Anyone try Alliant Power Pro 4000-MR in 6XC

[r bose]

It seems to be in the same burn range as some of the more popular XC powders and it's available everywhere for as little as 132.00/8 lbs. Any info or load data would be greatly appreciated.

Tks in advance.

 

[Nomad47]

I no longer have the load data for it, but I had a 243wssm 30" 8 twist Krieger barrel that really liked that powder.

 

[r bose]

Thanks Bill. Based on the non response, I'm guessing it won't work in 6XC.

 

[spclark]

Thanks Bill. Based on the non response, I'm guessing it won't work in 6XC.

Don't be too convinced of that; the lack of responses may be because it's just not that common a product & there are others out there that have proven to work.

Alliant's load data for the 243 Winchester & 105 A-Max suggests ~ 42 grains for 2,985 fps so it's in the ballpark but may be a little slower than other, more popular choices:

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/powderlist.aspx?type=1&powderid=33&cartridge=51

(click thru the disclaimer statement to get to the data page for their load data table)

243WIN & 243 WSSM case capacities both ~54 grains water, 22-250 REM @ ~43, 6XC from 48.5 - 49.3 depending on case type, 6BR @ ~39....

 

[r bose]

spclark, thanks for the insight. It's one powder that's very plentiful and inexpensive. Might be worth a try. If all else fails in 6xc, I'll shoot it up in the 300 WM and 300 Weatherby mag.

 

[Nomad47]

I can get enough IMR-7828ssc in a 6XC case using magnum primers. So I don't see why you couldn't get enough of the 4000 MR in the case. BTW, IIRC, it is a ball powder, meters very well.

 

[r bose]

Bill, I've tried the 2000-mr in 223 w/90g bullets with great results. It too meters very well thus my quest for using 4000-mr in 6xc.

 

[spclark]

spclark, thanks for the insight. It's one powder that's very plentiful and inexpensive. Might be worth a try.

Inspired by your question I was motivated to try some myself. Took awhile but I finally got to it yesterday. Fired at 600 yards from a rest, images of groups are attached here. File names indicated loads used; images are scaled 1:1 @ 6" square.

Specifics: Tubb Gen2 new, unfired, unprepped brass (other than running a K&M 6mm mandrel into the necks); hBN-coated BErger 105 Hybrid bullets seated 0.020" off the lands; 2008-era Henricksen reamer-chambered 30" Bartlein 1:7.8 barrel mounted on a Quadlite action by Carl Bernosky; Wolf KVB-7 primers. Neck tenson 0.001", just enough to hold bullets in the cases.

Loaded five rounds each from 37.9 grains to 39.0 grains by 0.5 grain increments. Also loaded a control group using my standard 36.7 grains of 8208XBR. That group produced 3098 fps, SD5.

THESE LOADS APPEAR TO BE SAFE IN MY RIFLE UNDER THE CONDITIONS USED.

With YOUR rifle under YOUR conditions you're advised to do YOUR OWN TESTING & EVALUATION to ensure your personal safety and those around you when you're shooting.

Chronographed with my Oehler 35P when fired at 600 yards I got:

3,098 fps SD 5 with the control group;

4000-MR:
37.0 grains 2652 fps SD6
37.5 grains 2685 fps SD12
38.0 grains 2722 fps SD9
38.5 grains 2776 fps SD4
39.0 grains 2837 fps SD12 No pressure signs were noted with the 39.0 load.

I need to check load volume on this to see if there's room for more 4000-MR but there may not be enough to reach velocities the 6XC is capable of. 2000-MR may be a better choice but someone else'll have to do the work....

 

[spclark]

More groups:

 

[spclark]

Even more groups:

 

[r bose]

SPClark, thanks so much for the info. I couldn't pass up buying an 8lb keg for 132 dollars. I haven't opened it yet as I didn't have any idea on where to start testing. I'm not at the point where I'm confident looking at comparable cartridges and extrapolating a starting load value for another not listed. This helps tremendously.

The groups pictured are very good for 600 yards and even without this powder giving top speed, consistency is the key for me anyway.

Thanks again for the work you've done looking into this. Extremely helpful for me and hopefully many others.

 

[majohnson]

Contact the powder manufacture they might share some data with you. I've done it both with Berger and a couple different powder mfg and they all were forth coming with data. The true benefit of ball powders is they meter so well.

 

[spclark]

All of the test groups pictured would fit in the F-Class 10-ring. They were fired without the target being pulled & marked after each shot though so windage effect is minimal but evident. No sight adjustments were made once I fired the control group to get baseline data. The slower velocities would require 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 MOA vertical adjustment to get 'on-aimpoint' hits comparable to the control group.

(The slowest load grouped inside the 5-ring & couldn't be seen with the target raised owing to tall grass on the target berm so I had to go to the pits to get pics. The inset upper right on the control group target image is the group as marked by spotters viewed and photographed thru my spotting scope.)

Glad this helps. Reloading is as much an art as a science & I don't encourage anyone to "interpolate" loads based on other, published information when specific info isn't available for a particular cartridge / powder / bullet combination. Still, with experience & caution it can be safely done.

 

[r bose]

Agree with your above post. I did call both Berger and Alliant and neither had data for the 6XC using the above combo. Now, we have a good point to start at.

Thanks again,

Robert