Working with Alliant Powder's Power Pro 300-MP Magnum Pistol Powder in my 480R.
BY Bob Roach
My research looking for 480 Ruger loading data using 300-MP did not come up with much that was useable. Alliant did have a little data for 3 jacketed bullets, the Speer 275, 325, and 400 grain. Nothing for cast. The Lyman Pistol & Revolver Handbook did not have 300-MP powder listed and not much lead bullet data for the 480. They did show a single Cast Performance 370 grain Load using H110 in the Handloading Big Bore Revolver Section. From my reading it looked like it would take around .75 grains more of 300-MP than H110 to reach the same velocity. One can find H110 loading data for the 480 Ruger.
My bullets are cast from a Custom 2-Cavity Mountain Mold. My design was for a 375 Grain bullet with a 70% Meplat, and the base was for a Straight Shank Hornady Gas Check. The bullet has one large grease groove and a crimp groove. I am currently using Hornady Gas Checks, and my bullet lubrication is with White Label (Carnauba Red Bullet Lube)
http://www.mountainmolds.com/http://lsstuff.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3My as cast, lubricated and gas checked bullet weight using wheel weights sweetened with a little extra Tin was 370 Grains. I am reloading on a Dillon 550B using an RCBS die set with an extra seater die to crimp in station 4. My 480 Ruger handgun is an older Six Shooter 9.5 Inch Super RedHawk with Hogue Tamer Grips. I have a 30mm UltraDot optical sight mounted on a Weigand Combat 480/454 scope base.
My Brass is a mix of Hornady,and Speer.
From my research I figured any loading data for a 400 grain jacketed bullet would probably be safe under a 375 Grain Cast bullet. However Safe and tolerable may be two different things. I decided to work up slowly and see what happened.
NOTE: The loading information listed appeared to be safe in my handgun. As with any reloading experiments do not start with upper end loads. Work up slowly and carefully from well below maximum listed loads. Stop at any signs of high pressure.
My first loading was using 20.0 grains of 300-MP under the 375 grain WFN-GC bullet ignited with Winchester Large Pistol Primers.
Brass: Speer/Hornady Mix
Primers: WW Large Pistol
Powder: 300-MP
Bullets: 370 Cast
20.0 grains of 300-MP
Velocity Readings at 15 feet:
1066 fps
1028 fps
1002 fps
1082 fps
1017 fps
Average Velocity: 1039 fps Extreme Spread: 80 fps
Load #2
21.0 grains of 300-MP
1026 fps
1070 fps
1084 fps
1050 fps
1070 fps
Average Velocity: 1060 Extreme Spread: 58 fps
Load #3
22.0 grains of 300-MP
1182 fps
1128 fps
1137 fps
1202 fps
1165 fps
Average Velocity: 1163 fps Extreme Spread: 74
Load #4
23.0 grains of 300-MP
1235 fps
1201 fps
1220 fps
1159 fps
1185 fps
Average Velocity: 1200 fps Extreme Spread: 76
At this point I adjusted the Crimp Die down a little more.
Load #5
24.0 grains of 300-MP
1285 fps
1287 fps
1259 fps
1264 fps
1280 fps
Average Velocity: 1275 fps Extreme Spread: 29 fps
Load #6
24.5 grains of 300-MP
1317 fps
1319 fps
1319 fps
1303 fps
1272 fps
Average Velocity: 1306 Extreme Spread: 47
Load #7
25.0 grains of 300-MP
1322 fps
1299 fps
1326 fps
1290 fps
1304 fps
Average Velocity: 1308 fps Extreme Spread: 36
I was getting quite a bit of Extreme Spread up until my 24.0 grain loading. I also put a little more crimp on the bullets when I started loading the 24.0 grain loads. This makes me wonder if the lighter grain loadings might have tightened up with a little more crimp also.
I believe 24.5 grains of 300-MP with an average velocity of 1306 feet per second is my maximum load with my 370 grain cast bullet. I will probably save this loading until the Missouri Department of Conservation gets the T Rex population up to a hunt able level here in the Missouri Ozarks. I think I will probably go with 22.0 - 23.0 grains of 300-MP with an average velocity of 1163 fps - 1200 fps for my Missouri Whitetail Deer load with this powder. I have in the past loaded the 480R using 296/H110, Lil-Gun, AA#9, and Unique. My observation is that 300-MP seems to be a little softer shooting at the top end. This may be due to it being the slowest powder of the bunch. I plan to do a fair amount of practicing in the next 70 days till deer season here in Missouri. I will probably give H110 and Lil-Gun some trigger time with the chronograph and see how they compare to 300-MP. My local dealer had several cans of 300-MP on the shelf when powder got short. No one was buying it, so over a couple month period I hauled it all off at $19.95 a pound. It is now looking like that was a very good investment.
I am not sure that 300-MP is any improvement over 296/H110, Lil-Gun, or AA#9 just yet. I am sure that it is a very good powder for the 480 Ruger.