Anyone found a ball powder that gives good precision?

[memilanuk]

IIRC, AA 2520 kinda fell out of favor for a while there because the country of manufacture seemed to change with every jug. Or so I heard...

 

[riflewoman]

If you’re using a Dillon sliding bar powder measure, swap to an RCBS uniflow or Hornady powder measure. They sell case activation kits that will operate the measure just like the Dillons. But these rotating drum measures handle extruded powders better than the sliding bar type. Still need small kernels better.

 

[memilanuk]

these rotating drum measures handle extruded powders better than the sliding bar type.

^^^ this.

I had (have) an RCBS UniFlow set up with a case-activated powder drop for one tool head. When I first got it, I set the UniFlow up in a normal powder thrower stand, and weighed 50 dropped charges with a short-cut extruded powder - can't remember if it was Varget or RE-15. Probably more of a medium-cut by today's standards. Anyway, the spread was all over the place... *at least* +/- 0.3 gn. Not even remotely acceptable. Then someone talked me into trying it actually on the press. Much to my surprise, the spread dropped considerably. I don't have the exact numbers anymore, but I want to say it was closer to +/0.15 gn. Not something I'd use for LR BR or F-class, but for most other rifle shooting... probably not *really* going to matter as just working up a good load with a fat tune window. From what I could tell, the heavy-duty return spring on the case-activated powder drop tended to 'snap' the drum back to position very, very consistently - more so than I could do when running the measure by hand. Pretty sure it sheared a few kernels in doing so, but I doubt it would have made a noticeable difference.

Something like that with 8208 XBR today.. would be pretty interesting for Service Rifle or mid-range PRS stuff.

 

[fyrewall]

The gunpowder wizards designed R-S TAC for use in 5.56X45 (.223) and I like it because it meters well, is available, is relatively inexpensive, is of a relatively high density making for a good fit inside .223 cases, performs well over temperature extremes, and produces good accuracy. As an additional bonus it works well in .308 with 155's, & 168's.

 

[XTR]

The Powder Valley fairy dropped off 10 lbs of 2520 at the house this week. Now if I can just get to the range before it's buried in snow....

 

[ranger3]

H380 and H335 if you control the temp

 

[Zero333]

I never had any problems with Win-748, H-414/w-760 and CFE-223
Shot them in 223rem, 308win and 7mm08rem.