Load data for Swiss powder?

[Ken Rummer]

Has anyone seen load data for Swiss powder?

I am looking for charts that include velocity and pressure data similar to the data provided in the Lyman BP Handbook & Loading Manual.

I worked through about half the references found by the search engine but did not get any hint where this info may be found.

 

[Herb]

I called the importer a couple of years ago and he told me Swiss did not supply loading data.

 

[paulvallandigham]

My brother has given me some comparison data for Goex and Swiss powder in one of his guns, but that is all I have. I have never seen published data.

Many shooters use their own chronographs to work up loads. Generally, you can expect an equal quantity(volume) of Swiss powder compared to Goex will produce between 10 and 15% more velocity at the muzzle.

More velocity may not give you a more accurate load for your gun. Barrel harmonics( vibrations) usually determine what MV produces the most consistently smaller groups. Whatever AMOUNT of powder of a given brand, or kind gives that velocity should produce that same small group size.

To get the smallest groups, you have to figure out which velocities give the best barrel harmonics for a particular barrel. With chronographs being affordable for the average shooter, or shooting club today, there is no reason not to use them in finding your best loads, regardless of the powder you choose to shoot. YOu can do the same thing, as was always done, shooting groups, and varying components one at a time. That is the way I did it with my rifles.

BUT, you will speed up the process of finding your barrel's "Sweet spot" faster, and save yourself most of the cost of that Chronograph in short order, by using your chronograph to tell you when you are nearing the right powder charge, the right patch thickness, and the right amount of lube.

 

[longcruise]

Really no such thing as "load data" for ML guns. At least not in the sense of load data for modern stuff. I do some chrono work every now and then and find that the same exact load in one rifle is way different than another. IOW, my load data would not necessarily work for you and your rifle.

Most say reduce swiss 10% to 15% from goex to get similar results. That squares pretty well with my own experience with the two.

If you want accurate data, get your self a chronograph and put your own data together. You will find that changing patch material (tighter is faster) or lube (slipperier is slower) or ball size will change things quite a bit.

Just today I chronoed a .50 cal rifle that averaged 1480 fps with 80 grains of goex fff. Today with 70 grains of Scheutzen fff it averaged 1675 fps.

You just need to go shoot it to get a handle on it.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Just today I chronoed a .50 cal rifle that averaged 1480 fps with 80 grains of goex fff. Today with 70 grains of Scheutzen fff it averaged 1675 fps.

First numbers comparison I have seen.
Very impressive.
I'm working backwards from my old stuff forward to latest bp purchases. Will get to the Swiss eventually. Going: Elephant; Goex, Schutzen then Swiss. It will be all Swiss purchases from now on.

 

[Walks with fire]

I bought some Swiss 2f powder a few years back and really could not get a load to be as accurate as Goex was. I still shoot the Swiss some but when it's gone I may try a can of 3f Swiss but I really prefer the Goex (or my barrels do) over the Swiss at this point.

I know the Goex is slower but it seem the most accurate for me.

 

[TFoley]

Most say reduce swiss 10% to 15% from goex to get similar results. That squares pretty well with my own experience with the two.You just need to go shoot it to get a handle on it.

:thumbsup: on that - my experience exactly. I only shoot Swiss, when I can get it, in the one rifle, and when loading Swiss I use 90% of the charge that I would normally use from the other make of powder I can get.

The results are the same - bang, recoil and clean-up between shots - just more economical, and bleeve me, over here that matters. :cursing:

tac