16ga.com ~ View topic - 2 1/2"

Joined: 27 Oct 2017 Posts: 80 Location: Joliet, IL

Had a prior discussion on the forum with MSM2019 about cold weather testing and SD's, velocity reduction when cold etc. First want to say thanks to MSM2019
for the advice and help in the prior thread re: the above and starting loads for Vectan A1. Long story short this appears to be a good powder for 16ga, albeit at higher velocities.

Anyway I was able to find Vectan A1 on the shelf at a local GS. Decided to do some testing and send a couple loads in for Precision Reloading to pressure test.

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Hull: Cheddite, trimmed with homemade trimmer to 2.58"
Primer: Cheddite
Wad: SG16 (TUWG2116 Precision Reloading part number)
Shot: 420 grains (just shy of 1oz) of chilled #6 lead
OS card: Precision Reloading card
Crimp: Roll crimp to approx 2.40" OAL

Vectan A1: tested loads at 19.0, 20.0, 21.0

Loads with 19.0 grains were tested but decided NOT to proceed due to experiencing an almost blooper load when cold weather tested. The standard temp test was just over 1,200 fps avg, but had one shot produce only 1,080 after being left in the freezer overnight and transported in a cooler.

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Vectan A1 - 20.0 grains

As tested by PR:

Avg FPS: 1,279 SD: 16 ES: 46
Press: 7,715psi SD: 456 ES: 1,110

As tested by ME at approximately 55-60 deg with a Magnetospeed:

Avg FPS: 1,252 SD: 15

As "cold weather" tested by me at freezer temp:

Avg FPS 1,193 SD: 12 (a reduction of 4.7% from my testing)

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Vectan A1: 21.0 grains

As tested by PR:

Avg FPS: 1,306 SD: 4 ES: 13
Press: 8,858psi SD: 303 ES: 770

Did not cold weather test this load

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So the 20.0 load appears to do more or less what I want. I was shooting for 1,250 with good cold weather stability. Perhaps a little shy of hoped for consistency, but not terrible.

The 21.0 grain load appears to have excellent potential. As I'm shooting a 1920's era 2 1/2" chambered Belgium double I'm shy about pushing it. The load only averages a couple hundred psi above the 8,500 psi I understand as standard. I'll have to think about it a bit more.

Hope that helps in case anyone is thinking about using Vectan A1. FWIW it is a rather blocky flake type powder, I'm not sure how well it will meter in a MEC press, etc. I ran it through a Lyman powder measure, and it appeared OK within a couple tenths of a grain, but I weighed each charge.

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This is my test, in my gun, and appears safe for _ME_. You are responsible for testing your own loads, and verifying safety with your own load manual. This is not a published load, and therefore I cannot recommend you use it.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2350 Location: West MI

Thanks for sharing this load info. Nice speed for such low pressure. How did the barrels look after firing the 20grn load? IOW; did you get a complete burn or some unburnt left over?

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1844 Location: Central ND

makintrax73,

Glad that A1 worked out for you.

Vectan does have some nice powders, hopefully they will be imported again.

Joined: 27 Oct 2017 Posts: 80 Location: Joliet, IL

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2350 Location: West MI

10-4, looks like a nice low pressure load, thanks again.

Wow, looks like a nice lower pressure alternative. Thanks for the info!