The DuPont guys set the standards it seems. Are the Accurate powders as good? Or are they cheaper for a reason?

The newer manuals from Speer and Nosler don't mention the AA4064 or AA4350 powders. Has anyone done side by side tests of IMR vs the AA powders? If a gun likes IMR4350 best will Accurate powders perform well too?

The Accurate Arms powders are okay. I use some of them, primarily for handgun.

I suspect the manuals do not show very many partly because some of the AA numbers likely are surplus and may not be available for the entire life of the manual(s). Just a guess.

But, if you need powder, look into getting some of the surplus powders directly. The WC820 which I use a lot is, in fact, AA#9. There are other matches as well.

AA4350 vs. H4350 vs. IMR4350: In 30-06, the Accurate delivers slightly lower muzzle velocities, slightly flatter primers, and a 2.5 fps/deg F tempco... an OK load, but not a great load.

In 6.5x55, AA4350 performs wonderfully with a 129 grain bullet... 2800+ in a 29" barrel, with moderate loads, and a 1.25 fps/deg F tempco.

In .308, AA2520 does very well... a very close second behind Varget. I get about 15 fps less with AA2520 (negligible), and about a 1.0 fps/deg F tempco. In this load, Varget has essentially a zero tempco.

In .223, AA2015 gives about the best muzzle velocity I have found.

Bottom line: Accurate works just fine in several applications. Like any powder, it doesn't work perfectly in all applications. In our town, AA4350 is $13.50, which makes it an easy choice in the applications where it works well.

Loren __

From a 45-70 Sharps' 1874 replica, 50.0 gr. of either IMR 4350 or XMR 4350 behind a 500 gr. Hornady FMJ-RN bullet produced identical results. Velocity on the order of 2000 fps. Group size the same. Point of impact the same with the same sight setting. Incomplete work with 350 gr. and 405 gr. bullets is producing similar results.

Good shooting.

Robert