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E3 Loads for Major


ohrich

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180g plated RN

CCI SPP

1.131 OAL

Sig P229

5.0gn e3 PF= 172

5.2gn e3 PF= 179

That probably doesn't help.

Actually it does.

I'm going to try loading from 5.0 -5.1 -5.2 - 5.3 and see how they chrono.

More than anything I wanted to see where to start.

Thanks,

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5.0-5.2 grains... WOW! ... that skeers me right there, honestly I would try 4.3-4.5 as a start. I load 4.5 e3 at 1.135 for FMJ. Do a search a bunch of us have been filling in the Alliant e3 load data black hole.

Edited by frankge
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words of wisdom , load low and chrono your way up, E3 is a very fast powder , pressures will vary from gun to gun (you have not said what you shoot)…..

Looking at your current clays load, it is pretty hot, am I to assume you have an Infinity or AET barrel?

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I'm afraid I will have to agree with the guys above. Even at 1.195 that would be a pretty warm load. I think I would start at 4.5 and work up. In some guns the velocity you get with e3 is surprising. 2/10ths is about perfect in my guns to equal the velocity and softness of Clays but your mileage may vary from mine.

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I posted these on another thread..........



180 Bayou, 3.7gr E3, @1.130 OAL, 918fps/165PF



180 Bayou, 3.9gr E3, @1.130 OAL, 946fps/170PF



I usually use Solo 1000, but have been reading allot about Alliant E3, so I tried it. It seems to have the same feel as Solo 1k. There was little smoke. I haven't accuracy tested it yet at 25 yards, and 50 yards. Chrono work was done today at 24 degrees. Someone else had some chrono readings at various temps, and the E3 seems temperature stable.


Edited by ohsevenflhx
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SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE: do not trust these numbers. Always.....ALWAYS do your own work ups with any new load. This includes load data published in loading books or directly from the powder manufacturers themselves.

I'll share my E3 load work up for .40 s&w.

180g plated round nose

CCI SPP

OAL 1.131

Crimp .420

Sig P229

6200 ft outdoors in the Colorado San Juan's.

Tested through digital prochrono at 10ft to front of chrono.

10 rounds each

--------50f, sunny, light breeze

3.0gn e3

720fps avg

PF 129

3.2gn e3

759fps avg

PF 136

3.4gn e3

770fps avg

PF 138

3.6gn e3

813fps avg

PF 146

3.8gn e3

833fps avg

PF 150

------next day, clean barrel-----38f, cloudy, wet, no wind

4.0gn e3

867fps avg

PF 156

4.2gn e3

890fps avg

PF 160

4.4gn e3

906fps avg

PF 163

4.6gn e3

923fps avg

PF 166

4.8gn e3

945fps avg

PF 170

5.0gn e3

958fps avg

PF 172

5.2gn e3

996fps avg

PF 179

All loads cycled with no issues. Brass and primer strikes looked normal.

I stopped at 5.2gn since I'm not trying to do anything but find an accurate soft shooting load for general practice pinging steel from 10-50 ft. I use the 4.0gn load. The OP was asking about major so I just listed my two highest tests.

DISCLAIMER: see the SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE at the top of this post.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Got some e3, thought I'd add my numbers from today.

.40 Major e3 data

180gr Bayou TC
Win SP
OAL 1.182
Crimp .420 - .421 (mixed brass)
5” Shuemann Ultimatch

60F 30.04inhg…sealevel

2 10 round strings for each charge weight, then averaged. SDs were great 7-10 typically with a 5 in the mix too. Rounded primer edges were starting to flatten at 4.44, no pressure signs otherwise.

3.82gr e3 – 910fps 163.8pf

3.98gr e3 – 930fps 167.4pf

4.14gr e3 – 952fps 171.4pf

4.32gr e3 – 968fps 174.2pf

4.44gr e3 – 987fps 177.7pf

Weird charge weights are because I use the uniquetek micrometer to work up, I dial it in increments of .01 and record the weight it throws.

100 rounds at various charge weights isn't really much to go by but it seems cleanish.

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anyone with an infinity aet barrel?

Temp 32 degrees(warmest we have had in weeks)

5" AET

1.200 oal

4.51 average

magtech primers

12 rounds per string

Berrys 180FP mixed brass to get a feel of it.........ave 909 ES 67 SD 19

Zero 180 FP Win brass ave 901 ES 34 SD 12

have some loaded with 4.6 and 4.7 to chrono next, as soon as I can get out again , what is working best for everyone with this powder, go a bit shorter or raising the quantity?

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S&W 646 in 40 S&W, 4" barrel.

3.7 gr E3, 200 gr Bayou, Federal, Mixed Brass, OAL 1.162"

842 847 854 856 833 827 Av 843 ES 29 SD 11 168.6 PF

3.9 gr E3. 200 gr Bayou, Federal, Mixed Brass, OAL 1.162"

859 859 856 852 858 870 Av 859 ES 18 SD 6 171.8 PF\

4.1 gr E3, 200 gr Bayou, Federal, Mixed Brass, OAL 1.162"

893 887 872 876 884 888 Av 883 ES 21 SD 7 176.6 PF

Soft shooting and very clean. 3.9 gr load was the most accurate. OAT was 60 degrees, 80% humidity, partly cloudy.

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I got my hands on some e3 and worked up a load using 180 gr moly-coated FP (similar to Bayous). Shot out of a 6" STI 2011 at 34 deg F. Mixed brass, CCI SP, 1.175" OAL.

3.5 gr of e3: Ave 893 fps, 160 PF

3.7 gr of e3: Ave 948 fps, 170 PF

3.9 gr of e3: Ave 996 fps, 179 PF

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My Brazos must have a slow barrel because I have to load about .2 grains more than you guys to make major.

180 SnS Coated 4.1 e3 @ 1.185 gets me 165.2PF - im bumping to 4.2 for cushion

180 PD FMJ 4.6 e3 @ 1.185 gets me 166.6 PF and 4.7 is 170.3

My kids new STI needs much less to make PF, guess the Storm Lake bull barrel in my gun is slower

Edited by frankge
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AET barrel here with the same experience

I have 4.2 SnS coated at 1.185 ready to chrono

and Zero FP and HP at 4.7 1.19 ready to chrono. If the weather breaks at the end of the week. My sti barrel needs .2 less.

loading long was short of PF and ES fluctuated wildly, this powder seems to work better with shorter oal.

bmiller, what was your OAL?

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AET barrel here with the same experience

I have 4.2 SnS coated at 1.185 ready to chrono

and Zero FP and HP at 4.7 1.19 ready to chrono. If the weather breaks at the end of the week. My sti barrel needs .2 less.

loading long was short of PF and ES fluctuated wildly, this powder seems to work better with shorter oal.

bmiller, what was your OAL?

1.180 oal on 200 grain 1.192 on the 180 grain. Pistol is an old Candian Para I bought here. Unknown round count, but still shoots great.

This is the first .40 I have worked with, I am not an expert.

Edited by bmiller
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My Brazos must have a slow barrel because I have to load about .2 grains more than you guys to make major.

My kids new STI needs much less to make PF, guess the Storm Lake bull barrel in my gun is slower

My stock Edge barrel is about 30fps slower than my Schuemann. I was always amazed other peoples loads made major until I got the new pistol.

It's kind of annoying since it's supposed to be a backup. Unless I load to 174pf in the primary it's too close to the line for the backup, though by the time I'm using the backup gun I guess I have bigger problems than chrono... I imagine both guns being primaries and needing to make pf is even more annoying.

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