25-5 and AA #2

[Walkalong]

I have been working up some loads in .45 Colt with AA #2 lately. I loaded some X-Treme 225 TrFP's and some Ranier 250 Gr TrFP's with 6.1 Grs of AA #2 last night. (I started with 5.7 Grs and the X-Treme 225 TrFP. I added the Ranier 250 when I got to 6.1 Grs)

The 250 Gr Ranier shot very well at 6.1 Grs. (I gave it 3 stars on my zero to four star system) I will retest it at 6.1 Grs to see if it will repeat its self, and will probably test at 6.2 Grs as well. The X-Treme 225 needs to go to at least 6.2 Grs.

I shot 6 shots with the Powder Back and 6 shots with the Powder Forward of each load.

On the Ranier bullet I shot the Powder Back and the Powder Forward rounds (6&6) on the same target shooting through the chrono. Both the PB and the PF rounds shot through the same hole at 7 yards, had enough pressure to seal the chambers well so the brass was pretty clean, and gave excellent PF numbers. Good PF numbers are important if you are not always going to be shooting level, don't want to always tip your barrel up first, and especially if you like to shoot pistols at long distance. (100 to 300 yards)(Good ES & SD's are also important at long distance)

6" S&W 25-5... 97 Degrees and Sunny. Ranier 250 Gr TrFP, 6.1 Grs AA #2, WLP primer, 1.555 O.A.L.

Powder Back

Hi-660
Lo-644
Avg-651
ES-16
SD-5

Powder Forward

Hi-651
Lo-635
Avg-640
ES-16
SD-5

It was a good day at the range, short though it was.

 

[Slamfire]

Good shooting!

Low standard deviations. And at such low velocities. Maybe that powder has potential.

 

[Seedtick]

Walkalong, you've got that whole piece of paper to shoot at. Why do you just keep shooting in the same place? You done wallowed a big ol hole out there in that one place.



That is some good shootin, Sir.

ST

 

[Walkalong]

Walkalong, you've got that whole piece of paper to shoot at

If I would quit forgetting my targets, I would not have to shoot at the back of my log sheets with a magic marker dot on them.

Low standard deviations. And at such low velocities. Maybe that powder has potential.

AA #2 generally gives very good ES & SD numbers in everything.

I have found it to be especially good in big cases at low pressure where the powder fills 50% or less of the empty space. It is one of the most position insensitive powders I have tried. It has to get up to a certain pressure level to stop leaving 1/2 burnt granules, but that level is still pretty low.

I want to try Nitro 100 and see if it has these qualities. It is one of the ones I have not tried in pistols. Power Pistol and Solo 1000 are not in the pic. I used them up and I guess I tossed the container.

 

[ants]

Ant
What did you think of the N310? I like it even better than AA#2, but haven't tried either in 45Colt yet. Gotta try that.
Ants

 

[Walkalong]

AA #2 is more akin to N320. It can do most anything N320 can, but is cheaper. I do like N320 in medium .38 Super loads (125 Gr JHP at 1200 FPS) a little better than AA #2, and use it over AA #2 in that app. I like N320 a little bit better than AA #2 in .45, but AA #2 is very good there as well and I would not hesitate to use it. N320 is superb in light 9MM loads, again beating out AA #2 by a bit.

I have some light .45 loads using N310. It is very accurate, meters superbly (It's finer than N320/330/340), gives pretty good ES & SD numbers, and is super clean.

I have tried N310 in other apps, but none where it worked better enough than something else to pay the price for N310. (I did buy a 4 Lb jug of it, as I did N320)

If you have been thinking of trying some N310, do it. You will like it. Pick up some N320 while you are at it, if you haven't already. Sometimes they are worth the price.

I have not shot N310 in .45 Colt yet. Maybe I will, but it is about average as far as position sensitivity goes (tried .38 target loads with it in .357 cases), and that counts in that big .45 Colt case. I am sure it will shoot well in it, but you will need to make sure the powder is back every time.

 

[Walkalong]

All ready to go the next time out.

 

[ants]

Very nice! I do kindly request more pics of the guns, though. That's what I look at instead of dirty pictures.

Several of us are using N310 for IPSC Single Stack. It seems to be amazingly consistent, no position problem in 45acp. We like it instead of Clays (nothing wrong with Clays). Also enjoyed it in 9mm with 125g plated Berry's RN. Haven't truly tested it in anything else, just dabbled in 38Special.

N320 has proven to be the best 380auto powder I've ever tried. Hands down. People balk at the price, but when you use so little it goes a long way. I will suggest N320 to a 380auto guy any time I'm asked.

 

[Walkalong]

As requested. S&W 25-5. Well used but still going strong.

 

[Walkalong]

Went back out again today. I did not shoot particularly well, as the targets show. (Well, at least on these two. I settled down and shot a couple of very good ones with my Trooper MK III and 9.2 Grs of N340 with Rem 110 Gr JHP's)( N340 is superb with 125 & 110 gr jacketed bullets in the 1200 to 1400 FPS range)

6" S&W 25-5... 92 Degrees and Sunny. Ranier 250 Gr TrFP, 6.2 Grs AA #2, WLP primer, 1.555 O.A.L.

Powder Back

Hi-677
Lo-658
Avg-668
ES-19
SD-7

Powder Forward

Hi-653
Lo-643
Avg-649
ES-10
SD-4

Statistically indifferent from 6.1 Grs AA #2...I am probably going to stick with 6.1 for a light recoiling range load. I may have to tweak it with a different 250 Gr bullet, especially lead.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6" S&W 25-5... 92 Degrees and Sunny. X-Treme 225 Gr TrFP, 6.3 Grs AA #2, WLP primer, 1.555 O.A.L.

Powder Back

Hi-665
Lo-650
Avg-655
ES-15
SD-5

Powder Forward

Hi-627
Lo-596
Avg-607
ES-31
SD-11

Still needs more powder.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Both groups have 12 rounds. 6 shots PB & 6 shots PF. I almost did good on the second target. Pretty sloppy on the first one though.

 

[ants]

Well, that's better than I normally shoot. Dang, I love the deep bluing on that S&W. I have my grandma's 1908 Colt Hammerless (made 1923) with the most beautiful deep blue I've ever seen. My ex-girlfriend's opinion is that the finishers at Colt's were true artists, not just hourly workers.

 

[Seedtick]

That is one sweet looking piece of hardware!

My next toy will be a wheel gun and probably in .357.
Oh, and I don't see anything wrong with those targets either.

ST