Shot a lot of ac86 today and all I have to say is tommorrow I order another 24 Lbs. The target range on all entries was 50 yards.

22-250, 50 gr. blitz King . 36gr. acc 86, 3058fps. 6 round 1/4"grp.

22-250, 52 gr hp, Speer,3092 fps 3/8" 6 shot grp.

.243, 75gr sierra hp.,40gr. ac86, OAL= 2.750" 2520 to 2569fps. mild, some unburned powder, a little soot, first 2 same hole 5 shot 1/4" grp.

.243, 95gr. hpbt. 40gr. ac86, .OAL= 2.880",mild soot, 2539 to 2598fps.4 shot 1/2" grp.

.243, 68gr. Berger, 40gr. ac86 OAL= 2.790, mild, soot, 2508 to 2610 fps. 10 shot 1 1/4" group.

.257 Roberts, 87gr. TNT, 40gr. ac86, 2265fps. 10 shot 1/2" grp.

.257 87gr. TNT, 41gr.AC86, 2349fps. $ shot 1/8" group.

.257, 87gr TNT, 42gr.AC86, 2428fps, some soot, 6 shot 1/8" group.

.270, 150gr. rem psp.50gr. AC86, 2403 fps. All powder burned. 6 shot 3/4 " group.

.270, 150gr. rem. psp 51gr. AC86, 2495fps. 5 shot 3/4" grp.

.270, 130gr. psp bulk, 50 gr. AC86, 2417fps. a little unburned powder. 5 shot 1/4" grp.

.270, 130gr. psp bulk, 2488fps. all powder seemed to burn, 6 shot 3/8" grp.

.308, 168gr. fmjbt. 45gr. AC86, oal=2.890", some unburned powder, sooty, 2166 to 2225fps. 4 shot 1" grp.

.308, 165 psp, 45gr.AC86, oal=2.932" lightly compressed, unburned powder, mild, soot, 2169 to 2206fps. multi shot??????? 1" group.

.308, 149.7gr psp sorted, 47gr.AC86 compressed, mild, some unburned powder,oal=2.900", Load bark, 2290 to 2311fps., 6 shot 1/4" group, .

.308, 150gr. FN. Rem. 47gr.AC86, Highly compressed, some unburned poeder, 2289 to 2386fps, 4 shot 3/8" grp.

.308, 150gr. Fp Win. 47gr. AC86, Highly compressed, a little unburned powder,2238 to 2358 ?, 10 shots you could cover with a quarter, 9 shots you could cover with a nickle.

30-06 feather weight, 168gr.fmjbt. 47gr Ac86, mild sooty, some unburned powder,1978 to 2096 fps. 5 shot 3/4" group

SAME 49gr AC86, some unburned powder, sooty, mild, 1978 to 2250fps. 3 shot 1" grp. barrel sizzling hot.

SAME, 51 gr. AC86, some unburned powder, mild less soot 2257 to 2362 fps. 5 shot 1 1/4" grp.
[/LIST]45 gr. of AC86 is the same volume of 46 gr. IMR 4350.

All loads were started using 4064 Data and working up. The results indicate that the AC86 is a good bit slower than the 4064 and not enough of it can get into the .308 case with the bullets used. The next will probably rule out the .308 but might try compressed loads on the .243 & 22-250.

Even though velocities never got near to potential the accuracy at time proved out standing. It well might be that the burning rate of this powder comes close to that of 4831. Next Wed. we'll have a better Idea. The rain kinda screwed things up today.

We also got some great results today with 2230-C

The order goes in tommorrow to Powder Valley for 86 & MORE 2230-C. I never really horded powder before but I learned my lesson on Ac2200 & 73. I hope some of you get some good from this. roger

Old age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone..

Hey Roger, Looks like you got in a bunch of Trigger Time.

Is the AC86 Stick or Ball Powder?

Bartsche, Thanks for the report. I ordered 86 & 2230-c yesterday. I have shot up 8# of 2230-c and like it quite well for quite a few cals. Thanks again, I am blessed I can shoot here at the house, I have a bench 25Yds. from the house and have 25,50,100,200,300yds range and move over a ways and have 400yds.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

Is the AC86 Stick or Ball Powder?

extruded. Would have done more but the rain stopped me. Today I'm getting a lot of Hoppe's time. roger

quote:

I am blessed I can shoot here at the house, I have a bench 25Yds. from the house and have 25,50,100,200,300yds range and move over a ways and have 400yds.

I'll be right over. When I lived in GJ CO. all my testing was done out of the back door thru 12"x12" lumber. Fred Barnes had a bench set up that we shot to 486yds; his measurement. roger

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
... Fred Barnes had a bench set up that we shot to 486yds; his measurement. roger

Is this an intentional "name drop"?

The REAL Fred Barnes of Barnes Bullets?

If so, he sure made some EXCELLENT Bullets. I still have just a few 200gr 35cal and 125gr 0.284" Bullets he made. Just terrible to tell how much it bothers me that they are no longer available.

By the way, I seem to remember that Mr. Brooks was looking through some of Mr. Barnes old documents and notes which had sketches of the "X" Bullet, but Mr. Barnes just didn't get all the little quirks worked out. Would you be able to verify if that is a true story?

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
... Fred Barnes had a bench set up that we shot to 486yds; his measurement. roger

Is this an intentional "name drop"? ABSOLUTLYYY.

The REAL Fred Barnes of Barnes Bullets? YES HE WAS REAL. I FOUND OUT THIS YEAR FROM THE NOW OWNER OF BARNES' BULLETS THAT FRED HAS DIED.

If so, he sure made some EXCELLENT Bullets.

***When I first moved to GJ CO that's all I ever hunted with.***rjb

I still have just a few 200gr 35cal and 125gr 0.284" Bullets he made. Just terrible to tell how much it bothers me that they are no longer available.

By the way, I seem to remember that Mr. Brooks was looking through some of Mr. Barnes old documents and notes which had sketches of the "X" Bullet, but Mr. Barnes just didn't get all the little quirks worked out. Would you be able to verify if that is a true story?

Hell! I didn't even know Fred had any documents.
He had a grafted apple tree that bore 5 kinds of apples.He also had a 30 pound .505 Gibbs. His favorite watering hole was the Beacon.His preferred linemint was Golden Wedding. I'm not sure what mustache wax he used. roger

Hey Roger, Darn shame to hear Mr. Barnes has died. Had one of the Elders die ths year that taught me long long ago.

Sure would have enjoyed "Thanking Mr. Barnes" for his excellent Bullets.

Glad to hear you got to share some time with him.

Thanks for the data on the Data 86 powder. Don't know if I should wait for your next report or not. Kind of curious to see how much of it is needed to launch that 130 gr bullet to 2900 fps out of the .270 Win. My guess is that it will take around 58 grains, since that is what they list for Accurate 3100 in the .270 Win with the 130 gr bullet. Glad to hear that it is significantly slower burning than 4064. Guess I will have to wait for your next installment before I commit to ordering. If I am going to pay a $20 hazmat fee plus shipping, I feel I have to order at least 2 8 lb kegs to make it worthwhile, which means the powder has to work decently in my .270WSM for it to make sense. Anyone else trying it yet? (Hopefully in the short mags?)

Bartsche, have you done any more testing with the ac86? I got mine today but it so damned windy I can't (won't) shoot they say gusts up to 60mph. Wouden't prove much, and not to much better tomorrow. Oh well what ever.

SSF, What calibers are you going to try Data 86 in? I am hoping that someone out there will take it for a test drive in a short magnum or a 6.5x55 Swede. I hope your wind dies down so you can share your results....

I'm jealous of you, SSF. To have a marked-out range just 25 yards from your house would have me home on Saturdays instead of at the Playboy Mansion as usual. I have to drive almost four miles to get to a place to shoot-- a dry lake over a mile long and flat as a pool table. It's not much, I know, but it's all I have unless I want to drive about 6 miles to a nice place up in the hills just south of town, behind the airport. I shoot paper and jacks up there; usually kill a few every visit.

quote:

Originally posted by rootbeer:
I'm jealous of you, SSF. To have a marked-out range just 25 yards from your house would have me home on Saturdays instead of at the Playboy Mansion as usual. I have to drive almost four miles to get to a place to shoot-- a dry lake over a mile long and flat as a pool table. It's not much, I know, but it's all I have unless I want to drive about 6 miles to a nice place up in the hills just south of town, behind the airport. I shoot paper and jacks up there; usually kill a few every visit.

I'm envious of both you. The only thing I got going is a lot of retirement time. I was going to load some ac86 in the 6.5x55 but the idea of cleaning another rifle kinda turned me off. I'm also doing some reduced loads in the .222 this week. where are all the niffty gremlins going? roger

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:

quote:

Originally posted by rootbeer:
I'm jealous of you, SSF. To have a marked-out range just 25 yards from your house would have me home on Saturdays instead of at the Playboy Mansion as usual. I have to drive almost four miles to get to a place to shoot-- a dry lake over a mile long and flat as a pool table. It's not much, I know, but it's all I have unless I want to drive about 6 miles to a nice place up in the hills just south of town, behind the airport. I shoot paper and jacks up there; usually kill a few every visit.

I'm envious of both you. The only thing I got going is a lot of retirement time. I was going to load some ac86 in the 6.5x55 but the idea of cleaning another rifle kinda turned me off. I'm also doing some reduced loads in the .222 this week. where are all the niffty gremlins going? roger

Well, I am envious of all 3 of you. I have to drive about 14 miles to get to my range, which is limited to 200 meters in range. On the plus side, it has about 20 covered concrete rock solid benches, is open to members only, and membership is just $35 per year plus one work party of a few hours per year. Now if I could just get some of Roger's "retirement time", I could be set. And Roger, go ahead and load up some of the Data 86 for the 6.5x55, and let it stay dirty for a couple of days. I won't tell!

Number II is done. roger