face with the fact using .45 ACP government issue rounds with all of 4.5 to 5.0 grs of Bullseye on board!!

Seems Keith 'latched' onto a BIG supply of .45 Military ammo. He had several Smith and Colt 1917 revolvers. Ol' Elmer proceeded to practice his two-stage double action technique using the Model 1917's ; even shot blue grouse with the round! (Elmer said the hardball was a good small game bullet.)

He found out more than once during this period of his BIG supply, that after about 5,000 rounds of G.I. .45 the throats were pretty eroded. He surmised lead boolits, ACTUALLY THE LUBRICANT ON THEM, extended barrel life at least ten fold...

Need a good reason to shoot cast boolits? This is one of the best I know!

Eutectic

[pmeisel]

giz, I kick around GBO a little, but had only read a little of Veral's stuff -- I agree with Bret, I am not always sure I am clear on what exactly he means. But I gather info wherever I can..... and he does have some good insights.

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
I have shot a lot of 2400 through Ruger 44 & 357, 10+ lbs easy, jacked & Pb, never noticed a problem.
Now days I rarely shoot Jacked ( for hunting), I reserve my EXPENSIVE 2400 for that use.

[Mal Paso]

I just past 32 pounds of 2400 and haven't noticed any erosion. My favorite 44 target load of 18.5 g makes the barrel just warm with continuous fire. I gotta think 2400 is at the bottom of the gun abuse list. Now Carbon Stains. I could really use a remedy for the 2400 stains on stainless!

[44man]

I just past 32 pounds of 2400 and haven't noticed any erosion. My favorite 44 target load of 18.5 g makes the barrel just warm with continuous fire. I gotta think 2400 is at the bottom of the gun abuse list. Now Carbon Stains. I could really use a remedy for the 2400 stains on stainless!

M-Pro 7 and a suede brush works fine.