Powder burn rates

[ole farmerbuck]

How are burn rates figured? I see Hodgdons showd Varget being faster than BL-c2 and the other places i've looked shows it as Varget slower. How do companies check burn rates?

 

[Walkalong]

"Closed Bomb" test.

Powders behave in cartriges differently though. Powder XYZ may be faster in caliber A, but slower in caliber B, or about the same in caliber C.

Confused yet.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

Nope. Clear as mud.:banghead: Yea, i know what you mean. Its just weird some companies showing a powder faster than another powder then a different company showing that same powder as slower than same powder.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

When the tests don't show what management wants, fuzzy math is used. Also, powder burn rates can vary from batch to batch.

 

[Rokman]

I have checked out many burn-rate charts on the net and many of them have big discrepancies. I usually go by Hodgedon's since I mostly load one of their powders and Reloder powders are on their chart. Wish they would include Ramshot powders.

 

[LiveLife]

Over the years, I have seen different powders move up and down the various burn rate chart - http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html

I figured each powder company should have their version of fast/medium/slower powders for pistol to compete with other companies' offerings. So, if you clump powders by company and burn rate, you get roughly this (approximate and not deemed exact):

If you can't find a particular powder, pick out another in the same burn rate group - I hope this helps.

Faster:
AA - Solo 1000
Alliant - E3, Red Dot, Promo, Bullseye
Hodgdon - Titewad, Clays, Titegroup
IMR - 700X, Trail Boss
VihtaVuori - N310
Winchester - WST

Medium:
AA - No. 2
Alliant - Green Dot, 20/28
Hodgdon - International, HP38
IMR - PB, SR7625
VihtaVuori - N320
Winchester - W231

Slower:
AA - No. 5
Alliant - Unique, Power Pistol, Herco
Hodgdon - Universal, HS6
IMR - 800X, SR4756
VihtaVuori - N330, N340
Winchester - WSF, Auto Comp

 

[dagger dog]

Being Hodgdon produces both of the powders in question ,I think I would go with their burn rate table.

 

[LiveLife]

Yes, I think that's a good bet since Hodgdon owns both Winchester and IMR.

 

[jfh]

...And don't forget that the powder positions on any list are merely a relative ranking; there is no (implied) mathematical relationship between two powders' positions. IOW, a powder ranked 4 on a given list is NOT 'twice as fast' as one ranked 8.

Jim H.

 

[Blackrock]

Burn rate is one thing but another variable is the amount of gas charge generated per loading. Take two powders of different manufature that are side by side on the burn rate chart and the volume of gas generated can vary. Varget and Reloder15 are pretty close and perform almost identical at 35-38 grains but it seems to me that R15 does better when loaded in smaller volume cases and Varget will do better in larger volume cases.

 

[Offfhand]

Post from above:

"Yes, I think that's a good bet since Hodgdon owns both Winchester and IMR."
__________________

First time many of us have heard that, are you sure? How do you know? Please explain with proof. Inquiring minds will appreciate.
Thanks anyway..

 

[Ol` Joe]

"Yes, I think that's a good bet since Hodgdon owns both Winchester and IMR."

Hodgdon owns IMR and Pyrodex but, Winchester and VithaVouri are by licensed distribution rights only. The Winchester name is owned by Olin, and the Hodgdon brand is a selection of other companies powders mostly repackaged Winchester ball, and ADI powders. There is some info on this at Hodgdons web site under company history and the MSDS listings.

 

[WNTFW]

3 articles that may be worth your time to read.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/powder_relative_burn_rate.htm
http://www.chuckhawks.com/powder_burning_speed.htm
http://www.chuckhawks.com/powder_burn_rate.htm

 

[jfh]

Rokman: two-three years ago, I started 'comparing' different burn rate charts, and as I started using Ramshot's True Blue and Silhouette in 38/357, I did find the Ramshot burn rate list to 'make sense,' even though its order was noticably different from Hodgdon's.

FWIW.

 

[Walkalong]

I like Ramshots chart as well. At least for pistol powders, and fast rifle powders. Don't use any slow rifle powders.