Post Alliant Power Pro Varmint Results

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  • NugginFutz
    Chieftain
    • Aug 2013
    • 2622

    #16
    +1

    A chronograph is definitely in order, as flattened primers are not a reliable indicator of overpressure. Instead, you should be watching the velocity curve at each load graduation. You should see roughly the same velocity increases for each charge step. If you start to see a spiking or flattening on the curve, you should really take note.
    If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

    Comment

    • Crusty
      Warrior
      • Dec 2017
      • 237

      #17
      I looked those cases over more carefully this morning under a magnifier using a good light and those high end loads are showing slight ejector marks so it looks like I've already reached the end of the road at the top. The apparent node at 30.0gr (95.6% of max - PP2KMR) still bears some investigation and I see from my data that my bullets were set about .010" longer than the previously found best seating depth, so I'll vary the powder around that charge and try various seating depths next time to see if I can tighten it up. It may be that seating the bullet deeper with this powder to reduce the internal air volume is the magic trick that Hornady uses to get such good performance from the Black ammo, because factory ammo is .020" shorter than my best depth.

      Bullet jump doesn't seem to matter in my barrel because at max mag length my bullets are still .050" off the lands, and my tightest groups happened around .080" off the lands.
      Last edited by Crusty; 12-30-2017, 07:01 PM.
      I'll be yer Huckleberry.

      Comment

      • koden
        Bloodstained
        • Sep 2014
        • 92

        #18
        Crusty,

        Just to confirm, you are load testing Power Pro 2000MR correct? The title of this thread was for Power Pro Varmint. 30g of PPV would probably be above max charge with 123g bullets and I dont want people to get confused on what is being developed in this tread.

        Comment

        • muvef
          Warrior
          • Mar 2017
          • 162

          #19
          18" JSE Surplus SAAMI spec barrel w/ a .125" bolt

          28.6 gr of PP Varmint

          Average 2363 fps

          *This was a sub 1" group*

          29 gr of PP Varmint

          Average 2410 fps

          This group opened up a little. Closer to a 1.5" group.

          I'm at 800' of elevation and it was 5 degrees outside.

          No pressure signs at 29 gr.

          Comment

          • BluntForceTrauma
            Administrator
            • Feb 2011
            • 3897

            #20
            muvef, what was your bullet?
            :: 6.5 GRENDEL Deer and Targets :: 6mmARC Targets and Varmints and Deer :: 22 ARC Varmints and Targets

            :: I Drank the Water :: Revelation 21:6 ::

            Comment

            • muvef
              Warrior
              • Mar 2017
              • 162

              #21
              Originally posted by BluntForceTrauma View Post
              muvef, what was your bullet?
              DOH... Sierra 123 gr MK's.

              COAL was 2.244".

              Comment

              • DRandi
                Bloodstained
                • Jul 2013
                • 78

                #22
                Be careful with Pro Power near max loads. Bunch of threads on Snipershide when MR-2000 gets above 90f it pressure spikes. I had similar experiences with Pro Power 1500 pushing 55 fmj’s. Was getting 3050fps out of a 16” Faxon barrel, Lake City brass, CCI 41 primers. Load was originally developed at a temp of 85f in the shade. After just 10 minuets of FL sun, ejector marks and pulled rims. Other than that, works great.

                Works good with Berger 185s in .308 also. Edit: MR-2000 with .308’s
                Last edited by DRandi; 01-07-2018, 02:48 AM.
                A nice walk in the woods helps me relax and relieves tension....

                The fact I'm dragging a shovel and a body should be irrelevant...

                Comment

                • Crusty
                  Warrior
                  • Dec 2017
                  • 237

                  #23
                  Thanks for the heads up about PP2KMR. I wasn't aware of the temperature sensitivity and I live where it's hot a lot of the time.

                  Since the one possible accuracy node that I found with it was around 96% of max I'd think that those loads (if they panned out accuracy wise) shouldn't be fired for up to half of the year.

                  Interestingly, the guy at Johnnys Reloading Bench on Youtube did some recent tests with it and he had a flier with every group and I saw that effect with my first OCW spread using it. I think I'll change strategy and go back to looking at nodes with AR-Comp. I'm getting a new barrel so I'd have to start over anyway.

                  Anyone interested in buying some Power Pro 2000-MR? I'll make you a deal.
                  I'll be yer Huckleberry.

                  Comment

                  • muvef
                    Warrior
                    • Mar 2017
                    • 162

                    #24
                    Last time out I kept the gun and ammo outside in 5 degree weather. Today I moved the gun and ammo from inside to out each time I shot. Inside temps were around 75 degrees and outside was around 15 degrees. I also changed the COAL from 2.244" to 2.256". Changing the COAL seems to have had zero effect on anything.

                    Sierra 123 gr MK's

                    2.256 COAL

                    28.6 gr

                    2395 FPS

                    29.0 gr

                    2448 FPS

                    No pressure signs from either charge weight. Groups were around 1" or greater. Nothing special.

                    Comment

                    • muvef
                      Warrior
                      • Mar 2017
                      • 162

                      #25
                      Now to the 120 gr Sierra MK's.

                      COAL 2.256"

                      28.7 gr

                      2375 fps

                      Groups were just under 1"

                      29.0 gr

                      2428 fps

                      Groups were just at 1"

                      29.3 gr

                      2447 fps

                      These grouped around 3/4". They also had very light ejector smears. Hornady Black's had worse than these, but only were getting 2390 fps.

                      Comment

                      • Drillboss
                        Warrior
                        • Jan 2015
                        • 894

                        #26
                        I loaded up a velocity/pressure ladder of Power Pro Varmint under 120 gr SMK bullets, from 26.6 gr up to 29.6 gr. Once fired Hornady brass with Sellier and Bellot SR primers from a 20" Shilen barrel.

                        Weather was pleasant today, so I tried them out. My velocities matched Sierra's data almost spot on after correcting for barrel length. Markings on the brass were unremarkable. I shot 11 rounds with 0.3 gr increments. Extreme spread for the group was 1.78". Taking out the obvious outlyer, 10 rounds grouped within 1.2".

                        This powder looks pretty good. The 29.6 gr load clocked at 2515 fps, versus a factory Hornady 123 gr. SST at 2502 fps. Next step is to do an OCW type workup.

                        Comment

                        • BluntForceTrauma
                          Administrator
                          • Feb 2011
                          • 3897

                          #27
                          DB, looks promising. I note that 29.6 PPV is Sierra's max load in their data.
                          :: 6.5 GRENDEL Deer and Targets :: 6mmARC Targets and Varmints and Deer :: 22 ARC Varmints and Targets

                          :: I Drank the Water :: Revelation 21:6 ::

                          Comment

                          • Drillboss
                            Warrior
                            • Jan 2015
                            • 894

                            #28
                            Originally posted by BluntForceTrauma View Post
                            DB, looks promising. I note that 29.6 PPV is Sierra's max load in their data.
                            Yes it is. I had a nice, smooth velocity trend working up to there. Again, no pressure indications on the brass.

                            Comment

                            • beastep
                              Bloodstained
                              • Jan 2018
                              • 82

                              #29
                              I may have to give that powder a try. Its either that or AR Comp.

                              Comment

                              • Drillboss
                                Warrior
                                • Jan 2015
                                • 894

                                #30
                                OCW results with PPV

                                PPV Results.pdf

                                I hope the attachment worked.

                                Weather was awesome in Oklahoma today, except we really need some rain. Here are my results from an OCW test with Sierra 120 gr MK over Alliant's Power Pro Varmint. I put together 3 rounds each from 27.8 gr up to max of 29.6 gr. Groups varied from 1.5" to 0.78" (at 100 yards).

                                I shot each load consecutive, rather than the recommended round robin, and I never saw the POI settle in between groups. That range from 28.4 gr to 29 gr looks pretty promising. I have to admit, I seem to shoot better groups when I'm not trying to shoot groups.

                                I'm still liking this powder. Next step is to see what happens at different temperatures and try some variation in seating depth.

                                By the way, factory Hornady Black averaged 2441 fps.
                                Last edited by Drillboss; 01-28-2018, 12:31 AM.

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