Shooting cast in 308 with accurate #9

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AJC1

AJC1

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So I have and shoot a lot of 357 mag. This leads me to have a lot of good crossover powders for light loads in rifle. Unique, 2400 and 4227 are all big players. I found a deal on accurate #9 and picked up 3 pounds, the only powder i found this year. My lyman manual has #9 for cast in 6.5×55 mouser so on can conclude it is suited to the task. Does anyone have data for accurate #9 in 308 at all. Seems western doesn't provide this type of data.
 
Charlie98 said:
I looked in my Lyman data... lo and behold, they have AA#9 data for a 200grn cast...

View attachment 991347

As Elkins mentions, it's charge weights are quite similar to 2400, about 1grn less across the board. I just wonder how well it will work with such poor case fill. I am not at all familiar with AA#9...
Click to expand...
I'm not either but I have 150s. 16181600339301455778298843751477.jpg
 
Nice looking bullet!!!

I'd start @ 16gr and work up a 1/2gr at a time until your groups open up or you get into the 40,000psi+ range.

I don't use AA#9 but I've burned a bunch of 2400 in the 308w's. 18.3gr of 2400 pushing the lee 160gr tl bullet will do 10-shot moa groups @ 100yds the current 308w that I'm playing with.
 
just want to double check... AA mean Accurate right?

I’ve never used this powder but I am
now.
 
forrest r said:
Nice looking bullet!!!

I'd start @ 16gr and work up a 1/2gr at a time until your groups open up or you get into the 40,000psi+ range.

I don't use AA#9 but I've burned a bunch of 2400 in the 308w's. 18.3gr of 2400 pushing the lee 160gr tl bullet will do 10-shot moa groups @ 100yds the current 308w that I'm playing with.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I didn't cast it. It's out of a box from my dads house. They are super clean, I'll be sad when they are gone.
 
joneb said:
I would guess a less dense powder will work better, for lead I would go with Unique, Blue Dot or 2400 or maybe 4227. I have had very good results with Blue Dot in .308 win. with 125gr Nosler BT's
http://www.tacticoolproducts.com/powder.pdf
Click to expand...
Ok I'm lost the only less dense powder on your list is 4227 by weight. I only have a pound of unique and 2400. I have three pounds of #9 that doesn't have the abundance of versatility, but maybe it is as versatile just not well known. Unique is the only powder in the list that achieves high pressure so I struck it from the list.
 
Very interesting, I'm in a similar situation as I have a good supply of Unique but not much rifle powder. And of course, now is when I start working up loads for 300 blackout, 308, 30-30, 300 Win. Mag.
 
joneb said:
I would guess a less dense powder will work better, for lead I would go with Unique, Blue Dot or 2400 or maybe 4227. I have had very good results with Blue Dot in .308 win. with 125gr Nosler BT's
http://www.tacticoolproducts.com/powder.pdf
Click to expand...

Not really, bottle necked rifle calibers are an animal all to themselves. A lot of people use +/- 5gr of bullseye in the 308w's with +/-90gr bullets to replace 22lr ammo. The trade off for using powders like unique is +/- 10gr of unique VS +/- 18gr of AA#9. Pretty much equal by volume.
 
My concern with using AA#9 is how it behaves in a big cartridge case... much like H110/W296, which prefers more case fill, vs say 2400, which doesn't necessarily care so much. There is data for it, but I might email Accurate and see what they say.
 
Charlie98 said:
My concern with using AA#9 is how it behaves in a big cartridge case... much like H110/W296, which prefers more case fill, vs say 2400, which doesn't necessarily care so much. There is data for it, but I might email Accurate and see what they say.
Click to expand...
It doesn't appear as though any of their powders are really good for this type of exercise compared with alliant. It must be that old vs new technology. When the powder was black it just worked in everything. It's just as bad as rods in bass fishing.
 
Tilt the barrel up and jiggle it before firing. That settles the powder in the rear of the case against the primer.
 
It works... very well actually. It is currently my only 308 cast load. I worked a ladder from 17-21 grains and 18.5 was the most accurate. NOE 311-180 Ranchdog jammed into the lands a thou and a very good crimp. Does near 1800 and expands nicely out to 100 yards in water jugs. This is with visual sort, coat clear, size to .309 and load with thrown charges in a hodgepodge of brass.
 

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So I seated a bullet to the crimping groove and wiped out the calipers for a comparison to the book. To the crimp groove was 2.550 and the book load states 2.600. Then I seat a bullet to the book spec for comparison and that's definitely a no go. So I'm going to cook up a test ladder of 4227 and try it. The lands are forever further down so jump control is just not reasonable. 20210414_162124.jpg I also got my lee universal expander and noe expanders. That system works well I may make a sleeve to hold the expander in the up position. When using pistol it's a non issue
 
With the Lee universal expander the body of the die is long enough to have both of the expanders in the die like you would for pistol.

Invest in the Hornady seating die. That sleeve keeps the bullet straight while you seat. Otherwise you can get the MDie style expander from NOE that fits in the Lee expander to get the bullets to seat straight. Wish I found that long time ago.

Shooting into freebore is going to require more crimp than you think. 4227 is a great powder form cast 308. Post your groups when you test if you don’t mind.

You may want to consider a heavier Bullet to aid in combustion. I have some if you want to try.
 
bluejay75 said:
With the Lee universal expander the body of the die is long enough to have both of the expanders in the die like you would for pistol.

Invest in the Hornady seating die. That sleeve keeps the bullet straight while you seat. Otherwise you can get the MDie style expander from NOE that fits in the Lee expander to get the bullets to seat straight. Wish I found that long time ago.

Shooting into freebore is going to require more crimp than you think. 4227 is a great powder form cast 308. Post your groups when you test if you don’t mind.

You may want to consider a heavier Bullet to aid in combustion. I have some if you want to try.
Click to expand...
I got the noe expander and they are a dream. Another great caster put me onto them in my two step mandrel tirade. My rcbs gold medal seater works great has the sleeve and fits the ojive leaving no Mark's. A crimp is my final conundrum.
 
AJC1 said:
...A crimp is my final conundrum.
Click to expand...

I really like the Lee collet type FCD for cast bullets with bottlenecked rifle rounds.

Despite their claims, I've found that for best accuracy, consistent case lengths are still important.
bluejay75 said:
...Does near 1800 and expands nicely out to 100 yards in water jugs...
Click to expand...
What alloy are you using?
I'm assuming air dropped?
 
I trimmed all the cases. It was my first experience with a new trimmer so I have 2 thow of variation but waaaaay closer than it was. Problem being I expect zero case growth at 14k psi.
 
Are you using dies with an expander ball?

If so, they'll still grow, just s-l-o-w-l-y.

Those suckers will last almost as long as ugly luggage.
 
Swampman said:
Are you using dies with an expander ball?

If so, they'll still grow, just s-l-o-w-l-y.

Those suckers will last almost as long as ugly luggage.
Click to expand...
I sized them with a forester national match die which is small base. I then ran a 21st century expander mandrel through them as I intended to shoot 150 speer bullets but then the plan changed when I got the lead 150s. I then stepped them up with the noe expander with a 307/311 profile. Bullet base measures. 310
 
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