Does anyone ever use Benchmark powder?

[KDX]

I was on Hodgdon's website looking at the different powders and this is what they have to say about Benchmark:

As the name implies, this Extreme Extruded propellant was developed for precision cartridges. As such, it is ideally suited for benchrest and small varmint cartridges like the 6mm PPC, 22 PPC, 6mm BR, 223 Rem. and 222 Rem. Additionally, it performs superbly in the 204 Ruger and with light match bullets in 308 Winchester. With small, easy metering granules, competitors will love how it flows through progressive presses.

I've used in my .223s before with excellent results and it's all I use in the 17FB. Is it not a very good performer in 6BR or do people just not bother trying it?

 

[Juma]

Superb powder in 223.

 

[th82457]

I am not sure about 6mm BR, but I have used Benchmark in .222 Magnum, .223 and .22-250 with excellant results. Powder meters well and provides excellant accuracy.

 

[tonedaddy]

Works great in my 6.5br and 7br.

 

[DOGCAPPER]

I started shooting Benchmark several years ago in 6 PPC when 133 got scarce....Still use it in club matches 27.7 and any custom 66 gr on sale....Giving me .1s in a barrel with +1200 rounds...some days I win some I dont....Prize is particle board so what....LT

 

[Laurie]

Hodgdon Powder promoted Benchmark as the new challenger in short-range BR shooting on its introduction many years back, although it never quite knocked N133 off its perch in that role. As DOGCAPPER points out, it's an effective viable powder in 6PPC and likewise 6BR with the same light bullets, 62-70gn weight in this cartridge.

With 6BR's greater strengths though in mid to long-range competition using 87gn bullets and heavier, Benchmark is not discussed that much as it's rather too fast burning for these bullets. It performs well in the cartridge though in the varmint role with 55-75gn bullets, but there is such a HUGE choice of powders for this particular application. I'd say while BM is very good indeed here, it's one amongst many, and doesn't come over as being outstanding, hence not a lot of mentions. But of course an individual shooter may find that his or her barrel will give THE outstanding results with the powder under a particularly favoured lighter bullet in the cartridge. Being very fine-grained, many users like it for its metering characteristics too.

 

[hogpatrol]

X-Terminator and N133 did better in my factory 17FBs.

 

[fdshuster]

Works fine in my 30BR. In my barrel, better than the traditional H4198.

 

[areaone]

My best powder in a 204 with 32 gr Hornady. Very accurate and fast enough. Benchmark.

 

[jo191145]

My first accurate load in the 6BR 14 twist.
BM and WS2 coated 58gn V-Max.
Nice velocity, super explosive and club match winning accuracy. Hard to believe but they shot purty darn tight.

BM also has super accurate capabilities in 204R.

 

[Nomo4me]

I use it in:

223 with 50 gr SBK
6BR with 70 gr SBK
6 Dasher with 75 Vmax
204 with 39 gr SBK

Works great on all of them for my varmint shooting

 

[SS427]

It was a complete bust in my 6BR with 13.5 twist. Just goes to prove what has been repeated so many times that the gun decides which powder works, not you.

 

[jo191145]

It was a complete bust in my 6BR with 13.5 twist. Just goes to prove what has been repeated so many times that the gun decides which powder works, not you.

I would hope noone could argue that statement Otter. The bore will decide ultimately.
Although I must say both my 6PPC and 6BR 14 twist shoot X-Terminator and HBN coated pills quite well.
Its a little match made in heaven scenario that requires no cleaning for 500+ rds per year.
Do they produce the tightest wallet groups? Perhaps not but they agg consistently and with no patchwork required and thats a consideration of mine.

 

[jefats]

Does well in my 6BR and 70 grain Sierra Match HP

 

[skeetlee]

Benchmark in a 30BR may be really accurate, but you will be giving up at least 300FPS. lee

 

[lpreddick]

tried it in my new 22BR shooting 52 fowler bullets and printed a 1/4 in. four shot group. now get this...these four shots were the number 5,6,7,8, rounds down the barrel! the preceding four shots were to get the gun's zero!!! what a gun this one will be. my original plan was to shoot 63 cheeks but they only printed a smidge over 1/4 in. these were also new brass, made my gunsmith very proud.