50cal
Member
Not at all. N310 is fast. I can get 100% burn using 'slower' powders too. I prefer the 310. Theory and calculations are just that. Personal preference is subjective and derived through experience.
I was surprised at how well slow powders did -- not so much because they were slow --but because their energy content was relatively high with what amounts did burn
Exactly.
I am not at all surprised. Powder energy is not dependent on burn rate or the type coating/retardant used. The chemistry of the powder itself varies and is what produces the energy. This is why I suggest experimenting with a variety. 100% burn, 70% burn, etc. is not a factor that important to me. I want the energy that works best for my bullet and my gun to be produced in about 4 hundredths of second and I don't care what is happening after that (once the bullet is gone).
I do however consider 'rates' because given the information supplied by manufacturers, its pretty much all we have to go on (granule shape is another) and there is simply too many powders test a wide enough variety for each gun. I found I like VV powders and work with them almost exclusively in everything from .38 Supercomp to rifle cartridges. In my mind I get better accuracy with it, it's clean and meters consistently.
Experimental physics and chemistry are both numbers games.A numbers guy...
Anyway, Zen what gun are referring to in the original post? Chances are you want something on faster end of the spectrum (N310, Titegroup, Bullseye). A lot of slower powder in the casing will certainly give you a significant fireball in a 2in barrel. Bullet weight plays a role in powder selection but less so in handguns and even less so in revolvers. You can control bullet weight. A lighter bullet will be more accurate in handguns generally (less recoil and torque) and give higher velocities. Try different bullets to find the most accurate.