(https://i.postimg.cc/vH8bMND6/VECTAN-A0-POWDER-resized.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Hello
One of the gun shops in my area is closing the store front and just wants to build rifles, so they are dumping all the stock at half price. Well they have been known for a wide selection of powders including Vectan powders. Went online to find out more about this stuff and came up with precious little as far as data goes for 10mm. So I picked up a lb. of something called Vectan AO.. After some data interpolation came up with a starting charge of 6.6grs. for a 180gr jacketed bullet. Loaded up five more with 7.1grs and sat down at the shooting bench. Turns out those charges were just about right.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Pr6hqQ8V/Day-4-edit.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
180gr Hornady HAP
CCI 300 primer
Once fired Starline brass
I wish I would have had this ready to shoot when I did the Fast Burners.. http://10mm-firearms.com/reloading-10mm-ammo/where-i'm-at-part-3-the-fast-burners/
As you can see this stuff is weird looking.. It looks more like cupcake sprinkles than smokeless powder.
(https://i.postimg.cc/QdHDKKQ8/AO-POWDER-CLOSE-resized.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
But, have to say I'm impressed with the velocity I got.. It is a very 'high energy' powder. Seven grains of powder will compete with the seven grains in the Remington UMC factory load.
Here is a new graph;
(https://i.postimg.cc/W4ZPXRYx/10-MM-fast-Burners-plus-AO-sized.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/TyTS3s6c)
For case expansion;
6.6grs. .4330, .4333, .4332, .4335, .4333"
7.1grs. .4336, .4338, .4336, .4336, .4334"
7.1grs is pushing the .4340" mark pretty close so I stopped there.
The first group I was not settled down yet, but the second was better.
Well, got a pound of this to burn up, so I'll be shoot more of this. Might try some in .40 S&W..
So anyway if you happen to see some of this somewhere, you will have some idea of what it can do, at least in 10mm..
Thank you RDub01 for another great report. It does seem that Vectan AO is on the fast side. It will likely do well in the 40S&W.
Great pictures of those green and tan square cut flakes.
Not quite following this t hread but related. Ive been using a batch of Alcan AL-7 I bought back in the 70s for use in moderate vel lead duck loads. Advent of steel shot regs cured that ambition. Since then I used it in multiple hand gun and reduced velocity lead bullet rifle loads( 7WSM,300WSM, R 375). It has proven to be one of the most accurate powders in thse loads that I can find. For instance-10mm 180 Rennier HP -velocity 1050,full function, groups at 30yd <2". I dont think it can be pushed by its accuracy in 10mm, 357R, 45C, 40 S$W is really outstanding. The 375 is really astonishing. 255 cast ~1300FPS 3 shot groups ten to be under and inch at 107 yds. Just wish I could find more of it. I relly wonder if any of the Vectan flake powders will display the same characteristics.
The ALCAN powders were great and some of it is still around. My older Speer books have data for many cartridges using ALCAN AL5, AL7, AL8
Hey rognp
I also have a quantity of AL-7 acquired for the same reasons and time period. It made excellent shotshell loads. Also have a small sampling of AL-8 left. Never played with AL-5.
They have a similar appearance to the AO.
AL-8 was excellent in 41 and 44 mag, and in .357 it produced the most accurate 110gr JHP load I have ever used. Many a digger squirrel came to its demise with that load..
AL-7 continues to provide excellent .38 SPL +P cast bullet loads, .357 cast bullet med-range loads, 40 S&W cast bullet and jacketed bullet loads, and 10mm cast bullets loads.
I originally used AL-7 for .357 125gr JHP loads, as I was impressed by the 'book' velocity. But once I acquired a chronograph realized the load wasn't going as fast in the four inch barrel as I believed.. as that revelation became apparent in a lot of areas LOL.. So I started using 2400 for that purpose back then. I now use 300-MP for that.
AL-7, being a shotshell powder, has a peculiar burning characteristic I discovered long ago, and it became apparent again in 10mm when I started working with a G20-SF.. And that is it can only burn a curtain amount in shorter handgun barrels. For instance in .357 125gr loads in a four inch barrel, as charges are worked up, you find that velocities quit increasing as charges are increased. Even is a six inch barrel the same thing happens. In 10mm, with 180gr jacketed bullets shot through a 4.6" barrel, this repeats.. Once charges approach 10.8 - 11.0grs, velocities drop off dramatically and case expansion measurements indicate pressures are moderate.
So other than that peculiarity AL-7 is a very useful clean burning powder.