Lovex D060, aka Shooter’s world Buffalo

[Spindrift]

One of many powders thas has been sold under the name «5744» through the years, this powder is presented as being particularily suited for reduced rifle loads. In a thread, somewhere, I made som critical remarks based on my experience with this powder. Mediocre accuracy, unburnt kernels.

Well. I kind of reviewed my own tests, and found that I had not been systematic at all. Completely insufficient data to conclude anything at all, really. So I’ve decided to take a new look on this powder.

First, I tried a variety of loads in my S&L 30-06 with the XCB- bullet, and regular lube. At 26 grs I shot two 5-shot groups @100m. 31 and 32mm c-c (no photo). In my world, that is really good. This load was a few grains more than my previously tested loads.

Yesterday, I shot my Rössler 30-06, with the excellent (!) Arsenal molds 170grs HVTH1- bullet. Regular lube, home-made GC, Norma range pick-ups at their 15th cycle (without annealing...). I had loaded for 2 5-shot groups with 26grs D060, but the first five were used to walk into the target.

For comparison, 3 5-shot groups with my standard always-works 19grs Vihta N110, average c-c 33mm (last photo).
My (single) 5-shot group with D060 was 24mm c-c, which is 0,8MOA @100m.

I’ll shoot this load some more, of course. And update this thread as I gain more experience.

Had a nice range trip yesterday, alone on the range with 4 rifles and ample supplies of coffee. The Rössler is the bolt gun with the piece of garden-hose as thread protector

 

[Tomme boy]

I really like 5744 but the cost is the problem. My SW powder dealer does not use it in any of his ammo he loads for sale. He is a commercial reloader. But when he does have the buffalo he sells it for $17/lb. I really need to call him to see how his inventory is.

I have heard about these powders leaving unburned powder in the bores. I have neverr had that happen once. The only powder I have seen that to happen to me was steel and bluedot. I use it in 308win, 7.62x54, 350 legend, 3030

 

[Bliksem]

Last year I bought a number of 8# jugs of different Shooters World powders from Midsouth Shooters Supply but have not done much testing of Buffalo other than for some 450Bushmaster cast loads for a bolt gun. My test notes show promise but needs further work.

Thread drift ahead.
I have however done quite a bit of testing in 308Win and 358Win, MSR10 DI rifles platform. The 2 powders worked with are Precision Rifle and Tactical Rifle.

The 308W rifle has a 1-10 barrel and I have only done load development with factory bullets so far. Excellent function and accuracy out to 250 yards with TR powder being the powder of choice.

The 358Win has been used to develop cast bullet loads. This rifle has a Wilson Combat Ultimate Hunter 18” 1-14 twist barrel. Brass is converted LC64 308W. While waiting for molds ordered from Tom I have been using the 2-cavity Lee 200gn mold. Bullets are powder coated, checked, and sized to .3585”. Best load so far is running just over 2400fps. I have also tested using IMR4064, IMR3031, Reloder17, IMR4895 and Leverevolution. The LVR powder was an outlier and even though it cycles and is quite accurate the fireball is noticeable even in bright sunlight.

in conclusion the Shooters World / Lovex powders are useful and as the older established powders are getting harder to find leaves us with alternate options.

 

[Spindrift]

Shot a bit more with Lovex D060 today. It was a windy day, and the shooter should have brought warmer clothes!
This was with the Lee c312-155, and home- made lube. The group was looking mighty fine until the last shot, when my rear bag slipped....

All my previous criticism of this powder is hereby retracted. It is a very good cast bullet powder!

 

[fiver]

funny how we dismiss certain powders, then it's just sitting right there staring us in the face for a couple of years until a new project rifle comes along.
let's burn some of this junk up while we fire form some cases we say to ourselves only to discover that maybe we don't need to do any further load development, or that we 'misused' the powder the first time around and we now have a new 'home' for it and wished we had more.

or in my case, burn it all up just to use it up and then remember that it was thee 'pet load' powder, and what gun I had been using it in,,,, and now have no more.

 

[CZ93X62]

Yessir, "The No More SR-4756 Blues". All 17 of us that used it religiously in this country will never be the same.

 

[waco]

funny how we dismiss certain powders, then it's just sitting right there staring us in the face for a couple of years until a new project rifle comes along.
let's burn some of this junk up while we fire form some cases we say to ourselves only to discover that maybe we don't need to do any further load development, or that we 'misused' the powder the first time around and we now have a new 'home' for it and wished we had more.

or in my case, burn it all up just to use it up and then remember that it was thee 'pet load' powder, and what gun I had been using it in,,,, and now have no more.

Take a look at the burn rate of CFE BLK. I think this may have some useful “outside of the box” applications...

 

[Spindrift]

Hmmm, CFE BLK seems to be in the Rx7/ Norma 200 bracket. Which is very flexible and useful! CFE BLK seems to be a spherical powder; maybe best for near full pressure?

 

[RicinYakima]

Hmmm, CFE BLK seems to be in the Rx7/ Norma 200 bracket. Which is very flexible and useful! CFE BLK seems to be a spherical powder; maybe best for near full pressure?

That is my concern, so heavily treated with deterrents and flow agents, it will not burn consistently except at high pressure.

 

[fiver]

some of the newer powders are a little bit deceiving.

AA-2230 is kind of one of my pet powders.
it is a ball powder but I have reduced it and stretched it out of place in all sorts of directions.
[like using it in place of AA-1680]
it just burns and pushes bullets out the barrel
it's only given me a pause one time, and that was when I was pushing jacketed velocities already and switched over to a magnum primer in the heat of summer,,, not the powders fault, and even then it didn't get squirrely it just elevated the pressures more than I like to see.

CFE-223 has also been one that has impressed me so far, I haven't really taken it too far out of it's range just yet, but the little I have done with it has shown it might just be willing to work in places they haven't intended it to.

 

[waco]

That is my concern, so heavily treated with deterrents and flow agents, it will not burn consistently except at high pressure.

300 blk range results

So I had the RAR in 300 blk with me today for some testing of the NOE 311-230-FN My bullets weighed out to right at 238gr. These were loaded up with 10.8gr of CFE BLK. They were sized to .311" and lubed with 2500+ TNQ brass and S&B SRP This five shot group was shot at 100 yards. I ran one dry...

www.artfulbullet.com

 

[L Ross]

Yessir, "The No More SR-4756 Blues". All 17 of us that used it religiously in this country will never be the same.

A guy told me he had a 12# metal keg of 4759 that was unopened from his late father's stash. He wanted 150 bucks for it, (2018). I said I'd take it sight unseen. Only to discover it was 4756! I was sorely disappointed but sold it to a friend for the same 150. He was happy to hear it is supposed to be good for .32-20. He still hasn't cracked it open. It'll be in his estate sale some day.

 

[RicinYakima]

SR4756 was Ken Waters best powder for the 32/20 and has been quoted many times. Modern computer loading programs say that his "Pet Load" is about 22,000 psi, much over the SAAMI limits. I shoot a very similar load in everything except iron framed black powder guns. FWIW, Ric

 

[fiver]

4756 is outstanding in the 45 colt/44 mag. too.
I shot my first 3-4 Idaho deer with it and the 250gr. xtp in the navy arms model 92,
near the lower end it's almost like having a muffler on the thing.

 

[CZ93X62]

I did lower that 6.0 x SR-4756/115 grain bullet load of Mr. Waters in the 32/20 to 5.5 grains in the Colt Police Positive Special I once had, but the steel S&W K-frame and Colt Army Special and Bisley don't seem to mind it much. Herco seems to be the closest and best replacement for SR-4756 in the 32/20 WCF revolvers so far, load weights reduced about 5% from that of the SR-4756. SP primers work well here. Those three revolver models have a lot of steel in their cylinders, 32/20 cartridges displace less metal than do 38 Special loads.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Handloader this month has a write up on buffalo rifle powder.
CW