Any Opinions, Experience With Aa #9 For 44 Mag Or 480 Ruger? Still Looking For That Ideal Combination Of Accuracy, Velocity And Recoil!!

Thanks,

Jimc

Well i finally tried some and it actually shoots fairly good. Loading for a 44 mag I used 20 grains AA#9, magnum primers, 265 grain lead bullets for 1350-1400 fps. the down side is that the powder is so fine it does not meter well through my Lee powder measure. I finally scrapped the lee measure and just scooped the powder by hand to the scale. Otherwise it's pretty good. Maybe this is a good excuse to upgrade to a really good powder dispenser.

JimC

Jim,
If your guns display a preference for AA9, consider picking up an 8lb. keg of surplus WC820. Same buring rate and many agree it's the same powder. Lots cheaper.

Jim,
If your guns display a preference for AA9, consider picking up an 8lb. keg of surplus WC820. Same buring rate and many agree it's the same powder. Lots cheaper.

Thanks for the info.
i haven't tried the AA#9 in my 480 Ruger yet, but it works really well in my 44 mag.

Thanks,

JimC

JimC, does it burn clean? I just bought some for my 454 Casull/45Colt. I have loaded up a couple of different loads in the 45 Colt brass one for 1150 fps with a 250gr XTP (16.8gr's) and one for 1300 fps with the same bullet (19.7gr's). I’m hoping that it is clean burning and accurate, as the loading data for it seams to be very vestal for my two calibers.

It burned clean and it was accurate. The only problem I had was the lee powder dispenser. The powder is so fine it leaked through the dispenser and it was difficult to measure a consistent load. But I liked the way it shot. I think I'm going to buy a keg of WC820 which ,I understand, is the same as AA#9 but about a third of the cost. Have you shot that 454 yet? When you shoot it we want to hear about it.

Regards,

JimC

Hi Jim, unfortunately I haven't! I was planning on going out to shoot this morning but my hands were hurting to much from taking apart the 100 rounds of 45 Colt ammo that I had loaded last week. I had used a load published by Speer for their 250gr Gold Dot bullet and some H110. I had the H110, but not the Gold Dot Bullet, so I substituted the Gold Dot bullet with a Hornady XTP since I did have them. After thinking about it the last several days while I was out of town at work I decided not to chance it so when I got home I broke them all down and went and bought some AA#9 and reloaded them correctly with that powder according to the Hornady manual. Anyway, I have 100 rounds loaded and ready to go, but during the process of breaking the old rounds down I got a big blister right in the web of my right hand from twisting the top of my RCBS bullet puller on and off for all those rounds! Powder kept getting in the threads and making it harder and harder to twist. My hands are still sore, and I can’t comfortably hold my 454. I am really bummed out about not being able to go shoot my new toy! I have to go back to work tomorrow afternoon and I'll be out of town for about 5 days, so I will have to wait until next week to go shoot. This is the kind of stuff that only happens to me Ha! Ha! I can't wait until next week!

You think your hand hurts now, wait until you shoot that 454 about a 100 times. Just kidding. You'll have a great time. Hope your hand heals up quickly, I'm gettin' impatient.

Good luck,

JimC

You think your hand hurts now, wait until you shoot that 454 about a 100 times. Just kidding. You'll have a great time. Hope your hand heals up quickly, I'm gettin' impatient.

Good luck,

JimC

I'm getting imapitient to! I want to go shoot darn it! Ha! Ha! I will be home again the night of the 8th, and I'm going shooting the morning of the 9th. Can't wait! Although, I have only got a 100 rounds of "Hot" 45 Colt loaded up. No 454 ammo yet!

Any Opinions, Experience With Aa #9 For 44 Mag Or 480 Ruger? Still Looking For That Ideal Combination Of Accuracy, Velocity And Recoil!!

Thanks,

Jimc

Jimc:
the Speer 400 grain bullet and from 15.2 grains to 18 grains of AA#9 gave 1.5" to 2.0" groups at 25 yards in my SRH. Velocities ran from 1000 to 1114 fps average.

However the best groups were with Winchester 296 or its twin H110. 25.5 grains is the best load in my SRH with the CPBC 370 grain LFN cast bullet or the 375 grain gas check. Velocity averaged 1342 fps, but this is a max load - don't increase and work up from 5% less. Groups were .75" at 25 yards for 10 shots.

The Hornady 400 grain XTP and 18.6 grains to 19.6 grains of Hodgdon Li'l Gun produce 1105 to 1166 fps and 1.25" 10 shot groups at 25 yards.

I use Winchester WLP primers exclusively and a heavy crimp.

Let her roar!

axlenut

Axlenut,
Are those loads for a 44 mag or 480 Ruger?

JimC

Axlenut,
Are those loads for a 44 mag or 480 Ruger?

JimC


Sorry for the delay in answering! Those are .480 Ruger loads.

axlenut