Hodgdon BL-C(2)?

[Zero333]

W748 is almost the same burning rate and density as ball-c. I thought it was the same powder for a long time.

I use tons of w-748 (for progressive loading) and it's way more accurate than blc-2.

I tried both on the same day working up 223 loads with both powders.

Win-748 won by a mile

 

[Frankm]

Tried it once in my 223 and accuracy was BAD ... when I cleaned bore it was like a sludge/tar coating. Maybe I wasn't getting enough pressure but regardless went right back to H335.

Since those days I now run Varget or H4895.

Maybe unfairly but BLC2 left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[jghoghunter]

I use tons of w-748 (for progressive loading) and it's way more accurate than blc-2.

I tried both on the same day working up 223 loads with both powders.

Win-748 won by a mile

My experience was just the opposite of yours. I tried w-748 numerous times and never got it to work in anything I ever tried it in. Eventually used it all up just messing around fireforming and experimenting.

 

[Catfur]

I use tons of w-748 (for progressive loading) and it's way more accurate than blc-2.

I tried both on the same day working up 223 loads with both powders.

Win-748 won by a mile

I'm pretty sure WIN 748 IS BL(C)-2. As well as H-110 and WIN 296. One other, too, I can't remember offhand.

 

[yotehater]

I'm pretty sure WIN 748 IS BL(C)-2. As well as H-110 and WIN 296. One other, too, I can't remember offhand.

Hodgdon has never claimed it is, but the burn rates are so close I suspect W748 is just a faster lot of produced ball-c that is rebranded to sell as w748.

 

[wbm]

BL-C(2) works great in my Savage 223. Was expecting to be disappointed because of reading all the negative stuff about this powder. Nothing but very positive results for me so far.

 

[Nature Boy]

BL-C(2) is listed as the accuracy load (46.5g) in Nosler's manual for 165-168 class bullets in .308 win.

I've tried that load for 165g Nosler BT and Accubonds but it didn't measure up to Varget, H4895 or VV N140

 

[riflewoman]

BLC2 and Winchester 748 will work in a 223 and a 308, but there may be better choices. I’ve never found them to deliver great accuracy. Maybe a minute of angle, but mostly bigger. It’s also hard to keep it accurate,. The next range trip the same ammo might give poor results. Ball powder shooters have had better luck with Ramshot TAC and Alliant Power Pro 2000.

 

[DGP4]

Best advice I ever got with respect to BLC(2)is to only do loads that insure a minimum of 80% case capacity fill. Based on this advice, I started getting excellent results in .308 caliber and very good results in .223 caliber.

 

[rickt300]

BLC(2) is a favorite of mine, I have always been able to find a good load with it. Test loads in increments of .3 tenths of a grain. Seems to prefer the upper end of listed charge weights.

 

[Iowa Fox]

BLC(2) is antiquated powder in my opinion. I've got about 2 pounds left, probably give it to the grandson to blast up out of his AR.

 

[Russell D]

BLC-2 is cheaper and easier to find than most powders these days so I decided to see if I could work up a decent “bulk” .223 load last year. I’ve had some good results with 25.0 grains of BLC-2 in Lake City brass with a 50gr Vmax. It’s sub moa in 2 of my bolt guns and my WOA barreled SPR. I keep 500 as my base supply and use this when the kids come to the range with me. Is it worth developing a .308 load as well? I know there are “better” powders around now, but they are harder to find and way overpriced around here (Md).

 

[Ray123]

BLC-2 was a popular powder years ago...look at loading manuals, and it has good velocity and can be used in a very wide range of cartridges.
I didn't use it much over the years...don't remember why....maybe something else was more accurate at the time, in my rifles. I like ball powders and have used them alot, temperature sensitivity never bothered me, for what I used them for even in the hot desert in mid summer. Ball Powder is sometimes surprising, the smallest 5 shot group I ever shot off the bench many years ago was a 222 Rem 25.8 gr Win 748 ball @ $34 for 8 lbs and expensive Sierra 52 gr match $5.89 per hundred ...all through the same hole ... with a factory heavy varmint Rem 700... looked like a record...but I was the only one at the range that day and it wasn't in competition.
I Use ball powder, 748, loaded on a Dillion to achieve 1085 rds per minute, just like the military.
With military brass & primers, and ball powders loaded on progressives and cheap bullets will shoot 5 shot groups in .2" to .6" with surprising regularity...no need to weigh anything. A recent surprise is old H380 ball, very consistent velocities, loaded in a progressive 10 shot S/D 5.5 fps with 168 match, and military cases and primers using a case activated powder measure in the Dillion...the 147 FMJ were checked with a S/D of 3.6 fps for 5 shots. Loaded as fast as you can stuff bullets and pull the handle...ball powders serve a definite purpose, and I especially like the new Staball line...Ball powders are used almost exclusively in a lot of my calibers, and a mix in most others ...even my 6 Dasher gets a dose of ball powder if I want more speed, but still retain nice reasonable accuracy, same for the 50BMG, nothing like 265 grs of Ball powder behind your bullet to get it motivated. Stick powder is like James Bond, polite & refined, ...Ball Powder is like Rambo, "somewhat" less refined, ... agressively breaking down barriers, nothin fancy, just getin it done. In the 6mm ARC accuracy and velocity...ball powder all the way.
And sometimes just what I need, and consume it by the 8 lb keg, all my last group of powder buys have been, ball...

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

Back in the 70's, Hornady used it to test fire all 22 caliber bullets in a 222 in their tunnel.

Frank

 

[skeeljc]

I used Hodgdon BL-C2 in my .222 Remington and .222 Remington Magnum in the 1960's. Great results. Today there are much better powders for the .222, .223, .222Mag like Vihtavuori N133.

 

[jlorenzo]

BLC-2 was a popular powder years ago...look at loading manuals, and it has good velocity and can be used in a very wide range of cartridges.
I didn't use it much over the years...don't remember why....maybe something else was more accurate at the time, in my rifles. I like ball powders and have used them alot, temperature sensitivity never bothered me, for what I used them for even in the hot desert in mid summer. Ball Powder is sometimes surprising, the smallest 5 shot group I ever shot off the bench many years ago was a 222 Rem 25.8 gr Win 748 ball @ $34 for 8 lbs and expensive Sierra 52 gr match $5.89 per hundred ...all through the same hole ... with a factory heavy varmint Rem 700... looked like a record...but I was the only one at the range that day and it wasn't in competition.
I Use ball powder, 748, loaded on a Dillion to achieve 1085 rds per minute, just like the military.
With military brass & primers, and ball powders loaded on progressives and cheap bullets will shoot 5 shot groups in .2" to .6" with surprising regularity...no need to weigh anything. A recent surprise is old H380 ball, very consistent velocities, loaded in a progressive 10 shot S/D 5.5 fps with 168 match, and military cases and primers using a case activated powder measure in the Dillion...the 147 FMJ were checked with a S/D of 3.6 fps for 5 shots. Loaded as fast as you can stuff bullets and pull the handle...ball powders serve a definite purpose, and I especially like the new Staball line...Ball powders are used almost exclusively in a lot of my calibers, and a mix in most others ...even my 6 Dasher gets a dose of ball powder if I want more speed, but still retain nice reasonable accuracy, same for the 50BMG, nothing like 265 grs of Ball powder behind your bullet to get it motivated. Stick powder is like James Bond, polite & refined, ...Ball Powder is like Rambo, "somewhat" less refined, ... agressively breaking down barriers, nothin fancy, just getin it done. In the 6mm ARC accuracy and velocity...ball powder all the way.
And sometimes just what I need, and consume it by the 8 lb keg, all my last group of powder buys have been, ball...

Those prices make me big sad.
*Also did have clover leafs with BLC2 and 52gr speer bthps in a 222. Never checked velocity or did much else with it.