Ramshot Competition vs. Alliant E3

[gmg]

Hello: I am presently loading .45acp with RC but recently have heard some chatter regarding E3. Is anyone presently loading E3 and how do you like it? Clean or dirty, soft or sharp recoil, and accuracy? Thanks in advance

[noylj]

Right now, people are buying what they can find. Shotgun powders are bound to be very "popular" with pistol powders being AWOL.

e3 is an Alliant shotgun powder with a burn rate similar to Solo 1000, Bullseye, Red Dot, 700X, and Competition (position varies depending on cartridge).

Working up a load is not that hard, if you KNOW to watch for squibs and work up in small increments of charge weight. Place to start would be the lowest starting load for N310 or Nitro 100, if you can find load data for your bullet weight or heavier, and work up.

For Solo 1000, the lowest starting load I show for 230gn bullet is 4.9gn for jacketed and 4.6gn for lead. For Bullseye, it would be 3.6gn for jacketed and 4.0gn for lead. For Red Dot, it would be 3.6gn for jacketed and 4.0gn for lead. For 700X, it would be 4.2gn for jacketed and 4.0gn for lead. Thus, I would start at 3.5gn and work up.

[CocoBolo]

Try Clays, you'll stop looking.

[motosapiens]

Try Clays, you'll stop looking.

I suspect many people are trying other stuff because they've been looking for clays for months.

[noylj]

Lots of luck with Clays. I just haven't found it to be good for much besides shotgun loads.

Much prefer AA2 or Solo 1000 or Competition, but that's what makes a horse race...

[Boxer1]

I have had good luck with competition in my 45ACP and also in 38 spl. It is not noticbly dirty compared to others like clays or zip.

[bowenbuilt]

I am using e3 for 9, 40 and 45. Starting all at 3.6 and maximum at 4.2 for 9, 4.5 for .40 and 4.6 for .45. Clean, accurate, low smoke and gives higher velocity that Red Dot. e3 has pretty much replaced N320 for me because it is easy to get, meters well and is very stable and consistent. Ben at Alliant told me to use Red Dot data minus 10% for maximum. They are right on with this in my guns and I am starting on my 9th pound. All loads are very soft, supremely accurate with jacketed, plated or lead. Anyone who has not tried this stuff needs to, I love it.

While I find nothing at all wrong with RS Comp. e3 gives higher velocities and burns just as clean. If I could not find e3, Ram Shot Competition is a great powder just a little slow in comparison.

SR-7625 is also great in 9mm but for .40 and .45 has a stout recoil impulse you don't get with e3.

Edited July 18, 2013 by bowenbuilt

[MarkCO]

bowenbuilt...I used to love Colorado, and told people so, but now, I guess I told too many...

I have N320, Solo 1000, WSF, Clays and a few others in the cabinet...what stays in my powder hopper? E3. I tried E3 about 2 years ago. Took me a while, and some research to work up my loads with no actual load data published. IF you know what you are doing, it might be an option for you. If you are not an experienced reloader, please stay away.

[bowenbuilt]

MarkCo I am sure I will be one to tell too many but what can I say.......I am in love. I sent a few rounds to Alliant for pressure testing and they were kind enough to send me the results. What I find is that e3 is not as fast as some of the burn rate charts would have us believe. All of the loads I sent them were well below the industry standard for pressure except for the major .40 load which was right against maximum but e3 produces velocity for a given load that outruns anything else the Alliant is currently selling. I believe from talking to Ben that it won't be long before there is some actual published data for pistol and e3. Alliant is on to something with this stuff and it will only get better.

[MarkCO]

I talked to Alliant about 2 years ago, don't know if Ben was the guy, but it does ring a bell. Hope they keep making more. I was told the pistol data would be at least a few years out then.