alliant 2400 in .223

[Col]

Hi guys. I currently use Varget behind 53 grain SMK, Like everyone else Im always looking for different loads etc,I have seen on someone elses log that they we using Alliant 2400. The load was 14.3 grains behind 55 grain FMJ. I
run this through Quickload and found it to be safe and surprising it had a good velocity, 2900fps or there abouts, which is fast enough for the range I fire (200yards max)
Have anyone of you ever tried it,is there any problems,does it cause problems with the chamber etc. thanks in advance guys

 

[beatledog7]

Never have tried it in any rifle round, assuming it's too fast. It'll be interesting to see what the more experienced loaders say.

 

[steve4102]

If you are loading for an AR or other semi-auto you will most likely have cycling issues.

Fast handgun powders don't produce enough port pressure to cycle the action.

 

[Clark]

I have shot thousands of rounds of Blue Dot 223 loads.
No way will it cycle an AR15 with light bullets.
Not at 2000 fps, not at 4000 fps.

 

[EMC45]

2400 was once marketed as a rifle AND handgun powder, secondly it is quite slow burning in regard to other handgun powders. Not a "fast" handgun powder by any means.

 

[RevGeo]

Originally Hercules 2400 was developed as a rifle powder for small capacity, small bore rounds - most famously the 22 Hornet. Back then Hercules did not recommend the use of 2400 in handgun cartridges. Apparently Elmer Keith didn't read the warnings or didn't care. His work with 2400 and the 38 and 44 Special rounds led to the develpment of the 357mag and the 44mag.
Personally I can't see any good reason to use 2400 in a .223 unless one is loading cast bullets. There are lots of different, slower rifle powders that work much better for jacketed bullet loads in that caliber.
Just my .02, of course.

 

[rcmodel]

Not a "fast" handgun powder by any means.

But really fast compared to rifle powders with the correct burn rate to match the gas port location of an AR-15.

I think you need about 15,000 - 17,500 PSI remaining bore pressure at the gas port, and I don't think you can get it with a safe charge of 2400.

rc

 

[mdemetz]

Lyman's 45th Edition shows 2400 and Unique loads for 45,50&58 gr cast w/GC in the .223. . They do mention only the near max loadings of IMR4227 would cycle an Ar15 with those bullets..

 

[steve4102]

Quote:
Not a "fast" handgun powder by any means.


But really fast compared to rifle powders with the correct burn rate to match the gas port location of an AR-15.

I think you need about 15,000 - 17,500 PSI remaining bore pressure at the gas port, and I don't think you can get it with a safe charge of 2400.

rc

Thanks RC, that's what I meant when I stated 2400 was a fast handgun powder. A handgun powder that is "fast" for rifles, not a handgun powder that is "fast" for handguns.

I have tried 2400 in my 7.62 x 39 Ruger Mini-30. A max charge with 123-125gr bullets will not cycle the action.

 

[Steve C]

Best thing about hand loading is you can try it and if it doesn't work in your particular rifle so what. It doesn't cost much more than a couple boxes of factory loads to experiment a bit. On the up side you may find it works great for your purposes, on the down side it may have some problems and you simply abandon the load.

May not work in the AR but if you have a bolt gun there's no reason 2400 wouldn't be an economical alternative to slower rifle powders.

Below is data from the Alliant 2000 edition free manual.

 

[Woody3]

2400

I tried 2400 for my AR. It shot well and very accurate but it turned my AR into a single shot rifle. lol It just wouldn't cycle for semi auto. I have deleted all my info on what charge I used since it didn't work for me.

 

[PCCUSNRET]

I think I will give it a try. I've got a couple of bolt action 223's and about 4 lbs of 2400 I need to find a use for since I sold my 44 Mag revolver. A good starting load would be 13.5 grs using 55 gr Hornady V-Max?

BTW, what is an MJBT?

 

[Col]

sorry guys,as I am in the UK,and we are not allowed semi or full automatic I neglected to say the rifle I want to try with 2400 would be a CZ 527 bolt. I guess that reading between the lines of your posts I could safely try it.

 

[Steve C]

12.6 grs would be an appropriate start load with a 55 gr bullet ie. 14.0grs max - 10% (1.4gr).

A MJBT is a Match Jacketed Boat Tail.

 

[PCCUSNRET]

I tried 20 rounds today using some old Hercules 2400. I shot these rounds in a Remington 700 heavy barrel 223. I started off with 5 rounds loaded with 12.6 grs. and they proved to be a very mild load with about a 6" grouping at 100 yds. Next I tried 12.9 grs. and it didn't do much better. I then tried 13.4 grs and the group started to tighten up to about 3". The final 5 were loaded with 13.9 grs and the group shrank to about 2". A couple of things I noticed after firing the hottest loads were the primers are still rounded (not flattened at all) and there appeared to be unfired powder in the barrel when I was finished shooting. I don't think any of these loads would be great for accuracy, but work okay for plinking and fire forming cases. I may still try to bump these up a little and see if that helps improve the accuracy.

 

[bluetopper]

I tried 15.8gr of 2400 behind a tiny 34gr hp bullet out of my 14" Thompson Contender with mixed headstamp brass and got my best groups yet at 100yds......Quarter size group after ten shots.
2400 does a fine job.