Shooters World Tactical Powder

[jasper2408]

Someone a while back was asking if anyone had any info shooting Shooters World Tactical powder. I decided to go out and shoot a 10 shot ladder yesterday just to see how it would do so here are the results that I got.

I shot this test out of my Howa Miniaction Chassis 20" bull barrel with a VG6 Lambda and the Gunbloke 1lb trigger spring installed(I do not hunt and I would not take this light trigger hunting). I used a Magneto Speed chrono mounted on a Wiser Precision mount off of the barrel. I shot using a bipod and a rear bag. All of the primers and brass looked good after firing. I do plan on shooting 5 shot groups later on to see how the accuracy is at 100 yards.

Shooters World's manual shows a top of 2532fps at max 28.7gr of powder and I got 2531fps.

Temp: 70-75F
Range of powder charges: 26.9-28.7 (10 single shots)
Brass: Hornady (shot 5 times previously)
Trimmed to 1.510"
Hornady 123gr HPBT
Primer: Rem 7 1/2
BTO: 1.696"
COAL: 2.260"

[Rosecrans1]

I'll pull my data out as well. I had a spike in my RAP during a ladder and it didn't give me very good accuracy so I never went back to it.

[jasper2408]

I'll pull my data out as well. I had a spike in my RAP during a ladder and it didn't give me very good accuracy so I never went back to it.

It would be interesting to see your data and see where your nodes are. I have decided to use 3 shot groups at a 100yds next time to save time and start at 27.7gr and go up to the max and see what shakes out. I think there might be something up around the 28.3-28.5 range but will just have to see.

[Rosecrans1]

I started my ladder at 27.2 and stopped at 28 due to a spike
These were shot from a Ruger American Predator, 22" barrel. These were average of 3 shot groups just to see what the Shooters World Tactical would do. Shot at 73 degrees in May of this year.
All used Hornaday 5x brass and CCI450. 1.520 case / 2.255" OAL using Berger 130gr hybrids.
Results were from my Magnetospeed V3

27.2 = 2345fps
27.4 = 2358fps
27.6 = 2368fps
27.8 = 2386fps
28.0 = 2443fps yikes! hard bolt open/some cratoring

I had 5 each to shoot for accuracy but I left the chronograph hooked up and ran one of each again and saw no distinct change in velocity and I double checked the powder with a bullet I took apart at home of the 28 grain load and it came to 27.9 so these were not miss loaded. (probably a little in the primer area not coming out). Only the 27.4 and 27.6gr shot decent at just over MOA@100yd. I didn't shoot the 28gr for accuracy as you might have expected. It may have been dead on but I like my gun.....and face.
I haven't loaded Tactical since. Maybe it doesn't like the Berger 130's. Perhaps a lighter bullet next time. Whenever I can get some time. I stick with 8208 & H4895 for the Grendels. That Shooters World may sit for a long time!

[jasper2408]

If you noticed I used Rem 7 1/2 primers for a reason. I noticed you used CCI450 primers.

EDIT: I am editing this post so I can make a correction in my findings with the CCI450 primers. I do not want to claim something that is not true. I posted a ladder with SW Match on here and it was with CCI450s and it had 100fps spikes all over the place and looked terrible. I redid that Match ladder with Rem 7 1/2s and it was fine. Was nice and smooth looking. I looked over all of my data again with all of the other powders that I have tested and the only powders that I am getting spikes in the MV that I consider as abnormal are SW Match and SW Tactical. This is with CCI450 primers only. I have had no trouble with any of the other primers that I use with these two powders. The rest of the powders that I tested with CCI450 primers I would consider normal. Just wanted to clear that up so that I am not putting something out there that is not true.


Well back on topic. I should be able to get out next week after the rains quit here(Wednesday or Thursday) to get some more data to post.

[Rosecrans1]

I "try" to use the magnum primers between the bolt and my gas gun so there is no "Bolt Gun Only" and or "AR Grendel" labeling. I have loads that shoot well or eceptionally well in each. I have CCI 400's and Federal 205's I can use. I may try to load up some of the Tactical again using regular small rifle primers in the RAP only and see what happens over the Magnetospeed. Please send central Pennsylvania some of that rain. We're in a terrible drought this year. Can't trout fish! No water in my mountain streams. The trout are stressed!
Actually, this whole year has me about whipped! Waiting on frogs and locusts next!

[riuma]

Someone a while back was asking if anyone had any info shooting Shooters World Tactical powder. I decided to go out and shoot a 10 shot ladder yesterday just to see how it would do so here are the results that I got.

I shot this test out of my Howa Miniaction Chassis 20" bull barrel with a VG6 Lambda and the Gunbloke 1lb trigger spring installed(I do not hunt and I would not take this light trigger hunting). I used a Magneto Speed chrono mounted on a Wiser Precision mount off of the barrel. I shot using a bipod and a rear bag. All of the primers and brass looked good after firing. I do plan on shooting 5 shot groups later on to see how the accuracy is at 100 yards.

Shooters World's manual shows a top of 2532fps at max 28.7gr of powder and I got 2531fps.

Temp: 70-75F
Range of powder charges: 26.9-28.7 (10 single shots)
Brass: Hornady (shot 5 times previously)
Trimmed to 1.510"
Hornady 123gr HPBT
Primer: Rem 7 1/2
BTO: 1.696"
COAL: 2.260"


[ATTACH=CONFIG]16941[/ATTACH]

I shot Tactical Rifle in my CZ with 123 grain Custom Comps. I stopped at 28 grains but my results mirrored yours. I used S&B primers which I have found give very good results in the Grendel. Accuracy was good but not as good as my loads with Match Rifle. ~Riuma

[jasper2408]

I "try" to use the magnum primers between the bolt and my gas gun so there is no "Bolt Gun Only" and or "AR Grendel" labeling. I have loads that shoot well or eceptionally well in each. I have CCI 400's and Federal 205's I can use. I may try to load up some of the Tactical again using regular small rifle primers in the RAP only and see what happens over the Magnetospeed. Please send central Pennsylvania some of that rain. We're in a terrible drought this year. Can't trout fish! No water in my mountain streams. The trout are stressed!
Actually, this whole year has me about whipped! Waiting on frogs and locusts next!

You may get some of this rain this time. It is too late here for rain as my lawn is crunchy and has a nice brown hew to it. Last time I mowed I was just mowing dirt, absolute waste of time.

I use WSR primers in my 5.56 and no problems with spikes whatsoever with Tactical. In fact I am able to get very accurate loads with Tactical and the WSR primer. I do have to admit that Match and Tactical powders are by far the worst that I have encountered when it comes to MV spikes when using my CCI450s. I even shot a ladder, posted below, with 100gr ELD-M bullets and Tactical powder using the 450s and it spiked just as bad. I will shoot the ladder again with Rem 7 1/2s and it will be just fine probably.

[jasper2408]

I have edited my #5 post to correct my erroneous statement.

[riuma]

I have never used a magnum primer for Grendel. I started with BR4's but accuracy was lacking. With an over abundance of S&B's on hand I tried these and they worked wonderfully. Small ES/SD and great performance. I shot my CZ Varmint Grendel yesterday just to verify zero (in a miserable snow storm) and got a ragged cluster off a bipod at 100 yards with 120 Pro Hunters over a stout charge of Match Rifle lit by an S&B. I FL resize all my cases, trim them all to the same length, and after seating, apply a Crimp with the Lee Factory Crimp die. ~Riuma

[jasper2408]

I will use Rem 7 1/2s from now on with those 2 powders. I crimp my AR stuff but not for my bolt guns.

[riuma]

I crimp everything. Not to prevent bullet movement but to assist in making a more uniform pull weight. I've been using these FCD's since they came out and have seen the chono strips reflect reduced ES and SD. If Lee doesn't make a FCD in one of my chamberings (I shoot some odd stuff) I have them custom make one.~Riuma.

PS: To be clear, I only use the Lee Crimp Die. Roll crimping is a waste of time as is not having your cases (very close, at least) to the same length.

[jasper2408]

I finished up my test loads today and I had enough empty cases so that I will be able to do 4 shots at each grain weight. Looks like it is going to be clear on Wednesday and about the same temp as when I ran the original ladder. Hopefully there won't be a bunch of wind.

[jasper2408]

Well I was rained out Wednesday but I was able to go today and below are the results that I got with Tactical powder.

These are the targets for each group. The second target is the actual node on the ladder chart and the best overall group was at this powder weight. There were also other groups that looked good except for a flyer.

1.383" .611" 1.316" .782" .978" .912"


This chart is a summary of all of the groups at each grain weight that I fired. The first group at 27.7gr had a very good ES/SD but it was the worst group size of all of them. Some of the MVs look as if they are not there but actually the speeds were so close that one of them might be hidden behind one of a similar MV.



A better shooter could probably get some of those groups down to a respectable size. So anyway this is as far as I am going to test with this combo. Hope this helps someone.

Edit: One thing I did forget to mention is that all of the brass looked good with all of the primers rounded and the cases were easy to extract. I also changed the targets so that you can see the order of the shots fired as I did record it but didn't include it when I wrote this. I also put the group size next to each target. I basically had a crappy day shooting. What more can I say.

[Sinclair]

Jasper, I noticed that almost every group has a flyer. Was that the first , last or just a random occurrence?