Thanks a ton, Roger. I really appreciate all your valuable information. I wish I could help you clean your rifles! It sure sounds like this is an excellent powder with a pretty wide range of applications for those of us with a need for a medium slow burning powder. I think you have sold me on it, I guess I will have to order some. Hopefully it will work as well in my rifles, (6.5x55 and .270WSM) as it is working in yours. Thanks again for your invaluable information. I will post my own results once I get some loaded up to test.

Great report Roger, still working on mine, so far am very pleased.

Got my two kegs of Accurate 86 powder yesterday. Have loaded up some rounds to test in the 6.5x55 and the .270WSM. There is a bunch of additional loading data on the powder valley web site now, although still nothing for the 6.5x55. I guess people can review Roger and my data and do their own experimenting. I am giving a pound or so to a buddy to try in his .338 Ultra Mag. Hopefully he will email me his test results.
Breakfast now, then off to the range. Loaded just 4 rounds each with specific powder charges for the 130 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip in the .270WSM, and the Hornady 129 gr and 140 gr SP in the 6.5. Will report back my results later today.
PS, Powder Valley service rocks! I had a typo on my online order and they emailed me right away to confirm my CC#. Fast delivery, ordered on Sunday, got it on Thursday. Impressive.

Well, in case anyone else was interested in some test results with Accurate Data 86 powder, here is some more:
.270 WSM 24" barrel Model 70 Super Shadow
38°F, breezy
Nosler 130 gr Ballistic Tip
Fed 210 primer
Win Case

58.0 gr 2744 fps
59.5 gr 2830 fps
61.0 gr 2880 fps
62.5 gr 2960 fps
64.0 gr 3054 fps

Seemed to show some accuracy potential in the lower charge weights, conditions weren't optimal for shooting off the bench. Velocity seemed a little low, as 64.0 gr is maximum according to Accurate's data on powder valley's website. I may try slightly exceeding it to see what happens. No pressure signs with any loads, easy bolt lift, extraction, primers normal, etc.

6.5x55 Swedish Mauser 22" barrel Howa 1500 Lightning, same conditions
Hornady 129 gr SP
CCI-200 primer
Win case

45.5 gr 2460 fps
46.5 gr 2520 fps
47.5 gr 2619 fps

Hornady 140 gr SP

44.0 gr 2375 fps
45.0 gr 2461 fps

The 6.5x55 showed better accuracy potential as the loads were increased, as both maximum loads showed 4 shot groups well under 1 inch at 100 yards. Of course, I have no way of knowing if these are even maximum loads, I may try to increase them slightly, just to see how they respond. I also need to try them on a warm day. (Don't know if I want to wait 4 months for that, though.) Conversely, the .270WSM seemed to show more potential at the lighter load levels. It may be that the short magnum needs a little more powder and velocity to really dial in. Overall, I am very happy with the new powder and am relieved that I got satisfactory initial results. (Really didn't want $150 worth of fireworks) I would recommend the Accurate Data 86 powder to anyone who is currently using 4350 or 4831 and wants a cost effective alternative and doesn't mind buying large quantities. For two 8 lb kegs shipped to washington state, the total including shipping, insurance and hazmat fee was $153, which works out to $9.56 per pound. Get it while it is available, as some of us may decide to order some more once we do some additional testing...

Everything we've done so far makes this stuff appear more and more like the 60s version of 4831.

Where are you guys buying your Accurate-86? I haven't seen any for sale....

http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/

The neat thing about the Accurate Data 86 powder is that it offers a nice medium slow burning rate. It seems like most bulk powders are either fairly fast burning and work well in .223 and maybe .308 Winchester, but nothing bigger or longer. Or it is extremely slow burning and works great in .50 BMG and maybe the largest most inefficient magnums. Data 86 appears to have numerous applications from .243 Win. up through magnum cartridges. Probably not the best choice for .308 case size family, but would not surprise me if it worked okay in the .260 Remington, but given a 30-06 size case or short mag or regular magnum size and you can be off to the races. I hope Powder Valley has a good stock. I don't want to have to ration mine.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
Where are you guys buying your Accurate-86? I haven't seen any for sale....

Powder Valley ,don't happen to have address right now but it'll show up on a simple SEARCH. If you can't find it I'll look up the info for U. roger

Hey, Roger!
I already gave him the link!
In case he missed it, here it is again.
Powder Valley, Inc.
Phone Number TOLL FREE - 800.227.4299

I just emailed them to see how much of our new "favorite powder" they have in stock. I may have to explain to my wife why the "5 year supply" of powder I just bought needs to have more purchased.

Thanks for the link(s),y'all.

BTW, is there a possibility this might be one of the Western Powders' "Ramshot" line now that they have bought AA? (I think that's the right name anyway......)

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
Thanks for the link(s),y'all.

BTW, is there a possibility this might be one of the Western Powders' "Ramshot" line now that they have bought AA? (I think that's the right name anyway......)

Doubtful that it is Ramshot, since Data 86 is an extruded powder, and all of Ramshots powders are double based spherical (ball type) powders. My best guess is that it is powder that didn't quite make it as 3100, and they got a bunch of it real cheap from the manufacturer, and made a deal with Powder Valley to dispose of it for them. Years ago, Accurate had a similar limited run of slow burning extruded powder they called simply Magnum Rifle Powder. They actually marketed it in one pound containers thru retail stores as a limited run, and sold it at a big discount, like 30% off the price of their other powders. I guess it would have been cheaper to sell it in 8 lb kegs and wholesale the lot of it to a single distributor. My guess is that is what the Data 86 powder story is.