ALLIANT POWER PRO300-MP LOADS

Q:I have been a subscriberto your fine magazines for

many years and always enjoy yourwriting. I was disappointed thoughby a couple of your recent articles.I know you are a fan of the .45Colt (I am too), so I was surprisedyou didn't include load data forthat cartridge in your testing of Al-liant Power Pro 300-MP. Ihave aRuger Bisley so chambered, andthis powder looks very interest-ing. Do you have any load data forthis gun and cartridge, specificallywith 330- to 345-grain bullets?

Also, I am handloading for my9mm Browning High Power andmy Smith & Wesson Model 66 .357Magnum with a 2Yz-inch barrel. Ikeep hearing that some powdersproduce less muzzle flash andblast than others (and you indi-cated that in a recent article), butno one seems to want to tell uswhat those powders are. Iwouldlike to fmd a powder for defensiveuse in my 9mm and .357 Magnumthat does not produce so muchflash and blast. Any suggestions?Thanks so much.

Bisley test gunand should onlybe used in thatmodel or modernguns of similar orgreater strength.

All indicationsare that maximumloads are produc-ing something lessthan 32,000 CUp,which is generallyconsidered (evenscientifically) the

safe working limit for Ruger .45Colt revolvers built on the large

frame. They should never be usedin the New Vaquero or New ModelBlackhawk revolvers built on thesmaller. 357-size frame.

Observations to the followingdata include that as the PowerPro 300-MP charge increased., theextreme spread for five shots de-creased, with 25.0 grains havinga 31-jps spread. With the heauiestload listed, Starline cases fellfrom the chamber as the muzzlewas pointed upward. Accuracywas good, particularly with 24.5-and 25.0-grain powder charges.Be certain to use CCI 300 LargePistol standard non-magnumprimers. I used a 335-grain LBTWLN-GC bullet fired from a 71f2-inch barreled Ruger New ModelBlackhawk Bisley .45 Colt.

charge velocity(grains) (Ips)

22.0 1,11123.0 1,16324.0 1,24624.5 1,28825.0 1,319

In the 9mm, try Ramshot Sil-houette or Winchester AutoComppowders, each being coated forflash suppression. In the .357Mag-num, try Accurate No.9, which is

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ing Alliant Power Pro 300-MP,buteditorial space would not permit.For example, allloadsicartridgesthat I did include were withinSAAMI pressure guidelines, butthe .45 Colt would have exceededindustry pressure and cartridgeoverall length guidelines. Thus, itwould have required additionalexplanation in the form of whatguns were suitable, etc., and theresimply wasn't space.

As a result of your inquiry, Ideveloped sample .45 Colt loadsusing Power Pro 300-MP. I mustemphasize that these loads havenot been pressure-tested, but theyproved safe in a large .44-sizeframe Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt

- B.C., via e-mail

A: Originally I was going to in-clude +Pdata for the .45 Colt us-

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one of the lowest flash, magnumrevolver cartridge powders. Bythe nature of both cartridges,there will still be notable muzzlereport, but it will be considerablyless than that of many other can-nister-grade powders.

MORE LOADS WITH POWERPRO 300-MP ------

Q: Regarding your column onhandloading with Alliant PowerPro 300-MP, you stated to the ef-fect that all loads were withinSAAMl specs. How do you know?It was a good article, except younever tested the .357 Magnum withISO-grain Hornady XTP or LaserCast bullets of the same weight.Do you have any such data?

- B.H., via e-mail

A: All loads were pressure testedin a reputable ballistics lab andfound to be within industry pres-sure guidelines. As a result ofyour inquiry, I developed a .357Magnum load. Oregon Trail Bul-April-May 2012

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let Co. does not offer 180-grainLaser Cast or True Shot bullets,so the LBT 187-grain FNGC waschosen. Loads were fired from aRuger GP100 with a 6-inch bar-rel, using Starline cases and CCl500 primers. Those results -using Power Pro 300-MP - are asfollows: 16.0 grains at 1,228 fps;17.0 grains at 1,366; and 17.5grains at 1,410.

While the above loads have notbeen pressure tested by a lab,all indications are that they arewithin SAAMl pressure guidelines,but I would consider the 17.5-graincharge absolute maximum. Becertain to use CCl 500 standardnon-magnum primers, or chargesmust be reduced. As always, startwith the 16.O-grain load, makingcertain it is safe in your gun be-fore working up to the maximumcharges. You can use this samedata with the Hornady 180-grain Shellholders are heat treated, butHP-XTP bullet but be certain to use for only a few minutes, whichthe lower crimp groove or exces- leaves a hard, thin shell aboutsively high pressures will result. .005 inch thick.

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SIZING DIES -------

Q: I am writing to comment onyour column "Bullets and Brass"in Handloader No. 274 (October-November 2011). A question fromG.S. of Boise, Idaho, asked aboutchambering issues with .38-40 and.44-40 handloads in a revolver. Yousuggested sending fired cases andthe die set back to RCBS, and theywould probably grind the sizing

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