Powder burn rate

[bikeman]

I've been loading pistol cartridges for about 3 years now. I will be moving into rifle reloading this coming year as I have a few rifles that are expensive to feed. Before I started loading I followed all the recommendations and made sure I had all the equipment I needed. One thing I have never used is the powder burn rate chart. How do you experienced loaders use this chart? Do I really need one?

 

[mac45]

I don't use it at all.
It's sorta interesting to know that powder X is faster or slower than powder Y, but that's ALL it tells you. Two adjacent powders could be the same thing in different wrappers, or they could be wildly different. There's no way of knowing.
Just my $.02

 

[slow1911s]

The only time I've consulted one is if I'm considering changing to another powder. I use fast burning powders like Titegroup and N320. So if someone recommends a new load to me with a powder I'm not experienced with, I look at the chart to see how fast it is compared to what I'm using. Generally, if it is considerably slower, I pass.

 

[42769vette]

i usually look in my book and see what the book recomends, then find the powers in the hodgen extream line and try those first.

 

[kludge]

Generally speaking, a certain cartridge will work with a certain range of powders, and generally speaking, for that cartridge, lighter bullets will work a little better with powders that burn a little faster and heavier bullets will work a little better with powders that burn a little slower.

As an example, H4985 is a good mid-range powder for .223 Rem and will work well with most bullet weights. H4198 burns faster and you might want to look there if you are shooting 40-55gr bullets. Varget burns slower and works well for bullets from 69-90 grains.

However, just because one powder is faster than another in one cartridge, doesn't mean that is will be faster in a different cartridge. And the burn chart from one manufacturere can vary greatly from another manufacturer (look at BL-C(2) for example).

All a burn rate chart does for me is tell me what other powder might also work well, and then I go find data for that powder.

 

[booey50]

i usually look in my book and see what the book recomends, then find the powers in the hodgen extream line and try those first.

this...

 

[opus1776]

Here is one chart that I find helpful:


http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/burn_rates.pdf



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[Aszerigan]

I always consider barrel length when custom loading for rifles. That's usually the first question out of my mouth when asked about reloading data - "What's the length of your barrel?"

Pick a slower powder for a longer barrel - it'll save you wear on both your rifle and your shoulder. Since the pressure curve is longer on slower powders, use that to your advantage when shooting in longer barrels. Vice versa for short barrels, obviously.

Reloading manuals from different powder companies should have powders listed by burn rate.

 

[Wolfe28]

I always consider barrel length when custom loading for rifles. That's usually the first question out of my mouth when asked about reloading data - "What's the length of your barrel?"

Pick a slower powder for a longer barrel - it'll save you wear on both your rifle and your shoulder. Since the pressure curve is longer on slower powders, use that to your advantage when shooting in longer barrels. Vice versa for short barrels, obviously.

Reloading manuals from different powder companies should have powders listed by burn rate.

Exactly. I use the slower powders in pistol calibers that I shoot in a rifle (357 Max, as an example). Having an idea of burn rate also helps to save money, by getting a powder that works for more than one application (Lil-gun in 357 mag, Max, and 22 Hornet; another example).

D

 

[bikeman]

Thanks to everyone for all the responses. This has greatly expanded my reloading knowledge!

 

[Broom_jm]

It should be noted that the powder which gives the best velocity from a 6" pistol barrel (for a given cartridge/bullet combination) will also give the best velocity from a longer rifle barrel. Trying to tailor your powder's burn rate for a given cartridge, based on whether you're using a 16" carbine or 28" target barrel, seems intuitive, but when you understand internal ballistics, you realize it is a fool's errand.

 

[brian_a_mcmillen]

The Lyman handloader book not only has the recommended charges for just about any caliber that one can think of, it also lists the powders in order of burn rate in the back of the book...from fastest to slowest. Of course, in over 15 years of loading pistol and refle cartridges, I have only consulted the burn rate charte twice.