2400 Powder Type

[L T C]

Hi.

What "type" of powder is Alliant's 2400? Ball, Flake? It's not a stick powder is it? I have had a miserable experience trying to get stick powder through my auto-progressive powder measure which has scarred me for life. (kidding)

Does 2400 flow through a measure ok? Is it similar to Titegroup, or Win 231?

I have a good number of Hornady XTP's in .38 and .44 and I thought I'd stray from my hardcast reloads and load some "hunting" or "home defense" rounds using 2400 and push them a little faster than the lead. I'm looking for around 1250 to 1300 fps from 4" and 6" wheel guns and lever rifles. Maybe faster, but I don't want too many max loads through my S&W wheelguns.

Thanks for reading the post.

[Pa. Patriot]

Fine Ball powder.

Good stuff. I load/shoot oodles of it through 44mag. 22gr w/ 250gr SWC (classic "Keith" load) CAUTION: *** preceding is OVER PUBLISHED MAXIMUMS***

[Xringshooter]

2400 and 296 are favorite powders of mine for the .44 Mag. Both meter very well.

[brian]

2400 is a short length stick powder. it is about as long, as it is around.
if you want a powder that flows like water for 44mag go with aa#7.
let me just say that twenty and change grains of 2400 behind 240g's of xtp in 44mag is a handful....not max load, but i need to hold on the ol m29.

[Bruce]

Hi.

What "type" of powder is Alliant's 2400? Ball, Flake? It's not a stick powder is it? I have had a miserable experience trying to get stick powder through my auto-progressive powder measure which has scarred me for life. (kidding)

Does 2400 flow through a measure ok? Is it similar to Titegroup, or Win 231?

I have a good number of Hornady XTP's in .38 and .44 and I thought I'd stray from my hardcast reloads and load some "hunting" or "home defense" rounds using 2400 and push them a little faster than the lead. I'm looking for around 1250 to 1300 fps from 4" and 6" wheel guns and lever rifles. Maybe faster, but I don't want too many max loads through my S&W wheelguns.

Thanks for reading the post.

Stick with the TiteGroup and 231 for the .38 Special loads...

2400 is *excellent* for high velocity .357 Magnum (I use it) and I would bet that it's just as good for .44 Magnum (though I've never personally loaded for that caliber).

Using 2400 for .357 Magnum (even higher than SAAMI pressure loads), I usually use "standard" (non magnum) primers with outstanding results - but, that may be just me (YMMV).

I use a Lyman 1200 DPS 3 - it's an electronic "dispenser/scale"; I've never used a standard 'mechanical' powder measure dispenser (like one would find on a progressive loader) - so, I've no idea how well your progressive station will 'throw' 2400 powder. Although, it is my (non-personal experience) understanding that "ball" (spherical) powder, like Winchester 296 or Hodgdon H110 (pretty much the exact same powder) 'flows' through those powder dispensers better.

Is there some reason that you don't want to shoot "too many max loads through [your] S&W wheelguns"??
.

[Flash]

2400 is "...a fine granulation propellant", according to the Lyman 49th.

Not really a "flake" but it meters extremely well for me in an old Pacific Bullesye measure (Similar to the current RCBS Lil' Dandy) and in the Lee Auto Disc.. It is my powder of choice for 357Mag and 44Mag. Works well for both lead and jacketed, particularly on the higher pressure/velocity loads.

Flash

[asavo757]

2400 for me is the best magnum powder I've ever used .357 mag and .44 mag I load lead no problem.
I wouldn't use it in light load .38 spec. It's a waste of powder. T-group or 231 is a great choise for them.
I use a lee,rcbs and dillon powder dispencers and they work great with 2400
but I always measure every magnum load !!!!

[L T C]

Is there some reason that you don't want to shoot "too many max loads through [your] S&W wheelguns"??
.

Well, only that I've read a great many posts about shooting "full house" loads sparingly from a Smith.... thats what Rugers are for.

I don't have the need for the big loads constantly, but I want to load some up to have on hand and shoot occaisionally, but I'd shoot 'em from my lever rifles without worry though.

Only problem there is, too easy to go through a ton of ammo when the rifles come out.

Thanks for all the replies!!

[Pete D.]

2400 is a short length stick powder. it is about as long, as it is around.

Yep. That's it.
Great stuff. I use it in .410s, .44s, some reduced rifle loads using cast bullets, .310 Cadet, .45-70. Versatile stuff.
Pete

[Bruce]

Well, only that I've read a great many posts about shooting "full house" loads sparingly from a Smith.... thats what Rugers are for.

As long as you aren't loading over SAAMI maximum pressures for your caliber, you will not harm your Smith & Wesson firearms at all; you will still get several "lifetimes" out of them.

There are a lot of 'candy-butt' shooters who just can't take 'full house' loads in the (somewhat) lighter frames of the Smiths (well, when compared to Rugers, anyway). They complain that their wrists hurt and that they can't get consistent groupings with their throbbing elbows - their follow-ups being for crap because of severe muzzle-flip and excessively bright muzzle flash... *pansies*.

If you are shooting over 'maximum' pressure loads, you will 'shorten the life-span' of any firearm. In most cases, though, (unless we're talking about *really* high over-max pressures) you might knock the lifespan down from 175 years to just a piddly 125 years.

If you load and shoot Magnums like I do - the revolver might only last you, say - 95 years! Oh, the horror!

Of course, I really like really loud noises out of my firearms - and I enjoy 'mastering' difficult recoil. But, that's just me - I guess I'm just masochistic that way.

I don't have the need for the big loads constantly, but I want to load some up to have on hand and shoot occasionally, but I'd shoot 'em from my lever rifles without worry though.

Well, that's a different story; to each their own.

If someone wanted to shoot only standard pressure .38 Specials through their .357 Magnums, or only run .44 Specials through their .44 Magnum, there is nothing at all in any 'rule book' (official, or otherwise) anywhere that says that one can't.

...And if some Arrogant Prick like me calls such a person a "pansy", then they should tell him that he's... well, an Arrogant Prick.

Heck, you might get over 200 years of service out of those magnum pistols that way! It'd be good to hand down for many many generations to come!
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