[Samari Jack]

I've been reloading for about 10 months now, roughly 6,000 rounds. I'm mostly stuck on HP-38 and Universal just because I don't know any better. I keep reading about thus-and-such is a fast powder or slow powder. Said powder is best for low velocity loads or visa-versa. How is a person to know which is "fast burning" or slow by brand name?

I've recently bought a S&W 686 and already had the dies for my .38 specials but don't want to venture in an unknown area without gaining a bit of knowledge. I have bookmarked threads where folks recommend powders for various rounds.

I've done several forum checks and other online searches but can't find a source.

I'm open to any references.

[SlowFuse]

Google Hodgdon burn rate chart.

[WNTFW]

A bunch of articles you might find helpful -
http://www.chuckhawks.com/index2k_reloading.htm

Several points:
- Burn rate charts are not always in agreement. Powder A may be slower than powder B on chart X. Chart Y may have powder A faster than powder B.

- Burn rate charts are relative. They show the order of burn rate not the differences in burn rate.

- They are not to develop load data from.

[ranger335v]

"Google Hodgdon burn rate chart."

Google it, read it, ponder it; then put it asside and load according to your manual. You've paid those guys to have chosen the correct powder for each cartridge and bullet they list and that's all you will really need to know about burn rate.

[Walkalong]

Google it, read it, ponder it; then put it asside and load according to your manualAgreed.

Burn rate charts are a nice way to get an idea of the burn rate of one powder compared to another, but that is all, just an idea.

[kingmt]

Watch out the na sayers are coming from everywhere. It is a very usful tool. I use a burn rate chart more then a manual. Here is a few ways it is useful. If I'm using a powder that is producing to much pressure before it gets where I want it to go I can easily find one a little slower. If someone is talking about a powder I don't know I can relate it to one I do know. The best use I have for it is when I work up a powder with no data & find one it acts like I can cross reference for other cartridges to take a lot of the work out of it.

[ReloaderFred]

Here is the latest, most comprehensive load chart available to date: http://loaddata.com/articles/detail.cfm?articleID=159

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Kernel]

Hodgdon’s, IMO, is one of the worse -- I think there's powders on their's that were purposely placed in the wrong positions. :barf:

Accurate Powder has the burn rate chart I like the best.

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/burn_rates.pdf

ADI’s is very good.

http://www.adi-limited.com/handloaders-guide/equivalents.asp

Vihtavouri’s chart is also very good.

http://www.vihtavuori-lapua.com/pdfs/Burning-Rate-Chart.pdf

Any of these three charts are light years ahead of Hodgdon’s. "Two Dimensional" charts are more useful.

[oneounceload]

I'm open to any references.

Sorry if I sound harsh, but it looks like you really need to BUY some and READ them - trying to extrapolate from a burn chart is asking for injury or worse

RTFM and follow the PUBLISHED recipes, not what some no-name faceless internet person says

[JamieC]

http://www.reloadbench.com/burn.html Here's another one I found.

[sugarmaker]

Rate is importabt but so is bulk density.

[Samari Jack]

Sorry if I sound harsh, but it looks like you really need to BUY some and READ them - trying to extrapolate from a burn chart is asking for injury or worse

RTFM and follow the PUBLISHED recipes, not what some no-name faceless internet person says
I have several reloading guides that I use. My question was more toward the analytical, as a search for a product to buy as references here and other places list several possibilities. It goes toward striving for the most perfect by utilizing the opinions of others.

[Seedtick]

Accurate Powder has the burn rate chart I like the best.

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/burn_rates.pdf

+1 I agree with Kernel. This is my favorite.

Seedtick

:)

[Mike 27]

I use the Hornady 7th edition. It has a burn rate list fastest to slowest. I think a few of my other manuals have them as well.

[Scimmia]

Accurate Powder has the burn rate chart I like the best.

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/burn_rates.pdf

Wow, that chart actually claims HP-38/W231 is faster than TiteGroup or Red Dot. Goes to show how inaccurate some of these things can be.

[ArchAngelCD]

Powder burn rates are really relative burn rates. The burn rate of a powder will change when used in different calibers.

Here is the link for the Hodgdon burn rate chart:
http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html

And another chart I sometimes look at:
http://reloadammo.com/burnrate.htm

[Fishslayer]

Wow, that chart actually claims HP-38/W231 is faster than TiteGroup or Red Dot. Goes to show how inaccurate some of these things can be.

That was the one that jumped out at me. Several of the charts show that. I'd always considered W231 a sort of midrange powder between Bullseye & 2400.

I was also surprised at how slow they listed Green Dot. The Alliant chart has Green Dot & Bullseye fairly close together.:confused:

They're not so much "inaccurate" as "different." Different conditions, different powder lots, different equipment.

As has been mentioned, load data rules.

[jibjab]

The burn rate of a powder will change when used in different calibers.
This ^....
and different pressures.
It's like putting a Chevy 350 in a Camaro vs a pickup, it's a different deal.

[ranger335v]

"... striving for the most perfect by utilizing the opinions of others. "

Sounds like a good theory. Wonder how it works out in application tho. I mean unless you're already an expert yourself how do you decide which "opinions" are more or less authoritative than others? And, if you are an expert would you even care what anyone else says?

As a confirmed "nay sayer" about the real world usefulness of burn charts I will point out that individual powder burn rates often over-lap and even exchange positions as the parameters of a specific cartridge or load changes. Thus, burn rate is not a calibrated science and opinions of which chart might be 'righter' are meaningless.

Use a loading manual to develop loads, not a chart.

[James2]

I've done several forum checks and other online searches but can't find a source.

Look at your reloading manual. For any caliber, the loads are arranged with the fast powder at the top of the chart, and the slow powder at the bottom of the chart. This doesn't cover all powders, but you can see the relationship of burn rates of the powders they used in their testing for that caliber. Also notice the slower powders use more weight per load than fast powders, and usually develop the highest velocities.

[kingmt]

I doubt your developing a load useing a manual. More likely your trying to copy someone elses recipe & wondering why your biscuits arn't as fluffy.

[Fishslayer]

"... striving for the most perfect by utilizing the opinions of others. "

Sounds like a good theory. Wonder how it works out in application tho. I mean unless you're already an expert yourself how do you decide which "opinions" are more or less authoritative than others? And, if you are an expert would you even care what anyone else says?


It works pretty well if you gather & compare a lot of opinions. After awhile you can usually figure out who's actually put their opinions to the test.

At worst you can use these opinions as a starting point for your own research.

[ranger335v]

"After awhile you can usually figure out who's actually put their opinions to the test."

Ah. But then, is their test valid to your application? And, on what do you base your own opinion of who's opinon you will accept? I'll continue to work off the information base I've accumulated since '65; just never found bad information to help level the field around bits and pieces of good information; figger a larger collection of BS just requires a larger septic tank without changing the average value of the contents. Much of what I read on the web is half understood BS - at best - or so misapplied or flat wrong I don't suggest anyone without a lot of personal knowledge trust any of it. Much rather see inexperienced folks use the books they bought and KNOW the information has been confirmed by people who actually know what they are doing! YMMV.