Why dont many people use Accurate brand pistol powders?

My comment would be that accurate must be at least a distant. Winchester, Hercules/alliant, hodgdon, these all own the market for"good old boy" brands with historical value. There are many newer powders that they are competing with as well, and even if they got a decent share of the lower volume brands, they will still be nothing but fringe players, regardless of any good or bad qualities.

Look at beer. You will see pallet loads of bud, Miller, Busch, Coors brands. Guinness, Heineken,becks, etc, will be marginal players. No matter how good pilsner uquell is, you will never, ever see it on a table next to you. It's used and lots of people like it, it h as others that don't, but I believe that the bottom line is that the availability of alternative products suppresses sales.

I like 2230, 2, 5, and bring 15 (I think that is the one I use.) 5 is pretty similar to hs6, and is capable of clean, powerful loads.
 
I am not a particular fan of Accurate Arms pistol powders, one particular problem as shown by my 44 Special data, is the unreliability of their own published data. I used their data to develop a load in the 44 Special and the earliest data was way underpowered. I had to go well over their maximum data before I received velocities that were appropriate to a 44 Special.



Code: 
[SIZE="3"][B]4" M624  44 Special [/B]

240 LSWC Valiant 6.1 grs AA#5  thrown,  Lot 35 590,  Mixed Brass WLP
T = 62 °F	25-Feb-07	
		 
Ave Vel =523.1	
Std Dev =31.1	
ES =	121.9	
Low = 	585.1	
High = 	463.1	
N =	28	
Accurate, light recoil, lots of unburnt powder
		
240 LSWC Valiant 6.7 grs AA#5  Lot 35 590 Mixed Brass WLP
T = 62 °F	25-Feb-07	
		
Ave Vel =571.1	
Std Dev =34.46	
ES =	142.6	
Low = 	645.4	
High = 	503.4	
N =	32	

accurate, light recoil, lots of unburnt powder
		
240 LSWC Valiant 8.5 grs AA#5 Lot 35 590  Mixed Brass WLP
T = 64 °F	3-Mar-07	
Ave Vel =790.4	
Std Dev =30.69	
ES =	134	
High = 	845.7	
Low = 	711.6	
N =	32	
Accurate
		
240 LSWC Valiant 9.0 grs AA#5 Lot 35 590  Mixed Brass WLP
T = 64 °F	3-Mar-07	

Ave Vel =845.5	
Std Dev =17.43	
ES =	51.74	
High = 	869.9	
Low = 	818.1	
N =	10	
Very Accurate
		
240 LSWC Valiant 9.5 grs AA#5 Lot 35 590  Mixed Brass WLP
T = 64 °F	3-Mar-07	
		 
Ave Vel =901.3	
Std Dev =13.6	
ES =	41.57	
High = 	922.6	
Low = 	881	
N =	8	

Very Accurate, barrel leading[/SIZE]


There was a lot more load data on the web in the 45 ACP so I was able to get close to 800 fps in a couple of tries, but even then, one problem I have with these finely grained ball powders is that they roll into the powder bar of my Dillion 550B powder measure. They clog up the function of the powder measure on my progressive, though if you call Dillion, they will send a new bar, a little tighter, and that works for a while.



Code: 
[SIZE="3"][B]Kimber Custom Classic 45 ACP[/B]			
					
					
230 LRN 7.0 grs AA#5 lot 12599 WLP  Mixed Military OAL 1.245" taper crimp 0.469"
	
27 Feb 2010         T = 48 ° F			
					
Ave Vel =	788 fps
Std Dev =	17	
ES =	76.3	
High = 	827.5	
Low =	751.2	
N =	13	
					
					
230 LRN 7.5 grs AA#5 lot 12599 WLP  Mixed Military 
OAL 1.245" taper crimp 0.469"

27 Feb 2010         T = 48 ° F			
					
Ave Vel =	829		fps
Std Dev =	20	
ES =	63	
High = 	863	
Low =	800	
	15	
						
					
230 LRN Valiant 7.8 grs AA#5 lot 12599 Mixed brass WLP (brass)	
OAL 1.250" taper crimped 0.469"

16-May-09	 high 83  °F		
					
Ave Vel =	874.7				
Std Dev =	16.3	 	 	 	
ES =	78.33				
High = 	916.4				
Low =	838				
N =	30				
					
					
230 LRN Valiant 8.0 grs AA#5 lot 12599 Mixed brass WLP (brass)	
OAL 1.250" taper crimped 0.469"

16-May-09	 high 83  °F		
					
Ave Vel =	890.2				
Std Dev =	11.48	 	 	 	
ES =	40.44				
High = 	911.8				
Low =	871				
N =	16
[/SIZE]

Whatever throw consistency "advantage" there is in ball powders, it does not show up in Extreme Spreads or standard Deviations. Nor on target. These ball powders do not show any accuracy advantage, that I can see, on target, compared to Bullseye or Unique, both flake powders.

Accurate Arms #5 and #9 do produce excellent shooting ammunition, but unless the price is real tempting, I will stick with powders that have given me outstanding results, and I don't have to do much load development to get the results I want.
 
My experience with the .44 Special was quite different. Here are my results:

.44Spec Ruger Flattop 5 1/2"
7.5g AA#5, 240g SWC, CCI-300, _775 fps, 13 SD, 49 ES, 14 shots, Accurate
8.0g AA#5, 240g SWC, CCI-300, _867 fps, 13 SD, 37 ES, 10 shots, Accurate
8.5g AA#5, 240g SWC, CCI-300, _926 fps, 11 SD, 38 ES, 15 shots, Accurate
9.0g AA#5, 240g SWC, CCI-300, _975 fps, 11 SD, 33 ES, 15 shots, Accurate
9.5g AA#5, 240g SWC, CCI-300, 1029 fps, _7 SD, 26 ES, 15 shots, Accurate+

Works really well for me!

I just got done with a .32 H&R test with 115g bullets. One load gave me an 14 ES and it was accurate.
 
My experience comes closer to RClark's data than to Slamfire's, but I doubt neither. I had no opportunity to chronograph my reloads, so it's difficult for me to estimate how close I my results were to published data. I used the AA#5 mostly in 9mm and .45 ACP, and every round shot in the work-up fed and ejected in a way I would expect from factory. If there was a huge deficit in velocity with AA#5 starting loads, I doubt that they would have fed through the pistols.

That doesn't mean there wasn't considerable variance from one shot to the next, but my reloads were only slightly less accurate than ball (3.25" @ 50 yds. 5 shots from a rest for reloads, 3.0" or a little less for ball). If there was a large variance among velocities, I doubt that my groups would have gotten anywhere close to factory.

Slamfire's info makes me want to go get some AA#5, load it up and shoot it over a chronograph, to see what I get. I notice that the variances in his .44 Spl data dropped off considerably, as pressure went up. If memory serves, AA#5 was developed for the .45 Auto, which has operating pressures upwards of 19,000 psi. The .44 Spl. has a max spec of 15,500 psi. Perhaps AA#5 just doesn't work well below a certain threshold?
 
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I dont use accurate powders because they are at least 5$ more per pound, but in most cases they are 10$ and on. Just went powder shopping today. The store had countless shelves of any powder I have ever heard of. Alliant Reloaders series were as low as 19.99, most IMR was 26.99, with a few mixes like BL-C(2) a couple dollars cheaper, the new "shiny" IMR centerion or whatever was an even 30$. Hodgdon has prices all over the place between 19-29.99(popular rifle stuff like varget ans benchmark), pistol powder was around 23$ with a high of 27$ for CFE pistol. Vitouri was all prices at $50 even. Acurrate powders were all priced at 40$ even. I looked at all the cool powders for awhile, checked out the new IMRs while studying online data, comparing velocities to pressures to grains, trying to find the magic powder that takes less grains, creates more velocity at lower pressures and cheaper by the pound. Does that powder exsist? I don't know for sure, but I left with an 8# jug of CFE 223 for 179.99. Accurate didn't have that same deal on any powder, their faults or the establishment? I can't say, maybe a little of both, but regardless I'd ratge not pay more for a powder unless it proves to save in other ways, like being such a higher density of stored power that I use 25% less powder at least breaking even, but that seems like quite a feat.
 
Acurrate powders were all priced at 40$ even
Click to expand...
That is scalping. Looking at Powder Valley AA#5 is $19.65 per pound and cheaper yet for 8# . Of course there is the haz-mat so you want to buy in 'bulk', but still. Seems profiteering is alive and well!
 
I find AA2 is a great .45 Auto and .38 Spl powder. Very accurate. Meters great. None ever comes out of my cases on a progressive.
I find AA5 is the single most accurate powder for .40 S&W.
I find AA7 is quite accurate for 9x19, 9x21, and .38 Super. Does fine in .357 Mag.
I have kegs of all of them.
When it comes to .357 Mag., .44 Mag., and .45 Win Mag., I find that 2400 is the single most accurate powder over all bullet weights and charge weights. May give up 50-100 fps, but the accuracy is much better.
 
It has to be on the shelf for me to buy it. Finances are not great at the moment so a bulk order is out of the question. I like AA powders. All of them that I have used have worked incredibly well.
 
I'm with NOYLJ. Accurate #5 is the single most accurate powder I have found for 40 s&w. That being said I mostly use #7 because it gives up very little in accuracy and for me has a more manageable recoil,load for load.
 
I only use Ramshot Silhouette...Same parent company. I use it in one caliber. And for a specific purpose. The 45acp with a 230gr jhp at 1000fps. This load does about just under 23,000 psi according to load data found from Ramshot. High of 1010, low 1003. Shot from my Springfield Armory Range Officer 1911, 5" barrel.
 
Availability and cost. Not always available and usually at least $5.00 more than Alliant or Hodgdon powders. When they are on the shelf, I still can't justify the higher cost. I use a lot of Alliant pistol powders. Best wishes
 
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