# accurate 8700



## blownsmok97 (Nov 8, 2009)

I am new to reloading, i actually haven't started yet but will be soon, and I was given a box full of different kinds of powder. in the box was two 1 lb cans of accurate 8700 powder.
My question is have any of you guys used it and what have been your results? I saw it mentioned in the load book for the 300 ultra i just got, and thats what i would be using it for.
Also in the box was half a can of blue dot, half a can of imr4198, two cans of accurate no.7, a can of accurate 1680, a can of accurate 2520, and a can of h110. Any of these other powders any good?
Gonna be loading 300 ultra, 223, shotgun, and im not sure what else yet.


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

look at the powder manufacturers websites.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I think I will save you a ton of reading through various replies to your question by saying the following:

1- just because it works well in MY gun, doesnt mean it will work well in YOUR gun. In other words, every firearm is different in its likes and dislikes, so it would be hard to say which powders are better for you.

2- when you start handloading, start with a low charge, and work your way up. I like to load 5-10 rounds with whatever charge, and then mark them off. I then load 5-10 more rounds with a slightly larger charge and mark them off, and so on. I then go to the range and start shooting. I then compare groups and see which charge/primer/bullet combo worked best and stick with that load for that powder/primer/bullet combo.

3- please dont crank up the speed on a round immediately. Work up gradually. 

4- purchase a couple reloading manuals and compare data. I personally like the Hornady, Nosler, and Barnes manuals. I also have the Speer manual that came with my Rock Chucker Supreme, but havent come up with very good loads with their data (not to say it is bad info)

5- be prepared to become addicted. I buy reloading supplies for no real reason. I just sit in my basement and make bullets that will take me years to go through. Come to think of it, that makes me look a little insane....


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

Just to give you a quick and dirty answer on some possible uses for that powder here goes:

AA 8700 - as you saw, this powder is extremely slow burning (_charcoal is a term applied in jest_) is good for large magnum cases coupled with small bore diameters with heavy bullets. So the heavier bullets in a .300 RUM would be a use.

IMR 4198 - is used a lot in small cases like the .222 or light bullet loads in .223. Because there are so many better powders to use in the .223 and your amount is so small, I wouldn't bother with it for this application.

ReLoder 7 & AA 1680 - are outstanding for loading the 7.62x39mm SKS/AK round. 1680 was engineered for this. Both are a bit too fast for the .223 Rem IMO to be a good all-around powder.

Accurate 2520 - was designed for the .308 Winchester/7.62x51 NATO and works well there. It also is a very good powder for heavy bullet loads in the .223 Remington - 62 to 80 grain bullets. It meters well because it is a ball powder.

H-110 - was a .410 shotgun powder that is extremely popular with magnum handgun loads in the .357 & .44 Mags. This powder is not good for other than top end loads because it doesn't like reducing the loads. Very good for maximum velocity. Needs Magnum primers.

Blue Dot - a Magnum shotshell powder that also works is a lot of handgun loads. It is a slow powder for the .40 S&W and a medium burn rate powder in the .357 & .44 Mags. It works very well in loads that are slightly below max in these two, and with lead bullets. Alliant warns against using it with 125-gr .357 bullets. Burns quite clean.

You might want to look closely at your needs, especially with some of the powders. If after looking closely at the data listed in the reloading manual(s) and with maybe even asking around about which powders work best for your application, you are torn about whether to go ahead and use one of them anyway - for example, IMR 4198 in the .223 - you need to keep in mind that it is hardly worth the effort to go through a load work-up for a less-than-ideal powder that you have 1/2 a can off.

If you decide not to use any of these powders, and no one else wants them - be aware that they make very good fertilizer, so you can put it on the grass or plants.
Not too cool to see burn, because modern smokeless powders need to be confined to burn well.


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

Just a thought I had a similar situation when I first started reloading and I had a bunch of random powders,all i loaded at the time was 222 mag and 22-250. I used up all of the small canisters in my 222 mag except for one h4831 half pound. Anyway i just found some safe load data for most of them and used them on rabbit hunting rounds. No real need for max velocity or super accuracy in that aplication.


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