What's your oppinion of BL-C(2)? [updated]

[persistentprogrammer]

I just bought a pound of BL-C(2) because it was all the store had that was suitable for my 350 Rem Mag. When I went to load I noticed that it was a ball powder and it was really tedious to weigh and trickle, so I decided to use my measure. This was the first time I've ever used a measure for rifle loads and I was pleased that the whole process went faster. So I loaded for my 308 Win too, 70 rounds loaded up within an hour.

Questions/Issues
1) Using a good powder measure it still varied up to 1/2 gr, seems acceptable
2) Not likely to ever have compressed loads, my first time with non compressed loads, is it OK to have so much extra space?
3) Do I need to use magnum primers?

[Graybeard]

Questions/Issues
1) Using a good powder measure it still varied up to 1/2 gr, seems acceptable

Yup in fact those who have the highest demand for accuracy (benchrest shooters) never weight their charges they use a measure to throw them. I do as well unless it's such a coarse stick powder that you just can't realistically throw them. For the most part I don't use such powders for that reason.

2) Not likely to ever have compressed loads, my first time with non compressed loads, is it OK to have so much extra space?

Yup not a problem at all this is NOT black powder you're using. If it's a book load it should be just fine.

3) Do I need to use magnum primers?

Use the primer your loading data source says use. If that's a magnum primer then use one if it's not then don't. Generally speaking however ball powders like magnum primers. But follow the recommendation from your data source.

[beemanbeme]

What GB said +1.

[Reed1911]

1) Using a good powder measure it still varied up to 1/2 gr, seems acceptable

This statement is a little off to me, you should be able to get BLC-2 to hit within .05g +/- When using a powder throw don't just dump the powder in and cycle the handle, first tap the side gently and settle the column, then when you throw throw all the way open to the powder column, half way down, back to full powder open and hit the stop, then to full dump. This settles the powder into the measure and you shold get much better results than 1/2g accuracy.

[Graybeard]

With fine ball powders like this I seldom get more than plus/minus 0.10 grain but often far less. I'm not much on weighting charges and feel it's a waste of valuable time I can be doing something else like taking a nap. But a ten charge test will normally see about 8 or 9 weight the same and one that is a tenth off high or low.

I normally will run a ten charge drop and weight it and darn seldom if I do that more than once will the average weight of ten charges vary more than one or two tenths from the rest. That's more than accurate enough for me.

Consistency in your technique determines how consistent your loads are. I normally charge 50 cases at a time in a loading block and the examine them under a strong light to be sure all look the same. If any happen to look enough different that I can see it visually I'll dump it back examine the case closely and drop a new charge in it after verifying I missed nothing that might be different about that case. Once long ago I ignored the fact that the charge "LOOKED DIFFERENT" just because I had verified the weight of it being same as the rest. The result was a TC Contender .44 magnum came apart in my hands. NOT FUN.

[persistentprogrammer]

Thanks for your advice, I'm honored GB took an interest in my thread.

I always check my loads under bright light before sealing them up with the bullet. I agree that my deviation of 1/2gr was suspicious, but my gosh did I save a ton of time, my back wasn't stiff and my eyes didn't get crossed.

Would you help me out by naming any other powders that would be alternatives, in case this powder doesn't produce good groups?

[Badnews Bob]

I always seem to run out of BL-C2 faster than most other powders I use, very useful powder to me. Usually groups are very good also.

[Reed1911]

W760, H380, AA2520 all ball powders all meter well and all are in the range of the .350 Rem Mag.

[LaOtto222]

It is one of the best 204 and 222 Remington powders. Works OK in the 223 also. I have no experience with it in larger calibers. As been noted it flows through a power measure like water. That is how I got started using it in the first place. I was trying to use IMR 4198 in a 222 Rem and was having a devil of a time getting it metered out. Switched to BL C2 and not only did it meter well, it shot very well too.

[Huffmanite]

I've never used it.  However, I'll relate a comment a man shooting next to me last week at the range said about the BL-C2 powder.  He had a new custom rifle, no expense spared on it, including its scope.   He was shooting his hand loads of BL-C2 , trying to find the right load for his new rifle and he chronographed each shot.  He waited 3 or more minutes between each shot.  Man claimed that BL-C2 was temperature sensitive, especially in a hot chamber and that it affected the velocity and accuracy of his rounds. 

[Sweetwater]

My Dad's experience was that it pressure peaked in his 257 Roberts too rapidly for his taste. That was nearly 50 years ago. I used it 24years ago to develop a heavy load for my 8x57 Persian Carbine. It drove a 200gr Nosler faster and more accurately than other powders of the day. It sure lights up the sky in that short barrel, but it puts down the Elk and everything else I've aimed it at.

Side note: Ball C2 was originally developed for the 308Win - and I don't use magnum primers with this size case.

Regards,
Sweetwater

[tn_junk]

I used it in .30-30 loads and wasn't real happy. Couldn't get the accuracy that I wanted.

alan

[Catfish]

Thumbs up for BLc2. I load on a 550 Dillon and have never been able to detect any variation between powder charges drop when loading BLc2 powder, and my old Redding scales is makred to 1/10 of a gn. with enough space between marks to easily spot a varation of 1/4 of the distance between marks. Is the Dillon scales that much more accurate?

[beemanbeme]

Dropping a consistant charge from a measure takes practice just like anything else.  You've got to develope your stroke.  Sometimes, especially if you've been away for a while, when you first sit down, you ought to run several charges off and just dump them back in the hopper to get your feel back.

[persistentprogrammer]

I found that the powder was clinging and had a fair amount of buildup inside the measure, cleaned it with isopropanol and I'll try again.

Here's the results from my first loads:
http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,139632.0.html

[DDelle338]

  BLC-2 is my favorite powder for my .223 Most accurate I've tried thus far.
I had problems with powder clinging to the measure in the past. Mostly during the dry winter months. I started using a spray called "Micro-Static Guard" for computers. Just spray it on a cloth and wipe things down with it. Or those dryer sheets like "Bounce", work well. I just wipe my powder measure inside and out when-ever I change powders and ocasionally on the outside while loading.