Is this the high bulk powder used by the cowboy action shooters? I am looking to develop a plinker load for my 9.3X74mm. I am thinking of using some Hornady hollow point bullets for the Makarov. They are 0.365" as compared to 0.366" for the 9.3mm. These are jacketed but cast bullets are a possibility too. I would like to make up a safe, low velocity load for small game and plinking. I would let the grandchildren shoot with supervision and low recoil loads. Any ideas here? TIA Packy

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I've had very good luck getting a plinker regulated for my 450-400, so I suggest you give it a try. You might email accurate powders for starting loads. The loads that regulate for me tend to leave a little unburned powder in the barrels, so I've upped loads just a little to eliminate. I was able to get accurate loads with 300 gr JSP as well as cast bullets. Well worth a try. Bob

My 2 cents........ I like the IMR SR-4759 better than the Alliant 5744. Much cleaner and a quick pressure spike to seal off the case/chamber interface preventing soot from going around the outside of the case.

Grandpa Pack,

Are you thinking of IMR Trail Boss?

I have just started using it with cast lead in .375 Holland and Holland. There is no load data for this caliber but I called the

Hodgdon/IMR ballistics lab at 1-913-362-9455

and told the gentleman of my plans. He thought it would be OK and told me a way to figure what should be safe START and MAX charges. The START that I came up with was too low and needed an additional 3.5 grs. to get a good neck seal. The MAX is spot on as best I can tell. I have a "test barrel", so to speak. The great thing about Trail Boss compared to others, I use Red Dot too, is that a double charge of TB will overflow the case by a significant amount. Also the charge of TB comes up high enough to make a visual inspection meaningful.

YeeHa!

I've got plenty more testing to do but will post the results in "cast bullets" eventually.

Maybe Trail Boss is what I was remembering for the bulk. I wasn't going to buy anything without getting some data. Hodgdon's will be my next phone call. Any other ideas? Thanks. Packy

packrattusnongratus: As posted by P. Steve Morgan, I too have had great success with light loads using IMR's SR4759. If you are going to talk to Hodgdon, ask them about it for your caliber.