Thoughts on AR Comp powder?

[DrewC]

The other day I was out picking up some more Varget and decided to also buy some ar comp just to play with. I never see this powder being mentioned but was bored so I figured why not, I’ll play with a pound. Looking at Alliant’s site it listed 41.4 as a node for 175smk, so I loaded up a OCW test starting at 40gn’s and ended at 42. This is being shot out of a 16” gas gun.

On shooting and watching the speeds on my magnetospeed I stopped shooting at 41.8 gn’s due to the speed was way up at 2564 fps (3 shot groups). I figured that was moving out of this gun. Now on looking at the brass it all looked great. Zero signs of pressure but still... Also the gun felt like I was shooting a light load similar to fgmm. Hell I dunno..

So on looking at my groups and speeds I had some great stuff. 40.5, 40.7 and 40.9 all looked identical and were .5 moa with single digit es /sd and were around 2512 mv. Compared to my varget load thats around 2.5 grains less of powder and I picked up a tad bit of speed. Brass looked great and the gun was smooth firing.

Anyways, anyone use this powder and what are some opinions? I love my Varget but to me it this stuff felt like I was shooting a lighter load. Oh btw the Alliant site’s listed recipe at 41.4 gave me a .7 moa 3 shot group with single digit es / sd and 2552 mv. Brass looked fine on that too but that’s speeding out of a 16” gas gun.

 

[XLR308]

Since I started using AR-COMP I have had about 14 pounds of Varget sitting and collecting dust.

The accuracy I have found to be equal to Varget with similar properties across temperature ranges, it is a great powder.

My go to load in 308 is 40.7 gr with the 178AMAX that runs 2650fps and is as accurate as my rem700 is capable of with me driving it. The last range trip I fired 75 rounds into five shot groups and they averaged .4" to a little over .5" at 100 yards.

In 223 with 50gr NBT in a 24" barreled AR my ten shot groups make a diagonal hole around .750" at a hundred that was with minimal work up just to see how it would compare to Varget.

I also use it in the 68SPC with the use of a drop tube I have run the 115smk and 120SST up to 2740fps with no pressure signs and good accuracy out of a 20" ARP 1-11 1/4 twist 5r barrel but will admit the accuracy was better a bit slower than that.

In have read reports from others about it being a dirty powder in the AR but that hasn't been my experience.
The 68SPC I use it in I'm running the JP LMOS carrier and buffer with a SYRAK gas block dialed in and usually just wipe my bolt and carrier off with FP-10 and put it back together.

I have also wondered why it doesn't get more praise but maybe shooters are being tight lipped about for a reason. ?

 

[pmclaine]

I used 8 pounds of it loading 77 grnrs for AR15. I think I was around XX grns.

Shot great.

Out of TAC, CFE223, and 8208XBR it was second to the 8208 XBR.

Pours great out of a Dillon. I just pulled the handle and got consistent loads.

Ill be sticking with the XBR though.

 

[DrewC]

How has it been with consistency lot to lot? My last two kegs of varget was about a 50 FPS difference and annoying. Also on the dirty part, I only shot 27 rounds on the OCW and confirmed my load with another 15 so I can’t really tell if it’s any dirtier than say Varget.

 

[XLR308]

I can't give you any input as far as lot variation yet.

I still have six unopened 1 pounders from one lot and an 8 pound container from another.

Maybe when I get done with moving from Arkansas to Colorado and get my desk set back up I can do a lot comparison.

 

[nbkky71]

I've been shooting AR-COMP for my NRA/CMP service rifle loads for years now. I'm getting much better velocities over Varget with lower charge weights. My load is 22.4gr under a Nosler 77gr CC with a CCI450 primer. Out of a 20" 1-7 twist I'm averaging 2735fps. Since I'm shooting service rifle with this load, anything under 2MOA is good for me!

I used 8 pounds of it loading 77 grnrs for AR15. I think I was around 24 grns.

You're probably running less than 24gr as that's up in the "danger will robinson" zone. I used to run a Berger 82gr with 23.3gr of AR-COMP and that was a HOT HOT HOT load for me, even seated at 2.5" OAL with a carrier weight.

Bottom line, it's a good powder albeit a little on the dirty side.

 

[pmclaine]

I've been shooting AR-COMP for my NRA/CMP service rifle loads for years now. I'm getting much better velocities over Varget with lower charge weights. My load is 22.4gr under a Nosler 77gr CC with a CCI450 primer. Out of a 20" 1-7 twist I'm averaging 2735fps. Since I'm shooting service rifle with this load, anything under 2MOA is good for me!



You're probably running less than XXgr as that's up in the "danger will robinson" zone. I used to run a Berger 82gr with 23.3gr of AR-COMP and that was a HOT HOT HOT load for me, even seated at 2.5" OAL with a carrier weight.

Bottom line, it's a good powder albeit a little on the dirty side.

Your probably right Im going to go back and erase the info.

I bought the powder back just after Newtown there wasnt much info on it and I went with whatever Alliant had listed and it worked great.

 

[knuckleballz]

Ar comp has worked great for me for 223, 6.5 creedmoor and 308. Especially with the lighter bullets. For heavy for caliber bullets at high pressure other powders can work better. Ar comp is available and less expensive than other popular powders.

 

[padom]

I've had great results with AR Comp and 123/130gr bullets in my 22" 6.5cm semi

 

[XLR308]

I've had great results with AR Comp and 123/130gr bullets in my 22" 6.5cm semi

That's excellent to know as I have a bunch of it and have been looking at the 130 Norma and 130 AR hybrids.
My barrel is a 7.5" twist that I had mainly intended on running the 147eldm and 150smk but have no intentions of painting myself into a corner with the heavier.

What velocities are you seeing with AR-COMP and the 130's if you don't mind posting your results.

 

[jsthntn247]

My lot of AR Comp is a hair faster than my lot of H4895. It does have fatter kernals and take up more case capacity at the same powder charge than 4895 also. Other than that accuracy is about the same between the two.

 

[DrewC]

I tried H4895 and found some good loads accuracy wise, but I wasn’t finding the velocity to be all that. I have a lot of that stuff and need to try it some more.