User Panel
Posted: 4/25/2024 9:02:01 AM EDT
[Last Edit: lx2008]
hey,
i recently bought up 4lbs of 2520 because Accurate`s description called it a "camp perry" powder great in 308. ( not sure if they just meant the m1A ) my best powders for this was imr 4895 , h4895 , 8208 & varget. but none of these were in stock. but when i looked up 2520 for this bullet in my sierra 6th & hornady 9th i found no data for 2520. A`s site and other sources have some loads for this bullet but i wanted to ask if anyone has made a good load for this bullet w/ 2520. shooting this out of an 20in Armalite & 18in Dpms. thank you for any loads you might pass on. |
|
|
That's a Western Powder. You should look at the load data they post online for it in their free handloading guide. They list 308 loads for 7 different 150gr bullets. The starting load of their suggested range goes from 42.7gr to 44.5gr depending on the bullet. Likewise the top end of the suggested range goes from 47.4 to 49.4 depending on the bullet.
Point being, check with the manufacturer of your powder (since they have it available online) and get your data from them for your bullet. That would be your best bet. |
|
|
Originally Posted By KentuckyMarksman: That's a Western Powder. You should look at the load data they post online for it in their free handloading guide. They list 308 loads for 7 different 150gr bullets. The starting load of their suggested range goes from 42.7gr to 44.5gr depending on the bullet. Likewise the top end of the suggested range goes from 47.4 to 49.4 depending on the bullet. Point being, check with the manufacturer of your powder (since they have it available online) and get your data from them for your bullet. That would be your best bet. View Quote thanks, i looked that up already...same as what hodgdon`s load data center has. just looking for someone`s own they have already worked up. i still will work up from someone`s own load ( just safety first! ) |
|
|
Brass selection is vital when loading .308. Lake City 7.62x51mm surplus brass requires a 2.0 grain reduction in powder charges because of reduced internal case capacity.
Many published starting loads are maximum or very close to maximum when using Lake City brass. Do not mix and match Lake City with commercial cases. Some lots of Winchester commercial .308 cases can weigh as little as 155 grains empty and unprimed, most coming in around 160 grains +/-. Lake City brass weighs on average 179 grains empty and unprimed. Huge difference, which requires different powder charges. Attached File The above chart shows maximum loads in Lake City brass using specific powder/primer/bullets in combination. Below is the pressure tested results when substituting commercial components and changing primers. The powder charge and bullet remains the same. |
|
|
Attached File
Attached File These are pressure tested loads using Lake City brass, Sierra bullets and common powders used by high power competitors. |
|
|
Hodgdon distributes Accurate Powder along with Ramshot in addition to Hodgdon, IMR, & Winchester.
Check the Hodgdon look up 308, then the bullet weight, and select the powder...you will get some data If it were me I would have a sense of caution working up 2520 loads in spring and then shooting the ammo in the summer time. |
|
jme and I am a NRA Endowment Member
Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. R W Emerson |
Originally Posted By borderpatrol: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/169460/004__2__jpg-3197445.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/169460/002__2__jpg-3197447.JPG These are pressure tested loads using Lake City brass, Sierra bullets and common powders used by high power competitors. View Quote thank you and was well aware of using L.C. brass as the capacity is less. very nice table of information. saw the links. do you know where the links came from originally? |
|
|
Originally Posted By lx2008: thank you and was well aware of using L.C. brass as the capacity is less. very nice table of information. saw the links. do you know where the links came from originally? View Quote Data was fired through a U.S. government pressure testing gun (Universal receiver) by Wm. C. Davis Jr, Chief Ballistician for several government ammo plants and U.S. representative to NATO for ammo compatibility, research and testing. The test was performed at the request of the NRA, which he served as a technical expert for years. |
|
|
Originally Posted By borderpatrol: Data was fired through a U.S. government pressure testing gun (Universal receiver) by Wm. C. Davis Jr, Chief Ballistician for several government ammo plants and U.S. representative to NATO for ammo compatibility, research and testing. The test was performed at the request of the NRA, which he served as a technical expert for years. View Quote awesome...thank you! |
|
|
150FMJ.bt Hornady A-2520 44.0 2687
150FMJ.bt Hornady A-2520 44.0 2786 <SD-11 ES-10 165JSP.bt Speer A-2520 45.0 2668 <-SD-10 ES-7 165JSP.bt Speer A-2520 45.9 2691 <-SD-12 ES-10 180SilverTip Winchester A-2520 43.0 2554 180SilverTip Winchester A-2520 43.5 2570 <- SD=9 ES=6 180SilverTip Winchester A-2520 44.0 2558 Flat Square Primers w/Craters & Stiff Bolt & head swipes - Overpressure-Do Not Use. 180SilverTip Winchester A-2520 44.0 2581 Flat Square Primers w/Craters & Stiff Bolt & head swipes - Overpressure-Do Not Use. All were tested from a Rem700 bolt except #2 (44.0 @ 2786) is from a FAL... Arizona July/Sep'14 @4200' 95~104F -Use at your own risk |
|
|
Originally Posted By SyberSniper: 150FMJ.bt Hornady A-2520 44.0 2687 150FMJ.bt Hornady A-2520 44.0 2786 <SD-11 ES-10 165JSP.bt Speer A-2520 45.0 2668 <-SD-10 ES-7 165JSP.bt Speer A-2520 45.9 2691 <-SD-12 ES-10 180SilverTip Winchester A-2520 43.0 2554 180SilverTip Winchester A-2520 43.5 2570 <- SD=9 ES=6 180SilverTip Winchester A-2520 44.0 2558 Flat Square Primers w/Craters & Stiff Bolt & head swipes - Overpressure-Do Not Use. 180SilverTip Winchester A-2520 44.0 2581 Flat Square Primers w/Craters & Stiff Bolt & head swipes - Overpressure-Do Not Use. All were tested from a Rem700 bolt except #2 (44.0 @ 2786) is from a FAL... Arizona July/Sep'14 @4200' 95~104F -Use at your own risk View Quote not familiar with the FAL rifle, only handled one once. what was the bbl. length of it? i re-read an article from my handloader mag on .308 pet loads. for a Hornady 150gr SST they had a load listed of 45grs of 2520 @ 2,767 fps. this was using a Ruger M77 bolt action w/ 22in bbl. just wondering the bbl. length of the FAL. Thank you for the above data! |
|
|
Standard FAL barrel is 21". Some variants have shorter barrels.
Keep in mind it's a ball powder and more temperature sensitive. You may need to adjust your load based on the weather. |
|
|
The M1A is a different animal but I used 2520 for several years before switching to H4895. I used Sierra 155 grain Palma bullets and settled on 43 grains. It ran 2,761 fps out of the 22" barrel. I loaded it up to 44.3 grains (2,888 fps) during testing but it felt like it was pounding the rifle. Never saw any excessive pressure signs on the brass. 155s just didn't shoot that well at 600 yds and went back to Nosler 168s at 43.5 grains. Eventually gave up on 2520 in the M1A and now only use 4895 and 4064. When I switched to the AR in 2016 I loaded 2520 with 77 to 80 grain bullets (1:7 twist) and still use it to this day. Some claim it is temp sensitive but I could never tell any difference between matches shot in winter or summer. If I run out, I'll buy more.
|
|
|
Originally Posted By mvintx: The M1A is a different animal but I used 2520 for several years before switching to H4895. I used Sierra 155 grain Palma bullets and settled on 43 grains. It ran 2,761 fps out of the 22" barrel. I loaded it up to 44.3 grains (2,888 fps) during testing but it felt like it was pounding the rifle. Never saw any excessive pressure signs on the brass. 155s just didn't shoot that well at 600 yds and went back to Nosler 168s at 43.5 grains. Eventually gave up on 2520 in the M1A and now only use 4895 and 4064. When I switched to the AR in 2016 I loaded 2520 with 77 to 80 grain bullets (1:7 twist) and still use it to this day. Some claim it is temp sensitive but I could never tell any difference between matches shot in winter or summer. If I run out, I'll buy more. View Quote thanks for reply. going to start out @ 44.0 and work up. from what i have read 2750 to 2810 or so seems to be a sweet spot for this powder & bullet. |
|
|
Originally Posted By lx2008: thanks for reply. going to start out @ 44.0 and work up. from what i have read 2750 to 2810 or so seems to be a sweet spot for this powder & bullet. View Quote You will never get close to those numbers using an 18" or 20" barrel. I would start with the previous poster's 43.1 grains,and maybe stop there. It depends on what brass you are using and what brass he was using. Subtract 25 fps for every inch your barrel is shorter. If you can reach 2700 fps from a 20" barrel you will be cooking. 2650 from the 18". |
|
|
Originally Posted By borderpatrol: You will never get close to those numbers using an 18" or 20" barrel. I would start with the previous poster's 43.1 grains,and maybe stop there. It depends on what brass you are using and what brass he was using. Subtract 25 fps for every inch your barrel is shorter. If you can reach 2700 fps from a 20" barrel you will be cooking. 2650 from the 18". View Quote will try 43grs. first. only brass i`m using is L.C. ( thicker walls/less cpac ) |
|
|
I was using LC brass in all my M1A loads.
|
|
|
I have read that claim that it's the "Camp Perry" powder. It's unfounded as far as I can tell.
I've shot at Camp Perry a lot. I don't know anyone that used 2520 and I go back more than 30 years. Not to say that it's a bad powder, it just a lode of BS to claim that. I'd be fairly confident in saying that 95% of high masters (even back in the day of the M1 & M14) that shoot at Camp Perry are shooting some kind of extruded powder. Clint Fowler printed a hand out in the late 80s called High Master Handloads. He surveyed all the big names at Perry. Ya know what people were shooting? IMR 4895 IMR 4064 IMR 3031 |
|
|
Originally Posted By bpm990d: I have read that claim that it's the "Camp Perry" powder. It's unfounded as far as I can tell. I've shot at Camp Perry a lot. I don't know anyone that used 2520 and I go back more than 30 years. Not to say that it's a bad powder, it just a lode of BS to claim that. I'd be fairly confident in saying that 95% of high masters (even back in the day of the M1 & M14) that shoot at Camp Perry are shooting some kind of extruded powder. Clint Fowler printed a hand out in the late 80s called High Master Handloads. He surveyed all the big names at Perry. Ya know what people were shooting? IMR 4895 IMR 4064 IMR 3031 View Quote used all 3 of them in 308 liked them all. 41.5 grs of imr 4895 under a sierra 168mk worked best in my Armalite 10T. got this load from Glen Zediker. but since i dont have any of the above i just happen to find some 2520 & see if it could work with 150gr. the more i played with the program if the program is fairly accurate, ( i did put in a error ) it looks as though a min of 44grs & a max of 46.5. that kept the peak pressure line where it needed to be. |
|
|
Originally Posted By bpm990d: I have read that claim that it's the "Camp Perry" powder. It's unfounded as far as I can tell. I've shot at Camp Perry a lot. I don't know anyone that used 2520 and I go back more than 30 years. Not to say that it's a bad powder, it just a lode of BS to claim that. I'd be fairly confident in saying that 95% of high masters (even back in the day of the M1 & M14) that shoot at Camp Perry are shooting some kind of extruded powder. Clint Fowler printed a hand out in the late 80s called High Master Handloads. He surveyed all the big names at Perry. Ya know what people were shooting? IMR 4895 IMR 4064 IMR 3031 View Quote |
|
"Technique isn't something that can be taught. It's something you find on your own." - Bunta Fujiwara
|
There is nothing wrong with 2520, it will work.
BTW, the Hornady manual has 2520 listed as a powder for .308 under Service Rifle loads. |
|
|
Originally Posted By HighpowerRifleBrony: I'd seen the claim of a "Camp Perry powder" about 12 years ago, but never even noticed 2520's existence until post-WuFlu. View Quote I have the 94 Accurate manual and they make that claim. In all the years of shooting, I've probably heard of two people using 2520 for shooting across the course. I've got a pound of it on my shelf. It's at least 30 years old. I think I actually shot it for a few matches, but it was not particularly memorable. |
|
|
|
|
Yes, the FAL was a 21" bbl...
I wasn't impressed with it either, and still have the remainder of that bottle around here somewhere... I should dig it out and give it another try... What "Program" are you playing with? Quickload, GRT? I have found by doing H2O capacity testing, that internal volume of "heavier" milsurp cases is often the same as most commercial brands, although there are exceptions, so if working near max loads, I measure the exact cases fired when plugging data into those simulation programs... small case differences make big pressure differences, but without pressure test gear you really won't know until you pull the trigger. |
|
|
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.