35 Whelen
Member
(Posted this elsewhere, but thought it might be of interest here as well)
As we’re all aware, the craziness that’s happened in the last several months has made reloading components somewhat scarce, especially powder. I’m a fan of Alliant powder probably because I’ve been using it for so long and am very familiar with it and its applications with regards to shotshell and handgun loading. I use LOTS of Unique, but haven’t been able to find it anywhere and my 4 lb. keg is almost ¾ empty and I have but one 1 lb. bottle. As such, I began thinking about alternative powders for handgun loading.
Alliant has quite a few specialty shotgun powders and I wondered if any of them would work for handgun. I did a little research and decided that e3 was probably similar to Bullseye or Red Dot and the 20/28 seemed very similar to Unique. I called a local guy who sells powder out of his house and he had some of both, so I bought a pound of each to try in my .44 Specials.
I started with some informal testing of e3 in my 4 ¾” Uberti .44 Special with the intent of comparing it to Bullseye and Red Dot. I only tried three loads but the results are as follows:
Powder........Charge............ Bullet..........Velocity
Red Dot_______4.0______ 170 gr. RNFP_____612 (12.8% vel. difference)
e3___________ 4.0______ 170 gr. RNFP_____702
Red Dot_______4.7______ 250 gr. SWC______689 (A little over 9% vel. difference)
e 3___________4.7______ 250 gr. SWC______764
Bullseye_______5.5_______250 gr. SWC______810 (6.625% vel. difference)
e 3___________5.5_______250 gr. SWC______864
Next was some testing with my 5 ¾” Blackhawk Flat Top .44 Special. In it I tested 20/28 alongside Unique. As I suspected, and much to my satisfaction, the 20/28 is very similar to Unique in its burning rate, but is slightly smaller flakes which seems to meter somewhat more easily.
Powder........Charge............Bullet..............Velocity......... Extreme Spread
20/28________ 6.5______260 gr. SWC (a)_____892__________Unknown (2.7% vel. difference)
Unique________6.5______260 gr. SWC (a)_____868__________Unknown
20/28_________7.5______260 gr. SWC (a)_____981____________24 (2.5% vel. difference)
Unique________7.5______260 gr. SWC (a)_____957____________20
20/28_________6.5______260 gr. SWC (b)_____863____________28 (3% vel. difference)
Unique________6.5______260 gr. SWC (b)_____837____________44
20/28_________7.5______260 gr. SWC (b)_____946____________30 (3% vel. difference)
Unique________7.5______260 gr. SWC (b)_____919____________57
20/28_________8.0______260 gr. SWC (b)_____994____________58 (2.7% vel. difference)
Unique________8.0______260 gr. SWC (b)_____967_____________25
Bullets: (a)- NOE 429421 .430” ACWW; (b) RCBS 44-250KT .430” ACWW Both lubed with Ceresin Scarlet
The last test was with one bullet and load in my Colt Gov’t Model, Series 70 45 ACP. The bullet was from a SAECO #130 mould, of ACWW. Weighed 200 grs., sized ,.452”, and lubed with a homemade soft lube.
Powder.........Charge............ Bullet.......... Velocity.......Extreme Spread
20/28_________6.5_______200 gr. SWC_____1020____________46 (VERY accurate load) (1.1% vel. difference)
Unique________6.5_______200 gr. SWC_____1009____________45
All loads were chronographed with a CED Millennium 2. Temp. 54° F
So as can be seen here, 20/28 is for all practical purposes, Unique, only a hair faster burning. BTW, none of the loads showed any signs of pressure. When time permits, I hope to more thoroughly compare e3 to Bullseye and Red Dot.
35W
As we’re all aware, the craziness that’s happened in the last several months has made reloading components somewhat scarce, especially powder. I’m a fan of Alliant powder probably because I’ve been using it for so long and am very familiar with it and its applications with regards to shotshell and handgun loading. I use LOTS of Unique, but haven’t been able to find it anywhere and my 4 lb. keg is almost ¾ empty and I have but one 1 lb. bottle. As such, I began thinking about alternative powders for handgun loading.
Alliant has quite a few specialty shotgun powders and I wondered if any of them would work for handgun. I did a little research and decided that e3 was probably similar to Bullseye or Red Dot and the 20/28 seemed very similar to Unique. I called a local guy who sells powder out of his house and he had some of both, so I bought a pound of each to try in my .44 Specials.
I started with some informal testing of e3 in my 4 ¾” Uberti .44 Special with the intent of comparing it to Bullseye and Red Dot. I only tried three loads but the results are as follows:
Powder........Charge............ Bullet..........Velocity
Red Dot_______4.0______ 170 gr. RNFP_____612 (12.8% vel. difference)
e3___________ 4.0______ 170 gr. RNFP_____702
Red Dot_______4.7______ 250 gr. SWC______689 (A little over 9% vel. difference)
e 3___________4.7______ 250 gr. SWC______764
Bullseye_______5.5_______250 gr. SWC______810 (6.625% vel. difference)
e 3___________5.5_______250 gr. SWC______864
Next was some testing with my 5 ¾” Blackhawk Flat Top .44 Special. In it I tested 20/28 alongside Unique. As I suspected, and much to my satisfaction, the 20/28 is very similar to Unique in its burning rate, but is slightly smaller flakes which seems to meter somewhat more easily.
Powder........Charge............Bullet..............Velocity......... Extreme Spread
20/28________ 6.5______260 gr. SWC (a)_____892__________Unknown (2.7% vel. difference)
Unique________6.5______260 gr. SWC (a)_____868__________Unknown
20/28_________7.5______260 gr. SWC (a)_____981____________24 (2.5% vel. difference)
Unique________7.5______260 gr. SWC (a)_____957____________20
20/28_________6.5______260 gr. SWC (b)_____863____________28 (3% vel. difference)
Unique________6.5______260 gr. SWC (b)_____837____________44
20/28_________7.5______260 gr. SWC (b)_____946____________30 (3% vel. difference)
Unique________7.5______260 gr. SWC (b)_____919____________57
20/28_________8.0______260 gr. SWC (b)_____994____________58 (2.7% vel. difference)
Unique________8.0______260 gr. SWC (b)_____967_____________25
Bullets: (a)- NOE 429421 .430” ACWW; (b) RCBS 44-250KT .430” ACWW Both lubed with Ceresin Scarlet
The last test was with one bullet and load in my Colt Gov’t Model, Series 70 45 ACP. The bullet was from a SAECO #130 mould, of ACWW. Weighed 200 grs., sized ,.452”, and lubed with a homemade soft lube.
Powder.........Charge............ Bullet.......... Velocity.......Extreme Spread
20/28_________6.5_______200 gr. SWC_____1020____________46 (VERY accurate load) (1.1% vel. difference)
Unique________6.5_______200 gr. SWC_____1009____________45
All loads were chronographed with a CED Millennium 2. Temp. 54° F
So as can be seen here, 20/28 is for all practical purposes, Unique, only a hair faster burning. BTW, none of the loads showed any signs of pressure. When time permits, I hope to more thoroughly compare e3 to Bullseye and Red Dot.
35W