Shooting two powders in a match bad?

[servicegun]

I was recently told by someone that shooting two different powders in a match was a bad idea because it could cause flyer's with the second load. The person could not explain how this would happen and I have never heard that before. I shoot highpower XTC and shoot RE-15 behind SMK 77's for 200, 300 and shoot N540 behind Berger 80 VLD's for 600. The 600 load tested great on paper but is still not match tested yet. Any one else ever heard of this?

 

[queen_stick]

read this:

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3786923.0


very interesting chart posted on the 2nd page of that thread...

 

[Greyfox]

It's a good idea to clean your barrel when you change to the second powder. I can't give you the scientific reason, but whenever I'm testing powders at the range, a change without cleaning the old powder residue will cause erratic shots until the new powder lays down a residue.

YMMV,
Rick

 

[servicegun]

Thanks for the response guys. This was an issue I knew nothing about. The link above is a great read. To make a long story short it looks like some powders play well together and some do not. It sounds like my combination may not be much of an issue but it will take my own testing to find out. Maybe I will run a bore snake or a dry patch down the tube before I shoot 600 just to make sure. This does bring up another issue of only getting two sighters/foulers on a clean barrel before starting a string but on the other hand a dry patch or two is only knocking out heavy stuff.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[navyrad8r]

mike,
IMHO you are on the right track...when i use a 600yd load with a different powder, i just zip the bore snake through with a little shooters choice on it a couple of times before i start. ususally running tac, RL15, IMR4064, VV540, or varget from a mouse gun. however, never more than 2 powders in a match (yet).
cheers,
doc

 

[300 RUM]

My experience is that, RL-15 and Varget seem to be tolerable to each other(not much change in POI), but through some H4895 across one or the other and holly you know what, you can go from a group to a pattern very quickly.

It seem that slow powders work with each other as do fast powders, just don't mix the two.

 

[RDavies]

How about with H4831sc and H4350? They werent in the list. Any idea how these slower powders go together?

 

[300 RUM]

How about with H4831sc and H4350? They werent in the list. Any idea how these slower powders go together?

It has been a while but I used H4831 in my 7mm Rem Mag crossed it with 4350 a few time and things seemed to work out OK.

 

[Scotsman1]

Out of the powders I've mixed (taboo), I have to say, XBR & H322 worked out wonderfully. 1/1 mix. Fed 205m and 69 smk's shot as my best load.

Cheers,
Scotsman1

 

[NateG]

Out of the powders I've mixed (taboo), I have to say, XBR & H322 worked out wonderfully. 1/1 mix. Fed 205m and 69 smk's shot as my best load.

Cheers,
Scotsman1

I don't think anyone else is talking about blending powders!

Rather, shooting one powder, then following it up without cleaning with another powder, and seeing if the first couple shots are affected by the change or not. I will say that Varget did *not* like following 8208 in my Palma gun the other day, taking about 5 shots to settle down.

 

[hottshott526]

When I used to shoot a service rifle and a .223 match rifle, I used AA2520 for short line w/69gr SMKs and Varget for the 600 stage w/ 80gr SMKs. I didn't have any noticable effects on the first shot over the other powder. I achieved High Master in XTC , MR and LR high power rifle and legged out ,in 4 matches, using this combo.

I shot a "leg" match last month with 24.0gr of RL 15 and 77 SMKs all the way. That's an effective load also if you don't want to switch up powders.

Hope this helps

 

[.260 james]

I have a .243 I shot imr 8208 with 55 gr. bullets and shot 95 gr. bergers with Reloder 17 and did not notice any effects from different powders being shot in alternating 3 shot groups. after 4 groups the last over lapped the first for point of impact and size.

 

[RDavies]

I decided to try switching from H4831sc to H4350 today. After 24 shots with H4831sc today in my 6.5mm, (ending mostly with Xs at 500yds), I used H4350 for the last target. It works out the zero was almost the same and the group was straight back into the X ring, no wierdness.
Next week I will be shooting H4350 first, then switch to H4831sc to see if it still OK. I was using HBN coated bullets, so maybe this helped with switching between powders????

 

[flatlander]

One of the guys I've shot with for several years used to run RL15 with S69 & 77MKs at 200&300, then switch to N540 with JLK 80 VLDs for 600. He never had an issue with the bores of his AR15s' Kriegers - match rifles & service rifles - 'settling' after shooting RL15, but as you noticed on the list, this combination isn't noted for causing issues.

I tried the same thing with N140 & N540 in one of my service rifles - one time was all it took to convince me never to try that again.

 

[NateG]

I tried the same thing with N140 & N540 in one of my service rifles - one time was all it took to convince me never to try that again.

I wish it only took me once to figure that out. I had more 197s with an 8 and a 9 to start a 600 yard string with that combination than I'd care to admit--but always chalked it up to taking a couple of shots to find a good sight picture for the day's conditions.

But yeah, N140 followed by N540 is a bad idea.

 

[DougMH]

I was recently told by someone that shooting two different powders in a match was a bad idea because it could cause flyer's with the second load. The person could not explain how this would happen and I have never heard that before. I shoot highpower XTC and shoot RE-15 behind SMK 77's for 200, 300 and shoot N540 behind Berger 80 VLD's for 600. The 600 load tested great on paper but is still not match tested yet. Any one else ever heard of this?

Say you were shooting 2 matches from the 1,000 yd line and had unlimited spotters and 20 rounds for record in each match. I've never shot different powders, but I wouldn't hesitate to as long as they're segregated to different matches.

 

[300 RUM]

I was recently told by someone that shooting two different powders in a match was a bad idea because it could cause flyer's with the second load. The person could not explain how this would happen and I have never heard that before. I shoot highpower XTC and shoot RE-15 behind SMK 77's for 200, 300 and shoot N540 behind Berger 80 VLD's for 600. The 600 load tested great on paper but is still not match tested yet. Any one else ever heard of this?

Say you were shooting 2 matches from the 1,000 yd line and had unlimited spotters and 20 rounds for record in each match. I've never shot different powders, but I wouldn't hesitate to as long as they're segregated to different matches.

Now I could go with that