RegionRat
Gold $$ Contributor
You would also benefit from running a chronograph in parallel with your target analysis. If the H380 was acting bad in terms of the velocity variations, it would be good to know why. Would also be just as valuable to know the stats on the stick powder loads that work well.
For example, if the H4350 loads average the same speeds as H380 loads, but the H380 doesn’t group, it would be good to see if it was due to a large ES/SD. Then, sometimes a primer change or increased neck tension can be the magic for the ball powder, but, sometimes nothing helps and you move on. Those times when a ball powder runs as well as a stick powder are a matter of luck and magic when they work well.
Getting a ball powder like H380 to work well was very handy in terms of a powder that could be thrown accurately instead of needing to be trickled.
For large batches of ammo, thrown charges had huge labor and time advantages over trickled stick powder. I use CFE223 nowadays for large (>2000 rounds) batches of p-dog ammo because of the time savings and the ability to go long sessions without cleaning. I give up very little ground in terms of accuracy compared to trickled stick powders for the same purpose when the ball powders work out.
The amount of focus and concentration time to trickle stick powders, or even to babysit several ChargeMasters was typically cut by nearly a magnitude when several thousand rounds were thrown rather than trickled.
For me, the H380 worked well for medium weight bullets and mid range (<600 yards) distances. I would say I used to have to clean very well if I switched to loads running different powders after running H380 or it took a long time to settle the accuracy.
I have not personally run it (H380, H335, or CFE223) for 243, but I have for 6BR and they worked very well. That said, I have been a life long fan of 4064 and know you will find calibers where it will become one of your favorites too.
See if you can measure the speeds of your best loads and compare the average and ES of the ones that don’t work well. If you are lucky, you will see a correlation so you can learn to form a plan of attack that minimizes the brass prep work while giving good performance.
Good Luck.
For example, if the H4350 loads average the same speeds as H380 loads, but the H380 doesn’t group, it would be good to see if it was due to a large ES/SD. Then, sometimes a primer change or increased neck tension can be the magic for the ball powder, but, sometimes nothing helps and you move on. Those times when a ball powder runs as well as a stick powder are a matter of luck and magic when they work well.
Getting a ball powder like H380 to work well was very handy in terms of a powder that could be thrown accurately instead of needing to be trickled.
For large batches of ammo, thrown charges had huge labor and time advantages over trickled stick powder. I use CFE223 nowadays for large (>2000 rounds) batches of p-dog ammo because of the time savings and the ability to go long sessions without cleaning. I give up very little ground in terms of accuracy compared to trickled stick powders for the same purpose when the ball powders work out.
The amount of focus and concentration time to trickle stick powders, or even to babysit several ChargeMasters was typically cut by nearly a magnitude when several thousand rounds were thrown rather than trickled.
For me, the H380 worked well for medium weight bullets and mid range (<600 yards) distances. I would say I used to have to clean very well if I switched to loads running different powders after running H380 or it took a long time to settle the accuracy.
I have not personally run it (H380, H335, or CFE223) for 243, but I have for 6BR and they worked very well. That said, I have been a life long fan of 4064 and know you will find calibers where it will become one of your favorites too.
See if you can measure the speeds of your best loads and compare the average and ES of the ones that don’t work well. If you are lucky, you will see a correlation so you can learn to form a plan of attack that minimizes the brass prep work while giving good performance.
Good Luck.
