Alternative to an alternative

[Raifuru]

After getting an absolutely cracking load for my 20 TAC with Varget and 50/55 grain Bergers with Varget, Varget dries up. I then after much messing around with various other powders and weights I came up with 2520 powder and it was nearly there for accuracy and a tad more velocity. I am down to my last 1/4lb of 2520 and have tried to arrange collection of another few lbs. All of the three people who used to stock it, have now ceased.

This has happened a few times now, Varget twice, Reloader 15 (22-250 Ackley) and now Accurate powders. Seems like the only way forward is to find the best Vit load and stick with that.

 

[The Gun Pimp]

I think a few of us have come to that conclusion! Hopefully the new range of Swiss powders will be the answer.

[Raifuru]

I think a few of us have come to that conclusion! Hopefully the new range of Swiss powders will be the answer.

Hope so and also hope I can get the data into Quickload. Spent ages last night trying to do just that.

[gbal]

Hope so and also hope I can get the data into Quickload. Spent ages last night trying to do just that.

 

 

Nobel is dead!

 

Long live Vihtavuori !!

 

It happens,and sometimes it works out for the better.

Europe has much to offer.

Switzerland too.

 

gbal

[Laurie]

2520 is still around, but called Lovex DO73.6 these days. Wilson & Wilson Fieldsports usually keeps a good stock of Lovex powders and will send them by carrier, although that's pricey. The Lovex importer is Westlander Limited. Chris Pearson will be able to advise on availability and who stocks them in your area. (Mind you, I've just Googled Westlander and got a website suspended response - usually a bad omen!

 

If you like ball powders, Ramshot TAC which is pretty widely available should do the job, but better still, I'd suggest Ramshot Wild Boar, a slightly slower burner. I strongly suspect this 'Europe only product' is identical to what has been sold in the USA as Accurate-2520 since Western Powders dropped Explosia (Lovex and the old Accurate Arms powders) as its main supplier. In any event, its characteristics and loads data are very close to both old and new '2520'.

 

Hodgdon BL-C(2) is another eminently suitable spherical grade and is widely available as it's an American manufactured product and not affected by Hodgdon's shipping problems which are disrupting the supply of its Australian manufactured extruded powders. Since BL-C(2) looks good, the odds are the recently introduced Hodgdon CFE223 will also work well in this cartridge, but there are no loads data for it in the 20 Tactical (but lots for 223 letting you compare it to 2520 / Wild Boar, BL-C(2) etc).

 

In the extruded line, there is plenty of choice even without H4895 / Varget. IMR-3031, 4064, 4895, and 4320 are possibles; Viht N530, N140, N540 look good; Lovex SO62 (Accurate-4064 as used to be); and as you were previously happy with VarGet, I'd recommend Reload Swiss RS52, a high-energy powder whose burning rate falls between VarGet and Re15 and outperforms both using similar charge weights. There are no loads data available as yet (and query 20 Tac's inclusion anyway?), but if you take your previous VarGet charge weights for the two bullets, drop them by 2-2.5gn and work back up, you'll very likely find you end up where you were with the Hodgdon number but getting another 40-60 fps MV, or duplicating VarGet's MVs at a slightly lower charge level.

 

Reload Swiss RS50 (TR140) should perform well but with lower MVs (and barrel wear) being RS52 less the addition of nitroglycerine. There is a third possible RS number, another high-energy variant, RS40 which can sometimes be used where H4895 works well, but at significantly lower charge weights as it's much faster burning. If you were running 32-40s, I'd say this would be a cracker, but reckon the slower burning RS52 will be better matched to the 50 and 55gn Bergers.

 

(I have a Remy 700 recently rebarrelled to .20 Tactical [by Baldie of UKV fame] and will be playing around with a lot of the above starting early next year.)

[Laurie]

Hope so and also hope I can get the data into Quickload. Spent ages last night trying to do just that.

 

People are getting some really weird and unreliable results in QuickLOAD using the Reload Swiss data plug-in. At the very least, for RS52, can't say about others.

[Raifuru]

2520 is still around, but called Lovex DO73.6 these days. Wilson & Wilson Fieldsports usually keeps a good stock of Lovex powders and will send them by carrier, although that's pricey. The Lovex importer is Westlander Limited. Chris Pearson will be able to advise on availability and who stocks them in your area. (Mind you, I've just Googled Westlander and got a website suspended response - usually a bad omen!

 

If you like ball powders, Ramshot TAC which is pretty widely available should do the job, but better still, I'd suggest Ramshot Wild Boar, a slightly slower burner. I strongly suspect this 'Europe only product' is identical to what has been sold in the USA as Accurate-2520 since Western Powders dropped Explosia (Lovex and the old Accurate Arms powders) as its main supplier. In any event, its characteristics and loads data are very close to both old and new '2520'.

 

Hodgdon BL-C(2) is another eminently suitable spherical grade and is widely available as it's an American manufactured product and not affected by Hodgdon's shipping problems which are disrupting the supply of its Australian manufactured extruded powders. Since BL-C(2) looks good, the odds are the recently introduced Hodgdon CFE223 will also work well in this cartridge, but there are no loads data for it in the 20 Tactical (but lots for 223 letting you compare it to 2520 / Wild Boar, BL-C(2) etc).

 

In the extruded line, there is plenty of choice even without H4895 / Varget. IMR-3031, 4064, 4895, and 4320 are possibles; Viht N530, N140, N540 look good; Lovex SO62 (Accurate-4064 as used to be); and as you were previously happy with VarGet, I'd recommend Reload Swiss RS52, a high-energy powder whose burning rate falls between VarGet and Re15 and outperforms both using similar charge weights. There are no loads data available as yet (and query 20 Tac's inclusion anyway?), but if you take your previous VarGet charge weights for the two bullets, drop them by 2-2.5gn and work back up, you'll very likely find you end up where you were with the Hodgdon number but getting another 40-60 fps MV, or duplicating VarGet's MVs at a slightly lower charge level.

 

Reload Swiss RS50 (TR140) should perform well but with lower MVs (and barrel wear) being RS52 less the addition of nitroglycerine. There is a third possible RS number, another high-energy variant, RS40 which can sometimes be used where H4895 works well, but at significantly lower charge weights as it's much faster burning. If you were running 32-40s, I'd say this would be a cracker, but reckon the slower burning RS52 will be better matched to the 50 and 55gn Bergers.

 

(I have a Remy 700 recently rebarrelled to .20 Tactical [by Baldie of UKV fame] and will be playing around with a lot of the above starting early next year.)

Thanks Laurie. Wealth of information there. I'll see if I can track down some 2520 if it is still available.

[Major Disorder]

I've got 1 tub of D073.6 left if you want it? Tried to p.m. you but can't

[baldie]

Have you tried the NRA armoury at Bisley ?

 

They stock it.

[Raifuru]

I've got 1 tub of D073.6 left if you want it? Tried to p.m. you but can't

Yes please. Can pop over next week

[Major Disorder]

Yes please. Can pop over next week

 

If you'd like to drop me a mail via the website http://www.blackrifle.co.uk/ we can sort something out.

[Laurie]

Although it looks like you're sorted for DO73.6 Raifuru, I thought I'd have a look-see at Ramshot Wild Boar and (new, US) Accurate 2520 loads data, especially as I had a suspicion that Western powders provides it for several .20s.

 

And sure enough, they both do .... and both are identical.

 

.20 Tactical

 

Rem case

WSR primer

24-inch barrel

50gn Berger 2.240" COAL

 

Start load ..... 22.5gn 3,124 fps

Max load ...... 25.0gn 3,426 fps (62,965 psi) [HOT!]

 

For anybody looking generally for a replacement for the old 2520, this has to be a good starting point. Although I see lots of (always compimentary) reports on Ramshot Tac, I rarely if ever at all see a mention of 'Wild Boar', yet it's just as versatile and useful a powder especially in 223 with 62gn and heavier bullets and in 308 Win with a wide bullet weight range.

 

These Ramshot ball powders are manufactured in Belgium and imported / dsitributed by Henry Krank in West Yorkshire. Krank will send them by carrier for telephone / online orders for a £25 flat rate carriage charge irrespective of consignment size and all grades are £32.50 / lb. They are the cleanest burning ball powders I've tried to date (but have just acquired a pound of H. CFE223 which claims to be a very clean burner as well as stopping barrel copper fouling).

 

The data can be viewed or downloaded as a separate pdf file from the Ramshot website, and all Accurate powders likewise from the Western Powders website.

[garyw]

20 tactical-rel10x worked a treat in mine.

[Laurie]

20 tactical-rel10x worked a treat in mine.

 

 

A bit fast burning for the 50 and 55gn Berger in the cartridge, Gary. Fine for the lighter bullets - even with 40gn, it's near the top of the QuickLOAD MV estimates. But go to the 50/55 and it's a different story where slower burners are better suited.

[gunner]

Hi Raif , if you want Ramshot TAC iv got 1 + 1/2 tubs that i dont need . But not free lol. Also 2 + abit tubs of H4895 , your only tewkesbury so could bring / meet , whatever ? Thanks - pm me if u need any . Tim

[Raifuru]

20 tactical-rel10x worked a treat in mine.

10x with 40s and 39s was my favourite, but for 50+ it is too quick from what I have found.

[Raifuru]

20 tactical-rel10x worked a treat in mine.

10x with 40s and 39s was my favourite, but for 50+ it is too quick from what I have found.

 

Although it looks like you're sorted for DO73.6 Raifuru, I thought I'd have a look-see at Ramshot Wild Boar and (new, US) Accurate 2520 loads data, especially as I had a suspicion that Western powders provides it for several .20s.

 

And sure enough, they both do .... and both are identical.

 

.20 Tactical

 

Rem case

WSR primer

24-inch barrel

50gn Berger 2.240" COAL

 

Start load ..... 22.5gn 3,124 fps

Max load ...... 25.0gn 3,426 fps (62,965 psi) [HOT!]

 

For anybody looking generally for a replacement for the old 2520, this has to be a good starting point. Although I see lots of (always compimentary) reports on Ramshot Tac, I rarely if ever at all see a mention of 'Wild Boar', yet it's just as versatile and useful a powder especially in 223 with 62gn and heavier bullets and in 308 Win with a wide bullet weight range.

 

These Ramshot ball powders are manufactured in Belgium and imported / dsitributed by Henry Krank in West Yorkshire. Krank will send them by carrier for telephone / online orders for a £25 flat rate carriage charge irrespective of consignment size and all grades are £32.50 / lb. They are the cleanest burning ball powders I've tried to date (but have just acquired a pound of H. CFE223 which claims to be a very clean burner as well as stopping barrel copper fouling).

 

The data can be viewed or downloaded as a separate pdf file from the Ramshot website, and all Accurate powders likewise from the Western Powders website.

Those charge weights and pressures look very similar to what I was getting with the Accurate powders so definitely worth a punt. Thanks for that.

[garyw]

 

 

A bit fast burning for the 50 and 55gn Berger in the cartridge, Gary. Fine for the lighter bullets - even with 40gn, it's near the top of the QuickLOAD MV estimates. But go to the 50/55 and it's a different story where slower burners are better suited.

you are right Laurie i only shot 40gn vmaxs in mine should have mentioned that ,