Ball powder ?

23 February 2006, 11:09

Hammer

Ball powder ?

Is there any rifle cartridge that cannot get a factory equivalent or better load with ball/spherical powder ?

(Am too lazy to weigh every powder charge. Ball powder works well in progressive loader.)

Hammer

23 February 2006, 12:37

vapodog

I'm using ball powders in .223, 22-250, .243, .257 Rob., 6.5 X 55, and .30-06. No problem with any of them.

H-414 works in a lot of places.

In the magnums Ramshot makes ball powders that work as well. However I shoot so few rounds with the big guys that I don't mind using course extruded powders so can't tell you a lot about them.

I don't believe ball powders are commonly used in the .375 H&H and larger cases.....maybe someone can clue us in here.

Further the .270 Winchester don't seem to perform well with ball powders as well

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23 February 2006, 16:33

p dog shooter

I use a lot of Mil surplus ball works great the price is even better.

23 February 2006, 23:27

El Deguello

quote:
Originally posted by Hammer:
Is there any rifle cartridge that cannot get a factory equivalent or better load with ball/spherical powder ?

(Am too lazy to weigh every powder charge. Ball powder works well in progressive loader.)

Hammer

I am not sur there is any good ball powder still available for the big overbore magnums. We used to have H450 and H870, but they are gone......

24 February 2006, 00:26

Allan DeGroot

I use ball propellant in pistol loads (H-110 W-296)
and in 223rounds (H335 or Win748) for my brother to burn up "plinking" with his pre-ban H-bar (It really pisses off collectors)... and those are automatically thrown charges...

but most of what I load for "serious" use
I take the time to weigh everything, so Ball propellants never seened attractive for ease of metering alone.

Have you considered one of those automatic trickling scales?

AllanD

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24 February 2006, 00:34

Hammer

quote:
Originally posted by Allan DeGroot:
... Have you considered one of those automatic trickling scales? ...

AllanD

Is there one that works with a Dillon ?

Hammer

24 February 2006, 05:10

vapodog

quote:
Originally posted by Hammer:
quote:
Originally posted by Allan DeGroot:
... Have you considered one of those automatic trickling scales? ...

AllanD

Is there one that works with a Dillon ?

Hammer

I think he means something like this

24 February 2006, 06:38

Hammer

quote:
Originally posted by vapodog:
quote:
Originally posted by Hammer:
quote:
Originally posted by Allan DeGroot:
... Have you considered one of those automatic trickling scales? ...

AllanD

Is there one that works with a Dillon ?

Hammer

I think he means something like this

Have a device like that, but it doesn't connect with the Dillon and operate at the speed of a Dillon progressive.

Hammer

24 February 2006, 08:42

vapodog

I have two dillons and only use ball powders in them.....I know exactly what you mean. It's one of the reasons I use a lot of H-414

24 February 2006, 08:55

Jon A

quote:
Originally posted by El Deguello:
I am not sur there is any good ball powder still available for the big overbore magnums. We used to have H450 and H870, but they are gone......

US869

24 February 2006, 17:52

Dutch

quote:
Originally posted by El Deguello:
I am not sur there is any good ball powder still available for the big overbore magnums. We used to have H450 and H870, but they are gone......

Ramshot Magnum is the catz azz...... As a matter of fact, the whole Ramshot line pretty much fits the bill here. JMO, Dutch.

24 February 2006, 18:57

Coltchris

Believe it or not, I still have a little H870!!! Wish it was still available; however I hand weigh all of my loads for rifles. Rarely use my powder measure on my Dillon, in fact, its been removed for months!

24 February 2006, 19:13

Hammer

Is AA8700 a H870 clone ?

24 February 2006, 19:28

KLN357

Ramshot Hunter is close to Reloader 19 in burnrate. Slower than H-414 and the 4350s. One thing that makes it different is that it is not temperature sensitive like a lot of ball powders can be. 950 grams/liter (.950/CC) so it is dense and meters exceptionally. keep an eye on this one!

25 February 2006, 00:55

Paul B

Vapodog said, "Further the .270 Winchester don't seem to perform well with ball powders as well."

Not necessarily true. I've gotten quite good resiylts using WMR powder by Winchester. Unfortunately, "Big W" discontinued it. If you can find some, try 58.9 gr. with a 130 gr. Sierra Game King. I get an even one inch from a Ruger #1 and1.25" from a recently acquired FN sporter made in 1952. With 57.5 gr., the Ruger #1 one will place three 150 gr. Sierra Game Kings into .80".
FWIW, WMR and H-450 are just different lots of the same powder. What I do find strange is both propellants were pulled from the market at the same time.
That powder also does very well in two of my .300 Win. Mags.
FWIW, I've gone almost exclusively to using ball powder in just about everything I load for.
Paul B.

25 February 2006, 08:58

bja105

quote:
Originally posted by Jon A:
quote:
Originally posted by El Deguello:
I am not sur there is any good ball powder still available for the big overbore magnums. We used to have H450 and H870, but they are gone......

US869

WC860 is pretty cheap.

25 February 2006, 09:19

Allan DeGroot

quote:
Originally posted by Hammer:
quote:
Originally posted by vapodog:
quote:
Originally posted by Hammer:
quote:
Originally posted by Allan DeGroot:
... Have you considered one of those automatic trickling scales? ...

AllanD

Is there one that works with a Dillon ?

Hammer

I think he means something like this

Have a device like that, but it doesn't connect with the Dillon and operate at the speed of a Dillon progressive.

Hammer

And you are expecting precision results from a progressive press?

don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Dillon RL550, but for SERIOUS target rifle loads, Varmint loads
or big game hunting loads the cover stays on the dillon.

I'll admit to having use the dillon to "crunch out" 223 "Ball" ammo and I've used it to ASSEMBLE fireforming loads on prepped virgin brass for my 30-06, but I never deprime or resize on the dillon

Any ammo that I really care about gets loaded one step at a time....
I don't own a digital scale, I still use my RCBS 10-10.

AllanD

25 February 2006, 09:39

Hammer

And you are expecting precision results from a progressive press?

How many High Power National Championships has David Tubb won with Dillon loaded ammo now ?

25 February 2006, 11:16

Jon A

quote:
Originally posted by bja105:
WC860 is pretty cheap.

Actually WC872 is a closer comparison. Yes it's cheap but not having to have three different loads for varying temperatures is worth the money to me. If US869 is even anywhere near being as temp stable as Hogdgon claims it'll be many times better than WC872.