Aa 2200

[No_1]

For those interested. Powder Valley has AA2200 in 1lb and 8lb cans. If I did not have plenty on hand from years ago I would get more.

R.

[TCLouis]

Isn't it nice to have a couple of jugs from back in the 60 bucks a jug days.

It is not as flexible in my limited testing as AA1680, but then I may find good loads for it yet.

My problem is that I seem to shoot very few rounds where it is at it's peak performance.

30 Herrett likes it with 130 Hornady SSP bullet.

Accurate's data for 7 mm TCU gave me some pressure issues in a 14" barrel I had. Never tried it in the 10" tube.

[John F.]

MAN, it sure can be accurate!! In the .223, some of the tightest average group sizes I've seen have been with the original AA2200, out at 200 yards. Velocity
wasn't as high as some other powders, but the accuracy was superb.

A friend who is a High Master/State Champion NRA Highpower Rifle competitor
was using it in his .223 match grade "spacegun" with 69 gr. Sierras and found
it gave him the lowest vertical spread of any powder he'd tried, out at 200 in calm
conditions. Later, when I was working with a custom-built (but not benchrest-grade) .223, I had 5-shot groups averaging 0.3" at 100 yards using AA2520 and 52 gr. Bergers. The only problem was, in flat calm conditions, the groups at 200 were strung vertically, at about 1.7-1.8"!

Remembering what he'd said, I switched to AA2200 and worked up a load there on the range, in 0.3 gr. increments. Conditions were perfect -- no wind. As I worked up toward maximum, the vertical in the groups just shrank, and shrank and shrank. I was using moly-coated bullets at the time, so I wound up using a little more than the "book" maximum charge, but there were no pressure signs and all was safe in my rifle. I got it to average 0.68" at 200 yards for six 5-shot groups -- all by switching powders, even though the AA2520 load hammered at 100... I also found that 24" barrels made a significant improvement to velocity vs. 20" -- more than one might expect, which helped improve the "downrange" performance aspect. One downside of the original AA2200, if you are hunting or shooting towards twilight, is that it had a huge muzzle flash from a 16" barreled carbine. Also, for gas-gunners out there, several friends report it functions very well in AR15's with 16" and 24"-26" barrels, but some folks find cycling issues in 20" barreled AR15's. Most 20" barreled AR's function well with it, but some don't -- probably relating to gas port size, due to the powder's fast burning nature.

I wonder if this new AA2200 is a true replacement for the original and capable of such fine accuracy, or not? Back in the day, I called Accurate Arms to ask them if there was a limited supply of the powder, after I discovered how well it shot. I was told that they'd acquired a huge lot of powder in Europe from 5.45x39 military ammo that had been de-milled, and that while they had a lot on hand, when it dried up, that lot would be gone for good.

Hopefully the new batch will give similar results, although the prices I've seen sure aren't the bargain that it used to be!!

John

[Ed in North Texas]

I discovered a couple of jugs of the original batch (don't ask) and set out to find the Accurate load info. After coming up with a file not found error a few times, I e-Mailed Accurate/Western. That was some time ago, I guess they aren't going to answer. So I finally found a kind soul who posted this link:

http://replay.waybackmachine.org/200...20calibers.pdf

So there it is for anyone else who has the need for the original AA data.

[fryboy]

i too noted that when western took over ye olde data for most the data powders disappeared [bummer that] but this is one i have both an original copy and a pdf , i'll have to fiddle with wayback nd see if it pulls up a couple of other ones, thanx amigo ( btw ? love the original 2200 works great in quite a few loads and i'll miss it when it's gone )

[Flash]

Isn't it nice to have a couple of jugs from back in the 60 bucks a jug days.

It is not as flexible in my limited testing as AA1680, but then I may find good loads for it yet.

My problem is that I seem to shoot very few rounds where it is at it's peak performance.

30 Herrett likes it with 130 Hornady SSP bullet.

Accurate's data for 7 mm TCU gave me some pressure issues in a 14" barrel I had. Never tried it in the 10" tube.

Wow, it's been so long since I bought mine I forgot what i paid but I didn't think it was $60. I got mine from Natchez back around 1995....i think

[ronbo]

I still have a jug or two of 2200 from the 1990's. I like it for 223. I can't get the Powder Valley website to work for me. Have the pop up blocker turned off but when things like powder on the home page are highlighted nothing comes up?

[GabbyM]

Have one of those eight pound jugs that's been taking up space. tried it once in my 223 under 50 grain bullets. couldn’t get a good ES with it so just placed the jug in the closet.
Was using Federal match primers. Perhaps if I tried some of the military CCI they’d ignite it better?