I far prefer to use ball/spherical powders whenever possible. I choose calibers of handguns and rifles based on this preference.
I do use stick powders to some degree, though they do not get along with my RCBS powder measures very well. One area I need info on is the slow-burning rifle fuels in ball/spherical form. The 4350s and 4831s are proven and known, and given that WC-860 was used in the 50 BMG and does well in the 6.5 x 55 Swede I assume there are equivalent ball forms at those slightly faster (4350/4831) burning rates--I just don't know what they are. Bottom line--scaling every powder charge and trickling them up for the 6.5 x 55 is a labor- and time-intensive PITA.
School me up some--TIA!
the 3100 they used to make was the equivalent of 4831,, and i suspect a re-hash of the old H-450.
I believe H-335 is a bit faster than 748, and that BLC(2) and 748 are much closer to each other.WW-748 is essentially H-335; WW-760 is H-414. I have used many pounds of all four over the years. My questions are about slower numbers than these.
That would do it, especially with the current worldwide demand.George Nonte wrote that it takes 21 days to produce stick powders, while spherical powders take only 24 to 48 hours.
I have two jugs of the DP 2200. I was going to sell them off, but I think with the current state of things, I should just find a way to use it even if it's sub-optimum.@fiver I used to buy the 2230-c 8lbs a long time ago. I think I went threw at least 8 of them back then. Would be nice to get some that cheap again. I think they were like $65/8lb. Thing I did not like about it though was the lot to lot difference. It was all over the place. I think I had a couple of the data 2200 jugs also. That was some fast powder
That may be the case in a wider range of calibers than I have used these two in--almost exclusively 223 and 308, with some 30/30 WCF thrown in for fun.I believe H-335 is a bit faster than 748, and that BLC(2) and 748 are much closer to each other.
No doubt different cartridges bring out differences in otherwise similar powders. H-335 is almost definitely WC-844 and goes back to the early days of the M-16. I believe BLC(2) has its roots in Winchester loads for the .303 for the British during WWII and from what I understand it's essentially WC-846 for the .308.That may be the case in a wider range of calibers than I have used these two in--almost exclusively 223 and 308, with some 30/30 WCF thrown in for fun.
WW-748 and H-335 were almost certainly derived from mil-spec fuels--WC-844 for the 5.56 x 45/223 Rem and WC-846 for the 7.62 x 51/308 Winchester. The two mil-specs are very close to each other, just as '748' and '335' are.
My end goal is to find ball/spherical fuels for j-word full-tilt loadings in 243 and 6.5 x 55 that provide the ballistic and accuracy performance of IMR/H 4350 and 4831, which are both a PITA to run through my powder measures. WW-780/785 might have been an answer, but both are out of print and never have been easy to find.
WC-860 is close in the 6.5 x 55; a full case of that fuel (55.0 grains) gives 2450 FPS to 140 grain j-words and stellar accuracy. This is 1896-level ballistics, and is certainly a capable load. In contrast, 45.5 grains of IMR-4831 gives 2700 FPS to Nosler Partitions, Hornady Interlocks, and Sierra Game Kings of 140 grains; all shoot under 1" at 100 yards in my Ruger 77.
In 243 with 100 grain j-words similar things happen--a full case of WC-860 (48.0 grains) yields 2600-2650 FPS and decent accuracy, while book loads of WW-760 get peaky and give stickier bolt lift than I like past 2750 FPS. IMR-4831 gives 2950-3000 FPS, friendly pressures, and excellent accuracy--and has for 30+ years.
In short, I want a ball-powder equivalent to IMR-4831; I'm not sure that it exists, or ever did. I know that all of this red-coated bullet bit is off-topic, but there are some right knowledgeable folks here, and I don't know where else to look--so I ask for a bit of indulgence here.
Those three specifically can vary so much between lots that they can actually cross over on burn rate in some chamberings.I believe H-335 is a bit faster than 748, and that BLC(2) and 748 are much closer to each other.
Sounds like you need to look at Winchester StaBALL 6.5 powder. It's a ball powder that's right at the H4350 burn speed.That may be the case in a wider range of calibers than I have used these two in--almost exclusively 223 and 308, with some 30/30 WCF thrown in for fun.
WW-748 and H-335 were almost certainly derived from mil-spec fuels--WC-844 for the 5.56 x 45/223 Rem and WC-846 for the 7.62 x 51/308 Winchester. The two mil-specs are very close to each other, just as '748' and '335' are.
My end goal is to find ball/spherical fuels for j-word full-tilt loadings in 243 and 6.5 x 55 that provide the ballistic and accuracy performance of IMR/H 4350 and 4831, which are both a PITA to run through my powder measures. WW-780/785 might have been an answer, but both are out of print and never have been easy to find.
WC-860 is close in the 6.5 x 55; a full case of that fuel (55.0 grains) gives 2450 FPS to 140 grain j-words and stellar accuracy. This is 1896-level ballistics, and is certainly a capable load. In contrast, 45.5 grains of IMR-4831 gives 2700 FPS to Nosler Partitions, Hornady Interlocks, and Sierra Game Kings of 140 grains; all shoot under 1" at 100 yards in my Ruger 77.
In 243 with 100 grain j-words similar things happen--a full case of WC-860 (48.0 grains) yields 2600-2650 FPS and decent accuracy, while book loads of WW-760 get peaky and give stickier bolt lift than I like past 2750 FPS. IMR-4831 gives 2950-3000 FPS, friendly pressures, and excellent accuracy--and has for 30+ years.
In short, I want a ball-powder equivalent to IMR-4831; I'm not sure that it exists, or ever did. I know that all of this red-coated bullet bit is off-topic, but there are some right knowledgeable folks here, and I don't know where else to look--so I ask for a bit of indulgence here.