Burn rate vs barrel lenght.

[joe44va]

Does anyone know of any available data that correlates burn rate or powders to appropriate barrel length?

[Joe4d]

Quckload software can. But eventually experience can as well. Take note though that burn rate is relative to other issues. Caliber, pressure, primer types.
For instance Tight group, WST and Bullseye can flip flop based on application.
Also way more things make a powder appropriate for an application other than burn rate and barrel length.

[rockquarry]

Not clear to me; are you asking about optimum powder for a barrel length?

Use a suitable powder for the application. There are exceptions to everything, but powders that give highest velocities in long barrels also provide highest velocities in short barrels.

[ruggyh]

Powders are not chosen based on barrel length.

Bullet weight, cross sectional area, operational pressure, efficiency, and case volume are the precursors for proper powder selection.

Barrel length might be used once suitable powders have been identified.

It should be noted that many other properties outside burn rate are used for suitability considerations.

Powders with similar burn rates may/will not perform similarly in many cases.

be safe
Ruggy

[fredj338]

IF you are asking are slower powders more efficient in longer bbls, yes. Though you will always attain highest vel with slower powders that are appropriate for that cartridge.

[bigedp51]

As stated above Quickload will give you the percent of powder burned for a given barrel length and type powder.

Example, I have a S&W 29-5 .44 Magnum and my light loads of 231 are 100% burned in the first 3 inches of barrel length. But a max load of 296 in a 20 inch barrel will not show 100% of the powder burned.

Meaning more muzzle blast and "rocket thrust" with the slower burning powders.

If I remember correctly the Powley Pocket Computer will also give the percent of powder burned. I have the much older hand held slide rule type Powley Computer calibrated in IMR-type powders. But there is a newer on line version that is free to use.

Also you need a chronograph to calibrate Quickload to get close approximate chamber pressure data. But the percent of powder burned is a very good feature of Quickload when matching the powder to the type load. Meaning my light 231 .44 loads will not leave scorch marks on my 7 yard targets.

[Nevada Ed]

Burn rate is nice to know if you want to find out if........

1. the powder will burn 100% in the barrel with a load.
2. If there will be no flash or a lot of muzzle flash, with a powder.
3. if it will burn clean for a given load or have residue all over.

Lots of things can happen with powders. You just need to find out
what you want it to do in your different loads.

[hdwhit]

joe44va wrote:
Does anyone know of any available data that correlates burn rate or powders to appropriate barrel length?

No.

Since there is no industry-standard protocol for determining powder burn rates, they are not standardized. Check burn rate charts published by the powder manufacturers and you find that none of them are in universal agreement. Is that because they can't determine a powder's burn rate? Of course not. It is because each manufacturer uses its own in-house protocols chosen to produce information that is useful to them.

Since there is no standard burn rate for any particular powder, there will be no way to correlate an indeterminate rate to various applications. You can find simulation programs that will perform approximate computations, but they do this by simply making the choice to use a particular burn rate even though that burn rate may not have been determined for - and thus may not apply - to the cartridge you're loading for.

[joe44va]

Thanks all.

[rockquarry]

You might just try two or three appropriate powders. You don't need a computer program to find a good powder. Study some loading data from several sources and go from there. A good accurate load with decent velocity that doesn't blow a fireball out the barrel is not difficult to find.

Just takes a little experimentation, good benchrest technique, group shooting and a chronograph. That will tell you everything you need to know.

[TomkinsSP]

Using the high tech methodology of test firing loads at night using the "juice" from chemlights on paper plates as targets I played with loads to get 100 percent burn in short barrels with a desire to eliminate flash.

After completing this project I discovered the Quickload software. Well at least it validated my experimentation. (And it is kinda fun shooting at glowing spots in total darkness.)

[Joe4d]

you'll also find powders tend to burn cleaner and more consistent as they get higher pressure. Thats why folks wanting lighter loads tend to use fast burning powders, rather than reducing slower burning powders.

[rwsmith]

Some I've used with great results are:

Acc #7

Hogdon CFE Pistol

Alliant Power Pistol


PS: I haven't tried Blue Dot. It's a 'magnum' powder but doesn't get the highest velocities.