I have been trying to work up a load with several different lots of powders in my 338-06 and 180 gr BT.RL15-2800FPS,4064-2820FPS,varget-2800,VVN550-2870FPS but when I tried BL-C2 I got 2950 which is what the books claim I should get.My Question is some think the powder burns too dirty and I don't know if it is temperature stable.Our hunting temperatures during season run from the mid 40's to upper 80's on most days.Give me some thoughts on this guys cause I can shoot the NP 2770 W/62GR of 4350.Just don't understand why I can't get better velocities with max loads from the supposed favorites and the 180's.Please help me as I am getting concerned.

P.S.I have not tried IMR 4320...YET. powdr

BL-C2, like many ball type powders, is a more compact, therefore potentially higher energy powder per volume. Consequently, it is possible that it will give higher speeds. The way it burns - clean or not so- should not be a big concern as a big game hunting powder. (It might be a consideration as a high-volume varmint powder.) I also wouldn't be much concerned with the temp range you're looking at. (I tend to like powders which are kernel types since I hunt in much deeper cold many times and I feel better about getting good ignition with them.) So, if it's giving you the accuracy you need and the extra 100-150 fps are important to you, then it's likely a good choice. The single test I would probably still do before settling on it though, would be a twilight test. Some of the powders like H335, a close cousin to BL-C2 can be pretty "flashy" in some load combinations. I don't mind some minor fireworks, but I disdain loads which let go with a large, bright fireball as they can create their own problems when shooting in low light.

"Honest scoop on BL-C2"

It's another powder. Some guns like it, some don't. Honest.

Boy BOOMTUBE-I thought a said experienced reloaders! powdr

Thanks Kilkitarik. powdr

When Ball C was surplus I bought 50 lbs and we were to go three ways. One guy backed out and I ended up with 2/3's of it. I used it in the .222 and with reduced loads for cast bullets. It did not light well with low pressure loads and burned dirty with other loads. It was NG in the 06 or 243.

The price we paid for the keg was very low.

Some bench rest shooters were using it.

Its gone now. I would not take some for nothing.

My Sako .308win loved the stuff and I used it exclusively. As a ball powder it metered well. I also used in a .223Rem, and again, no problems.

Does it burn dirty? Can't say I've ever really noticed as given a similar number of rounds, I always take about the same time to clean any of my rifles.

"Boy BOOMTUBE-I thought a said experienced reloaders! powdr"

Does reloading since '65, including quite a bit of BlC2, count as "experience"?

Anyone seeking simplistic answers to very complex questions is showing his own inexperience - including what is meant by a "dirty" or "temperature sensitive" powder and how it affects things. It doesn't work that way.

Mr. Pete's experiece with BlC2 being "dirty" is clearly correct. And an ambient temp change from mid 40s to upper 80s is no temp change at all for any gun powder. It doesn't take a lot of experience to know those truths but it does take some experience to recognise it. Honest.

I've not had great luck with BLC2. I've tried it in maybe 5 or 6 different calibers and I was always able to get another powder to give me better combinations of velocity and accuracy. I guess if I had a 50lb drum of it I'd certainly find something to shoot it in but I wouldn't go out and buy it in favor over Varget, N-140, N-150, 748, 4895 or a variety of other powders that have worked better for me.........................DJ

By burning dirty I mean soot on the cartridge case and in particular on its neck. I don't clean the barrels on well shooting rifles.

I am quite sure my memory is correct that we paid $.60 a pound for it. I would not take Ball C for free
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"Anyone seeking simplistic answers to very complex questions is showing his own inexperience - including what is meant by a "dirty" or "temperature sensitive" powder and how it affects things. It doesn't work that way."

LOL

Again, I can't say I've noticed it worse or better than other powers. The only time I've seen *really* sooty necks was with H4831, and that was put down to an obturation issue through using too low a charge.

This wasn't my issue, but somebody I used to hunt with, so I'm not sure of the exact details..

I used to have a 7/08 that doted on BL-C2. I could put 42.0 grains under a 140 grain Ballistic Tip, or Sierra Gameking and it would make three shot groups nice and tight. I have also used it in the .30-30 for groups that were very respectable.

powdr,

I've run BLC-(2) in my 338-06 and gotten great results from my 22" barrel in both speed and accuracy departments.

I clean my rifles right down to bare steel more or less each time I shoot, and don't usually shoot high volumes per outting (not usually > 50 rounds or so per rifle) so I can't speak to the "dirty" issue.

Besides, with numbers and accuracy like what I've found from this powder/cartridge combination, I could care less about whether it is "dirty," whether I clean my rifles perfectly each time out or not. In my rifle, its a winner!

W/ the 215 gr SGK, 57.5 gr. of BLC-(2), CCI-250, and reformed, once fired and neck-sized R-P 270 WCF brass I got about 2683 fps (average of 2 rounds) and .9" edge-to-edge @ 100 yards:

It is THE powder of choice for my 7x57 and the 120gn GSC HV bullet which it drives at 3235 fps over 51gn.Otherwise for most loads I use H4350 (ADI 2209) but the BL-C2 gives the best vel and accuracy for the lighter bullet.

Von Gruff.

"I am quite sure my memory is correct that we paid $.60 a pound for it."

Yep. But that was in a previous century!

I didn't get great results with it either but I know (or knew) a few guys who did. It's just a powder...works good sometimes, not so in others. No magic in any of it, try it to see what it will do or not. ??

Are you working up loads or just going by availiable data ? That might be why other powders, with similar burn rates, aren't getting close to the velocity of your BL-C loads.
It's an old style ball powder with all of the benefits and faults of older ball powders.
Benefits would be often cheap and it meters very well.
Faults would be it burns dirtier than the newer stuff, it goes critical much faster than stick type powders if pushed and it is temperature sensitive. Temperature sensitive powders, however, need colder temperature than what you listed to show this.
Anywway, if you like it, I'd make sure your loads aren't too close to too hot in warm temperatures. They may be. Ball powders are often not the best choices for maximum pressure loads. I like them very much for practice and target loads however. E

Boomtube I've been loading since '65 myself but I don't know everything as you do...AZZHOLE!powdr

If they can't give it to you, I'll be happy to take any or all of it. In fact, I can't think of a powder I'd refuse.

No better time than the present

BLC2 has given great results in my 338/06....

as far as it being a dirty powder....to me dirty powders in barrels are like dirty hands...
when they get dirty, clean them...

a boresnake ran thru the barrel and you are good to go...

I don't use much BL-C2 powder, but I did make up some test loads with it for a 222 Rem. It shot very well, and I did not know that I should be concerned with it burning dirty.. And, I didn't notice that my barrel was any dirtier using it as compared to other powders I was testing in the same timeframe when I cleaned the barrel.
I think what I'm trying to say is, if it shoots well, use it, and be not concerned about it being dirtier than any other powders. After you've shot it two, or three times killing an Elk, as an example, the dirty barrel issue will buried down in the noise level.

"Boomtube I've been loading since '65 myself but I don't know everything as you do...AZZHOLE!powdr"

Ah. All that "experienced" are you? And you still asked such a basic question of others on the net? It was, after all, YOUR QUESTION I "honestly" responded to! And you "thought" (?) you were only asking "experienced" loaders, such as yourself? And, with no knowledge of where I come from, then attacked ME for not being "experienced" enough when I gave you an "honest" answer to your classic newbie level question? But, I'M supposed to be the "azz" in all this? ROFLMAO!

Some people have 44 years experience, some have one year of experience they've repeated 44 times. As yet, I don't know "everything" but I know no powder has any magic or hidden, secret properties that I can "honestly" learn about on the net.

Good luck finding the kind of answers you seek or will accept when you get them. But, me, I'm outta here, this is too silly for words.

I've used it in .222 and I'm using it now in .204. I don't see any problems with it. I'm getting 1" groups. It's hard for me to shoot much better than that anymore.