Accurate AA2520 Unpopular?

[krunchnik]

As my question states- I do not see a lot of use of Accurate 2520-
Is there a reason it has fallen from being used more frequently-
If I am correct was 2520 not designed around the .308Win round?
Maybe someone with more experience with this powder can give a solid answer-

 

[morning would]

I use it a lot in 223 and 6 ARC. It seems to shine in both.

 

[smoothy8500]

Oh, so the general shooting population isn't buying into AA's marketing hype about the "Camp Perry Powder" for .308 Winchester M1A/M14 rifle? That's because everyone knows it's, well, marketing hype....

I think it's more popular for National Match AR15 223/5.56 with 77 and 80gr projectiles, or at least that's what I and some other shooters use it for.

 

[stello1001]

I think it's really good with grendel. People use it.

 

[memilanuk]

There for a while, if you looked closely at individual jugs of AA2520, you'd see it was manufactured in a number of different countries. So not only did you have the usual lot-to-lot variations associated with powder manufactured in the same plant, but variations between *plants/countries*.

 

[smoothy8500]

So not only did you have the usual lot-to-lot variations associated with powder manufactured in the same plant, but variations between *plants/countries*

When I first started using AA2520 a long time back I wasn't aware of that and got caught off guard with two bottles that weren't the same. They have been pretty consistant this last decade though.

What's the saying? "Trust, but verify?"

 

[krunchnik]

I have been using it for my 168gr target loads and has been working well-
I am shooting a 16 inch Ruger SFAR-

 

[rweaver00geo]

First powder I ever tried before Varget and Benchmark came out. I always keep one ball powder on hand but due to supply issues and availability with AA2520, I switched to w748. Im considering going back to AA2520 because I found it more accurate in general than w748 overall across several rifles, calibers and bullet weights. I get better accuracy with Varget and Benchmark but AA2520 is good enough and fast.

 

[diggler1833]

I used it for quite a while in my first Grendel. Velocities are quite good, and my barrel liked it with every bullet I tried.

The biggest downside is the temperature sensitivity, which is one of the worst out there.

 

[03machstock]

I use it for .223 with heavy’s. It’s cheap and works well enough. People say it’s pretty temp sensitive but it meters wonderfully, I’ll keep using it especially for my cheaper loads.

 

[memilanuk]

The biggest downside is the temperature sensitivity

I think that's one of the other factors in it's relative 'unpopular' status now, vs 15-20 yrs ago. Back then, pretty much everything was kinda temperature sensitive, to a much greater degree than today. Hell, RL-15 was one of *the* go-to powders for 223 & 308 for a while - but for the last ten years, nobody will touch the stuff, because it's "temperature sensitive". Back when, people just made a note of it, and loaded accordingly. Some people had 'winter' and 'summer' loads because of that, but managed anyway. Ball powder had an even worse reputation in that regard. I think a lot of people are 'spoiled' by the current offerings and maybe don't realize how good things are these days

 

[diggler1833]

I think that's one of the other factors in it's relative 'unpopular' status now, vs 15-20 yrs ago. Back then, pretty much everything was kinda temperature sensitive, to a much greater degree than today. Hell, RL-15 was one of *the* go-to powders for 223 & 308 for a while - but for the last ten years, nobody will touch the stuff, because it's "temperature sensitive". Back when, people just made a note of it, and loaded accordingly. Some people had 'winter' and 'summer' loads because of that, but managed anyway. Ball powder had an even worse reputation in that regard. I think a lot of people are 'spoiled' by the current offerings and maybe don't realize how good things are these days

I still have probably 10lbs of Reloader 15 from at least 2010. You are correct. I learned a long time ago that you need a winter and summer load, the same for AA2520 and a lot of ball powders.

Both AA2520 and RL-15 are two of the worst regarding temperatures. I know that the data sheets you find online are around 1.7 FPS / degree F...but my data shows both of those a lot closer to 2 FPS / degree.

You are right in that everyone now just loads one of Hodgdon's extreme powders and takes the temperature for granted. I learned real quick that 25.5gr RL-15 was fine in my .223 at 40 degrees...but brass got trashed real quick when I shot that at 80 degrees.

 

[Basher]

I recently got a pound of 2520 with a mixed lot of other powders to try. I hear it’s great in the Grendel, one of the main reasons I wanted it. Frankly, a lot of the powders I have are considered temp sensitive compared to more modern offerings, but they’re readily available and more reasonably priced. Developing a summer and winter load will just give me more reason to go shoot, is how I’m choosing to look at it. Maybe someday I’ll be able to stock up on better offerings, but at $50+/lb, I’ll wait.

 

[diggler1833]

I recently got a pound of 2520 with a mixed lot of other powders to try. I hear it’s great in the Grendel, one of the main reasons I wanted it. Frankly, a lot of the powders I have are considered temp sensitive compared to more modern offerings, but they’re readily available and more reasonably priced. Developing a summer and winter load will just give me more reason to go shoot, is how I’m choosing to look at it. Maybe someday I’ll be able to stock up on better offerings, but at $50+/lb, I’ll wait.

I got great accuracy out of my Grendel with AA2520 under a 123gr Nosler CC. I'll have to go back and look at the specific load. Later, I loaded all of my pig bullets over 2520, and basically never tweaked that load. Everything shot around MOA, and I was pleasantly surprised each time.

I made sure to do my load development in the summer. I didn't bother to mess with it in the winter. Nowadays I think I have a half pound of 2520 left and it is collecting dust. I've found that N135 is very consistent for me in that barrel and I stocked up.

 

[Basher]

I got great accuracy out of my Grendel with AA2520 under a 123gr Nosler CC. I'll have to go back and look at the specific load. Later, I loaded all of my pig bullets over 2520, and basically never tweaked that load. Everything shot around MOA, and I was pleasantly surprised each time.

I made sure to do my load development in the summer. I didn't bother to mess with it in the winter. Nowadays I think I have a half pound of 2520 left and it is collecting dust. I've found that N135 is very consistent for me in that barrel and I stocked up.

I’ve got about 12lbs of N135 as well. Not a huge amount, but enough to tide me over for a while considering most of what I’m doing is rimfire these days. I may reserve that for heavier .223 loads but we’ll see. I’ve got lots of load development ahead to find out what rifles like what load, so I may change my mind a dozen times lol.

 

[krunchnik]

So far I only shoot at 100 yards so for my use temp sensitivity is almost a moot point-
Maybe if I was targeting at 300 yards and more I may be more apprehensive about loads-
Right now I am running well below max loading-actually way less than max-