crawfish......2400?????

[De41mag]

crawfish;

Just read your last post, and found it very interesting. Probably the best article I've seen on reloading the 41 Magnum.
But what really caught my eye is that you use 2400 in your 657 w/ jacketed bullets.
Here latley I've been trying to work a load using the new Speer 210gr. GDHP. And what I've found is that 2400 is the most accurate using the Speer bullet. Also, my pet load for deer hunting is the Sierra 170gr.JHC ahead of 2400. That is the load I used to kill my first deer.
So I was just wondering is 2400 the best powder for the 657 no matter what bullet is used. It just seems such a coincidence that my two best loads have fallen for 2400. Just wondering what your thoughts are?
And like you said, I load for accuracy, not for speed, and my loads are not max.
Just wondering what your thoughts are?
Thanks.

Dennis  

[crawfish]

In my powder locker right now I have 110, 296, 1660, 4227, 4756, 4759, Bullseye, Green and Red Dot, Unique, Herco, Lil’ Gun, 800-X, and all the Accurate powders. I have used or at least tried to work up loads with every one of them. Some were better than others. Some were pure miserable and some were really good in one way or another. I always kept coming back to 2400. I couldn’t put it into words but I just shot 2400 loads much better than others. Even tried blind testing where son#2 loaded my guns with same bullet/power loads with 2400 and other powders and the 2400 loads were always consistently better.
Two years ago I was involved with some testing here a Ft. Bragg and from that I think I have found the reason I shoot 2400 better than most of the others and why it suits me better. We were doing some pressure chamber powder burns looking for a suitable propellant for a project. One of the “big brain” guys was explaining why this would or would not work by comparing burn pressure curves. I saw something with 2400 that doesn’t happen with any other of those we tested. The typical pressure curve isn’t really a curve but more of a sharp upward spike then a just as rapid drop like and inverted “V” but with 2400 that inverted “V” has a clearly defined flat top to it. I have always, from my very first loadings for the .41RemMag, felt a very different kind of recoil with 2400 even with loads that were within single number readings on my chronograph. I can only surmise it is because of that flattening of the pressure spike.

So now I load for four different .41       calibers, .41RemMag, .41GNR, .41GNR#2, and .411JDJ. I have 2400 loads that shine in all but truthfully 4227 works better in the last two with the 265g bullets I use in those and 4759 works better with the 290g I sometimes use in the .411JDJ. In the .41RemMag I have ten different handguns. They all will shoot, for me, better using 2400 with jacketed bullets 170g-220g and I can’t beat 17.5/2400 with a 250g cast. That has gone clean through everything I’ve put it against so far at the ranges I normally shoot and for the one time I had to shoot at 63 yards it shot through that cow bison’s front shoulders slick as goose sh%t. That one and one other was the real test of my caliber choice and load. After that bison I was pretty sure. After that 2200+ pound feral steer I’ll take on T-Rex without a blink of an eye. To say I like 2400 for the .41 would be putting it lightly.

[MePlat]

Crawfish:  Let me ask you a few questions concerning 2400.  In working with the 454 Casull I used loads I will not print here I found that 2400 would give pressure jumps that I didn’t find with WW296.
I have also read where others found the same thing.  As you go up the pressure tracks very consistently but as you go up past a certain point the pressure jumps all out of proportion to amount of powder increase where with H110 and WW296 this does not happen to the same extent especially with heavier than normal bullets. Have you found this to be true?
That is the reason I generally use the H110 and WW296 with heavier bullet loads.
I am currently working with 2400 in the 500 S & W but haven’t done much yet just some preliminary testing although I am not looking for max loads just something that will equal the 500 Linebaugh or slightly exceed it.

Thanks

[crawfish]

This is the short answer:
Yes I have seen the things you post about with 2400 at very high load densities but at the sedate levels I load to now I find it the best powder for my needs, low recoil, not as sharp muzzle blast and I find it is pretty consistent from gun to gun with the same ammo.  :grin:
If you would like the whole single spaced typed page answer I'll pm it to you. :wink:
BTY for load development with your 500 IMHO you might want to look at 4759 and 4227 in that big  case. Think you might find something you could like.

[ftw]

Not to Hijack your thread but to add to it, I have owned a .41 Mag of some kind since about 1967 and have reloaded for that caliber almost from the beginning. I have never used anything but 2400 for .41 Mag. Lead,jsp,and lately 210 JHP-XP. Target and hunting loads both.

Is there anything better? I don't know,probably but 2400 has always done just what I wanted it to and I will probably stay with it. :-)

[De41mag]

THANKS, crawfish.

Just recived 200 bullets from Midsouth today, and have a fresh unopened can of 2400, going to the loading bench after I get off line. Thanks for your insight, I was hoping it was not by chance that the two best loads seemed to be using 2400. Been going through 2400 like water in 41 and 44's. Have to buy another 4lb. can soon. Buying these 1lb. cans are killing me.
By the way, crawfish, do you have a Marlin 1894FG in 41 Magnum???
Also I've tried SR4759 in my 7mm-08 and a 120gr. Sierra, and found it to be one of the most accurate loads for my Rem. Mod. 7FS. Pushing at about 7mmBR velocities.
Good Shooting crawfish.

Dennis  

[MePlat]

CRAWFISH:  Please send me the data sheet.  I would like to see it.

Thanks you very much for the time and effort.