Powder Question

[Lamp_Shy 21]

I've been reloading for years using H414 powder, with .243 95g ballistic tip bullets at max load of 42g, with pretty consistent results.

 

I'm about to buy another tub of powder, and wonder if anyone else has experience with any other powder? Or recommendations?

 

Always trying to improve what I'm using.

 

Incidentally, the Nosler silver tip (balistic tip) rounds are the dogs do dah's! Highly recommend them.

[dicehorn 38]

Hi

 

According to Quickload, H414 although a recommended powder for this weight of bullet but this equals:

 

Amount of propellant burnt is 98.35% - should really be at least 99.5%

 

Case fill on 42gr is only 88.3% - should really be 95%+

 

Ballistic Efficiency 23.8% - should be as near to 30% as possible ie 25%+

 

Max psi for this case is 60191 your recipe is 54282 so it is at least a safe load

 

Alliant Reloader 16 may well be a better powder for this 95 gr bullet

 

I have reloaded for a couple of 243's but they had favoured the 75 gr V Max

[Lamp_Shy 21]

Hi

 

According to Quickload, H414 although a recommended powder for this weight of bullet but this equals:

 

Amount of propellant burnt is 98.35% - should really be at least 99.5%

 

Case fill on 42gr is only 88.3% - should really be 95%+

 

Ballistic Efficiency 23.8% - should be as near to 30% as possible ie 25%+

 

Max psi for this case is 60191 your recipe is 54282 so it is at least a safe load

 

Alliant Reloader 16 may well be a better powder for this 95 gr bullet

 

I have reloaded for a couple of 243's but they had favoured the 75 gr V Max

Thanks for the comprehensive reply DH.

 

I have to confess that I've only ever used the Lee manual for guidance on loads. For a 95g round, it has the "never exceed" load for H414 powder as 42g, therefore the figures you quote from Quickload would appear to be quite different?

 

I'm obviously keen to improve what I'm doing and would appreciate a bit more information on where your figures are from?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

ATB

[dicehorn 38]

Hello LS

 

If I were to feed into Quickload an extra grain (43 gr) of H414 into the calculation, you can then compare it to the original figures I gave you for 42 gr

 

Amount of propellant burnt is 98.95%

 

Case fill will be 90.3%

 

Ballistic Efficiency will be 24.3%

 

Max psi for this case is 60191 - 43gr will be 58360 which is still safe

 

So you can see that 1 gr extra is certainly not going to cause problems - the only thing you may have to do is alter the distance from the lands.

 

I mentioned Reloader 16 - here is a comparison to the above figures using 43 grs of Reloader 16:

 

Amount of propellant burnt 100%

 

Case fill will be 98.1%

 

Ballistic Efficiency 25.4%

 

Max psi for this case 60191 43 gr will be 59728 so would be safe.

 

Regards

 

Peter

[Lamp_Shy 21]

Hello LS

 

If I were to feed into Quickload an extra grain (43 gr) of H414 into the calculation, you can then compare it to the original figures I gave you for 42 gr

 

Amount of propellant burnt is 98.95%

 

Case fill will be 90.3%

 

Ballistic Efficiency will be 24.3%

 

Max psi for this case is 60191 - 43gr will be 58360 which is still safe

 

So you can see that 1 gr extra is certainly not going to cause problems - the only thing you may have to do is alter the distance from the lands.

 

I mentioned Reloader 16 - here is a comparison to the above figures using 43 grs of Reloader 16:

 

Amount of propellant burnt 100%

 

Case fill will be 98.1%

 

Ballistic Efficiency 25.4%

 

Max psi for this case 60191 43 gr will be 59728 so would be safe.

 

Regards

 

Peter

Cheers Peter,

 

I've actually got a copy of Quickloader now, and will have a look at the above. Your second suggestion looks like a more efficient load.

 

Appreciate you taking time to do this.

 

I'LL report back.

 

ATB

[Lamp_Shy 21]

Thought I'd give the reloder 16 a bash, but struggling to get it I'm afraid. The only one I can get a hold of is reloder 15.

[Lamp_Shy 21]

Peter, thinking of going with H414 as the velocity figures look good. Could you have a shifty at the following:

 

 

[dicehorn 38]

Yes those figures are the same as what I stated in my reply of the 5th Oct.

 

Looking at your Quickload calculation, the figure of 2.710 for cartridge length is that what yours measures? If not that can alter all the results. Also regarding H2o case capacity (54) that also can have a material affect on results - try substituting 54 with 55 and 53 and see how they alter results

[Lamp_Shy 21]

Hi Peter,

 

Good spot - for my rifle its a bit under that @ 2.689, which I've found to be the optimum length overall. I've also adjusted the case length to 2.035 trimmed.

 

I've re-run the calcs and for 43g of H414, its 99.36% powder burn and 25.5% ballistic efficiency, with muzzle velocity up to 3105fps. Pmax is 58685, therefore its still safe.

 

Starting to get the hang of Quickload, and cant thank you enough for assistance. I'm delighted with 3100fps on a 95g BL bullet.

 

ps: H20: using 53 instead it racks up the pressure beyond the safe margin - I'll need to research this particular figure more?

Edited October 9, 2016 by Lamp_Shy

[dicehorn 38]

Re H2o it is best to take say 5 fired cases (with the primer still in) weigh them then fill to the brim with water, weigh them again and deduct the weight of the case, when you have the 5 differences then take an average - that will be your H2o weight to feed into quickload.

 

PS if you are a little over their max of 60191 (say 2000) don't worry - its all about litigation!!

[Lamp_Shy 21]

This is latest Quickload results with accurate H20 figures. I also tweaked the case length slightly. Comments welcome DH, or others, as I'm going to go with this load I think.

I'm happy with a 95g bullet at almost 3100fps! That's got to be a hard hitting round.

 

Edited October 21, 2016 by Lamp_Shy