ALCAN POWDER LOADS WITH PLASTIC WADS?

[J. A. EARLY]

With the short supply of powder, I've got quite a bit of Alcan powder from years ago I'd like to use up. The only loadings I can find are with conventional paper/fiber wads and not plastic. Has anyone ever seen loadings for these powders with plastic?

Thanks.

[Paul Harm]

Back in the day, powder companies recommended 10 to 15% less powder when using plastic wads over paper. Just a thought.

[Kensal Rise]

Originally Posted by Paul Harm

Back in the day, powder companies recommended 10 to 15% less powder when using plastic wads over paper. Just a thought.

That is exactly what I used to do back in the '60s when plastic wads came on stream. It worked out fine. Pressures were about the same as with fibre wads. You can always go up a grain if you seem to need it.

[John Farrell, Charter Member #33]

There were Alcan plastic wads available back in the day. The 1970s era reloading manuals have loads for the AL powders using Alcan plastic wads. I talked to someone recently that had Alcan wads lying around but when I offered to buy them his asking price was about 5 times what the Alcan wads cost back in the day + shipping. My guess is they were so old as to be brittle and would be like wrapping shot in cut up tin cans.

Using current loading data, I agree with Paul Harm in adjusting the Alcan powder charge downward with today's wads.

[J.B. Books]

Jerry, here is a PDF copy of the 1966 Alcan reloading manual. Many of the components listed are no longer available but this should give you some ballpark ideas on where to start with which powder and how much.

http://castpics.net/LoadData/OM/Alcan.pdf

[Paul Harm]

Pete, thanks for the Alcan tables. I noticed they listed brass shells, but didn't see any loads for them. Where their some you didn't show? Would be nice if some old manual listed loads for them. Just thinking while waiting for my back surgery on next Monday. Paul

[charlie cleveland]

dog gone it paul you gona have to stay away from them doctors...seriously hope you do well our prayers go with you...hey i ll shoot a few dr pepper cans for you while you mend...charlie

[J. A. EARLY]

Thanks Pete for the trouble to copy in a .pdf the Alcan tables. There is a lot of interesting info in there about reloading as it was in the '60s.

Anyone know why Alcan got out of the powder/reloading component business? I've got lots of their powder and wads.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Jerry Harlow

Thanks Pete for the trouble to copy in a .pdf the Alcan tables. There is a lot of interesting info in there about reloading as it was in the '60s.

Anyone know why Alcan got out of the powder/reloading component business? I've got lots of their powder and wads.

Your welcome Jerry but the creation of the PDF file is not my doing. I simply came across it on the web and remembered your question here about using Alcan powders and thought it might be helpful.

[Paul Harm]

Charlie - they said I'd walk out in a day or two - have to wear a back brace for a while. Sounds pretty good. Better than what I have now. I usually take a positive out look - don't do no good to worry about stuff you have no control over.