Anyone found a ball powder that gives good precision?
- Thread starter XTR
- Start date
SMP-842 has shown good preliminary results - seems more promising than other powders over the years - CFE 223, H380, H414, W748.
Comparing with Varget and H4895 is a pretty high bar.
If I had to extrapolate results to date, I'd say I expect it to work well on standard high power targets to 600 yards, but not quite make it for first shot long range varmint work under widely varying temperatures.
Comparing with Varget and H4895 is a pretty high bar.
If I had to extrapolate results to date, I'd say I expect it to work well on standard high power targets to 600 yards, but not quite make it for first shot long range varmint work under widely varying temperatures.
Tac and 2000MR works best for heavy bullets. Meters great. I haven't weighted a charge for XTC shooting out to 600 yds in years. All loaded on a progressive press. Was recently reading an email from a friend who drops 2000MR for his 1000 yd loads. Just no need to weigh every time it drops so accurately.
USMCDOC
Silver $$ Contributor
WW748 Wade.. i don't think that you're going to get good results with the 2000MR with thos weight range of bullets.. but then again.. you may indeed have good results.. If you test 748 or 2000MR.. wait till the temps are at or above a constant 75 degrees before load development.
XTR
F-TR obssessed shooting junkie
I don't live in Oak Ridge any more. I moved almost to Canadia in New Hampshire. I don't think it's ever a "constant 75 degrees" up here. AA2520 is one that I'd thought about too. I've run AA2230 in my Dillion before and it seemed to work great, but it's on the fast side for 77/80s
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shoot4fun
Gold $$ Contributor
It is most definitely not on the fast side for those.
AA2520 is one that I'd thought about too. I've run AA2230 in my Dillion before and it seemed to work great, but it's on the fast side for 77/80s
I started using it in mine after a recommendation from Jared Joplin at APA. It works great for 223 and even better for 223 Ackley. I got just over 3,000 FPS from 77SMK and AA2520 from a 20" 8T barrel and the accuracy was incredible.
The hardest part for a while was finding it on the shelf. I scored an 8 pounder of it and another of 1680 (for 300BLK and 17 Ackley Hornet) so still have a bit.
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
I load 8208 for 75's, meters very well. I weigh only every 15th charge and it is usually right on. It's a short stick, never have had the "crunch" from the measure chopping kernels.
billlarson
"Hold Into The Wind"
AA2200
What are you considering "good precision", what target are you shooting? A .223 gas gun usually means an AR15 and there are national champions that shoot RE15 or 4895 dropped out of a dillon that shoot high master scores at 600 yards every weekend. You don't need a ball powder to shoot well using a dillon, if you can shoot well. IMR 8208 isn't even a true ball powder and it meters more than well enough, many people are using it now with 77/80 grain bullets.
I've used MR2000 and Leverevolution to shoot 190+ scores at 600, if you insist on a ball powder but had better across the course scores using H4895 dropped from the same dillon.
I get pretty good results at the target with CFE-223 but it's hard to meter accurately with my progressive Lock N Load automatic powder measure and it doesn't work very well with my Chargemaster either. Plus, it's also tricky to trickle.
True, CFE-223 pours like water and one would think that means it would meter well too. But my careful tests show that my dispensing and measuring equipment produces much more consistent charges using short stick powders like IMR 8208 XBR, Varget, and Vihtavuori N-140. CFE-223 will produce pretty good precision at the target, but I find it takes more time to measure it accurately enough to produce constant charge weights. Plus, it's hard to ignite and I find I have to use magnum primers in my .223 to avoid the occasional "pop-boom" style hang fires; i.e. the round goes off, but you can hear the primer go of first followed immediately by the powder charge.
Of course, your charging equipment may behave differently. I've spent quite a bit of time tweaking mine to get the best possible consistency. Dispense 30 charges or so of several powder weights, weigh each one on a scale with at least .02gr resolution, and graph the results. You might be surprised at your test results.
True, CFE-223 pours like water and one would think that means it would meter well too. But my careful tests show that my dispensing and measuring equipment produces much more consistent charges using short stick powders like IMR 8208 XBR, Varget, and Vihtavuori N-140. CFE-223 will produce pretty good precision at the target, but I find it takes more time to measure it accurately enough to produce constant charge weights. Plus, it's hard to ignite and I find I have to use magnum primers in my .223 to avoid the occasional "pop-boom" style hang fires; i.e. the round goes off, but you can hear the primer go of first followed immediately by the powder charge.
Of course, your charging equipment may behave differently. I've spent quite a bit of time tweaking mine to get the best possible consistency. Dispense 30 charges or so of several powder weights, weigh each one on a scale with at least .02gr resolution, and graph the results. You might be surprised at your test results.
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