Experience with US 869?

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Nov 1, 2017
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Coeur d' Alene, ID
Given the availability of powder these days, I picked up a couple lbs of this to use in my .264 Win Mag. The Speer book listed data for it and I would like to give it a try and save other powders for my primary rifle. Google search of reviews range from great works well, temp sensitivity issues, too slow of a powder for the caliber.

I figure worst case I try a few loads and see if the rifle likes it. My end goal is accuracy and consistency over speed. Any one use this powder before and have any advice or personal experience?
Thanks
 

B23

WKR
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I've used quite a bit of it in 338 Lap Imp and 30-338 Lap Imp. US869 is some slow burning shit and I'd only use mag rifle primers with it. One of the things I found with using it was it always worked best when near max loads and it also burned cleaner and had MUCH lower ES when I was seating bullets 0-5 thou off of touch. I'm assuming being that close increases the start pressure but whatever it is if I had them backed of 10-20 thou or more the ES went crazy and it was dirty as hell but seat them close and the ES would tighten up as well as it wasn't nearly as dirty. I shoot Berger 300's and 230's in those two guns and they shot their best that close anyway so it worked out.
 

A382DWDZQ

WKR
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Dec 3, 2021
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No personal experience with it, but I have read up on it to answer my own similar questions, it will be a bit dirty, it will waste about 20% of the powder, but it will work. The heavier the bullet, the better it will do in regards to how much gets burnt up. My conclusion was that I probably need to get something chambered in one of the Nosler cartridges, otherwise it is going to be bottom of the list for using on anything I currently have.
 

B23

WKR
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The more overbore a cartridge is and if you are using the heaviest for caliber bullets probably the better US869 will work for you. A 264 Win mag is fairly overbore and if you have enough twist to shoot the Berger 156's US869 just may work out well for you.
 

Bater

WKR
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I ran it for a while in a 26 Nosler. Temp sensitivity was extreme which was a deal breaker for me. I have seen a bunch of H50BMG on shelves lately, that would be much better suited for your application if you can’t find H4831, H1000 or Retumbo
 
OP
D
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I ran it for a while in a 26 Nosler. Temp sensitivity was extreme which was a deal breaker for me. I have seen a bunch of H50BMG on shelves lately, that would be much better suited for your application if you can’t find H4831, H1000 or Retumbo
I have a few other powders to try as well, Retumbo, Ramshot Magnum. I am actively trying to find IMR 7828 as well. I bought it because they had it in stock and only my .264 has data for it, so I figured I could save the others for my other rifles if I could come up with a good load. The temp sensitivity would be a big issue for me, I've had trouble with RL25 and I would like to avoid that in the future.
 
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B23

WKR
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Ill take it! For some reason I just have a good feeling about that powder.
Had a chance to look in my cabinet and what I have is 1 unopened pound of regular 7828, not 7828scc. If you're interested let me know and we can go from there.
 
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