Originally Posted by Riflecrank
Sir Jerry,
Great idea.
AA-2015BR is sometimes listed with the "Bench Rest" designation for its consistency and ignition characteristics.
It is a single-base, extruded powder, burns faster but requires less powder weight
to get higher velocity AND pressure than the AA-2230 or AA-2460s, both double-base spherical/ball powders.
Interestingly AA-2460s has that "s" listed sometimes too, which I SWAG is to emphasize that it is the un-flattened, fully spherical form of AA-2230.
AA-2230 is the one with about half of its granules "pre-compressed."

76 grains of 2015 probably gets slightly compressed like the max loads for 2230 and 2460 with 400-gr bullet and 3.140" COL
as shown in the table below.
2015 gives the highest MV and the highest (submaximal) pressure in the modest data below for 400-gr Barnes "Old Original" SSSP:

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AA-2015BR should be a good one.
Only drawback might be temperature sensitivity. I don't know about that being any problem for most situations.

Burn Rate charts below suggest other good neighbor powders: Anything good in the .223 Rem and 5.56 NATO.
Alliant Power Pro 1200-R would probably be a humdinger with the 404gr Shock Hammer.

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Sheesh, I wish I could do them all !
Just goes to show what a great cartridge the .458 WM is with so many good powders.


Good stuff Sir Ron, i think the reason for more pressure with the old Barnes is because of it's pure copper jacket, akin to the Swift A Frames and pressure, mighty sticky/grabby alloy, massive bearing surface notwithstanding, the Hammers with their radiused/smooth grooves and harder less sticky alloy build much less pressure, example, the little 9mm bullet you showed, AA#7 is a world star powder in the 9MM with 135-147gr bullets, the little 137 Hammer will fly to max velocity at except able pressures with AA#5, same/same with 2015 vs 2230/2460 with the 404 Hammers, i bet it'd be a load for the ages.

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