tobacco road
Active Member
I'm wanting to try us869 for my 6.5 stw anyone have any loads using this powder? I'm using 50bmg right now and it's working pretty good but I like the fact that 869 is a hair slower and smaller granules
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has anyone used us869 powder?
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Farmerbrown
Well-Known Member
I've used it in a 338 Rum, it is excellent for accuracy, but extremely temperature sensitive.
US869 is THE powder for large cased 6.5mm cartridges....
My 6.5 Prometheus (6.5-300 Norma Mag Imp 35*) runs at 3500 fps with 100 gr of US869 and 160 gr Matrix VLD bullets,
there is a guy here with the 6.5 Badger (6.5-338 RUM Imp 40*) that gets similar velocities with US868 and the 160's ....
a bunch of 26 Nosler guys have reported that US869 produces the best results ...
as others have noted it is not a temp stable powder, use common sense if working up loads in colder temps and expecting to use in hot weather,
My 6.5 Prometheus (6.5-300 Norma Mag Imp 35*) runs at 3500 fps with 100 gr of US869 and 160 gr Matrix VLD bullets,
there is a guy here with the 6.5 Badger (6.5-338 RUM Imp 40*) that gets similar velocities with US868 and the 160's ....
a bunch of 26 Nosler guys have reported that US869 produces the best results ...
as others have noted it is not a temp stable powder, use common sense if working up loads in colder temps and expecting to use in hot weather,
tobacco road
Active Member
Thank you all for the feedback, I tried the power out and just on my starting load I was 100 fps after than 50bmg!. Haven't grouped yet but I will this weekend
Engineering101
Well-Known Member
Just for the record, US869 has a burn rate of 0.2735 versus H50BMG at 0.2705 (from Quick Load) meaning US869 is slightly faster than H50BMG. In the real world, lot to lot burn rate variation will swamp out this small difference.
royinidaho
Well-Known Member
Ball powder is the only type of powder I can shoot in my 270 Allen Mag with 165 class and larger offerings.
US-869 is the only powder that produces the velocity in this rig that maintains it's extreme magnum status. Other available ball powders can't match the 869's velocity.
Having said the above US-869 flat sux!!!!
Es never under 30 except every once in a while.
Lot to lot variations will drive a fella nuts. Who wants to burn barrel life every time powder lot is changed.
My solution to the lot to lot problem is maintaining the powder level in the 8# canister at the same level by adding a pound can or two from time to time. Shake that sucker well and variations seem to smooth out.
Temperature sensitive? Did someone say temperature sensitive? Hell yes it's temperature sensitive. Certainly at extreme magnum pressures.
After shooting out one barrel, 900 rounds, and 200 rounds through the second barrel the sun, moon, stars, planets and the wife's cycles have aligned and with Matrix 165s all problems except temperature sensitivity seem to have gone away. We'll see.
This rig is relegated to use when temperatures are what ever they are between the first or so of October and end of April simply to keep from coming up with seasonal loads which is way too difficult for this ol' fella to want to keep track of.
I'm hoping some of these new powders with have the SSC kernel size as with 150 and below class bullets 7828ssc works exceptionally well in all departments.
US-869 is the only powder that produces the velocity in this rig that maintains it's extreme magnum status. Other available ball powders can't match the 869's velocity.
Having said the above US-869 flat sux!!!!
Es never under 30 except every once in a while.
Lot to lot variations will drive a fella nuts. Who wants to burn barrel life every time powder lot is changed.
My solution to the lot to lot problem is maintaining the powder level in the 8# canister at the same level by adding a pound can or two from time to time. Shake that sucker well and variations seem to smooth out.
Temperature sensitive? Did someone say temperature sensitive? Hell yes it's temperature sensitive. Certainly at extreme magnum pressures.
After shooting out one barrel, 900 rounds, and 200 rounds through the second barrel the sun, moon, stars, planets and the wife's cycles have aligned and with Matrix 165s all problems except temperature sensitivity seem to have gone away. We'll see.
This rig is relegated to use when temperatures are what ever they are between the first or so of October and end of April simply to keep from coming up with seasonal loads which is way too difficult for this ol' fella to want to keep track of.
I'm hoping some of these new powders with have the SSC kernel size as with 150 and below class bullets 7828ssc works exceptionally well in all departments.
tobacco road
Active Member
Ball powder is the only type of powder I can shoot in my 270 Allen Mag with 165 class and larger offerings.
US-869 is the only powder that produces the velocity in this rig that maintains it's extreme magnum status. Other available ball powders can't match the 869's velocity.
Having said the above US-869 flat sux!!!!
Es never under 30 except every once in a while.
Lot to lot variations will drive a fella nuts. Who wants to burn barrel life every time powder lot is changed.
My solution to the lot to lot problem is maintaining the powder level in the 8# canister at the same level by adding a pound can or two from time to time. Shake that sucker well and variations seem to smooth out.
Temperature sensitive? Did someone say temperature sensitive? Hell yes it's temperature sensitive. Certainly at extreme magnum pressures.
After shooting out one barrel, 900 rounds, and 200 rounds through the second barrel the sun, moon, stars, planets and the wife's cycles have aligned and with Matrix 165s all problems except temperature sensitivity seem to have gone away. We'll see.
This rig is relegated to use when temperatures are what ever they are between the first or so of October and end of April simply to keep from coming up with seasonal loads which is way too difficult for this ol' fella to want to keep track of.
I'm hoping some of these new powders with have the SSC kernel size as with 150 and below class bullets 7828ssc works exceptionally well in all departments.
Now when you say lot to lot. Meaning per pound of powder you buy? And if so what changes? Fps? Pressure?
tobacco road
Active Member
And can someone clear the air for me, on some burn rate charts it's slower than 50bmg and on some it's right above? Soo is 869 slower or faster than 50bmg?
royinidaho
Well-Known Member
Either with 1 pound bottles or 8 pound bottles if the lot number the powder is different.
If the new lot is hotter and its 100* ya pop primers and ruin cases.
If the new lot is slower, velocity is lost. Something a fella can't tolerate.
Ballistic software usually has a FPS/degree F calculation which helps with LR shooting but with the poor ES it's pretty much a moot point.
Google on "burn rate charts". Hawks or someone did discussion about them.
Bottom line is that burn rate charts aren't worth the paper they are written on, he says.
I use them for ball park, between the ears get-go calculations.
I've found 869 when compared to 50BMG to swap burn rates when loading different cartridges where there is similar case capacity but way different calibers. As with 7 RUM and 338 RUM with heavy bullets.
