What Powder Did They Use

[mkrainc]

Does anyone on CGN happen to know what powder the Czech's used in their 7.62 x 39 surplus?

I would settle for info on a known powder that burns at a simular rate.

What I do know so far is that there is 23 grains of powder in these rounds, where the reloading manual calls for 27 - 29 grains in the powders they recomend.

The reason I ask is, I've been loading some brass with IMR 4895 and using 125 grain V-Max bullets, and varying the powder amounts in different batches. Just for giggles, I loaded some with 23 grains of surplus powder.

On my last session at the range, the groups were tighter with the surplus powder.

I'm relatively new to reloading, and I know there are well experienced fellows out there with considerable knowledge. Your help would be greatly apreciated.

 

[iceman2]

Impossible to know what powder is used. Comercial manufacturers use a mix of various powders and or special for their use powders. Don't play with fire, you could get burned.

 

[Ganderite]

AA#7 is similar. USe the data in the loading manual for it. 4895 is too slow.

 

[sunray]

"...what powder the Czech's used..." Powder you can't get and what it is, isn't published.
"...varying the powder amounts..." You need to work up the load from the starting load given in your manual. Not just pick a few and hope.
Hodgdon's site gives data for H4895, but not IMR4895. The two are very close but are not the same. H4895 burns a bit faster.

 

[mkrainc]

Don't play with fire, you could get burned.

That's the whole point of asking questions, instead of experimenting, especialy when it comes to reloading.

Thank you all so far.

 

[deadeyes40]

Sunray,hodgdons site has data for H4895,IMR4895 as well as winchester powder. mkrainc,i would look thru the data for the 7.62x39 and look for a powder that is around 23 grains in that load.it should be pretty close to the powder they use as far as burn rate.

 

[mbogo3]

I use 24gr of Win 748 and a 123gr SP............Harold

 

[deadeyes40]

hodgdons site has imr 4198 data at 22.5 grains as maxload.they have H4198 as 22.5 start and 24.5 as max load.i would think what you would want to try the H4198. all of the other powders have starting load of 25 grains or more.

 

[mkrainc]

hodgdons site has imr 4198 data at 22.5 grains as maxload.they have H4198 as 22.5 start and 24.5 as max load.i would think what you would want to try the H4198. all of the other powders have starting load of 25 grains or more.

Thank you. I hadn't thought that the different companies making powder each would have their own loading specs, even though it should have been obvious to me.

I will go to the different sites and check out the data. Thanks again.