Powder selection help

[Mambochicken]

I’m not super worried about unburnt powder, but it’s a fair point. The can I’ll be using is rated up to 338 Lapua, so it can handle some pressure.

If I understand correctly, a slower powder isn’t a bad thing here… interesting. I’m going to need to spend a little time making sure I understand your advice fully. I’m still fairly new to all this stuff.


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[JeffreyDeGraff]

I’m not super worried about unburnt powder, but it’s a fair point. The can I’ll be using is rated up to 338 Lapua, so it can handle some pressure.

If I understand correctly, a slower powder isn’t a bad thing here… interesting. I’m going to need to spend a little time making sure I understand your advice fully. I’m still fairly new to all this stuff.


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It’s something you may want to play with yourself. I certainly have. Ive tested powders in short and long barrels of the same caliber. I can’t remember all of them, but the results were the same in all of them. The fastest powder in the longer barrel was also the fastest out of the shorter barrel. The one that stands out to me, and I remember, the most was a 24” 6.5x55, and a 16” 6.5x55. If my memory serves, the powders I tried with 140gr bullets in both, were RL22, RL19, and IMR4064. Every round was slower in the short barrel as would be expected, but the fastest (RL22), was the fastest in both, followed by RL19, and then IMR4064.

I wish I could find my notes with all of the velocity data.

I’m wondering if you should do a velocity ladder test with each powder, or at least 2 of them. 1 shot for each powder charge for each powder. I know I’d be fascinated to see the results. I know components are scarce and expensive, so that may not be a possibility.


JTD