Surplus Powder Testing

[sundog]

Felix and I had a good day yesterday testing several powders and boolits. Here's the results:

45 Colt 20"bbl (Mdl 94)
Powder: 13.0 4756 (lot from 1967, yes, thats '67')
2 different 255 gr Lee boolits and RCBS 45-230-CM
1475 fps (on the 255 grainers) (did not chrono the 230)

35 Rem (Marlin 336 C? MG bbl)
Powder: 37.0 2230-C Primer: Rem 9 1/2
35-200-FN
2075-2100 fps

35 Rem (Marlin 336 C? MG bbl)
Powder: 36.0 Data Powder 73 Primer: Rem 9 1/2
35-200-FN
2060-2100 fps

32 Win Spl (Mdl 94)
Powder: 33.0 WC844 Lot 728 Primer: Rem 9 1/2
32-170-FN
2065 fps

32 Win Spl (Mdl 94)
Powder: 33.0 WC844 Lot 620 Primer: Rem 9 1/2
32-170-FN
2086 fps

32 Win Spl (Mdl 94)
Powder: 33.0 WC844 Lot 62002 Primer: Rem 9 1/2
32-170-FN
2047 fps

32 Win Spl (Mdl 94)
Powder: 33.0 2230-C Primer: Rem 9 1/2
32-170-FN
2075 fps

32 Win Spl (Mdl 94)
Powder: 32.0 Data Powder 73 Primer: Rem 9 1/2
32-170-FN
2078 fps

2230-C is not canister AA2230.
Data Powder 73 is a new mfg military surplus ball advertised as 95% 2230.
Both of these are available from Powder Valley for $65 and $52, respectively.
sundog

[beagle]

Oh man, you and felix out there having a good time and I'm trying to shoot groups in snow fluries. Just ain't right.

Good range report though.

Got to look around for some good milsurp as I'm getting low on some of the old stuff. Man, I wish they'd break loose of some more stuff for us./beagle

[sundog]

Beagle, snow flurries? Saturday morning for high power the wind was 25+ gusting to maybe 50 with temp in 40s! Shot straight into it and it was quartering right and left. Put my shooting jacket on over a hooded sweat shirt and still got cold. Never took the jacket off or my gloves. Gotta mention again that I am using IMR 7383 ($24/7#s) with Sierra 168s in an 06 and getting stellar performance at 200 yards.

About the surp powder. Next up when I get some time is running H335 look alikes through a .308 Win, and .222 Rem. Also have H116 I want to try in .222. The .22 CHeetah is in the hospital getting rechambered or rebarreled to 22-250, so when that comes back will be running some surps through it also.

btw, you can just about knock off about 3 to 3.5 grains on the 32 Win Spl loads and have something that will work in 30-30 with a boolit like the 31141. Check castpics current listed .32 Spl and 30-30 loads and you'll see what I mean. That'll at least get you started on the .32's sissy sibling (30-30).

A while back I ran some 860 through the 7 mag and it did well. Will have to repeat and record that one, too. I've about give up on cast boolits in the 7 mag though. It's definitely a high performance gofast machine and some things just ain't worth screwing with. I'm of the opinion that if you want to do cast in a 7mm there are certainly better platforms like 7x57 and 7/08. sundog

[StarMetal]

Sundog

Saturday in South Eastern Tn was found with one inch of snow and temperatures in around 30 degrees, quite a late April surprise.

Joe

[felix]

Note that Data 73 is ONE grain faster than 2230-C in a 35 grain case.

Probably TWO grains faster in a 25 grain case, but we did not check that.

Probably roughly the same speed in a 65 grain case.

In summary, all these powders appear (for the most part) and seem (in practice) to be H335/WC844 exhibiting typical lot variation character.

Therefore, buy the DATA 73 because it is 13 bucks cheaper, about 2 bucks per pound cheaper.


felix

[felix]

Note that Data 73 is ONE grain faster than 2230-C in a 35 grain case.

Probably TWO grains faster in a 25 grain case, but we did not check that.

Probably roughly the same speed in a 65 grain case.

In summary, all these powders appear (for the most part) and seem (in practice) to be H335/WC844 exhibiting typical lot variation character.

Therefore, buy the DATA 73 because it is 13 bucks cheaper, about 2 bucks per pound cheaper.


The ES's were no more than 40 in the worst case out of 3 rounds, and with one load or two, the spread was in the 20's. With only 3 rounds, the jury is out, and this ES business is just speculation.


The 4756 45 colt load show had a consistent ES of 10 max. 4756 is an ideal mid range powder for that cartridge.


felix