- Location
- WMU247 near Edmonton
I use IMR 4895 I bought an 8Lb can at wholoesale becaues thats all they had it in. Now I have to develop loads for some of my other rifles using it.
powder choice (303brit)
- Thread starter Laredo
- Start date
powder choices
Not intended as a flame, but if you did not work up an optimal load for each powder the comparison you did is not really very useful. To assess the powder in a particular rifle you need to go through the exercise of working up the loads unless your intention is to use the minimum loads you tested exclusively. Not saying that it wouldn't come to the same result, just that it is dangerous to make a blanket statement based on one "starting load" trial.
44Bore
cosmic said:
Not intended as a flame, but if you did not work up an optimal load for each powder the comparison you did is not really very useful. To assess the powder in a particular rifle you need to go through the exercise of working up the loads unless your intention is to use the minimum loads you tested exclusively. Not saying that it wouldn't come to the same result, just that it is dangerous to make a blanket statement based on one "starting load" trial.
44Bore
Well - No offence taken ....
After calculating the hoop stresses in a Lee Enfield chamber (70,000 psi), I only use minimum loads, even for hunting. I believe I gave sufficient qualification to the comparison to avoid the dangers of being dogmatic.
As you know, sharing pet loads that have been worked up for a particular rifle have limited value, as each rifle is unique. However, I did find the minimum load trials to have a consistent result. I find this curious - perhaps Re15 gives more consistent ignition at these reduced pressures/case void. If this were the case, it would tend to govern accuracy at min loads in most rifles...
After calculating the hoop stresses in a Lee Enfield chamber (70,000 psi), I only use minimum loads, even for hunting. I believe I gave sufficient qualification to the comparison to avoid the dangers of being dogmatic.
As you know, sharing pet loads that have been worked up for a particular rifle have limited value, as each rifle is unique. However, I did find the minimum load trials to have a consistent result. I find this curious - perhaps Re15 gives more consistent ignition at these reduced pressures/case void. If this were the case, it would tend to govern accuracy at min loads in most rifles...
Cosmic,in an old '70s Reloading Digest I picked up,there was an article comparing the three very simlar IMR medium powders,4895,4064,and 4320.The conclusion: 4895 and 4064 work well in a broader range of pressures than 4320. 4320 is more consistant at the higher end.In working up loads, I have that some powders have wider "sweet spot" pressures.
Another powder for the 303 is Win 748.
Another powder for the 303 is Win 748.
Interesting - my effort would have been more conclusive if I had used a chrony. Min loads in a 303 are around 36 KCUP. which is definitely at the low end of the spectrum.
This matter has piqued my interest, I've still got some 4064 - I'll have to give it another go! It would be interesting to see if 4064 performs better at higher pressure - I'll have to dust off my scoped BSA P-14...
This matter has piqued my interest, I've still got some 4064 - I'll have to give it another go! It would be interesting to see if 4064 performs better at higher pressure - I'll have to dust off my scoped BSA P-14...
PerversPépère
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Shawinigan (Quebec)
Slow&heavy
Chronographed speeds and spread of groupings were very predictable.
Flat-based bullets were preferred by my Enfields.
PP.
I believe you, JasonYuke: all the 303 British and 7,62x54R loads I tried with heavy bullets (180gr. +) behaved very well with use of H-4831SC from Hodgdon.JasonYuke said:
Chronographed speeds and spread of groupings were very predictable.
Flat-based bullets were preferred by my Enfields.
PP.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
I used H335, CCI BR2 primers, moly coated 150gr Hornady SP, Lee collet neck sized DIZ brass. Chronied to 2600 to 2650fps from a 22 1/2" barrel (or close to that length). No4 Mk1
Nope, not insane loads at all as they came directly from the hodgdon manual. This brass was reloaded 4 to 6 times without issue. Great stuff.
Moly made a huge difference in pressures though. Initially, I only got to 2450fps before strong pressure signs crept up. With moly, the above performance was safe in that rifle.
Was on sale in the exchange forum again.
Today, I would probably look at Benchmark as an alternative to H335. Should be a bit cleaner and less temp sensitive.
Jerry
Nope, not insane loads at all as they came directly from the hodgdon manual. This brass was reloaded 4 to 6 times without issue. Great stuff.
Moly made a huge difference in pressures though. Initially, I only got to 2450fps before strong pressure signs crept up. With moly, the above performance was safe in that rifle.
Was on sale in the exchange forum again.
Today, I would probably look at Benchmark as an alternative to H335. Should be a bit cleaner and less temp sensitive.
Jerry
Cosmic,I used IMR4064 and 180s in my P-14.It has the orginal iron sites,so fine accuracy questions are beyond my ablities,2" at 100m was a good day.It worked both at 2200 and 2500 f/s.When I sped up to a hunting load I had to switch from Remington to Speer.For P-14s ONLY,I found I could only get 44.3gr into fire formed cases.
In my personal experience, I've found that IMR 4320 provides the best accuracy and CONSISTENT velocities in a number of different .303 rifles with both 150 and 174-grain bullets.
Two powders I've never tried, but I bet would be wonderful, are Vihtavuouri N540 (priced like gold) and Reloder 15. They're in the same basic burning class as IMR 4320, too, but have the advantage of a dash of nitroglycerin in the mix, to give higher velocities.
I've tried Varget, 4064, etc, and while they are superb in other cartridges, they've never performed as consistently for me as IMR 4320 in the .303 British.
Two powders I've never tried, but I bet would be wonderful, are Vihtavuouri N540 (priced like gold) and Reloder 15. They're in the same basic burning class as IMR 4320, too, but have the advantage of a dash of nitroglycerin in the mix, to give higher velocities.
I've tried Varget, 4064, etc, and while they are superb in other cartridges, they've never performed as consistently for me as IMR 4320 in the .303 British.
