Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Are certain powders harder on a barrel than others?

I understand some of the old (as well as the new) powders have a graphite coating on them or some other slick substance that helps reduce bore wear and heat build up (tripple base propelants). Have you guys found this to be true in your powder gulpers? I have found RL 22 to heat up a barrel substantially slower than H4831. I believe the slower pressure curv has a lot to due with this as well. I believe Vitavori powders in their 500 series propelants have a slick coating on them. Have you found one propelant to be less abrasive on bores than another? Flinch

Flinch
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<br>The barrel distruction occurs when overbore capacity cartiridges are used to full potential and beyond and heated up excessivly.
<br>The hardest powder I have found on longrange calibers with longer barrels is any of the 5010 large stick powders. I know of one 30/378 that was shot out after only 600 rounds using it. 50BMG would be in that class also.
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<br>One or two powders that are highly graphited and will give up to 5X the barrel wear are the ball powders such as H870 and WC872. You will notice how much graphite is in the powder when you clean the rifle. It will be dirty especially with the H870. Not so bad with the WC872.
<br>It is a heat sinsitive powder which means in hot weather as the chamber heats up, if your shooting for group, you will have an occasional flyer. Cold weather it works just fine, that's why it makes such a good hunting powder.
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<br>I use RL 22 in my 1000 yard match guns and also the H1000. For longrange hunting in the 338/416 Rigby Improved, 6.5/300 Weatherby, 7/300 Weatherby and 30/378 Weatherby, I like the WC872. My barrels seem to last longer then some of my friends who have the same calibers and use other powders.
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<br>Just a thought.
<br>Darryl Cassel
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Some perspective on this topic. I bought 50 lbs of surplus 4831 about 30 years ago. I still have 15 lbs left.
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<br>I used much of it in some magnums. The only barrel that wore down at all was a Ruger #1 in 7mm Mag. If Ruger had put a faster twist than 1-10 in that bbl I would still have it on the rifle.
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<br>In my observation I get more accuracy and loads I can count on from year to year with imr stick powders. I also got a 50 lb keg of Ball C and that dirty junk is almost gone too.
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<br>For cold weather use I would never use ball powder.

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