Advice on Alliant 2000-MR & 55gr bullets

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STORMINORMAN

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The powder shortage being what it is I had a chance to pickup some Alliant 2000-MR powder: it lists many of my rifle calibers (270 Win, .308, 7mm Mauser) and is highly regarded (at least by Alliant?) for acheiving higher velocities with "heavier bullets in .223"...

A 68gr BTHP (their lightest listed bullet) is in their load data with 28gr for 3,109 fps. I don't really need anything near that velocity for my intended purpose.

My question: can I use this powder SAFELY for what will basically be plinking loads at the range (say, at 100 yards) using 55 gr bullets? I am most aware this is not the optimal use for this specific powder but I have a sufficient store of 55gr bullets to want to investigate this possibility.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Cheers!
 
I Think you better stick with their data.

For 55 grain bullets, H-322, H-355, Benchmark, WW748, BL-c2, IMR 8208, TAC, and a bunch of other Medium Rifle powders. Heavy bullets use slower powders. My favorites are WW748 (great metering ball powder) and Varget (super accurate extruded [stick] powder)

Ivan
 
OK, but will it work?

Ivan the Butcher said:
I Think you better stick with their data.

For 55 grain bullets, H-322, H-355, Benchmark, WW748, BL-c2, IMR 8208, TAC, and a bunch of other Medium Rifle powders. Heavy bullets use slower powders. My favorites are WW748 (great metering ball powder) and Varget (super accurate extruded [stick] powder)

Ivan
Click to expand...

Ivan: I do appreciate your input and fully understand that there are certainly other powders more directly designed for use in 223/556. I'm just looking for advice and direction for what is basically a downloaded(?) version for short range plinking.

I have other powders (primarily IMR 4064 & 4895) that have load data that spans the larger calibers I load (i.e., 308, 7mm Mauser, 270 WIN) & also has load data for 55gr in 223. Supposedly 2000-MR has a burn rate (112) that is close to Varget (108), W748 (109), BL-c2 (110), CFE-223 (111)... I realize this is only a part of the picture.

Help?
 
Burn rate isn't the only thing going on when the powder burns, I am leery of unproven changes to loading data. Being Human (some people question that!), I make mistakes! I have yet to loose a gun or fingers because, all the mistakes I make have been small. But jumping out of the frying pan and "creating" my own data with a flaked form of Dynamite is not my idea of a good time!

Since there is some 223 data, maybe someone with a brain in Customer service can access more data than is published. I have had luck with Hornady's ballistic people in the past, just say you're using their 55 gr FMJ/BT!

I have 4 or 5 bottles of Aliant shotgun powder I haven't used because I can't fine Sporting Clays data I trust. I'm not going to risk $2000-3500 shotguns to save a few dollars per case of ammo! "Some guy" on the internet isn't exactly a reliable source!

Ivan
 
I would think rifle would be like pistol loading...........

Lighter bullets can use more powder than the heavier ones, so............

try the lighest load for the heavy 68gr bullet etc. that you have and see what happens.

I can't see where 12 grains of bullet weight is going to have enough change in pressure, where it will damage a weapon.
There might not be data, due to the fact that the company thinks that there are better powders for the smaller 55 gr bullet........

We all know that 2400 & 4227 powder is not the best powder for a 38 special..........
but you can use it, as you blow and shake off the un-burned powder from the area.

Stay safe.
 
Unfortunately Alliant data shows only one figure with the caveat of reducing rifle & pistol loads by 10%, but.. Interestingly they show absolutely nothing about pressure in their load data. I'll probably just give them a call as Ivan suggests.

Ed's pretty much convinced me that with a smaller, lighter bullet and a 10% reduction to start, pressure should not be a safety issue. If they go BANG!, cycle the action & and hit the target with any regularity I'll probably be very satisfied.

Now, give Alliant a call, and non-withstanding any dire warnings, load up a couple and see what's what...

Thanks to you both!

Cheers!

P.S. Anyone with any actual experience with this powder and lighter 55gr bullets please feel free to chime in! My searches have found references to this but the threads are usually years old.
 
Good news......
I let my fingers do some walking.....

223 55gr #22455GDB oal 2.23" 2000MR powder
F205 primer....... start@ 3134fps ........... 29c@ 3392fps.

you can look this data up at......................

speerammo.com reloading/rifle

Merry Christmas.
 
H Richard said:
For .223 with a 55 gr bullet, I would suggest Varget or CFE223 as great powders.
Click to expand...

Those are two great powders also.............

but it is also nice to have data for a new powder , never tried that is sitting in front of you in a 8 lb jug. :D

Always nice to have a little info, before you start building something.

I was freeaking out, when I started my testing of the 130 gr HST bullet in my 38 J frame, with the first three test loads.

I had NO data at all, when I pulled that trigger for the first time in that testing !!
 
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Usually a 223 powder "recommended" for heavier bullets is just tad too slow for peak performance with lighter pills. Perfectly safe, but you'll be compressed before you get enough in the case to be interesting.
 
H Richard said:
For .223 with a 55 gr bullet, I would suggest Varget or CFE223 as great powders.
Click to expand...

Nope. Varget is a bit too slow and CFE223 is a "meh" IMHO.
My fave is TAC (wish I knew what the AA equivalent is).
 
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