Anyone tried Accurate Data Powder 73?

[Spelo]

Powder Valley (http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/) has got a smoking deal on Accurate Data Powder 73, 8lbs for $52. I''ve never heard of it before so I called 'em up. They said it is a new powder similar to H-335.

I've had great results with there 2230c in .223, but a dollar saved on powder is another dollar I can shoot! What do you guys think?

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

I received 32# of DP 73 today, and as soon as the Fed Ex man left, I hit the reloading bench. DP73 is a ball powder, seems to meter well. I loaded up some mid-range loads, according to their data on the jug. In 308, I loaded 44 grains behind a Remington 150 grain PSPCL bullet in mil cases. This was the only 150's that I have at the time. In 223, I loaded 24 grains behind a 50 and 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, and also a 55 gr FMJBT Winchester bullet in mil cases. It's been raining on and off all day, so it finally broke late and I decided to hit the range and see what the flash looked like in low light, and also check velocity as compared to other known chrono'd loads. First, I sent a couple of mags full in the 16" 1/9 Bushy and the 20" 1/7 Bushy just to check functioning. All shot well, and the brass fell about the same place as the LC 84 factory ammo. Flash on the 223 also looked about the same as the Win 748 loads and the LC 84 loads. Same with the 308 in the 20" AR10A4B, functioning was fine, no noticible flash with the DP73 loads, Win 748 loads or Aussie and Port Surplus. On to the chronographing, what I was most interested in. I start unloading, and realize that I had left the sky screens at home. :banghead: It's about a 15 mile trip one way, so I didn't run back home to get the screens. After a little cussing myself for the brain fart, I went ahead and blasted the rest of the ammo just to make sure functioning was OK and watch for anything unusual. Pressure signs on the brass look fine, all looks OK so far. I am now just wanting to run them across the chrono. If the rain breaks over the weekend, I'll head back out. Otherwise, I have to work the next 2 weekends, so it will be about 3 weeks before I can hit the range again.

All in all, if the loads chrono good, I think I'll be pleased with this powder. I have always bought mil surp because I could do that cheaper than loading my own using $20 per can Win 748. Buying this at $52/8# will drop those numbers considerably. I'm now going to get the conversion kit for the 650 and start cranking 'em out. Now I need to start looking for cheap FMJ bullets...

 

[taliv]

man, that's tempting! i still have two and a half 8# 2230c jugs left, but man...$52 for a new powder!

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

I'm trying to work up a load with the 55 grain bullet in 223 and the 150 in 308. I will chrono it against Win 748 loads in both calibers, and against Q3131A and South Afrikan in 223 and Port and Aussie surplus in 308. I'll shoot the 223 in 16 and 20 inch guns, and the 308 in the AR10 20".

I'll tell my story... I called Accurate Powder in Montana last Monday morning to ask their techs abut this powder. I was going to place an online order with Powder Valley over the weekend for some 2230c, but when I saw the DP73, I wanted to know more about it. They told me to call Tennessee, and talk directly with a tech there. On my dime again, I called TN, and a guy that sounded like he was from India answered the phone. I asked for someone that could give me tech data on powders, and he said that he could give me technical info. I asked him about Data Powder 73. He said that he had never heard of it. OK, this is good. We talked a few minutes and he reassured me he knew nothing of this powder. So, another call goes to Montana. I tell the girl that answers the phone what happened, and she put me through to one of the tech guys there. We talk a little about what just happened on the other call, and he gets a good laugh out of it. I tell him what I am loading in 223 and 308 right now (Win 748) and ask about the differences between the 2230c and DP73 as compared to Win 748. He says that both are ball powders, and that DP73 is a little faster than 2230c (which is close to AA2460), bit it is a little slower than Win 748. He stated that it is close to H335. He also said that DP73 will give 100 - 200 fps more velocity for comparable bullet weights over 2230c. He kept referring to 2230c as pulldown powder, while referring to DP73 as new production. He also stated that when this is gone, it's gone. I asked for an approximate time line of how long they expect it to last, and he said probably 3 months at most. So there it is, from the tech in Montana. I'll post an update as soon as I get it across the chrono.

 

[The Bushmaster]

If it is overcast you don't have to use the sky screens. So hit your head two times. :banghead: :banghead:

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

Well, Bushmaster, it was actually the sensors that I forgot, but with me fighting the flu and high fever, my mind wasn't working just right...

Anyhow, I got back to the range today. With this flu taking full hold of me, my wife was getting the insurance policies out when I left...

Here are some quick results, temp 35*, wind chill about 25*, skyscreens 5' from the muzzle, Chrono is PACT Mk IV Chrono...

Here ae the loads I was using in 223, All handloads are loaded in Mil cases, WSR primer, powder thrown from a RCBS Uniflow:
Load 1: Winchester Q3131A Headstamp WCC03
Load 2: LC84
Load 3: Win 748, 25.5 Gr 50 gr Nosler BT
Load 4: Win 748 25.5 Gr 55 Gr Nosler BT
Load 5: DP73 24.0 Gr 50 Gr Nosler BT
Load 6: DP73 24.0 Gr 55 Gr Nosler BT
Load 7: DP73 24.0 Gr 55 Gr Win FMJBT

Chrono Results. Since I am not feeling real well, I will just give average of 5 shots.
Bushy 16" 1/9 Twist
L1- 3033.5
L2- 3017.1
L3- 2772.9
L4- 2834.6
L5- 2845.0
L6- 2818.8
L7- Looks like I forgot to shoot that one...

Bushy 20" 1/7 Twist
L1- 3210.1
L2- 3184.9
L3- 3040.4
L4- 3025.3
L5- 2945.8
L6- 2897.8
L7- 2913.1

I also loaded some 308,
Load 1: 150 Grn Rem PSPCL Bullet, WLR Primers, Mil Cases, 44.0 Gr DP73
Load 2: 150 Gr Rem PSPCL, WLR Primers, Mil Cases, 45.5 Gr Win 748
Load 3: Portuguese Surplus 147 gr FMJ
Load 4: Aussie Surplus 144 Gr FMJ.

AR10A4B, 20"
L1- 2700.3
L2- 2582.0
L3- 2625.5
L4- 2714.0

Now some of my personal observations. There were no signs of pressure in either caliber. When I loaded the 223 cases, the powder was below the case neck a tenth of an inch or so. My Win 748 load brings it up a little more. The can shows a load of 23.1 min to 24.6 max for 55 grain bullets. I think I am going to try bumping the load up a little and seeing what happens. It also shows 23.9 to 25.4 for 50 grain bullets. I just randomly picked the load figures as being mid range and went from there.

In 308, it seems like I am pretty close to where I want to be. The load data shows 42.5 to 45.0 for 150 grain bullets. Loads in both calibers looked to be shooting as clean as any others I have fired in these rifles, but I only shot 5 rounds of each load.

Neither load was shot for accuracy, just shot across the chrono into the berm. I am tied up the next couple of weekends, but will get some more loads ready and shoot across the chrono and for accuracy.

I am pleased so far. If the accuracy is good, I will be real pleased. At $52/8#, it can't hardly be beat.

 

[taliv]

my 32# of a73 is now en route, along with a bunch of titegroup, hp38, varget and w296

w00t

 

[freddyp]

Ok guys, data 73 seems like a good choice. Has anyone done any accuracy testing yet? I too heard from Powder Valley that this powder was similar to H335, just wondering if it has the accuracy potential of H335.

 

[taliv]

i'm planning to make a lot of blaster rounds out of it, and shoot it mostly from a beater pre-ban ar-15. i'll pretty much be happy if it hits bowling pins at 50 yrds.

 

[taliv]

rained all day today and is supposed to rain tomorrow, but if it breaks, i'll head to the range too to chrono my first load of 73.

I am already experiencing some difficulty with it. Mine doesn't appear to meter as well as chitlin's did. i'm loading on a 1050 that i just took completely apart and cleaned per the 10k rnd maintenance guidance. anyways, if i put a case in just the powder die, it meters absolutely perfectly, to less than 1/10th grain. if there is a case in the sizing die, then the jarring of the machine causes the powder to consistently add somewhere between 4-6 tenths of a grain! I've been testing this all evening without fail. i've adjusted the bar so that it dispenses a half grain less than what i want by itself, so that as long as i've got a case in station 2, i'm getting my target weight, plus or minus 2 tenths. that makes me very nervous though.

granted, these are plinking rounds and a half-grain out of 23 grains isn't much anyways, but that sure is annoying. i didn't experience this with the 2230-c or Vhitavuori N133.

maybe i didn't tighten something up enough when i put it back together this time...

 

[The Bushmaster]

I use a Lee Auto Disc and set it just short of the load I want. Then off to the Electronic scale (RCBS) and the trickler. Add needed grains and seat the bullet. I weight every charge. If you are feeling uneasy during the charging stage I suggest that you do the same. Uneasyness breeds ulsers and other malidies related to reloaders.

 

[taliv]

well i just got back from the range and continue to be a bit disappointed.

as mentioned previously the label has load data on it that suggests for a 55g FMJ, start at 23.1 and max at 24.6 and that should give you velocity from 3000 to 3200 (i forget the exact numbers and am too lazy to walk downstairs)

i put IMI 55g FMJ bullets over loads of 23.6, 24.4 and 24.6 and my mean velocities were:

23.6g 2426 fps
24.4g 2516 fps
24.6g 2556 fps

granted, i was shooting from a "16 inch barrel" which is really probably a 12" barrel with a permanently attached flash hider on a pre-ban AR. but wow. that's a lot less than what i expected.

btw, the first and last groups i shot were loaded with only one case on the shellplate. the middle group was with a full shell plate and the extra half-grain of powder i mentioned in my last post.

so, the standard deviation and extreme spread on the three groups is

32.4 fps 84 fps
62.2 fps 161 fps
19.5 fps 47 fps

obviously, jerking the shell plate around isn't going to help my group sizes much. looks like i'm going to have to solve that problem.

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

Data Powder 73 Update

Well, I told everyone I'd get back to the range, and I finally made it out. I am going to try to make this understandable, so bear with me. Here is the loads that I tried today. All bullets are 55 grain, Nosler Ballistic Tips and Win FMJ Boat tails. The loads that I tried today were 24.0, 24.5 and 25.0 grains of DP73. The load data on the canister shows 24.6 grains as maximum for 55 grian bullets, if 24.5 grains would have showed excesive pressure signs, I would have stopped there and not fired the 25.0 grain loads. I saved the cases and looked them over, they show no signs of pressure any worse than the factory loaded ammo that I also shot for comparison. I am just going to give the averages, as typing this would take quite a while. All strings were 5 shots, skyscreens 5' from the muzzle, temp ~50*.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: The loads given worked in MY gun, using MY loading equipment, on the day that I shot them. This in no way implies that these loads are safe in YOUR gun using YOUR loading equipment and loading techniques. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!

Here is what I got today...

Bushy 20", 1/7 Twist, Tapco M168 6x scope
24.0 gr - Ballistic Tip - 2903.1
24.0 - FMJ - 2888.5

24.5 - BT - 3018.0
24.5 - FMJ - 2978.3

25.0 - BT - 3136.7
25.0 - FMJ - 3060.5

Winchester 748 - 25.5 gr - 55 gr BT - 3025.3 (Fired 1-30-05)

Winchester Q3131A Headstamp WCC03 - 3210.1 (Fired 1-30-05)

South African Surplus - 3190.0

Lake City - LC84 - 3159.8


Bushy 16", 1/9 Twist, Simmons AETEC 3.8x12x44AO Scope
24.0 - BT - 2824.7
24.0 - FMJ - 2782.3

24.5 - BT - 2847.9
24.5 - FMJ - 2826.2

25.0 - BT - 2981.6
25.0 - FMJ - 2915.5

Winchester 748 - 25.5 gr - 55 gr BT - 2834.6 (Fired 1-30-05)

Winchester Q3131A Headstamp WCC03 - 3033.5 (Fired 1-30-05)

South African Surplus - 3050.2

Lake City - LC84 - 3017.7

Lake City - LC73 - 3003.1

I also shot the loads for accuracy. The 24.5 grain load seemed to shoot a "little" tighter than the other 2 loads, but all were just a ragged hole. They seemed to shoot as well as the South African and Lake City loads. This was at 50 yards, as the 100 yard range is being expanded and worked on at this time. I didn't have a camera with me, but really want to wait until the 100 yard range is open to wring the loads out a little better. They shoot clean, I didn't see any more deposits than when I shoot my other powders or factory loads. I shot a total of about 500 rounds of various loads today and had not one single malfunction. The 16" gun has had literally 10's of thousands of rounds through it, the 20" was just purchased in the last month or so, and has had less than 500 rounds down the tube. I am still getting used to the 6x scope on the 20" gun. My eyes are just not good enough to see that well at even 50 yards. That is why I like the higher powered AO scopes for sighting. Before too long, I am going to load up some more 308 and wring them out in the AR10.

In conclusion, this will make great blasting ammo powder. From the looks of the targets, I am sure it will be used for the coyote loads, also. I have been using Win 748 for years, but seem to be getting higher velocities using less powder with the DP73. Plus, it is $52 for 8# rather than $20 for 1#. I think I am going to get the 650 cranked up and settle on a load of between 24.5 and 25.0 grains using the 55 grain FMJ bullet. Look out 3 gun matches!!!

 

[trickyasafox]

i dont even have my press yet and i want to order some for my 223. what else can you load with this powder? is it too hot for 9mm? im guessing its way overboard for 38 and 45, if it is can you guys recomend a surplus poweder from gibrass or other surplus powder supplier that will work with those loads?


sorry if this is a hijack, im not intending it to be

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

This is a rifle powder. The canister shows load data for 223 and 308. The guy at the factory told me it was close to H335. My main interest is loading 223 and 308 blasting ammo with this particular powder.

 

[taliv]

I got some more time on the range and i take back all the stuff i said earlier. I'm quite happy with this powder now, especially for the price.


Today I just shot a 20 shot group from a Rock River AR15 with 20" barrel. The load was 24.4g plus or minus 1/2 g.

max velocity 3105 fps
min velocity 3007 fps
mean 3056 fps
std dev 23.6 fps

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

Taliv,

If you were serious about your other rifle having a 12" barrel (plus the FS to make it legal) then the ~2500 fps was probably right.

Good loading!!

 

[taliv]

I was, and thanks! i'm about to go downstairs and crank out a few hundred.

 

[hcore44]

new results?

How has further testing with this small lot of Data73 powder worked out for you guys? Ive had good results using 24.5 grs behind a 55gr SP in 223. I havent chrono ed it (don't have one) or tested it with anything heavier yet like a 69 or 75gr pill. Anyone else?

 

[hcore44]

dp73

Ive also had good luck with 43 grs under 155 palmas in the 308. Both a parker hale 1/13.5 twist and a standard 1/10 twist.