looking for a consistent burn rate chart to use.

dfraser

dfraser

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Hey all,

I am interested in trying different powders for the different calibers that I am reloading.

I have downloaded 5 different burn rate charts from 5 different websites.

All 5 show different powders at different burn rate groups.

Is there one chart that is tried and true that I can use as a guide?

Regards
 
Burn rates are calculated in a closed bomb test. The results do not translate perfectly to our purposes.

Also, powders behave a bit differently in different calibers. 4198 in a Hornet case is not the same as 4198 in 45-70.

And each rifle chamber and barrel is quite different. So pick your powder, start low and work up. You just have to be in the ballpark.
 
This is precisely why I like the approximate burn rate chart that Vihtavuori provides with their manual - it's a comparative chart with all of the commonly available powders. Obviously does not substitute proper load data, but provides a quick graph of what powders might be in the same ballpark when thinking of different powders and manufacturers for loads to try.
 
Ganderite hit it on the nose..........there is no such thing as a definitive burn rate chart as powders exhibit different burn rate characteristics in different volume cases, and will change places on a chart from lot to lot, for those that are very similar. They will also change their characteristics at different pressure levels, some being very consistent at the highest levels for a given cartridge and others being far less tolerant of the high end pressures and giving inconsistent speeds and pressure signs. Some powders show extreme consistency when heavily compressed while others in the same burn rate window won't tolerate compression hardly at all. I have found this with IMR/H 4350 which like compressed loads and yet RL 17 which is pretty much the same burn rate won't tolerate compression and becomes very irratic, the velocity drops and pressure spikes become evident.
I use the burn rate charts exclusively to gauge appropriate use of new or new-to-me powders, they are also useful when playing with wildcats to find the appropriate group of powders that can be expected to work well with a given case capacity and expansion ratio.
 
Thanks a million guys, great answers.

I am just using one for reference just to see which powders are in the same vicinity of burn rates, because I would like to try out some powder selections that don't make it into the hodgdon online load data site

Regards
 
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