Lovex Propellants

[Elwood]

A few months ago Alan Wey (gunsgobang) asked if anyone wanted to test Lovex S065, and so I thought I would oblige.

 

The powder is a single based tubular powder, I can't see any lot numbers on the tub so I have no idea if it's consistent from lot to lot.

Alan said that the burn rate was similar to Varget and N140 and both of these powders are suited to the 6.5x47 then that's what I decided to use.

 

 

Now this isn't a test of my ability (or lack of) to shoot or indeed the rifle's accuracy potential, Alan wanted to look at how S065 measured, extreme spreads and velocities.

 

 

My accuracy bullet of choice for my 6.5x47 is the Berger 120 grain seated 4 thou into the lands. The barrel is a Bartlein 1-8.5 twist 5R, 26 inches with 1500 rounds through it and was thoroughly cleaned before I started, I did use three rounds with Lovex to foul it.

 

 

The powder measured perfectly out of my RCBS chargemaster 1500 used in conjunction with a McDonalds straw, I had one over throw but that was down to me being a clumsy oath! I started at 36 grains and went up to 40 grains ignited by a CCI magnum primer. These loads were safe in my rifle.

I have recorded the fps of every shot fired. 3 shot groups at 100 yards, the temperature was 44F with a 4-6mph head wind

The aim points are 3/4 inch dots

 

1/36gr....... 2735-2671-2682...... ES 61 Av 2696

2/36......... 2708-2721-2687...... ES 34 Av 2705

3/36.5....... 2721-2729-2731.... ES 10 Av 2727

4/37......... 2772-2763-2762...... ES 10 Av 2765

5/37.5....... 2824-2819-2811.... ES 13 Av 2818

6/38......... 2824-2834-2843...... ES 19 Av 2833

7/38.5....... 2867-2890-2851.... ES 39 Av 2869

8/39......... 2875-2903-2880...... ES 28 Av 2886

9/39.5....... 2900-2917-2908.... ES 19 Av 2908

10/40........ 2959-2942-2954....... ES 17 Av 2951

 

 

The obvious two loads to test again were 37.5 and 38 grains, but this time they would be 5 shot groups and then the best load shot again but with 10 shots. This was done the next day at 100 yards and the temperature was 49F.

 

37.5gr.... 2822-2827-2824-2808-2828.... ES 20 Av 2821

38gr.... 2837-2874-2851-2837-2848.... ES 37 Av 2849

 

10 shot group

37.5gr.... 2826-2810-2804-2797-2840-error-error-2841-2836-2840.... ES 44 Av 2822

If that one shot hadn't of dropped low and left on the 10 shot group it would have measured 0.496 inches

 

 

I'm certainly happy with the accuracy but I wish that the ES had been a bit lower on the 10 shot group. I would happily use Lovex with my McQueens ammo and also for stalking (not with the 120 Berger)

2900+ fps is the real goal for a 6.5x47 and 120 grain bullets, the load of 40 reached 2950fps and although I didn't have any pressure signs I suspect this was very close to a top end load.

My rifle shoots slower than most 6.5x47's and typically 60-80 fps slower, so 2900 fps should be achievable to most using a lower load. I have also found that my accuracy nodes are always lower than everyone else's.

[DaveT]

Elwood.... I can't remember the root purpose of the trial that Alan requested... was it to see if Lovex was Better, Cheaper, the same as , more accurate etc etc than competitors?

 

Any solid conclusions drawn?

[Elwood]

Elwood.... I can't remember the root purpose of the trial that Alan requested... was it to see if Lovex was Better, Cheaper, the same as , more accurate etc etc than competitors?

 

Any solid conclusions drawn?

 

 

David, I'm sure Alan likened it too a cheaper alternative to Varget, I'm sure he will verify this.

[Jagged 77]

Interesting post, thanks. Can you tell me where the powder is available and an approx cost?

[Gunsgobang88]

Hi All,

 

Mike Pearson of Westlander (the importers) asked me to find someone who would be able to verify if this powder was a viable alternative to Varget or other powders of a similar burn rate. With many powders retailing at £38-40 for 1Lb the attractions of a similar powder at £30-34 for 500g (1.1Lb) are obvious. Ian has done a sterling job in demonstrating the capabilities of this powder, as it becomes better known hopefully there will be more feedback on it's potential in different chamberings and with different bullet weights,

 

Best regards

 

Alan

[Jagged 77]

Thanks for the info Alan, sounds interesting. I use a fair bit (a lot!) of N140, it feeds my .308, .223, 303's and probably now .243 for the 58 grain v-max so this sounds a good alternative option at the price range you're suggesting. Look forward to hearing more about it and hopefully getting my hands on some in the near future.

[1967spud]

Hi All,

 

Mike Pearson of Westlander (the importers) asked me to find someone who would be able to verify if this powder was a viable alternative to Varget or other powders of a similar burn rate. With many powders retailing at £38-40 for 1Lb the attractions of a similar powder at £30-34 for 500g (1.1Lb) are obvious. Ian has done a sterling job in demonstrating the capabilities of this powder, as it becomes better known hopefully there will be more feedback on it's potential in different chamberings and with different bullet weights,

 

Best regards

 

Alan

More info coming very soon.

[MJR]

Alan, Is this powder 'tempurature/Muzzle velocity stable' or is that another feature to be tested ?

Thanks.

[oaken]

Looks good.

With those results, I'd be willing to give it a go at £30ish for a bit more than a pound. Varget is silly money locally but it is a fairly reliable supply.

Does the Lovex burn clean and how temperature stable is it?

Rup

[Gunsgobang88]

Hi MJR and Oaken,

 

Hopefully Ian will be able to tell us in due course if S065 is clean burning and temperature stable. Hopefully Spud should receive some powder shortly and will be able to generate some more data. I have to admit that in the past I was drawn to the Lovex (Accurate) propellants due to their attractive price, I used 96gr of A3100 in my .416 Rigby. The current load data available from Lovex is biased towards European military and hunting cartridges. If we can demonstrate successful use of their propellants in match cartridges then the company may well follow our lead with lab tests and load data,

 

Alan

[brown dog]

I think, if for nothing else, being able to say:

 

"I use love-eggs when I'm shooting"

 

means this propellant is worth a go.

 

 

 

 

(sorry! )

[1967spud]

With the current situation on Varget being unobtainable i am possibly thinking of revisiting this powder for a new 6mm dasher for this coming winter 600 yd br season. Elwood or Laurie your thoughts would be welcome to my reasoning on theis powder/caliber combination.

[Laurie]

S065 is NOT comparable to Varget, at least not cartridges like 6.5X47L, and even those based on the .308 Win case. It's a bit slower burning than the Hodgdon / ADI powder, seems to be marginally bulkier, but the main difference is in specific energy vaues. VarGet is exceptionally high at 3,050 J/g (Joules energy content per gram weight of propellant) for a single-base powder, and SO65 is rated at a more normal 2,850 J/g. QuickLOAD also shows it as having a lower charge burn in the barrel percentage than VarGet in this class of cartridge. Put the two together and you find you need another 3gn SO65 to match the energy content that is produced by a max load of VarGet behind a 155 in 308 Win and this gives a seriously over-compressed charge of ~50gn. 6.5X47L having a smaller case is worse affected.

 

My own tests with SO65 bear out QuickLOAD's predictions and if you look at Explosia's loading data for Lovex powders, the .308 Win loads and MVs are pitiful, charges obviously dictated by what the case will hold, not achieving anything close to the CIP MAP of just over 60,000 psi for the cartridge.

 

This isn't a criticism of the powder, rather a warning that it's not a VarGet substitute. For .308 Win, the faster burning SO62 (Accurate-4064 as was) is FAR better and is an excellent 308 Win powder with 155s to 175s, maybe somewhat heavier bullets too. It may perform very well in 6BR and 6.5X47L too, although I've not tried it in them. SO65 will be better suited to cartridges with a bit more available room in their cases, maybe 7.X57, .30-06 and similar.

 

If you can find Lovex powders at £30 a bottle grab them. Around £35 is the usual price, Wilson & Wilson advertising them at £34.50. That's still much cheaper than IMR / Hodgdon given its a 500g (half-Kg) bottle, not 1lb, so equates to ~£32 / lb. I like the company's extruded powders - they work well and seem very consistent. I'm going to give SO70 (Accurate-4350 as used to be) a try in the smaller 6.5s and SO71 (Accurate-3100 as it's known to many) a go in .284 Win with 175s and 180s.

[1967spud]

Ty Laurie ill try it with an open mind at the relevent time but i may opt back to the Vhiit 150