Ruff Cobb Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Powder shortages, brand availability, & prices being what they are I checked on the burn rate of Promo of which I purchased two 8 Lb. kegs several years ago. It's burn rate is between several of my favorites. I've been using Promo for trap loads with acceptable results & now for SASS shotgun since Clays is gone for now. I gave it a test in .45 ACP, .45 Colt, & .38 Special. It bulks in the cases well, is not position sensitive, burns clean with no residue, accuracy is more than acceptable by my standards, and seems to meter very well. I'm satisfied enough that I plan on purchasing more when I have an opportunity & recommend it to my SASS Pards. I have no information as to how it performs in temperature extremes but will report when January arrives in Durango. I hope this helps somebody keep shooting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blastmaster Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 A spiraling smoking, 32-20 BP 'squib' load with 100g bullet at single digit 'feet ' distant, AND audible steel target works too!! Seen that recently. OK,,, I may have exaggerated the single digit 'feet' distant,,, but not by much. LOL Hmmm, there should be a new catagory winner of who can have how many bullets in flight to target before the first bullet impacts steel target. LOL!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assassin Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Thanks Cobb, I've got an 8 pounder of Promo out in my loading room, been thinking about trying it out when I finish off my 8 pounder of clays. Can you PM me with your recipe for 38 special? Assassin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bull Skinner Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Been using it for years. Cheap version of Red Dot without the red dots. Use Red Dot load data. Works great at all temperatures. One caveat. It loads with Red Dot data by WEIGHT. Do not, I repeat, do not load by volume they are of different densities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Have used Red Dot off and on. Since Promo works like RD, Promo should be fine. I don't find it squibby as long as you don't go below published minimums, with actual experience using RD in .45 Colt, .45 auto, and Cowboy 45 Special. Works OK at cold temps. Not quite as clean as Clays or WST. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakebite Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 There are many powders that will work well. After over 50 yrs of loading everything that goes BANG, I'm of the opinion that the powder industry mixes a lot a BS into most of the powders they produce. The full range of loading, from "Mouse Fart" to "Wart Hog", Handgun, Shotgun, and Rifle can be covered very nicely with just a few powders, and would serve 99% of the re-loaders very well. IMO most of the rest is just marketing BS. I would like to see the Powder Industry cut out 90+% of what they make and just concentrate on what is needed...... a good fast-med-and slow powder is all you will ever need to load anything in your safe. Snakebite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Ruff and others - Thanks for the detailed informative posts on Promo. If there were more like this on the Wire - there would be less ... 'What's the best powder to use because I am out of XYZ' The only issues are: 1. There is no data on the powder in Propellant Proflies because Alliant has no handgun loading data for the powder - only shotgun. Did read on several forums - Promo is a good powder for 38 Spl - 45 ACP and 45 Colt 2. Nearly Alliant powders are 'out of stock' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Henry Quick Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 When I started shooting there was only DuPont. Now, there's a dizzying array of powders like GOEX, Scheutzen, Swiss, etc. Decisions, decisions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lefty Dude, SASS # 51223 Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Many Powder's have I tried over the years, and I have come full-circle back to Unique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augustus Goodnight Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Red Dot/Promo burns so fast it's hard to make a squib prone round. Especially if you put a good crimp on it. I love it for my main match 200gr rifle rounds but find it a bit too snappy in the recoil dept. for lighter (165gr .45LC) pistol rounds. I like a slower powder like IMR-PB or Trail Boss in my 165gr & 180gr pistol loads. About Alliant powders being out of stock.... We saw no new stock here in Phoenix from mid-January until last week. I picked up 10#'s of Red Dot last week and my partner found an ample supply of Unique at the same place. It wasn't cheap but it was available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marauder SASS #13056 Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Snakebit, your wishing are coming true. Several powder companies have announced cutting several powders including Trail Boss. Some I hate to see go, but I agree that many are so very close to being the same powder - maybe not the identical loads, but essentially redundant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augustus Goodnight Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Snakebit, your wishing are coming true. Several powder companies have announced cutting several powders including Trail Boss. Some I hate to see go, but I agree that many are so very close to being the same powder - maybe not the identical loads, but essentially redundant. Where did you hear that? Link to article please..... I've heard about: SR4759 pyrodex pellets IMR 7625 IMR 4007 IMR PB Winchester Supreme 780 Winchester AA Lite but not Trail Boss..... BTW PB looks like it has just been transferred from IMR to Hodgdon's line. It's on their new webpage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakebite Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 Marauder:Yes.. many of them are so close that they are virtually the same. I can remember when all I ever used was Bullseye, Unique, and 4895 to cover just about everything. Once and a while I would get a can of Reloader #7 to use in 45-70 rounds for the Trapdoor.... the Unique worked pretty good, but was a bit lighter than I wanted, and the 4895 pressure was a bit more than I wanted to use in the old gun. So.... there are of course some variables where a different powder could fill a "Nitch"... but in general, the three listed, or one of the virtual same powders from another company will do most jobs. Any fast powder will work for light 12 ga Shotshell loads, and most med powders will work for Field loads. As for rifles... I don't know of any rifle cartridge that a light load can not be developed using Unique, and the old standby 4895 will knock down most game. Snakebite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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