Post Alliant Power Pro Varmint Results

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  • BluntForceTrauma
    Administrator
    • Feb 2011
    • 3897

    Post Alliant Power Pro Varmint Results

    I was interested to note that Sierra's 6.5 Grendel reloading data6.5 Grendel video testing the Berger 6.5mm 135 Classic Hunter and made an offhand remark that he thought Power Pro Varmint was similar in burn rate to Reloder 12. My ears perked up because of what Bill had said and because of Sierra's good results with it.

    So let's try it and post our results here!
    :: 6.5 GRENDEL Deer and Targets :: 6mmARC Targets and Varmints and Deer :: 22 ARC Varmints and Targets

    :: I Drank the Water :: Revelation 21:6 ::
  • Kilco
    Chieftain
    • Jan 2016
    • 1201

    #2
    Waiting for my 22" JP barrel and some 107 Sierra TMKs and ill be testing this powder out for sure

    Comment

    • koden
      Bloodstained
      • Sep 2014
      • 92

      #3
      I have a lb on the bench sitting next to a couple boxes of 107's and 123smk's. I plan on running them over the chrono the week after xmas.

      The powder looks identical to CFE223.
      Attached Files

      Comment

      • BluntForceTrauma
        Administrator
        • Feb 2011
        • 3897

        #4
        Powder really does look like an exact match — unless there are minor chemical differences not visible to the naked eye.
        :: 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

        • VASCAR2
          Chieftain
          • Mar 2011
          • 6219

          #5
          I wonder if the Pro Varmint is any more temperature stable than CFE223?

          Comment

          • Austkare
            Unwashed
            • Nov 2017
            • 17

            #6
            I'm glad you brought this subject up. I remember reading about Power Pro Varmit but had forgot the name of it. Thanks!

            Comment

            • Randy99CL
              Warrior
              • Oct 2017
              • 562

              #7
              When the Sierra data came out I also noticed that PP Varmint powder did well with every bullet weight. Then I saw Johnny's video.
              And today I got the Sportsman's Warehouse email that it's on sale...http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/s...1708/cat100151

              I'll go tomorrow and get some. Will be first powder I use with my new equipment.
              "In any war, political or battlefield; truth is the first casualty."

              Trump has never had a wife he didn't cheat on.

              Comment

              • Mad Charlie
                Warrior
                • May 2017
                • 827

                #8
                Just got 2 lbs of it, planning on doing some workups under 129 ABLR. Going to be after 1st of year though.

                Comment

                • koden
                  Bloodstained
                  • Sep 2014
                  • 92

                  #9
                  Didn't have much time to test but I did load 5 rounds of Varmint and 5 rounds of CFE using 123 SMK bullets seated to 2.265.

                  I set the powder drop for 28.6g of varmint. After 5 rounds I emptied the powder measure and filled it with CFE. Without changing the measure it dropped 28.5g of CFE 223. I loaded 5 rounds of CFE at that load.

                  5 rounds of CFE223:

                  High: 2264
                  Low: 2190
                  Ave: 2241
                  ES: 74
                  SD: 27

                  5 rounds of Varmint

                  High: 2447
                  Low: 2417
                  Ave: 2426
                  ES: 30
                  SD: 11

                  No accuracy reports or ladder tests. It was starting to rain hard and I just wanted to get a comparison. Brass looked fine.

                  Varmint may look like CFE but its very different.

                  Comment

                  • HillclimberCR500
                    Bloodstained
                    • Jun 2016
                    • 54

                    #10
                    Koden. What barrel length for that test?

                    Comment

                    • koden
                      Bloodstained
                      • Sep 2014
                      • 92

                      #11
                      18" barrel 2200 ft elevation 29deg f

                      Comment

                      • Crusty
                        Warrior
                        • Dec 2017
                        • 237

                        #12
                        I'm going to shoot my first OCW spread tomorrow with Power Pro 2000-MR because of the MV listed in this Speer load sheet that I recently found and I have high hopes for it. It's a flattened spherical powder that throws uniformly and that max load nearly fills the case which is also good.
                        Attached Files
                        I'll be yer Huckleberry.

                        Comment

                        • BluntForceTrauma
                          Administrator
                          • Feb 2011
                          • 3897

                          #13
                          Wow — according to Speer's data — PP2K is head and shoulders above the next nearest competitor, which is PPV. This is gonna be cool to see your results!

                          Long ago the Grendel Horde mastered the art of fire and mead-making — good to see we never stop learning!
                          :: 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

                          • Crusty
                            Warrior
                            • Dec 2017
                            • 237

                            #14
                            Just got back from the range and I think I've found one accuracy node which will get further exploration. At 30.0gr (with 123gr ELD-Ms) the group was about 1" max and the groups .7% above and below that are just a bit wider. The groups above that charge were a lot wider (scatter nodes no doubt) but at 100.6% and 101.4% of max charge they appeared to be getting tighter again. I didn't see any signs of over pressure at the high end so next time out I'm going to explore a bit farther on the high side because I suspect that there could be another (maybe better) accuracy node out there and primer pressure signs will stop my exploration.

                            Most of the groups (except for the one mentioned above) had lone fliers which is discouraging since I was shooting from a reasonably good rest and I don't think they were shooter induced. I don't have access to a chrono so I shot some factory Hornady Black ELD-M ammo (bullets reset to the same depth) for a control and my high end groups were in the same general location from the bull as the Hornady so I'd guess that the MVs were in the same ballpark as the factory ammo. It's a pretty dirty powder - lots of black.
                            Last edited by Crusty; 12-29-2017, 11:52 PM.
                            I'll be yer Huckleberry.

                            Comment

                            • Kswhitetails
                              Chieftain
                              • Oct 2016
                              • 1914

                              #15
                              Speak with Lrrpf52 about pressure signs in the Grendel before you proceed much further. If I’m remembering correctly, there are usually little or no primer pressure signs even when way over mwp. Too bad you don’t have a chronograph, the muzzle velocity for each step should show consistent increases until pressure becomes an issue. He can and does explain it better that I could hope to. If it were me though, I would be consulting someone reliable that’s been there done that before.
                              Nothing kills the incentive of men faster than a healthy sense of entitlement. Nothing kills entitlement faster than a healthy sense of achievement.

                              Comment

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