Picking a powder for sub/supersonic applications

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Danimal
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Picking a powder for sub/supersonic applications

Post by Danimal »

I have been reloading for a while now, but 300 BLK is a different animal than I have ever dealt with. With that said none of the powders or bullets that I have for .308 or .223 are listed with any load data online. I will be starting from scratch.

I am reloading for a 16" ar-15 with a 1 in 8" twist that will be suppressed.

Is there a powder that works great for Sub and supersonic loads?

What is the best metering clean burning powder for subsonics?
agBQ08
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Re: Picking a powder for sub/supersonic applications

Post by agBQ08 »

Folks have used A1680 for both supers and subs. However, due to the different requirements there are better powders for supers and better powders for subs.

H110, W296, or Lil Gun for supers. A1680 or any other powder within one or two places on a burn rate chart will work just as well.

I don't worry much about the dirtiness. 20 grains and under of fast burning powder means not much to clean up due to exceptionally efficient burns compared to a lot of other cartridges.
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Re: Picking a powder for sub/supersonic applications

Post by tag2501 »

I haven't had a chance to use in in subs, but lil'gun has published loads for both supersonic and subsonic. In supersonic it seems able to generate good velocity without pressure sensitivity. burns clean also
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JohnInNH
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Re: Picking a powder for sub/supersonic applications

Post by JohnInNH »

LilGun, H110/W296, Power Pro 300-MP, for supers up to 175 gr then Rl-7. xmp 5744, or A1680 may be better with the heaviest bullets.

A1680, subs in an AR

But the BLK SHINES in a bolt/single shot with fast pistol powders. Much quieter and less extreme spread.

LilGun has impressed me! I want to try the 300-MP with 152-175 gr supers . But for 125 gr the LilGun has my vote.

Not enough to toss my 8 lbs of W296 I will use it up first.
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UH_SALT_RIFLE
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Re: Picking a powder for sub/supersonic applications

Post by UH_SALT_RIFLE »

Hodgdon has a load listed for Subsonic 220's using H110.

I'm completely new to reloading and 300BLK and I picked up some H110 to try mainly because I couldn't find any Alliant powder locally yet.
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USBP379
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Re: Picking a powder for sub/supersonic applications

Post by USBP379 »

Danimal wrote:I have been reloading for a while now, but 300 BLK is a different animal than I have ever dealt with. With that said none of the powders or bullets that I have for .308 or .223 are listed with any load data online. I will be starting from scratch.

I am reloading for a 16" ar-15 with a 1 in 8" twist that will be suppressed.

Is there a powder that works great for Sub and supersonic loads?

What is the best metering clean burning powder for subsonics?

1680 would be my choice if I wanted to keep just one powder for the 300BLK.
Hereld
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Re: Picking a powder for sub/supersonic applications

Post by Hereld »

I thought I could trick my BLK into acting more like his 308 big brother, since i'm using a "long" 16" barrel I could use slower powder and get more velocity with less relative pressure. The sierra 125 SP is the lightest bullet that seem to shoot well AND be constructed tough enough for my purposes of deer/hog hunting, so ALL TESTS were done with this bullet. My thought being trying to get enough velocity to acheive bullet performance/expansion out to my effective offhand hunting distance of about 200 yards, and have 1000 ft/lbs of energy, this made my target velocity 2500 fps.
I tried IMR 4227, IMR 4198, Reloader 7, and BL-C(2) which are all a few places progressively slower down the burn rate chart I use (http://www.reloadbench.com/burn.html) I tried each from a starting load incrimentally up to a compressed load, and got worse and worse results as I tried the next slowest power. (Silly I tried that many, I know, but I wanted BL-C(2) to work SOO badly because it is so awesome in my 308 and 223, meters so well, is clean, and CHEAP!)

IMR 4227 at least burned all the power, but gave a top velocity of ~1700fps, with only moderatly horrible extreme spread.

IMR 4198 left some unburnt powder residue, top velocity was ~1400fps, didnt bother to shoot more than one.

Reloader 7 did ok at lower charge densities (when the case was about 2/3rds full), but peak velocity was ~1600fps and got lower as I approached 100% case capacity, also didnt burn the entire charge.

My beloved BL-C(2) did horribly. It gave a top velocity of ~1100fps, and left tons of unburnt powder/residue all thru the gun.

So my half day for experimentation ended up being more of a "What DOESNT work" list of slower powders. I tried a couple of faster powders just because I had them and I had the chrony all set up, but didnt find anything that worked better than Lil'Gun (best extreme spread EVER!) or H110 (best velocity I've gotten out of my BLK so far)

Alliant 2400 gave me a top velocity of 2398 fps right around 100% load density, but my temporary excitement abated when upon loading a string of 10 the average fps was 2240, with a REALLY high extreme spread.

So I agree with JohnInNH and agBQ08, the best for 110/125g bullets for accuracy/low extreme spreads is Lil'Gun (my best load is 2100 fps with a 15 fps extreme spread, and velocity tops out at 2200 fps), and H110 will get you a little more velocity with not quite as good of extreme spreads and its a bit dirtier. (my velocity topped out at 2300 fps, with 2200 fps being my accurite load with about 40 fps extreme spread)
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JohnInNH
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Re: Picking a powder for sub/supersonic applications

Post by JohnInNH »

I think lil gun with 130 gr is The powder . But the 300-MP may work too. I want to try it. 296/110 may be THE powder for 110 gr.. with 125 fitting both but i liked how Lil Gun behaved .. so i will no longer get 296 and buy Lil Gun instead. Hard to beat 296 but looks like they did. 130 gr seems to lean more to the Lil Gun.

I am sure a new better powder will come out as the BLK gains more traction. What i hope more so for is a powder to use instead of 1680 that will cycle the AR but with less ES.

My old old Win 680 i have is better than the new A1680. I got more pressure and fps in my 357 MAX with Win 680 than the new A1680 which is supposed to be the same.. my printed loading data is much different too. Reflecting the same. (680 being better). I can not over pressure with 1680 but got more energy faster with 680 do had to watch it.. not just fill and compress like 1680.

To me 680 felt faster. I save it for my maximum for use with 200 gr bullets. For 200_210 gr bullets 1680 may be to slow, but may behave better at 220 and more. At sub sonic loads it seams to fluctuate and not burn efficiently, but will cycle the AR.

Hard to have your cake and eat it. Subs excel in the bolt gun where you are not limited by the need for
port pressures to cycle the AR. Getting the pressures up with faster powders helps a lot to reduce ES. Clean burning too.
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