40 and american select

[colbyjack]

I just picked up 2 pounds of american select for under $20. The problem is there was load data for it and the 40 in the book at the store. I get home and all 3 of my manuals dont have this powder in it.

So for plinking or just practice, is this any good? Can it make major with 180/185 gr lead?

Whats your guys books say for start and max with american select?

Anyone have any pet loads in 40 i can load up? What worked for you, 180/185 gr (What oal too)

Sorry but the powder was too good to pass up. But with no data i got burnt.... lol

Edited August 31, 2012 by colbyjack

[colbyjack]

Wierd cant find any data on this. Did a search and dont look like anyone uses it. Hopefully i can get it to work. Either a major load with 185 lead or a 185 plinker.....

[G+16]

where did you get it at? can you go back to store and look at the "book" again or better yet buy one.

[colbyjack]

I got the powder on clearance at a sporting goods store a hour to the west of here. I hear ya, may have to drive and buy the book.

[Ssanders224]

Alliant lists data for American Select in .40.

Hard to make major with it apparently.

I have a good bit from shotgunning, and might try it with my 180 grn Xtremes and see where I can get.

[dcalvert]

I have loaded 10,000 plus of the old Master Blaster 180 moly with good luck.

4.5grains of AM Select 1.200 OAL = 930FPS= 167pf out of 5" STI with Nowlin barrel

Good load.

Dcalvert

[colbyjack]

Thanks guys im going to give it a try

[Ssanders224]

Going to resurrect this thread, because I just ran out of Solo1k, and want to try some of my American Select.

I'm loading it under 180gr Xtreme plated bullets.

Anyone want to report on how it turned out? Colby?

Need a starting point.

4.5gr at 1.2" seems awfully light?? That's way below Alliants suggested load.

[Ssanders224]

Anyone?

[wgj3]

try a few at that. chrono. better to start low anyway. I'm working on it with some 180 molys myself. last charge had me just over 163 PF out of my 6" STI. trying to make it out to the range to check next step up. I will update you when I have the results,,,

[wgj3]

Made it to range. Made 171+ from 6" gun. Made167 from M&P Pro. MY load (ymmv) is 4.8 of Am Sel behind a 180 gr TC moly'd cast. OAL is max I can run n M&P @ 1.17. Dont see anything to indicate excessive pressure. Snappy but acceptable. Still and a bit humid; saw some smoke, but nothing crazy.

[8ring]

The 2004 Alliant manual says that the max load with American Select in .40 cal for a 200gr FMJ was 4.2 gr. and 845 fps. The max load for a 180gr lead bullets was 5.0 gr and 912 fps. Both loads were in the 32K to 33K psi range.

Chris

[fastarget]

Revive it again, we are all using what we can find these days, and no 320 on the horizon

Any more chrono results or feedback on American Select, starting to hear more people using it, but apparently it does not meter well.

[Ssanders224]

Revive it again, we are all using what we can find these days, and no 320 on the horizon

Any more chrono results or feedback on American Select, starting to hear more people using it, but apparently it does not meter well.

Meters well enough for USPSA through my SDB.

Its a good powder. Ive loaded 8-10 pounds of it now, and am going to stick with it.

I'm at 5 grains under a Precision Delta 180 loaded at 1.180. 170 PF.

[fastarget]

good to know, I use a 650, micrometer/polished funnel etc. I can even get clays to meter decently, I like the way clays shoots, but there are occasional pressure signs, with the STI barreled gun, but the AET barrel eats it and needs a little more powder, this is loaded at 1.20...

I had AS for my daughters cowboy loads so the experiment began. I am attempting to start at 4.7 but it fluctuates 4.6-4.8, occasionally close to 4.9, I measured 30 consecutive loads.

Are you seeing any pressure signs, and how much fluctuation in chrono readings are you measuring?

[fastarget]

Revive it again, we are all using what we can find these days, and no 320 on the horizon

Any more chrono results or feedback on American Select, starting to hear more people using it, but apparently it does not meter well.

Meters well enough for USPSA through my SDB.

Its a good powder. Ive loaded 8-10 pounds of it now, and am going to stick with it.

I'm at 5 grains under a Precision Delta 180 loaded at 1.180. 170 PF.

Thanks for the info,

Ran 1.180, 4.8, 14 rnds, through the chrono, 173PF, and was pleasantly surprised at an SD of 9. So looks like a good back up powder.

Any idea on temperature sensitivity?

[TonyT]

I have only used American Select for very light loads in 40 S&W. The 2004 and 2005 Alliant Reloading Guides have data for American Select in 40 S&W as follows:

150 gr. JHP - 6.0 gr. AmSel = 1140fps = 33000psi

180 gr. JHP - 4.7 gr. AmSel = 930fps =32400psi

Hope that helps.

[fastarget]

Thanks for the info Tony

My chrono concurs with the manual. It is a clean burning, alternative to other impossible to find powders, but a couple of other shooters seem to have had variations lot to lot.

I still would like to know about temp sensitivity

[TonyT]

fastarget,

Can't help you with temp sensitivity since I shoot in Michigan during the summer and in Arizona during the winter.

A fellow shooter uses American Select to load everything from 12 ga shotshell thru 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 ACP.

Tony

[fastarget]

Thanks Tony, appreciate the effort , it is not critical but a curiosity.

[Ssanders224]

Thanks for the info Tony

My chrono concurs with the manual. It is a clean burning, alternative to other impossible to find powders, but a couple of other shooters seem to have had variations lot to lot.

I still would like to know about temp sensitivity

I havent noticed any variances lot to lot large enough to mention, and I've loaded from SEVERAL different lots. IMO, its pretty consistent.

Not sure about the temp. sensitivity.

I have a partial theory that my rounds run slightly higher velocity when they are cool. A few weeks ago, I drove to the range and chronoed some rounds. They had been inside, and then in the air conditioned car. I chronoed right when I got to the range, and had about 171pf average. I chronoed again after the rounds sat in the heat for a couple of hours and averaged about 168-169. Could have been clean/dirty barrel, distance from chrono, fluke, etc... not sure. Havent tried it again since.

[Ssanders224]

I almost wish we could keep AS a secret... I dont need it flying off the shelves like everything else

[Ssanders224]

Double Post.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Ssanders224

[fastarget]

I almost wish we could keep AS a secret... I dont need it flying off the shelves like everything else

Not sure there is much of that left on shelves anymore.

Top ten in nationals shooter friend of mine, was using it , practice rounds and chrono in the month prior his load was running 172pf, opened a new container a week prior to the limited nationals and had to bump up .3 grains to maintain the same PF. There has been other shooters mention such things, but only one with extensive chrono work.

So far so good with mine, but I have an 8lb jug.

[Ssanders224]

I almost wish we could keep AS a secret... I dont need it flying off the shelves like everything else

Not sure there is much of that left on shelves anymore.

Top ten in nationals shooter friend of mine, was using it , practice rounds and chrono in the month prior his load was running 172pf, opened a new container a week prior to the limited nationals and had to bump up .3 grains to maintain the same PF. There has been other shooters mention such things, but only one with extensive chrono work.

So far so good with mine, but I have an 8lb jug.

Luckily, I have been able to buy it locally when I need it.

This weekend I stopped into another sporting goods store while out of town, and they had 3 8lb jugs of AS on the shelf. It was pretty much the only shotgun/pistol powder they had.

Interesting that he had to bump .3 grains. I'll have to study mine a little more closely.