Don
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<br>The dirty powder you mentioned is highly graphited and that's why you can see it so well when cleaning the barrel.
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<br>In magnum bores and long barrels for longrange hunting the ball powders have been the most popular for about 30 or 35 years now, here in Pennsylvania where LR hunting got it's roots.
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<br>It is a heat sinsitive (ball) powder so the winter time cold weather seems to be the perfect time to use it and we have for MANY years with success at extreme long range.
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<br>As stated, my many longrange friends and I have always used ball powders in our Longrange rifles and it has performed better then anything we have tried.
<br>Yes, we tried the IMR stick powders too especially 4831.
<br>H870 and WC872 are our favorites and gives excellent accuracy, velocity and prolongs barrel life considerably.
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<br>I guess it's a persons preferance as to what they like and the success they have had with certain powders.
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<br>As an addition, H870 and WC872 have won relays and matches (in cooler weather) at the 1000 yard club near Williamsport.
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<br>Darryl Cassel
