Because I don't know, what makes one powder good for shotgun
SPB
[subject]
Monday, July 02, 2018, 16:49 (2989 days ago)
and the next good for rifle? I know that burn rates are different, and as a result, I assume pressures. I know some folks use pistol powder for rifle and vice versa. Education appreciated.
some powders developed for shotguns work very well
Gary Reeder
[subject]
Monday, July 02, 2018, 17:26 (2989 days ago) @ SPB
in handguns. Powders like Red Dot, 296, H-110, Lil Gun and so on. I can't think of any handgun powder that is good for large rifle calibers. But some rifle powders are good for some handguns. Just stick with what the loading manuals recommend and you will be fine. Pay no attention to that guy from Arkansas on here and you will live longer.
LOL, he's spot on. I don't know the complete
WB
[subject]
Monday, July 02, 2018, 17:55 (2989 days ago) @ Gary Reeder
reason but typically "high power" rifles use much slower burn rates, operate at many times higher peak pressures, giving much higher velocities. Shotgun powder that doubles for medium capacity or smaller rifle powder does just fine.
W296 was originally a .410 shotshell powder used in Winchester factory ammo, ditto Lil-gun. Longshot is the berries for magnum shotshells in 12 and 10 gauge giving the highest velocities and the same thing (characteristically) used in 10mm auto and .460 Rowland.
To mind, 2400 is the only one I know of (in a more advanced application) that I have personally used for shotgun, handgun, and large rifles (reduced cast bullet loads). Unique and 4227 too, but you sometimes need to ensure the powder stays against the primer via special techniques in larger cases. There are many applications where a .410 shotgun powder is great for handguns and smaller rifles like .22 Hornet, Bee, and .223 class. The flake "Dot" powders Green, Red, Blue, were all great target shotgun and handgun powder, but too fast for rifles except in the Lyman cast bullet handbook and cast bullets.
You just have to study the loading manuals for a few decades and it begins to sort of make sense.
Yes. Study the manuals and articles and the
ChrisG
[subject]
Monday, July 02, 2018, 18:39 (2989 days ago) @ WB
burn rate charts long enough and it begins to make sense
my suggestion is throw the burn rate charts away. They
Gary Reeder
[subject]
Monday, July 02, 2018, 22:41 (2989 days ago) @ ChrisG
solve no problems and tend to confuse people. I never ever look at a burn rate chart as it really has no useful purpose.
There are too many varibles beyond one's control.
WB
[subject]
Tuesday, July 03, 2018, 06:13 (2989 days ago) @ Gary Reeder
Some have been completely taken aback at my purchasing non-commercial powders and using them. But what I DO use has reference data or a starting point for comparative purposes. The supplier has information "use XYZ data as a starting point, reduce by 10%" etc., etc.
From my perspective I'm more conservative than any published manual. I work with what I'm given using my specific application (far beyond the control of publishers), go slow and incrementally, watching for changes, and I usually also shoot over a chronograph looking for odd things. How can that be bad? You cannot literally "share" data as every individual application is different. You have to "work up" your own, from base information.
Even commercial powders are made in large "lots" that I have seen have variations and not behave as the published manuals list. Every new can of powder, even the same type, I approach with caution and do not take for granted if it's a different lot. Sometimes a listed combination just does not work out well and must be scrapped. I don't have all the answers but I learn something new everyday.
The fun is in the "learn something new every day"
ChrisG
[subject]
Tuesday, July 03, 2018, 09:14 (2989 days ago) @ WB
part!
that is true. A while back I opened a can of new powder and
Gary Reeder
[subject]
Tuesday, July 03, 2018, 13:07 (2989 days ago) @ WB
used the same loading data I had used with another batch, same brand of powder, different batch. The new batch was significantly hotter, cratering the primers. So worrying about the burn rate chart wouldn't have helped me at all. Guys shooting in matches try to buy powder in the same lot, knowing that a different batch or different lot number could easily shoot differently.