Power Pro 2000 MR Problems?

[Boogie]

At the range today I got into a conversation with 2 gentlemen who are known locally for their ability to "steer a rifle" as they say. Actually, being a rookie at this "F" class stuff I try to pick their brains every chance I get Anyway we were talking about the availability of reloading components, or the lack there of, and I mentioned I had 8 lbs of 2000MR. Both said the same thing;

Don't use it! Get rid of it! The stuff burns out barrels faster than any other powder they had heard of. One of them related a story of a friend of his who used it in his 308 FT/R and had to change barrels at less than 1600 rnds. This is the first I had heard of this. Has anyone here heard these stories? Or while using 2000MR have you gotten less barrel life than expected? Neither offered to "take it off my hands" so I don't think it was a ploy to increase their stockpile But now I'm a little nervous about using it.

 

[DocB]

Boogie,

I've been using it for two-three years in .223 shooting 4-5 hundred rounds per year without any problems. I haven't used it in .308, but the guys I know using it this year haven't had any problems.

HTH,
DocB

 

[diego-ted]

I will let you know I am at about 900 rounds running 47.5 pushing 185s

 

[shooter.dm]

Its the same powder as cfe 223 . I used it when I could not get varget and I put at least 4thousand down my tube with it no burn out. Runs preaty clean too. I don't know why thoes guys would say that but some people are so stuck on one brand of powder they look for any reson to put down other brands with out getting the full story ( chevy vs ford)

 

[Fatelvis]

Its the same powder as cfe 223 .

Without the cleaning ability though, right?

 

[shooter.dm]

They are exactly the same powder made by the same company

 

[Down South]

In one of my FTR rigs i have about 2600+ rounds on it and the majority of those rounds were running the 185 and 200 bergers with 2000MR and the rifle still hammers. Was running the 185s over 2800 ftps and 200s over 2650 ftps. I bore scoped it and it was fine.

 

[JGorski]

It's not the same as CFE, CFE is slightly faster burning. Not sure about burning barrels out, I've got about 600 rounds thru my 308 with it. I doubt that claim, though.

 

[diego-ted]

In one of my FTR rigs i have about 2600+ rounds on it and the majority of those rounds were running the 185 and 200 bergers with 2000MR and the rifle still hammers. Was running the 185s over 2800 ftps and 200s over 2650 ftps. I bore scoped it and it was fine.

Glad to hear that DS, I am running just about the same as you and am happy with the results! So much so I just orderd another 8# Jug.

Diego

 

[Boogie]

That's good to hear. I'm going to start working up a load using it and 175 smk's. If anyone has a good starting point let me know

 

[Drifter™]

Its the same powder as cfe 223 .

Incorrect.

 

[BirdEyes]

They are exactly the same powder made by the same company

They're both manufactured by the same company but to different specifications. Treating them as being the same is NOT a good idea. Taking something posted like this blindly as factual without doing your own research is also never a good idea.

 

[JGorski]

If they were the same then why does Hornady have a lower charge for their 178 load in the 308 for CFE?

 

[JGorski]

And in my chrono testing I found 47grs of each under 168AMAXs CFE went 2830 vs 2783 for 2000MR.

 

[shooter.dm]

I'm sorry I did not mean to misslead on this after I was told by several hide members it was the same during my lil testing I got velocitys that were very close together withen 5 fps

 

[Xcount]

Well this kind of thing happened many years ago with VV540 supposedly wearing out barrels faster. This is a case of people not comparing apples to apples, case in point, MR2000 and VV540 and RE15 are double based powders and allow far more velocity compared to single based powders in the same speed range. Most people want to compare barrel wear only not velocity/barrel wear. I am on my second 8 pound keg of the stuff in 6BR and .308 and the velocity achievable with MR2000 is not safely or accurately achievable with Varget or 4895. Even RE15 is not in the same category, MR2000 is amazing in the velocity department and if that comes with extra wear I would not be surprised but that is the price of it all. It's not the powder, it's the loads being used that would cause faster wear but you can't compare it to anything else because no other powder gives the velocity.
So if guys want to get the same velocity with Varget so they can compare apples to apples in barrel wear numbers they will blow primer pockets faster, probably have less accuracy due to being way over pressure and will generally be unsafe. It would be like a NASCAR team whining about using tires up even though they are going faster, you are getting something extra for a loss in other areas. The powder can't redefine physics, but it safely allows more velocity. If they want good barrel wear just back the load down to the same velocity they get with whatever powder gives them lots of barrel wear. But why??

 

[Aimsmall55]

Hide member DownSouth turned me onto 2000 mr. After using varget for years I didn't think it got any better. Enter PP2000mr. My groups went from 1/2 at 300 yards to .5 to .75" groups. Not only did accuracy increase, but my mv shot up to 2775 fps with a 175 smk. I went threw 4#'s of it in a GA Crusader .308 and never lost any accuracy. This is with a rifle that already had 2,100 rds threw it. By the way.... 2775 fps out of a 22" bbl is SMOKING!!

 

[Xcount]

your results are why people get greedy and push it too hard. it's easy to do and can lead to, but not cause, barrel wear. I've had no adverse effects but I backed it off from what I thought had to be over the top. The powder seems to show primer pressure indicators far later than faster powders but the pressure is there as seen by the velocity numbers.
Because the powder is slow people use it with the heavy bullets for their caliber, which causes more wear, and then they push it farther because the primers don't show the effects like faster powders and presto-barrel wear!. it's not the powder, it's the loads people use to get the most velocity. It's easy to go there but there is no free ride.

Like I said people thought VV540 caused premature barrel wear, well they were shooting 80 grainer's in .223 at 2850fps in a service rifle. If it broke the bolt would they say the powder causes bolts to break?? Think about it. That is not the powder causing wear, it's the loader.

 

[Aimsmall55]

Well, I guess I'm one greedy son of a bitch then. Forgive me for tring to push higher bc bullets at speeds varget would blow up. The 175's I mentioned were loaded for a ftr match. You know where a higher MV helps buck wind .... I really don't know whether to be insulted or just plain out confused.... When I shoot out a barrel I usually just put another one on..... Gosh I'm greedy!!

 

[Mad_Charlie]

For what it may be worth, this has got to be the coolest burning powder I have ever tried, that is if picking up a freshly fired and ejected round is any indication.

The case was not hot, it was barely warm at all, and no smudgies around the neck area. The load was Alliant's max with 168 SMK. Except for the primer, you couldn't tell that the case had just been fired! (.308)

Try that with some 3031 or I4895, you'll be blowin' your fingers.

To be truthful, I have just started working with this powder, but I anticipate good results. (crossed fingers)