superPerformance powder?

densa44 · #1 03-02-2014, 11:26 AM

Has any one got any and have you tried it? Hornady is making great claims about it but on other sites, the shooters have not been able to get the claimed performance.

Why I want to know is, I'm sighting in my wf's .204 and have bought a generous supply of the same bullets. If I can't get the same mv, with the superperformance powder as the factory, I won't worry about it, I'll just use a load for benchmark or Varget.

Elk mentioned that the factories have "loading methods" not available to handloaders, could that be the difference?

BTW I have never seen the powder on any ones shelves, here or in the US.

Dick284 · #2 03-02-2014, 11:33 AM

There's not much of any powder on anyone's shelves right now, and that's on both sides if the border!

If you are not locked into a suitable amount of reloading components to satisfy at least 24 months of shooting, your going to be in for a long lean haul.
I pitty new shooters and reloaders, right now.

Huntsman · #3 03-02-2014, 11:35 AM

I use this powder with my 243 with an 80gr bullet. Fast and accurate. Not sure how it likes these frigid temps but I did realize that for the 280 when its -10 + a magnum primer is needed.

densa44 · #4 03-02-2014, 11:49 AM

Did you chrono the rounds that you made and if so were they the same as the factory spec.?

How do you like the powder?

elkhunter11 · #5 03-02-2014, 12:11 PM

I have chronographed both Superformance factory loads, and handloads using Superformance powder, and although neither produced the velocity claimed for the factory loads, the factory loads were closer to the claimed velocity.

Huntsman · #6 03-02-2014, 12:12 PM

Nope, No chrony but I can tell you it was pushing my 80gr Rem SP's a heckuva lot faster than the Varget I was using.

I just started using some 80gr Barnes TTSX but no load development at this time.
I find the powder to flow nicely through my powder measure but it is like pepper and seems to find a way of getting everywhere lol.
I got enough for some good development.

Bergerboy · #7 03-02-2014, 12:16 PM

22-250 with 64 grain Bergers, I got 195fps faster with Superformance than Reloader 15.

biggelaar22 · #8 03-02-2014, 01:17 PM

I have used the superformance powder in some 60 grain 22-250, but to be perfectly honest, it is nothing to write home about. Yes it will pack more velocity -> harder impact -> more felt recoil, but for me, I would rather do proper load development to find the load that is most consistent with the rifle that i am shooting. I am not going to sit here and say it is a bad powder, cause it is not. It will burn very clean, and it is great if you need to run compressed loads, when compared to other ball powders like H414. But for me, because i do run the 22-250 during winter, and do not like running magnum primer (personal preference). I would rather stick to the cylindrical powders (like varget/4320/RL 15 etc) during the winter, because they can be ignited with a standard primer or a bench-rest primer in colder weather.

I do look forward to using superformance in a load with 200 grain Barnes LRX in a 30-06 case, due to the fact that it will out perform all the powders listed from Barnes. But then again, superformance only gets 100 extra fps on H4350, according to the manual.

To me, you pick your poison, it will never matter what powder you pick because they come with added bonuses and unwanted side effects. Superformance will compress nicely and in some cases give added velocity, but it will create more pressure -> more recoil (enough to be noticed?). It all depends on what projectile you are using, the data for that projectile, and what your goal is with that round (essentially what you want the round to do, increased impact or accuracy or low recoil). With that being said, Superformance will not turn a small cartridge like the 204 into a high recoiling machine, like a 300 win mag, but recoil may be noticed when using superformance.

As for the differences between loading methods for factory ammo and hand loading, it could make a difference. QC levels are certainly different when loading your own compared to factory (as I have noticed already) and may be the difference.

Just my take on superformance.

Dick284 · #9 03-02-2014, 01:21 PM

Found some!

fishcop669 · #10 03-03-2014, 12:08 AM

I have been using superformance powder for the last 2 seasons in my .30-06 and have done load development for bergers in 168gr, 175gr, 185gr, 210gr and 230gr. I have also done loads for the same bullets with H4831SC and have found the superformance to be superior regarding velocity. The difference in the 168gr was approx 100 ft/sec faster for superformance (2750fps for H4831SC and 2850fps for superformance), but the gap widened with larger bullets, with the 210gr having a velocity difference of 265 ft/sec (2500fps for H4813SC and 2765fps for superformance). Temperature variation was minimal and I am going to continue using it as it has given very good SD's of <10 (that's what I consider very good). My velocities could have been higher but my .30-06 only has a 22 inch barrel (excuses excuses!)

Huntsman · #11 03-03-2014, 06:32 AM

Had the store (Ellwood Epps) have any I would've gone that route. Lots of Superformance and the guy behind the counter said it was great for the 243 I was loading. I did read the reviews on the 2011 Hogdon annual. I didn't have much luck with my 100 or 105gr bullets though. Seems 80 or less.

whitetailhntr · #12 03-03-2014, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huntsman

Nope, No chrony but I can tell you it was pushing my 80gr Rem SP's a heckuva lot faster than the Varget I was using.

I just started using some 80gr Barnes TTSX but no load development at this time.
I find the powder to flow nicely through my powder measure but it is like pepper and seems to find a way of getting everywhere lol.
I got enough for some good development.

how do you know you're getting higher velocities without using a chronograph?

CaberTosser · #13 03-03-2014, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitetailhntr

how do you know you're getting higher velocities without using a chronograph?

Perhaps he experienced less bullet drop at given distances than his previously worked up loads, necessitating scope elevation adjustments. I'd not be able to go with such little info either.

rwm1273 · #14 03-03-2014, 08:15 AM

How is it for repeatability? I have found that velocity is not always what I look for in a powder. I am more interested in repeatability and tighter groups for the distance I am shooting. And I have found that the faster loads don't always relate to good groups at the same distance.

stob · #15 03-03-2014, 08:17 AM

last week P&D in Edm. had this powder

did not chrony the loads but could not get the accuracy out of my 22-250 that varget gives me

densa44 · #16 03-03-2014, 08:33 AM

Having read the posts, and thank all of you, what I want is a 300 M, small SD, reload, as close as I can get to the factory load so I can sight in and leave it. We/wife shoot coyotes off the front porch, her scope is a Nikon with the range indicators on the vertical axis. I wanted to be able to take advantage of that feature. I don't think that -200 fps would make much different to the POI but some of you will know more.

We have no way of ranging the coyotes exactly so the longest dead range would help.

elkhunter11 · #17 03-03-2014, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by densa44

Having read the posts, and thank all of you, what I want is a 300 M, small SD, reload, as close as I can get to the factory load so I can sight in and leave it. We/wife shoot coyotes off the front porch, her scope is a Nikon with the range indicators on the vertical axis. I wanted to be able to take advantage of that feature. I don't think that -200 fps would make much different to the POI but some of you will know more.

We have no way of ranging the coyotes exactly so the longest dead range would help.

At 500 yards, 200 fps difference, can cause enough error on a coyote sized target, to change a clean kill into a miss, or a wounded animal.

densa44 · #18 03-03-2014, 02:33 PM

What I want is a repeatable load that will take advantage of the scopes features. I'm lucky I have an ample supply of powder, I got all that Bashaw had left of Benchmark and Varget a couple of weeks ago.

At 500M I don't either wife or I shoot well enough to try a shot that long and if we did, if we hit it, regardless of the cartridge, it would be luck, I think 300 M will have to be about it.