Superformance powder

[TTrox]

Have used Hornady Superformance ammo in a 375 Ruger to take elephant & cape buffalo. Bought 1 lb but cannot find reloading data, not on Hornady or Hodgdon websites. Any suggestions where to look for Superformance reloading data.

 

[amlevin]

Hodgdon only shows data for limited calibers and up to 180 gr bullets. 22-250 to 300 Win Mag with 30-06 tossed in for good measure.

According to Hornady the "Superformance Powder" is not what is used in "Superformance Ammo".

I pulled down a cartridge of .223 Superformance "Match" with a cannelured 75 gr FMJ-BT. The powder in it was an awfully close "clone" of CFE223 right down to color, granule size(s), as well as an expected charge weight for the speed shown on the box. Superformance ammo probably uses a wide variety of powders as appropriate for the cartridge/bullet weight.

 

[swampshooter]

I tried in my 30/06. Wasn't up to what they say it is, at least not in my rifle. Anybody want to buy an 8 lb. jug of Superformance.

 

[joshb]

Thanks for that.😁 I just bought a pound to try in my 22-250. I have some Varmint, that I couldn't get to shoot in my 223. Any one found a good use for Varmint?

 

[Brians356]

According to Hornady the "Superformance Powder" is not what is used in "Superformance Ammo".

I pulled down a cartridge of .223 Superformance "Match" with a cannelured 75 gr FMJ-BT. The powder in it was an awfully close "clone" of CFE223 right down to color, granule size(s), as well as an expected charge weight for the speed shown on the box.

That's interesting, as I have noted that CFE 223 powder often provides the highest velocity - by a significant margin - for several bullet weights in several cartridges in Hodgdon's published data - in that regard it is not unlike Superformance (which is always the fastest powder by 100-200 fps for any bullet/case combo it is published for.)

 

[kraky]

I'm another perplexed owner of some of this powder. I'd like to know if they refuse to put out data cause it doesn't outperform other powders.....or if its actually unsafe in other casings other than the few the give data for.

 

[Ringostar]

The powder available is not the same as used in all superformance ammo. That's why they don't list load data for every cartridge. I did some experimenting about 5 years ago. I tried it in a 260, by taking the 243 load. I started about 5gn lower and worked up until started seeing pressure signs. At that point I got 3065fps with 140gn bullets in a 30in barrel. Yes I got high velocity, but wasn't happy with the accuracy.

 

[ireload2]

There are numerous Superformance cartridges pedaled by Hornady.
http://www.hornady.com/store/Superformance/

Superformance is #126 on the WW burn rate chart between H4831 and Winchester 780.
This is clearly not a powder for the .444 Marlin or the .223 Remington.

http://www.wwpowder.com/burn-rate.html

Inspection of the range of cartridges would make it very clear they are not using the same powder in all of those rounds. I read some where that Hodgdon produced close to a dozen different powders with names not know to the public for Hornady.
Hodgdon only markets a single powder under that name.
I think using the same name for a powder and a line of cartridges results in newbies jumping to all sorts of conclusions about how to get "super performance" from any cartridge when the burning rate is not even a close match for their intended cartridge.

I ran into this with a bone head newbie on another site. He complained that Superformance was the only powder he could find locally and he wanted to use it in the .444 Marlin since Hornady sold .444 Marlin Superformance ammo. I think he was hoping for higher performance in that round. He had no concept of the application of burning rates to their appropriate cartridges. In spite of being told that Superperformance was not correct for the .444 he loaded and got a whopping 1400 FPS. Had this same guy decided to stuff his Superformance into a .30-.378 he might not have been a happy camper when the smoke cleared.

 

[Spin Drift]

I think that Hogdon naming the powder superformance was a mistake. I have seen so much confusion where people see superformance on the ammo box and then think they use 'superformance' gun powder. This seems to catch a lot of people.

 

[CJ6]

I think that Hogdon naming the powder superformance was a mistake. I have seen so much confusion where people see superformance on the ammo box and then think they use 'superformance' gun powder. This seems to catch a lot of people.

Marketing....

 

[Spin Drift]

Marketing....

Yup. I absolutely understand why they did it. Still causes a lot of confusion for some people. Maybe I am wrong to call it a mistake because it probably sells better this way.

 

[nastynatesfish]

Dumped the pound I bought in the garden. It grows decent jalapeños.

 

[amlevin]

Dumped the pound I bought in the garden. It grows decent jalapeños.

How "explosive" are they when you pass them? 8)

 

[Rtheurer]

I am amazed at the confusion this causes... Does anyone not look to see where it falls in the burn rate chart.. Do they not do any research on the intended application? Kinda scary that you expect a powder that has about the burn rate of H4350-H4831 to be used in a pistol or a 223...
Are people so inept that they don't understand the basics of reloading?

Wow. Not trying to be an A$$ here, but holy cow. This Scares me.

Russ T

 

[amlevin]

Are people so inept that they don't understand the basics of reloading?

Well now that you mention it, some really are.

Fortunately many of them are "blessed" and don't blow themselves up, just their rifles.

 

[joshb]

I am amazed at the confusion this causes... Does anyone not look to see where it falls in the burn rate chart.. Do they not do any research on the intended application? Kinda scary that you expect a powder that has about the burn rate of H4350-H4831 to be used in a pistol or a 223...
Are people so inept that they don't understand the basics of reloading?

Wow. Not trying to be an A$$ here, but holy cow. This Scares me.

Russ T

No confusion, on my end. When the "Book" lists ten or fifteen different powders for a certain bullet weight, you kind of toss the coin as to which one to use. I ask here when I start with a new caliber, to get a clue from experienced guys. Then ya can't find the good powder, so ya look for a few alternatives to use. I bought Varmint cause it was "supposed to be good" for the 223. Not in my guns. For me, it's test, test, test. Some times the "New great powder" ain't so good. Some times ya get a winner.

 

[amlevin]

For me, it's test, test, test. Some times the "New great powder" ain't so good. Some times ya get a winner.

I've learned that there is a point where you just stop testing and shoot what you have that works best. I quit buying powders just because they are "new".

 

[Billfer01]

I got 15 lbs of it free. I've worked up a .223 FMJ 62gn recipe. I first started with 55gn 223. @ 21gn of the SP. MV of 2100fps. I am now arrived at the sweet spot. 27.5-28gns. 2.25OAL with SEARING performance using 62gn FMJ boat tail bullets. MV? we'll see for yourselves. The firearm I employed was none other than my Aeroperfection M4 1:7, 16" stainless PSA barrel. MOA at 212yds. Shots 1-10 were some garbage Frontier 556 I took from my stash. The frying pan was fun.

"<iframe src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQ4ra7E7cG-f9I_pOb1kHVoHUUcLpFpor-hfOnne17-cGslN9LAuftpUsDsKEa4wHWpXjBPbDsy2b2X/pubhtml?gid=1701471208&amp;single=true&amp;widget=true&amp;headers=false"></iframe>"

 

[Dusty Stevens]

161SD and barely hitting a bean cooker is about the results we have come to expect from superformance powder. The more things change the more they stay the same

 

[karrarararararar]

161SD and barely hitting a bean cooker is about the results we have come to expect from superformance powder. The more things change the more they stay the same

To be fair, he stated shots 1-10 were factory ammo. When you take those shots out, his SD is 27.58. Still not much to write home about, but not bad either.