Ball Powder 243 and 108s

[urbanrifleman]

Has anyone ever seriously tested any of the Ramshot Magnum powders or Win 760/H414 or any other ball powders for serious 243/6 Creed/6XC shooting with heavier bullets?

 

[Zeke 225]

I have shot H414 with nosler custom comp 105 grain and the hornady bthp they were out of a ruger 77 target, no load development just a random load below max. They shot 5 shot group could cover with a dime at 100 yards, mix brass and fed large rifle primers, with better brass I think it would be worthwhile for more testing, which I haven’t done yet.

 

[shoot4fun]

I used to use WW748 for most of my reloads back when I only used rifles for hunting. I had found good loads for 308 and for 7-08. Then I got a 243 I thought same size case so 748 should work. I found zero data everywhere I turned so I went to (at the time there was no internet) the Sierra Tech Line for help. The guy that looked at their data and quickly told me to leave the ball powders alone for 243 with heavy bullets due to the fact they hit max pressure within 1/2 a grain and it was very erratic.
There is data out there for 243 lighter bullets and ball powders but it appears to be a poor choice for heavy ones.

 

[Rtheurer]

Used RAMSHOT hunter with the 95gr SMK's It was a hammer. If you end up with a High ES and SD try a tighter Neck Tension and a Magnum Primer. It brought down my SD a lot. Not saying its going to do the same for you but might be worth a Try.

Russel

 

[Dgd6mm]

In the past I have ran several .243 barrels with 105 Hornaday Amax and Ramshot Big Game and Hunter. Real good accuracy out to 600 yards. I, my brother, and his buddy all dropped the hammer on deer for several years shooting one of these combos.

 

[MTlager]

I tried some Accurate Magpro in a 6 Creed with 115 vlds just for the fun of it. I do like the ball powders for gopher shooting in Dashers and 6 BR because I can just throw them without weighing. It pretty slow, but all that I had on hand in a non stick powder that was slower than W748. I started at 42 grains and velocity only in 2750 range! Worked up to 47 grains to get over 3000 FPS. Could still get more in the case, but definitely lacking in velocity. Didn't look too bad for accuracy considering 5 grain ladder and over 250 FPS velocity spread had 10 shots in a 1 inch dot!

 

[urbanrifleman]

I tried some Accurate Magpro in a 6 Creed with 115 vlds just for the fun of it. I do like the ball powders for gopher shooting in Dashers and 6 BR because I can just throw them without weighing. It pretty slow, but all that I had on hand in a non stick powder that was slower than W748. I started at 42 grains and velocity only in 2750 range! Worked up to 47 grains to get over 3000 FPS. Could still get more in the case, but definitely lacking in velocity. Didn't look too bad for accuracy considering 5 grain ladder and over 250 FPS velocity spread had 10 shots in a 1 inch dot!

Magpro is one of the highest velocity powders listed when you do the quickload. You should keep going.

 

[WyleWD]

Has anyone ever seriously tested any of the Ramshot Magnum powders or Win 760/H414 or any other ball powders for serious 243/6 Creed/6XC shooting with heavier bullets?

I've used WW748, WW760, and H414 in the 243 for hunting purposes off and on since the mid 1970's. Never had an issue with them, but mostly used WW760. Then approximately 2001 I got aquainted with the 6 Woodchucker (which is basically a 6xc or 6cm) and continued to use ball powders for hunting in the 243, 6xc, and 6 Woodchucker. Still gives very good performance, accuracy and stability. Lot to lot consistency is very good also. JMEWD

 

[Iowa Fox]

I gave H414 a good workout with 105 &107's in the 243. I can't say it was bad but H100v substantially out performed it for speed, accuracy, and the barrel stayed cooler on the strings. Next best was H4350.

 

[mic2377]

I tried some Accurate Magpro in a 6 Creed with 115 vlds just for the fun of it. I do like the ball powders for gopher shooting in Dashers and 6 BR because I can just throw them without weighing. It pretty slow, but all that I had on hand in a non stick powder that was slower than W748. I started at 42 grains and velocity only in 2750 range! Worked up to 47 grains to get over 3000 FPS. Could still get more in the case, but definitely lacking in velocity. Didn't look too bad for accuracy considering 5 grain ladder and over 250 FPS velocity spread had 10 shots in a 1 inch dot!

I did some brief load workup in a Ruger M77 in 25-06 with Accurate Magpro. It shot quite well with minimal load development with a load near max, under 117 SST's. I didn't have a Chrono at the time so can't report on velocities, but in general other similar ball powders I have used have generated very good velocities with no pressure issues (IE 2000-MR).

 

[urbanrifleman]

I used w760 in 22-250 at absolute maximum. We used that same load from the cool early spring in Ohio to summer in South Dakota at 105 degrees and never changed it.

 

[fyrewall]

Any other ball powder in the .243? - I use Alliant 4000 MR - the Hornady manual gives top velocities with 4000 MR with 87's & 100's and right up there with 105's. 4000 MR meters well, is accurate and relatively inexpensive. I also use it with .300 Win Mag loads & 178's. Both .243W & .300 WM have roughly similar bore/capacity ratios, so this is not a big surprise. This has made me a 4000 MR fan.

As far as I know, all extruded powders are made outside the U.S., so I have developed alternate loads for all my rifles using domestic ball powders - these being H335, CFE.223, W748, W760/H414, & 4000MR. I keep a moderate stash on hand.

I also like W760/H414 in the .22-.250 with 68's, 70's & 75's - lots of rodents have been shot with this combo in 90 plus temps.

 

[rafale]

I would like experiment the new Vitha N 565. I feel it will be good for High speed ,low pressure.

 

[Catfur]

I can consistently hit a two inch gong at 200 meters with WW760/H414 from a 6XC + ~105gr bullets with a randomish load (including fire forming). Never tried a full load development.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Magpro is made in Florida by general dynamics.

 

[Rtheurer]

Magpro is made in Florida by general dynamics.

Does St Marks fall under that umbrella as well?

 

[Laurie]

Does St Marks fall under that umbrella as well?

Yes, St. Marks Powder Co. is part of General Dynamics. This is the onetime Olin Industries plant. It is the only surviving large propellant manufacturer in the USA and supplies Accurate, Hodgdon, Winchester ball / spherical powders and associated hybrid types like H. 100V.

No extruded tubular type propellants have been made in the US for a long time now. All Ramshot and maybe some Accurate grades under Western Powders ownership originate from PB Clermont in Belgium, part of the French based Eurenco explosives multinational. It bought manufacturing rights to Olin ball powder production technology decades ago and is now a world leader in this type. The other supplier of spherical grades to the US is Explosia A.S. in the Czech Republic which makes Lovex brand powders (spherical and extruded) now imported and distributed under the Shooters World name with new names for the various products. (Until Western Powders bought the old Accurate Arms Co. getting on for 20 years ago, most of the old AA spherical grades were rebranded Explosia/Lovex products. They continue today under the same names but are now made by GD St. Marks.)

 

[Alliant Reloading]

Yes, St. Marks Powder Co. is part of General Dynamics. This is the onetime Olin Industries plant. It is the only surviving large propellant manufacturer in the USA and supplies Accurate, Hodgdon, Winchester ball / spherical powders and associated hybrid types like H. 100V.

No extruded tubular type propellants have been made in the US for a long time now. All Ramshot and maybe some Accurate grades under Western Powders ownership originate from PB Clermont in Belgium, part of the French based Eurenco explosives multinational. It bought manufacturing rights to Olin ball powder production technology decades ago and is now a world leader in this type. The other supplier of spherical grades to the US is Explosia A.S. in the Czech Republic which makes Lovex brand powders (spherical and extruded) now imported and distributed under the Shooters World name with new names for the various products. (Until Western Powders bought the old Accurate Arms Co. getting on for 20 years ago, most of the old AA spherical grades were rebranded Explosia/Lovex products. They continue today under the same names but are now made by GD St. Marks.)

Laurie,
I figure you lost sight of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Virginia.
Many millions of pounds of extruded propellant produced there, both commercial and military.
Radford is the sole nitrocellulose production facility in the US.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Laurie,
I figure you lost sight of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Virginia.
Many millions of pounds of extruded propellant produced there, both commercial and military.
Radford is the sole nitrocellulose production facility in the US.

Is the 4000MR a regular ball powder? Why do ball powders get such a bad rap as being "temperature sensitive"?

I think there should be a standardized temperature co factor that should have to be disclosed on every powder that clearly tells how temperature sensitive it is... I cannot image ball powders can be that temperature sensitive as most of the applications for ball powder are military in nature.

 

[Laurie]

Laurie,
I figure you lost sight of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Virginia.
Many millions of pounds of extruded propellant produced there, both commercial and military.
Radford is the sole nitrocellulose production facility in the US.

Thank you for that information.