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And here's a link to last month's column:

"Seating Bullets Straightly"

Here's December's:

"Cartridges and Bullets for Whitetails"

Here's November's:

"Rifle Cartridge Overall Length"

And here's October's:

"The .300 Weatherby: The Best .30-Caliber Magnum?"

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Thanks again, John!

Shouldn't this be pinned???

JB

Would you consider posting a list of your favorite powders for various Cartridges and Bullet weights?

It would be nice to have some idea of which powders have proven to be better performers. I know some reloading manuals provide this but not too many in my experience.

John has written a couple of articles on this subject. Google "Handloads that work" and you should find a downloadable pdf.

Leon

And I'm considering updating that article again, since I've discovered some other good loads, and have experimented with other cartridges as well.

John, you dont comment at all on the VV line of powders. I would be interested in hearing your take on the 100 series powders as well as the 500 series powders. Speed, accuracy, temp sensitivity.

Also, any experience yet with RL 17?

The VV powders typically result in good velocity with fine accuracy at normal temperatures, but I just did some cold experimention with VV560 and wasn't impressed. I hope to do some with the 100 series powders before winter is over.

I was promised some Reloder 17 last fall by the folks at Alliant, but still haven't seen any.

I was hoping to hear that you were going to do an update. Some appealing new components on the market. Thanks for the great job that you do.

Leon

Mr. Barsness, I enjoyed your article on Modern Rifle Powders. I also enjoyed your article in the March Guns magazine on new powders for the .30-06, particularly the Big Game and Hunter powders. My older daughter will be 'moving up' to my .257R next fall and I was wondering if you had done any research with the 110 Accubond and Big Game in the Roberts. Thanks for the articles.

The 100 AccuBond works great in the .257. IMR4350, H4350 and Hunter are all good powders. I'd start with around 42 grains of any of the three, and work up until muzzle velocity is no more than 2900 fps.

Sir:

Was wondering if you were familiar with the "Magnum MR-3100" powder? I have literally pounds of it and some data for a few loads, but have been unable to get data for other rounds (notably 338-06) and haven't been able to find anything about it. Thought maybe they had been purchased and the powder is called something else now - I see "3100" listed in a few manuals, is that the same thing (the powder charges look similar to my data)?

Thanks,

Paul

John,

That would be great if you would update the above mentioned article. I tracked down a copy of it and there is a lot of useful stuff in there.

I didn't see any .308 loads thou man! :P HEHEHE.....

Thanks for the tip on the article Leon!!

JB,
Another vote for an update.


Phil

Paul,

Is your Magnum MR-3100 from Accurate Powders? They were purchased by Western Powders (the same company that imports and sells the Ramshot powders) and they have an Accurate Powders loading manual that includes .338-06 data. You can contact them at www.ramshot.com or406-234-0422.

JLM,

Yeah, the .308 somehow didn't make it into the last article. Don't ask me why. Try 46 grains of Varget and any 150-grain bullet. (Actually I suspect that single-based horse manure would work in the .308, but haven't tried it yet.)

JB:

Thanks for the info! The powder is from Accurate Powders and I'll be giving thema call.

Thanks again,

Paul

John, HA! I SHOULD be able to find a big pile of single base here in WY. Good to go I guess.

I'm actually shooting 44gr Varget right now under 175's. Workin' good. Seems most dudes either run that or RL-15, or 4064 even.

John:

Have you any experience with Hodgdon Hybrid 100V powder? It is relatively new, and looks like it would be excellent in my .257 Roberts, but Hodgdon data stops at 115gr. bullets, and I haven't been able to find any info on 117 and 120s, which I mostly use.

Winchester model 70.
Fast twist Douglas SS barrel #3 contour.
RL-25: 46.5 grains
5/8 group @ 100 yards.
What do y'all think?
Whay does Hornady call it a barrel burner with 38gr Varget, yet a 22x57 is called wonderful with 49 gr of H1000?
Powder capacity of the WSSM is the same as a .243
Should be about a 7.3 on John B's chart for efficient cartridges. (yes John I kept that article)
Thanks,
John Boy

"Whay does Hornady call it a barrel burner with 38gr Varget...?"

If that's a .257 Roberts they must be wrong.

I use loads like that in a 6XC, smaller case capacity and lower expansion ratio. With full power loads a 6XC lasts around 1800 rounds before anyone can even detect an accuracy falloff at 600 yards (which becomes apparent before it does at shorter ranges). I don't use full power loads and mine is going strong at 2300.