Curious question for all you shooting a BR, BRA, Dasher etc....

[JamesnTN]

I’m curious as to why anyone has not ventured into any of the ball powders in the cases mentioned for competition? We all know of the 4-5 Powder’s commonly used so why no ball powders? There seems to be a few ball powders that are in the same burn areas we use.

 

[tonysnoo]

I've had very good results from 2000MR in my brx... fast... no pressure... accurate.... very wide node. I've run it cold and hot with very repeatable results. Prolly won't win a BR match, but does great in our steel matches.

 

[hogpatrol]

I’m curious as to why anyone has not ventured into any of the ball powders in the cases mentioned for competition? We all know of the 4-5 Powder’s commonly used so why no ball powders? There seems to be a few ball powders that are in the same burn areas we use.

Case fill percentage.

 

[JohnKielly]

Varget works.

 

[SHall]

I have thought the same thing. I would not be afraid to just throw a load straight from the measure and not weigh a ball powder. It takes me longer to measure powder than any other step in reloading. With my hunting rounds I have always tried to find a ball powder so I can just throw it and save time reloading. For instance, I use WW748 in my 22BR for hunting. It is listed as one of the most accurate powder in a 22BR in one of my reloading guides. Works great. Samuel

 

[Liven The Dream]

Maybe we need a trend setter !

Back in my SR days with a AR I found 748 be a great 300 yard Powder .

 

[walker2713]

There are many factors that go in to making a choice of powders for a particular bullet, cartridge and purpose. If expediency, ease of powder dispensing in this case, was THE most important factor I expect we'd all be using ball powders in 105-107-108gr BR. Dasher, BRX, BRA etcetc....but we're not.

Since, in my view, there are other factors more important than ease of powder dispensing, I need to weigh them, balance them, and make a choice.

For consistency of accuracy, velocity, and temperature stability many (myself included) have found that Varget is the best choice for this application. Your mileage may vary....at the same time, I wouldn't hesitate to use RL15 or H4895 either if I didn't have or couldn't obtain Varget.

Look at a wide variety of 600-1000 yard match results around the country, and see how many of the best shooters are using ball powders? That's no accident.

Just some of my thoughts.

George

 

[Sheldon N]

Temp stability is the reason I stick with Varget/H4895.

 

[ImBIllT]

I used BL-C2 in a .308 Win for HBR. Shot dots. Started shooting F-Class and I do think I got less vertical after switching to RL15. I later found an issue with my loading that could have been causing a problem with my BL-C2 FTR load, but the load I was using with RL15 was working so well that I didn’t see any reason to fool with going back to BL-C2.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I did in the dasher. I tried one of the ramshot powders. Just didnt shoot as well. I also tried H335 with the lighter bullets. Went out of tune easier than H322. But its worth exploring.

 

[STS]

I've shot quite a bit of 748 in a straight BR. Shoots great with light bullets/14 twist.

 

[expiper]

I am a dinosour and have tried ball powders bak in the 60's ,,,I admit all powders are better in these modern times,,,howeve ball powders usually gave more velocity but less accuracy and the labs and experts say less bbl wear (longer bbl life) ,,,,I used 414-450-335-etc in various varmint cals,,,today I have used CFE-223 in rattle guns with good accuracy (for a rattle gun) and it cycles reliabley,,,,it is in the burn range that will work in BR's with light bullets so I am hoping to try it now that good weather is here,,,ball powders have a reputation for being sensitive to cold temps becuse of the deterrent coating used to slow the burn down at first because of the large surface exposed at first and usually requireing a mag strength primer,,,so I have rambled along to say I think "we" need to re-visit modern day propelants to re-prove the old wives tales once again,,,Roger

 

[tonysnoo]

Two virtually identical BRXs just different barrel twist (another thread). He found success with Varget... I did not.

Tried 2000mr and saw it shoot better over a very wide 1.5 grain load node. I haven't tried Varget since, maybe someday. My node is mid 3000 with 108 bergers. I've shot it at 30 and at 95 with identical loads and results. I assume the wide node makes up for the temp sensitivity??... don't know.. just works.

I don't actually use it for the dispensing properties, as I measure every load. With the wide node and the fact it's semi ball powder, it wouldn't bother me to throw loads for varminting... just too anal to do it for competition.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Varget STINKS when burned. That being said, it still produces bug holes!! I prefer NOT to cut kernels when loading Varget. My shooting buddy loves it and the bug holes it produces in our BR rounds.

Me? I started out shooting up about 40 + pounds of Accurate Arms 2230C till they quit making it. Figured if it was good enough for my Mini 14 and M1A it was good enough for just about everything else I shot. Couldn't have been any more correct.
Switched over to AA 2230 when I finally ran out of the 2230C and never looked back.
Every thing from 20 VT "short" on up to my 6.8 BR Wildcat. Nothing but bug holes. A few others in between. .308, .223, 6.8 SPC, 22 BR, 6 BR, .221 Fireball, 20 VT and am now working on a 20 TCM Wildcat.
Ball powder meters like quick silver. Smoooth. Got a couple of other powders but havn't bothered trying them much. Don't want to mess with a good thing. Try loading Lil Gun and see the BIG difference in loading over ball powder. Still havn't seen the full potential of the AA 2230. Why switch??
Most folks jump from one powder to the next because someone else got good groups from XXXX brand powder. They end up with a BUNCH of different powders on the shelf and never REALLY found the full potential of any of them.

 

[WyleWD]

I am a dinosour and have tried ball powders bak in the 60's ,,,I admit all powders are better in these modern times,,,howeve ball powders usually gave more velocity but less accuracy and the labs and experts say less bbl wear (longer bbl life) ,,,,I used 414-450-335-etc in various varmint cals,,,today I have used CFE-223 in rattle guns with good accuracy (for a rattle gun) and it cycles reliabley,,,,it is in the burn range that will work in BR's with light bullets so I am hoping to try it now that good weather is here,,,ball powders have a reputation for being sensitive to cold temps becuse of the deterrent coating used to slow the burn down at first because of the large surface exposed at first and usually requireing a mag strength primer,,,so I have rambled along to say I think "we" need to re-visit modern day propelants to re-prove the old wives tales once again,,,Roger

Good post Roger. And timely as well. I know of at least 4 different shooters that are "revisiting" ball powders as we speak (or read). Things have changed a lot in the last 10 or so years.... and the ball powders do offer some attractive properties. JMHO. WD

 

[tclaunch]

I was ready to build my very first Dasher, when news broke of the new 6.5x47L case, and necking it down to 6mm caused me to redirect plans. I did't anneal at this time, and looking back recall issues that would have been resolved by annealing. But powder was something I did experiment with, and Ramshot Hunter I used regularly.