Alliant 20/28 Powder

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dg101win

Single-Sixer
Joined
May 27, 2005
Messages
111
Location
Kokomo,In. USA
Finding Unique powder(8 lb keg) is an on again off again thing with me. I try to order all powder/primers together to keep down the HazMat fee.
I have seen reference to using 20/28 as a substitute with a reduction of about 5%. My primary use would be in 44 special/mag and 45colt,cast bullets 240-250 gr,also 357-158 gr cast. Just using these loads to kill some paper is all.
Does anyone here have any experience using 20/28 in this way or contacted Alliant?
 

Rick Courtright

Hawkeye
Joined
Mar 10, 2002
Messages
7,897
Location
Redlands CA USA
dg101win said:
Does anyone here have any experience using 20/28 in this way or contacted Alliant?

Hi,

As I understand it, Alliant 20/28 was designed specifically for those two gauges of shotguns, and I've seen very little data for other applications. My experience using it in the 20 ga., as opposed to my old standby Unique, tells me there's a little velocity increase, while keeping pressures "in line." The Alliant website data says the increases in the 20 are up to about 100 fps with 20/28 but I haven't shot any over the chrono to verify. Your question has come up on a couple of other forums I've visited, and there wasn't any consensus, but that was a couple of years ago. I'd be inclined to call Alliant and ask...

Rick C
 

mikld

Blackhawk
Joined
Apr 22, 2009
Messages
947
Location
Oregon
FWIW; I haven't tried 20/28, but I too have ad a bit of trouble finding Unique, so I switched to Universal. I've found the performance of Universal to equal Unique in all my handguns...
 

Rclark

Hunter
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
3,533
Location
Butte, MT
I've tested it in .45 Colt, .44 Mag, .44Spec, .357. I personally will use it just like I do Unique. It meters better too. But I got lots of Unique... So... YMMV...
Here is just a portion of my tests just as an example:

.45 Colt (250g RNFP)
8.5g Unique 970fps
8.5g 20/28 1016fps
8.5g Universal 984fps

.44 Mag (240g SWC)
10.0 Unique 1136fps
10.0 20/28 1157fps

.44 Spec (240g SWC)
7.5 Unique 1033fps
7.5 20/28 1050fps
7.5g Universal 1037fps

.357 Mag (158g SWC)
6.0g Unique 1078fps
6.0g 20/28 1082fps
6.0g Universal 1096fps
 

375supermag

Blackhawk
Joined
Jan 1, 2013
Messages
553
Rclark said:
I've tested it in .45 Colt, .44 Mag, .44Spec, .357. I personally will use it just like I do Unique. It meters better too. But I got lots of Unique... So... YMMV...
Here is just a portion of my tests just as an example:

.45 Colt (250g RNFP)
8.5g Unique 970fps
8.5g 20/28 1016fps
8.5g Universal 984fps

.44 Mag (240g SWC)
10.0 Unique 1136fps
10.0 20/28 1157fps

.44 Spec (240g SWC)
7.5 Unique 1033fps
7.5 20/28 1050fps
7.5g Universal 1037fps

.357 Mag (158g SWC)
6.0g Unique 1078fps
6.0g 20/28 1082fps
6.0g Universal 1096fps

Hi...
That is quite interesting data...

I haven't considered 20/28 yet as a handgun powder but your results make it look like a viable substitute for Unique. The fact that 20/28 seems to be a bit cheaper at the local gun shops means a 4 or 8lb container would yield more reloads per dollar even with equal charge weights. Since I am not against saving a buck or two per pound of powder, I believe that I will pick up a pound or two to test in my handguns. Never hurts to have more options.

Thanks for the comparative data.
 

dg101win

Single-Sixer
Joined
May 27, 2005
Messages
111
Location
Kokomo,In. USA
Rclark said:
I've tested it in .45 Colt, .44 Mag, .44Spec, .357. I personally will use it just like I do Unique. It meters better too. But I got lots of Unique... So... YMMV...
Here is just a portion of my tests just as an example:

.45 Colt (250g RNFP)
8.5g Unique 970fps
8.5g 20/28 1016fps
8.5g Universal 984fps

.44 Mag (240g SWC)
10.0 Unique 1136fps
10.0 20/28 1157fps

.44 Spec (240g SWC)
7.5 Unique 1033fps
7.5 20/28 1050fps
7.5g Universal 1037fps

.357 Mag (158g SWC)
6.0g Unique 1078fps
6.0g 20/28 1082fps
6.0g Universal 1096fps

Very interesting data. Thanks for taking the time to post this.
 

mikld

Blackhawk
Joined
Apr 22, 2009
Messages
947
Location
Oregon
Thnx Rclark, I'l print your results/post and keep for future reference (even if I ain't the OP!). Never hurts to have good powder info....
 

woodperson

Single-Sixer
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Messages
460
Location
Knoxville, TN
Being a relative beginner at handgun loading I will ask about the pressures. Is it a pretty good assumption that if the velocity is the same for the same charge and if the burn rate is close that the maximum pressure will be about the same? I ask because I use 20/28 in the 20 gauge and usually have some on hand.
 

Jimbo357mag

Hawkeye
Joined
Feb 22, 2007
Messages
10,350
Location
So. Florida
woodperson said:
Being a relative beginner at handgun loading I will ask about the pressures. Is it a pretty good assumption that if the velocity is the same for the same charge and if the burn rate is close that the maximum pressure will be about the same? I ask because I use 20/28 in the 20 gauge and usually have some on hand.
I believe you are correct. I gained this when reading about working up rifle loads with similar powders. When plotted the pressure increases along with the velocity till a point is reached when the velocity does not gain very much while the pressure goes way up. This is how you find the Max load when you have all the testing equipment.

When we work up loads, all we can do is look at the velocity increase with charge increase and decide when the pressure is going up and the velocity is not. We look for pressure signs. ...and the fact will always remain that you can't get more velocity without more pressure, everything else being equal. :D

That is one reason I always try to find good data before working up loads and I will always stay on the safe side of the loading curve. :D
 

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