What's the fastest powder considered for 30br?

[NC/Br Shooter]

I got a few reasons for searching this out. But not to get too deep into the reasons and so forth, Im needing to find out what the fastest powder that you can use in 30br.

 

[Bill Norris]

Fastest powder I have used is VV-N120 but there may be others.

 

[jimmymac]

If you are new to the 30BR, you would be wise to start off with powders that have historically done well. No need to overthink it. @AlNyhus

 

[Fuj]

Bud of mine shoots LT-30 and a 112gr Bibs. He's been testing a
new 6 groove 16 twist Lilja. They are all touching......

I think if you go any faster of a powder, you would be playing with
4227 and on the extreme edge of no plausible load data......

 

[J.D.Erwin]

If you have H-4198 you search is over. IMO

 

[jackieschmidt]

4227.

 

[steve210]

Just be forewarned, 4227 can go from O Boy to O Crap real quick! A whole lot of people have flirted with disaster with this powder.

 

[Bat Rastard]

I am using 4227 with good results. I am heeding the warnings of not getting greedy.
I am currently at 28.5 grains.

 

[Bronsin]

AA1680 is another one.

 

[jds holler]

I'm sure that there is someone out there who is loading 100 gr. plinkers with three grains of Bullseye or Red Dot. jd

 

[NC/Br Shooter]

I about forgot I started this question lastnight.
Yeah, so several good responses and well noted warnings. In a few weeks i should have some first results.
Thanks for the info keepem coming

One of of the reasons I wanted ask this is cuz I just wanted to make sure of what powders to stay away from. I know 4198 is gold and gone.
Other thing is, Well i got Lapua brass but don't plan on using it just yet. Just guessing, I don't know for sure but, Was just thinking might would need a faster powder with Alpha brass. Just got a theory about it. Will test it soon. But safely

 

[JoeDuke]

Just be forewarned, 4227 can go from O Boy to O Crap real quick! A whole lot of people have flirted with disaster with this powder.

Pay attention to this post.

 

[Bill Norris]

I about forgot I started this question lastnight.
Yeah, so several good responses and well noted warnings. In a few weeks i should have some first results.
Thanks for the info keepem coming

One of of the reasons I wanted ask this is cuz I just wanted to make sure of what powders to stay away from. I know 4198 is gold and gone.
Other thing is, Well i got Lapua brass but don't plan on using it just yet. Just guessing, I don't know for sure but, Was just thinking might would need a faster powder with Alpha brass. Just got a theory about it. Will test it soon. But safely

H-4198 is the most used powder with the 30BR but it is hard to come by most of the time. VV-N130 seems to be the second choice.

 

[RGRobinett]

The, "faster" burn rate powders require us to be smarter than the inanimate items we are messing with.
Lock your chronograph in a deep, dark closet, pay attention only to the target and excess pressure indicators.
That said, there is, "heap plenty" load DATA (Hornady, Sierra, etc.) for the 7.62x39, featuring numerous powders faster than H-4198 and its peers: use that DATA and work-up until your bullets are, "going into a hole" . . . a very small hole. And don't get hung up on velocity. RG

 

[jwv2001]

I have nothing to offer regarding this post, but I would like to know why you think you want the fastest burning powder for a 30BR. I have been hand loading for close to 60 years and my goal has always been to load the most accurate ammo I can regardless of velocity with the powder that compliments the cartridge.
If you would, please enlighten me.

 

[AlNyhus]

I have nothing to offer regarding this post, but I would like to know why you think you want the fastest burning powder for a 30BR. I have been hand loading for close to 60 years and my goal has always been to load the most accurate ammo I can regardless of velocity with the powder that compliments the cartridge.
If you would, please enlighten me.

The popular powders used in the 30BR fill the case from 1/2-3/4's of the way up the neck to get them into the upper load window area. Since most 30BR's have a relatively short free bore length (zero to maybe .030), this can make seating bullets a bit of a challenge especially if you like using the bullets based on the 1.00" long jackets. Switching to .925" jackets can help which is one reason they are popular.

A slightly faster than 'normal' powder helps this, provided the bulk density is also workable....bulk density being a vastly overlooked trait of any power. With the expansion ratio of the 30BR, the gap between what works and 'too fast' powders isn’t really filled well at this time. That's why people are experimenting.

As a true competition cartridge, it's just one of the things that we all juggle and deal with, in whatever fashion fits our program. Just kind of the nickel tour...hope this helps.

Good shootin' -Al

 

[AlNyhus]

I think if you go any faster of a powder, you would be playing with 4227 and on the extreme edge of no plausible load data......

I've found the bolt handle to be a great source of load data. -Al

 

[Fuj]

I've found the bolt handle to be a great source of load data. -Al

As a dyed in the wool wildcatter, I do know what your saying.....LOL
I have removed headstamps in my younger days. It's amazing I grew
older with some of the things I tested.....LOL.

When speaking of 4227, brands and lot numbers seem to be more
tweaky then most any other powder I worked with. Years back, a
favorite load in a 222 Remington was IMR-4227 made by Dupont.
I got my hands on some Hodgdon 4227 and quickly discovered, the
two powders did not relate to each other. The same load with the
Hodgdon, tied the gun up......Yeah, it's one of those episodes, I should
have known better.

 

[JEFFPPC]

As a dyed in the wool wildcatter, I do know what your saying.....LOL
I have removed headstamps in my younger days. It's amazing I grew
older with some of the things I tested.....LOL.

When speaking of 4227, brands and lot numbers seem to be more
tweaky then most any other powder I worked with. Years back, a
favorite load in a 222 Remington was IMR-4227 made by Dupont.
I got my hands on some Hodgdon 4227 and quickly discovered, the
two powders did not relate to each other. The same load with the
Hodgdon, tied the gun up......Yeah, it's one of those episodes, I should
have known better.

If I can get you into Springer airguns Fuj, you just might live longer. But back to the OP s question, 1 gr of LT30 additional over H4198 load worked very well for me.

 

[RGRobinett]

Here's a 2/2007 reply (#13) I made to a post dated 1/9/2007 - not much has changed. RG



Has anyone else experimented with H 4227, IMR 4227, or AR 2205,or something similar)?
__________________
Chris


Chris, early on, following mediocre results with AA1680 and Win. 680, I used the H4227 with very pleasing results - in fact, the only reason I abandoned it was because, for workable charge weights, it's lack of bulk made for more "air-space" than I cared for. My original 30BR, a Morrison 1:18" cut barrel chambered by Ronnie Long, shot three consecutive NBRSA registered 100 Yd. AGGs of less than .25 MOA: .21xx; .201xx; .23xx. Additionally, the first three IBS registered Grand AGG,100/200) scores shot using it were a pair of 500s and a 499 - all 32X or more. Looking over my notes, it seems somewhat stupid of me to give up on the H4227 simply because it did not fill the case to my expectations - it certainly performed! In that barrel, with that powder Lot, the "sweet spot" was a charge weight of 29.5 Gr. with a 112 Gr. bullet, which produced an average velocity, at 15' of 2950 FPS (Oehler chronograph). I was able to get up to 3100+ a little, but that particular barrel did not "like" charges heavier than 30.0 Gr. - above that charge weight, groups became "mushy". H4227 is a powder worth a serious look. Good shootin'! R.G.