Posted: 7/28/2005 8:03:40 AM EDT
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I've narrowed it down to a 1/2 dozen difference powders and am ready to do a muzzle flash test. Figured I'd go out one evening, set up my video camera and fire off a mag full of each load. Then when I get home, I can run the video to decide the winner/s. Just looking to see if anyone out there has any suggestions. Big Al |
| I think it would help to have a second person there because it might not translate well to video. Maybe someone with a clip board and some sort of rating system. Other than that I'd like to see it. Also, do you know if any of these powders are used by manufacturers? Federal, Remington, Speer, etc... |
| Factories are able to spec very specific burning rates and other characteristics of what reloaders must accept as "cannister" powders. You will be able to buy only a single type of Unique, but they can buy 10 or 12. They use various types of salts to make "low flash" ammo..you will not be able to do this. Your tests will only be relevant to commercial reloading powders and reloaded ammo, and even then only to the specific lots and firearms involved. (Of course this does not mean they are worthless!) JMO |
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Update! Had a chance to test 8 different powders the other night and I wanted to share the results with you. Some were surprising. Bullets were both 230 grains and ignited with WLP primers. Longshot, 6.4 gr, Win FMJ, HUGE (of course) flash Bullseye, 4.7 gr, Win FMJ, Large (surpise) flash Bullseye, 5.3 gr, Speer Gold Dot, Large flash AA #5, 7.9 gr, Win FMJ, Large flash AA #5, 7.9 gr, Gold Dot, Large flash (but smaller than FMJ) Unique, 6.1 gr, Gold Dot, Large flash 700x, 4.9 gr, Win FMJ, Medium flash 700x, 4.9 gr, Gold Dot, Medium flash Green Dot, 5.3 gr, Win FMJ, Small flash Green Dot, 5.5 gr, Gold Dot, Smaller flash Nitro 100, 4.9 gr, Win FMJ, Small flash Nitro 100, 4.5 gr, Gold Dot, Small flash Herco, 6 gr, Win FMJ, Small flash (surprise to me) Herco, 6 gr, Gold Dot, Small flash Solo 1000, 5.4 gr, Gold Dot, SMALLEST flash with what I've read, my impression was the faster powders, like Bullseye, would have the least amount of flash and the slower/est powders would have more. Glad I tested this theory. It didn't always hold true. Bullseye was a shocker. It's usually with the first 3-5 fastest powders, depending upon which burn rate chart you look at, at yet it's flash was almost comparable with the Longshots. I knew the Longshots muzzle flash would be huge. I used it as a base line. Was dissapointed to say the least, I had hoped it would burn quickly enough to offer a small flash. BE offers the velocity and accuray I wanted. Guess it will stay a good daytime powder. Herco was quite a surprise as it is quite a slow burner and yet offered a small ball of fire. Solo 1000 will become my self defense powder, as it gives me the speed, accuracy and now, the smallest muzzle flash of the powders I tested. Big Al |