etruded verses ball powder

E

Ernest II

New member
OK I didnt see this posted so thought I would ask since it was mentioned on my post about 748 powder.Someone commented ((dont go down the ball powder road))Will the ball powder used in an ar be to dirty and possibly cause cleaning and gas tube issues. If so what powder would be better?Sorry had to ask what powder but original issue is Ball verses extruded.
Thanks Daryl P.
 
Originally Posted By: Ernest IIOK I didnt see this posted so thought I would ask since it was mentioned on my post about 748 powder.Someone commented ((dont go down the ball powder road))Will the ball powder used in an ar be to dirty and possibly cause cleaning and gas tube issues. If so what powder would be better?Sorry had to ask what powder but original issue is Ball verses extruded.
Thanks Daryl P.

Well Daryl, you've opened up what is going to be an interesting thread. I had the discussion with Smokeless on your thread and from that you see there are strong opinions on both sides of the issue of using Ball or Stick powder.
As I said in your thread I had to go down the path of Ball powder when I bought my Hornady LNL AP because Stick powder will not meter good enough for an Auto Progressive press.
I've tried the following:
H-335 (223 & 270)
H-414 (270)
Ramshot Hunter (270)
Ramshot TAC (223)
Ramshot X-Terminator (223)

I am now experimenting with CFE-223 (223 & 270) and I really like it. It's pretty clean and I am getting very good velocities and groups with it.

Will
 
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Nothing wrong with ball powders in an AR.
I have used H-335, BLC-2, and TAC and still use H-335.
Ball powders meter much better than stick.
My best accuracy however in the AR's seems to be with stick powders, but I still get under MOA with H-335.
 
Will ball powder cause cleaning and gas tube issues?

No.

There have been millions and millions of rounds of ball powder loaded ammo used in AR's. There are pro's and con's to both Ball and extruded type powders. I have had some issues with H335 in extreme heat but once I saw it I adjusted and used 16 mores pounds of it with no problems at all. Is it dirty? That term is relative IMO. The cleanest powders I have used all have been extruded but so was the worst powder I have ever had to clean.... Reloder 10X. Its a very accurate powder but tough to remove the carbon from my experience.
My most recent example of what I mean since Will brought it up is CFE223.
My favorite .223 powder has been N133 for a few years. I recently cleaned my barrel on two guns so I could try CFE223. It took about 3-6 patches on the N133 and I got a dark grey color on the patches at first then nothing.
Then after firing a few CFE223 loaded rounds I cleaned and the patches came out very black but after just a couple of patches grey then clean and maybe I used two more patches so is that dirty burning. Not to me.
 
Originally Posted By: Will Lee Well Daryl, you've opened up what is going to be an interesting thread. I had the discussion with Smokeless on your thread and from that you see there are strong opinions on both sides of the issue of using Ball or Stick powder.
As I said in your thread I had to go down the path of Ball powder when I bought my Hornady LNL AP because Stick powder will not meter good enough for an Auto Progressive press.
I've tried the following:
H-335 (223 & 270)
H-414 (270)
Ramshot Hunter (270)
Ramshot TAC (223)
Ramshot X-Terminator (223)

I am now experimenting with CFE-223 (223 & 270) and I really like it. It's pretty clean and I am getting very good velocities and groups with it.

Will


Are you saying that the Hornady Lock-N-Load Progressive won't meter any stick powders? Is there a conspiracy between Hornady and the ball powder manufacturers?

Try IMR-8208xbr, IMR-4895, Hodgdon 322, and I could go on. If your Hornady Lock-N-Load won't meter these powders, then I would think about selling it, and buying a different system. IMO.
 
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I use and have good results with ball powder so I doubt I`ll quit using it A2230/A2460, H335, and Win.748 I have more recently started using some Benchmark and am not sure about carbon fouling in the barrel but I certainly did find less carbon crud in the bolt carrier (behind the bolt) using Benchmark.
Will the Benchmark is chopped up pretty small so it might meter better in your progressive than some of the longer stick stuff.
 
I have run Benchmark,N133,Reloder 10X,AA2015 and probably some other extruded powders I don't remember thru my Hornady Lock-N-Load powder thrower with no issues. I have also ran a bunch of H335 and XTerminator thru and they do throw extremely consistent and accurate loads.
 
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