Powder and Temperature

[Mt_Medic31]

Hey all,
I am sick of the extruded powder in my Dillon as it never meters right (whole other story), so I made up new loads in spherical powder. I found out after the fact from a BR buddy that BLC-2 is very succeptible to temp changes. He dialed the loads in 40 degree weather, and during the summer, in 90 degree weather, he got anywhere from 200-200 fps higher in the hotter weather. Has anyone else found this, and what powder do you find is the most resistant to temp changes?

[chuck d]

What Caliber?
Most of my experience is with .223 and .308 TAC is good, found Varget squirrley at low (25 and lower) and RL 15 good.
none were hot rod loads.
chuck

[lone ringer]

Hey all,
I am sick of the extruded powder in my Dillon as it never meters right (whole other story), so I made up new loads in spherical powder. I found out after the fact from a BR buddy that BLC-2 is very succeptible to temp changes. He dialed the loads in 40 degree weather, and during the summer, in 90 degree weather, he got anywhere from 200-200 fps higher in the hotter weather. Has anyone else found this, and what powder do you find is the most resistant to temp changes?

Any of the Hodgdon Extreme powders like Varget, Benchmark, 4898, 4350, etc. I too load with a Dillon and early on like you had trouble with the Dillon powder measure so I bought an adapter that lets me use a BR-30 Redding that I have used it with just about any powder with no problems for many years. I have to warn you that extreme powders and small primers depending on the cartridge and the load do not always work well and some times it's necessary to use magnum small primers to prevent misfires and hang fires.

[Jim Beckley]

Most of the temp sensitive powders that we have had trouble with here is any kind of ball powder, mainly WW-748 and the 500 series of VV powder, have had no trouble with the Hodgon Extreme powders. Just my .02.

[Another Dang 9]

I just read a story in precision shooter mag. about powder measures and they claim that the cheepo lee worked well with the extruded powders only exeption was Re 15. I havent tried it yet but may buy one just to see if it works well.

[Mt_Medic31]

I am making loads for a .260. My buddy with the variations (should have read 200-300 fps) was shooting .308. I get excellent results for TAC in my .223, and have considered it for my .260, but Ramshot doesn't list any TAC loads for it, but they do list Hunter loads for .260 for the 140gr, but none for the 95gr, so I will have to Trial and error that, proly starting a grain or two below what the list says for the 100gr Sierras. Proly gonna make some up. One gentleman talked about an adaptor for the Dillon, and I have seen those, and would like to do it, but I don't have the funds for that right now, so trying to figure something else out in the meantime (couple years). I searched forums for TAC loads for the .260, and couldn't come up with any. If anyone here has some and want's to share I'm all ears. Thanks.

[Jerry G]

MT, you did get the part about Tony right. He is a gentleman. He also know a lot about shooting. Do take serrious what he says.

[Snake]

Generally all ball powders are more susceptible to temperature vs. stick powders. BLC-2 and 748 are the most sensitve. Try Accurate 2460 (a 748 speed ball) or 2520 (closer to 4064 speed). Vithovouri 140 meters well (small stick) but its expensive. I use Varget or xm 4064 in my Neil Jones charge thrower ,,,it works acceptably and my redding BR thrower work very well with sticks

[boats]

Agree all powders are temperature sensitive some more than others. Not a problem as long as I have sights logged in my notebook for variation hot to cold. It's about 1 moa either way from hottest day to coldest I am likely to shoot. .22 Rimfires same when I shot a lot of Smallbore prone would add at least 1 moa on cold days. 7mm08 I tend to use Varget more than anything else but had a long run with ACC 2520 before that 748. Varget was billed as less temp sensitive but can't see any difference. I throw the Balls out of a Harrell’s measure.

On the Stick powders. Best weigh as not many measures work well with long grain sticks. Like 4064 3031 etc. I shoot a club BPC Single Shot match that allows smokeless and use 4759 to duplicate my Black powder loads. It throws pretty well out of the old Belding & Mull that I use for Black Powder. Still when it's important I weigh them. With the B&M very few are off when they reach the scale. If you have never seen one It's a side slide with separate glass front powder reservoir. Spring loaded handle takes operator error out of the charge stroke. Out of production for years they come up on EBay and gun broker time to time. Montana Vintage Arms makes a modern upgraded version that is a very good measure. B&M's and the MVA's are the measures used by many single shot black powder shooters.

If I ever went back to 4064 would throw out of the B&M exact charge and check weigh every one before it goes into the case

Boats