Anyone found a ball powder that gives good precision?

[Berger.Fan222]

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.

This is my gripe with WW748 also. Nothing good can come from that ignition delay.

 

[XTR]

This is for shooting Service Rifle XTC, and based on my latest attempts to shoot off hand with my SCATT the ammo isn't going to have much of an effect on my scores

I've got some 2000 MR and H4895 here. I'll run some load tests and see if I can see the difference.

 

[rminut]

I suspected you were talking about XTC. 23gr of H4895 (since you have it) with any 68-80gr match bullet will not leave the x ring unless you do something wrong. Generally, if you are not putting up consistent 195+ at 300 then the above load with 80's will not be the problem at 600. there your load development is done! Over the years I have been amazed how many people believe that the commonly used XTC loads won't work for them and instead of practicing position they feel they must develop a new load. Remember it's a shooting contest not a reloading contest.

I used it, with no testing other than shooting matches, to get 36 leg points and broke HM at all stages except standing. only 191-7 best on my feet.

 

[pmg]

I can relate to 2520 being hard to find for about 1.5 years do to a fire as I was told. Finally showed back up last spring I think it was and I got a 8lber. Hope it's the same as the old as I'm finishing up the last of it.

 

[K22]

I've had success with H335 in the 223 with 55 grain bullets, very accurate but temperature changes had a bigger affect on POI than H4985.

H380 shot very well in the 22 250 but had pressure surges in the heat of summer in the field hunting ghogs.

About ten years ago I switched to all stick powder.

 

[tenring]

I have been playing with 77 gr. SMKs and IMR 4166 in mine. So far, looks promissing and it meters well.

 

[mdkeeler3]

I've always had good luck with AA2520 in my service rifle with Sierra 77's and 80's.

 

[seymour fish]

You should take a look at AA2520. It is a ball powder with the burn rate of Target. I used it for 223 with 80 VLD at 1000 yards. It gave me right at 2980 FPS from an 8 twist 26" barrel.

Concurrent. 2520 with 55's will run 2's at 100...and with 77's were great to 700 out of 16" 1:7

 

[moorepower]

I like CFE223, and WW748. I have been lucky to have no issues with either.

 

[fyrewall]

What caliber? I have used:

.308 R-S TAC, H380, 2000MR;
.30-06 R-S Hunter, H414, 4000MR;
.22-.250 H380, R-S Big Game, H414;
.223 R-S TAC, H335, CFE223:
.20 P & .204R CFE223;
.243 W, R-S Hunter;
6.5X47 Lapua, R-S Hunter

for something different try H380 in a .308W with 168's and 175-178's.

I have sort of developed a liking for RamShot powders. When using ball powders I try to select a combo of bullet and powder that will provide a 90 % or more case fill with allowable pressures. Ball powders usually have greater densities than extruded powders allowing heavier charges than a equivalent burning rate extruded powder.

 

[Longtrain]

In the time RE-15 and Varget were scarce, I came across a great deal for AA2460, a bit slower then 2230, worked amazingly well with 69 SMK's. I have continued to load this in my 223AI for 69's and even played with 80 Nosler and SMK's. Got great accuracy and decent velocity. Maybe not as good for heavies, but it works. 69's and lighter bullets, it worked great. Meters perfectly, calibrate your measure and load away.

 

[memilanuk]

In the time RE-15 and Varget were scarce, I came across a great deal for AA2460, a bit slower then 2230, worked amazingly well with 69 SMK's.

There for a while, AA 2230'C' was pretty popular. Story on the 'Net was that they had a container of the stuff that was just a fuzz slower than regular 2230, but not quite as slow as 2460. So they marked it as '2230C' and sold it all

 

[JAlfred]

TAC and XBR 8208 for the 80s

8208 for the 77s.

8208 meters as well or better than the ball powders in my Redding PM.

 

[Terry]

AA2230 works well.

 

[cmillard]

2000MR and aa2520 would be some good ones to try

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

Jeff Bartlett used to have WCC-844 and 846. 844 was the powder the military used for the 55gr 223 loads forever. The 846 is now in use for the heavy bullets like the 77gr you are discussing.
I bought a case, four eight pound kegs for $64 each, shipping included. A year or two before obammy took over.
The good old days...

 

[Longtrain]

Jeff Bartlett used to have WCC-844 and 846.

Back in my early XTC days, I bought 846 from Jeff to use with a variety of 223 bullets, trying to figure out what works. 846 worked well...unless your ammo sat in the sun, then things got a bit interesting. Ask me how I know. (After that epiphany, I packed my ammo in a small cooler with an ice pack)

BTW, I still have half a jug of TAC, from years ago. Didn't see the accuracy until I loaded up a bunch to shoot with a scope, then I was amazed what it could do in a 223.

 

[Longtrain]

This is for shooting Service Rifle XTC, and based on my latest attempts to shoot off hand with my SCATT the ammo isn't going to have much of an effect on my scores

LOL, as you can see from my profile, I only shoot now lying down. In XTC I could shoot Master Plus scores in my rapids and SF Prone, my offhand brought me back to reality. I tried, I practiced, I just hated offhand, maybe a mental thing, don't know. My BF a multiple HM, Presidents' 100 Winner, looked at me, and said, you really should just shoot lying down.

 

[XTR]

I'm going to give AA2520 a run and see. I've got an 8lb jug on the way. If I like it I'll get more... won't know till the snow melts in May though.

Several yrs ago when I first got my SR upper I loaded up some loads with AA2230. I couldn't shoot well enough to tell whether it worked or not. Went *BANG* and cycled the action. A couple of experienced shooters told me back then it was too fast and that AA2520 was the way to go if you wanted to shoot AA powders.

 

[Dans40X]

AA 2460 or as mentioned in previous posts AA 2520 w/in 23-24gr loads under 77 to 80 gr projo's.

The current Accurate 2460 & 2520 loads will need to be reduced by 1/2 grain in the mouse gun case.

Mouse gun cases that eject to 3 O'clock position are beating the gun up & should be ejecting at 4 O'clock to 5 O'clock position.