SnapShot
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Jeep & Mocha "Remembering Patches, always"
Posts: 699
Location: Finally free from the Republic of Kalifornia!
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Post by SnapShot on Jun 8, 2015 11:01:21 GMT -5
Reloading back in the 60's (ya' I'm that old) I had a couple of powders for each type of reloading (Shotgun, Rifle and Handgun). Although I don't reload Shotgun any longer I have WAY TOO MANY types of powders for Rifle and Handgun on hand today. It seem that there has been a large number of "new" powders over the past few years and the trend continues. What brought this to my attention was a trip to my local gun shop yesterday where I noticed they have Alliant BE86. A new extruded handgun powder they describe as;"Excellent ballistics in an array of pistol loads, with high energy, an ideal burn speed and less flash". Well, I did not buy the powder because they only had four pound kegs and I don't know anything about it. I usually buy a new powder in one pound kegs until I get aquatinted with it. Three weeks ago I purchased my first CFE Pistol powder and have yet to start working with it. The problem I have with new powders is scrounging for load data to start working up a load and finding a bullet to go with it that MY firearms like. I am reluctant to not try new stuff, after all I really like Varget and it wasn't all that far back that it was new. But in the last couple of years there is IMR 4166, IMR 4451, IMR 7977, CFE 223, CFE Pistol an on and on. The reloading manuals can't keep current with all of them. I remember when Bullseye, Unique, IMR 4895, IMR 3030 and IMR 4064 were the only Handgun and Rifle powder on my shelf. It seems easier to try a new bullet (there have been a lot of them recently too) but powders require a lot more care and research in working them into my reloading. Now that I've said all of this I'm not sure why I started this thread (see, I am old). Just wondering what some of you guys think about all these new powders. Has anyone tried the BE86? Is it worth getting into? Where did you find data for it? ~ SnapShot
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Post by hacker54 on Jun 8, 2015 13:37:25 GMT -5
Larry, I moved this post to here since you wanted it here. As for the BE86 Alliant has info on their sight for this powder. These newer powders with in time be incorporated in new manuals sometime in the future. I would like to try the CFE Pistol sometime also. I am using the CFE223 in the son-in-laws AR in .223/5.56 and his Savage in .308 Win. He wants to try this powder in the 30/30 as he wants to stick to one powder.
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gws
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Posts: 969
Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Jun 8, 2015 14:26:54 GMT -5
I would like to try BE86, all I need is more time. I'm wondering what retirement will be like. In the last 7 years the landscape on my powder shelves has changed a little. Mostly due to the fact that after 40 some years of reloading on a Rock Chucker, I started getting impatient. An explanation is due: I started inviting my grand kids to shoot on Saturdays out at the range. Suddenly that meant I needed to get some serious reloading done....WEEKLY!) So long story short I bought a progressive...............welllllll progressives cause you to look at powders different......there's no trickling powders so you'd better find some powder that meters well. I have two lbs of Varget left that ain't being used because I don't have time to load it with a scale in a single. Yeah it's a great powder, but it meters like poop. So I discovered TAC. Meters like water, just as accurate as Varget, and I can load a whole round every time I stroke the Pro 2000...what's not to like. For pistol I still use Unique a lot.....it meters fair if there isn't too much dry in the air (static). But even a grain or 2 off it still shoots respectably out of my .45's and .40's. This BE86 sounds promising....really is worth a try......I'll see if I can find some. Thanks for the idea. The reason for the long winded dissertation is to suggest that new powder choices aren't the only reason that causes changes on the powder shelves.
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SnapShot
Member
Jeep & Mocha "Remembering Patches, always"
Posts: 699
Location: Finally free from the Republic of Kalifornia!
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Post by SnapShot on Jun 8, 2015 18:17:41 GMT -5
Thanks Hacker . . . gws . . . if your retirement goes like mine there is NO Time. Everyone seems to think we have nothing but time; but I have found that does not work out that way. I have all of my projects and those of too many relatives and friends. I honestly do not know how I managed to find time to work all those years. But, this is for another thread. Just a few months ago I started loading on a new Dillon Square Deal B progressive press. I set it up for 9mm and for 45 ACP. Seems that I burn through a lot of these by doing a lot of tactical handgun shooting and have the wife shooting with me now too. We will often go through 300 to 600 rounds each in a weekend. That's a lot of time on a single stage press. Like you said this did change from a lot of things I had done on the single stage for the last few decades. I have started shooting plated bullets in these calibers too (cost driven here). I still load for all of my rifles and many other caliber handguns on the single stage; much more precise and accurate procedures. As for the influx of new powders, I was just wondering what the rest of you were thinking about them.
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mule
Member
Retired. Sales
Posts: 96
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Post by mule on Jun 8, 2015 20:59:27 GMT -5
I don't get excited about new powders. AA-4350, AA-5744, Unique, WW-231, IMR-4895 have all served me well. I began this adventure in 1975.
I have slipped to the dark side once or twice consuming jugs of Data-2200 and WC-846. Promo has become a mainstay.
Of the newer powders, I must confess that I enjoy using Trail Boss for plinking and vermin eradication purposes with cast bullets. Extra-Lite is fascinating in 1/2 oz 12 ga target loads.
One of the problems with finding a new powder, is the remnants of the old favorite take up room in the powder locker and never gets used. My kids are going to have a bunch of expensive fertilizer some day.
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jbnut
Member
Posts: 169
Location: Warren, Pennsylvania
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Post by jbnut on Jun 8, 2015 21:01:59 GMT -5
SnapShot, I know what you mean. I have 2 new powders, IMR 4166, IMR 4451, and 2 new to me powders in my cabinet now that I haven't opened yet. In my quest to find "the load" for my rifles I have bought & tried different powders and as I said 4 that I haven't opened yet. I look at the powder I have and say what are you thinking about, the first powder I had shoots just as well as the others. But hey, after Odumbo out laws everything I guess I'll still have powder as long as they don't knock on our doors.
Now that I have different powders maybe I need to acquire some more different bullets to find "the Load". lol
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poohzilla
Member
Give me a place to stand and a long-enough lever, and I will invariably break the lever.
Posts: 1,050
Location: New Hamster
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Post by poohzilla on Jun 9, 2015 11:23:05 GMT -5
I'm seeing lots of praise for the new powders, and it is fun to experiment, but.. I have reservations about the small runs of these new powders are using production resources when the standbys are in short supply. Ok, my knee hurts today so I'm being grumpy ! In any event, have fun !
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gws
Member
Posts: 969
Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Jun 9, 2015 11:30:50 GMT -5
Makes me tired just thinking about trying several new powders.....BE86 is touted as the "new" Unique. Maybe that's exciting for those youngsters who tried Unique and got put off by the flaming dirt reputation. Shux, I never thought about "dirty" powder until I started hanging out on internet reloading sites. They're all dirty.....you ought to clean the gun after shooting it no matter what you shoot.
Maybe it's the cat's meow in other ways too, but to tell you the truth, I just haven't taken the time to investigate or try it. Availability is #1 for most of us these days. I buy what I can find.....guess it would be worthwhile to investigate the new powders....at least find out what they work for....so if they show up on the shelf and the tried and true powders don't....well you know what I mean.
I only use my single stage these days to work up loads, try new powders, load rarely-shot or new calibers, or deprime brass as part of rifle case prep. The pro 2000 handles my most commonly shot .308, .223, plenty accurate for me....but then I don't bench rest or shoot high power. I hear there are plenty of competitors who do shoot high power and load progressively, and do quite well.
I honestly don't notice accuracy difference between that loaded on the single or the progressive.....runout is kept under control either way, and that has more to do with the use of your dies than your press.
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7mmmountaineer
Member
Time to face it I am a workaholic............
Posts: 521
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Post by 7mmmountaineer on Jun 9, 2015 16:33:04 GMT -5
Snapshot I have used all three of the new IMR powders and they are all pretty good powders. Will they replace my old standbys not likely except for maybe IMR7977 replacing Retumbo in my 7RM and 25-06 loading just because I can not find Retumbo. The new IMR powders do a fair job at reducing copper fouling they do not totally eliminate it but they do reduce it pretty well. I have my old standbys and keep those powders on hand but do enjoy trying the new powders.
My standbys are as follows 7-08 & 308 Varget, IMR4064, 4350, H and IMR4895, IMR4320 and W760. Magnums Retumbo, H and IMR4831, IMR7828, Magpro, RL22 & 25. Standrard length (ie 270 and 30-06) IMR4895, 4064, 4320, 4350, IMR4831.
I do flirt with other powders like Ramshot Hunter in 7-08 for heavy bullet, I have a cycle of Ramshot Big Game to finish in 30-06. But time and again I almost always return to my standbys.
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