Leverevolution powder-Beyond the 30-30!

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pacobillie

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After modelizing a 9.3X57 load with Leverevolution powder (LVR) on GRT, I decided to give it a try. Lo and behold, I achieved my best velocities ever (with a 286 gr. bullet) with no signs of excess pressure. In my estimation, it works because although it has a fairly slow burn rate, it is also very dense. Hence, you can stuff a large quantity of the stuff (LVR) in a relatively small case (9.3X57), without generating excess pressure.

Someone else recently posted that he had successfully used LVR in 7mm-08 with impressive results.

Has anyone else used LVR in a non-typical application with success?
 
I use it in my 300 savage with 150 and 165gr plain Jane hornady’s. I have also used in with heavies in my 223ai. I wish there was more data available for it.
 
I even called Hodgdon about LVR and spoke to an older gentleman with a long history at the company and he was quite sure that I should not experiment with any cartridge other than the ones they list the powder for. Having 8 lbs on hand, I have been sorely tempted to experiment. I am encouraged by this thread and will likely further investigate some different cartridges for this powder going forward.
 
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woodlotowner said:
I even called Hodgdon about LVR and spoke to an older gentleman with a long history at the company and he was quite sure that I should not experiment with any cartridge other than the ones they list the powder for. Having 8 lbs on hand, I have been sorely tempted to experiment. I am encouraged by this thread and will likely further investigate some different cartridges or this powder going forward.
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They likely say that for liability reasons. They have no clue how experienced or prudent you might be.
 
woodlotowner said:
I even called Hodgdon about LVR and spoke to an older gentleman with a long history at the company and he was quite sure that I should not experiment with any cartridge other than the ones they list the powder for. Having 8 lbs on hand, I have been sorely tempted to experiment. I am encouraged by this thread and will likely further investigate some different cartridges or this powder going forward.
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When I was young I never paid any attention to older gentlemen. Now that I'm old (very old, but not likely a gentleman), I tend to think age and experience matter. Having said that, I'm all for experimenting and learning new things, just use caution.
 
guy329 said:
When I was young I never paid any attention to older gentlemen. Now that I'm old (very old, but not likely a gentleman), I tend to think age and experience matter. Having said that, I'm all for experimenting and learning new things, just use caution.
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LOL, not so young here any longer either. And so, the powder trials begin. :)
 
woodlotowner said:
I even called Hodgdon about LVR and spoke to an older gentleman with a long history at the company and he was quite sure that I should not experiment with any cartridge other than the ones they list the powder for. Having 8 lbs on hand, I have been sorely tempted to experiment. I am encouraged by this thread and will likely further investigate some different cartridges for this powder going forward.
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Too many people think that since a powder is "optimized" for a certain application that its use elswhere is dangerous, e.g. Leverevolution, Alliant 410, and anything with "Clays" in its name.

More generally the common notion is that if there isn't a published load using that powder for a particular cartridge, its use is dangerous. Powder testing is very expensive and manufacturers select loads that work well from among many possibilities - they can't possibly test every powder for every cartridge. Several times I have found that an unpublished load was optimal in my rifle, e.g. Superformance in the 9.3X62, US869 in the 6.5-06, and there are many more examples from just my own experience.
 
Years ago, I was experimenting with some 357 Magnum "plinking" loads. Ran out of Red dot, so
looked in my stash and spotted a couple of pounds of W473, a 12 guage handicap trap powder.

Could not find any data anywhere at the time, so I started with very light loads and worked up
until I had the 125 FMJRN bullet leaving the muzzle at 900 fps. 8.0 grains, IIRC. Cleanest powder
I ever used in that S&W 586. Quite accurate as well. Caution prevails, but it is surprising what
one can discover that works. Dave.
 
guy329 said:
When I was young I never paid any attention to older gentlemen. Now that I'm old (very old, but not likely a gentleman), I tend to think age and experience matter. Having said that, I'm all for experimenting and learning new things, just use caution.
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I learned quite early that age didn't guarantee wisdom but when you come across both in one man, then shut up and listen.
 
jethunter said:
I learned quite early that age didn't guarantee wisdom but when you come across both in one man, then shut up and listen.
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Too often the only argument some people have as to why they're correct is that: "I've been reloading for 50, 40, 30, 20 etc. years". This is the weakest of arguments and is nonsense of course. Many of those people are the "go-to" person, but there are many oldtimers who have for example "cookbook" reloaded the 30-06 and 12 ga shotgun for 50 years and that's it, hence "50 years of reloading". Most others, even if they've reloaded many more cartridges, have clung to what's published (and frightened by the fact that published loads vary!) and never had an original idea in their life. Their favourite line: "It's dangerous!".

On the other hand we've seen young bright, curious guys here on CGN, who two years into reloading, possess far more theoretical and practical knowledge that most will ever have, and yes still have both eyes and all their fingers...........
 
A little experimenting can pay off. I bought a 10lb of C-300 awhile ago. Been trying to use it up in as many pistols as I could. It’s dirty burning but works excellent. An older fellow at the range noticed my labels on my boxes. We got to talking and I ended up with making a deal for 2 1/2 more kegs of C-300. My first plan was to use it in my 9m/m but at over 28000 loads per keg I would be awhile. C-300 even works go for plinking loads in the 303 British and Mosin. I have been curious about Lever/Revolution and am tempted to try it in different cartridges.
 
There was a fellow in the USA who did fabulous work the Blue Dot powder in a wide. variety of brass cartridges. I tried a few myself, worked great
 
Fassteel said:
There was a fellow in the USA who did fabulous work the Blue Dot powder in a wide. variety of brass cartridges. I tried a few myself, worked great
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That kind of work is particularly valuable when there are shortages of popular powders, or when someone comes into a deal on a large quantity of a known powder, or something surplus like we did for the Higgonsons powders (e.g. WC-735) and the Marstar pull-down 8X63.
 
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