Edge Powders: What Are You Using?

In the Edge I have H-1000 just hasn't delivered, but HUS869 appears to shine; can't wait to get my hands on some RL33. What are your favorites?

h-1000 and retumbo all the way man ( 2217 and 2225 ) .what loads u running? 90gr of h1000 with 300 smk / cci 250 is the go too load for most

^ thats close to a max load for some tho so work up slowly bla bla bla

This is my third year working with (summers only) H-1000; I decided to seriously look for options as I was getting 2860 on average with 92gr of H-1000, Federal GM215M primers and Bertram Brass. My ES (three shot groups) ran from 8 to 23, but accuracy just isn't there. I had good accuracy at lower velocities--maybe, if I don't find something else--I'll have to drop back. Having shot a mile and over with H-1000 and now H-US869 the latter started out at 100gr and climbed to 105gr running 2895 average. I'm ready to test out up to 106gr next weekend. Seems like less recoil, pressure, and maybe noise and 869 sure handles like a dream!

What projectiles are you using?

I'm running AR2225 in mine (retumbo i think??) with berger elite hunters and cci's. Im only using the remington brass and seems to be holding up ok for me with my load at 2880.

What improvements are you getting from bertram brass?

Give Retumbo or RL 33 a go, N570 goes well too.

RL 33 will give great velocity, make sure you don't have much jump otherwise the ES can get very average.

I live in rural (AKA Bush) Alaska meaning that in and out is by air only excepting for the two to three month period of our winter trail. Resulting from that means short and infrequent visits to Fairbanks then I get to compete with hoarders that wipe out the shelves at local outlets... Now I may have a solution for that, but this is why I try to get as much information off the web as I can and get the right "stuff" to start... Thanks all for your responses; hopefully they'll continue.

I'm using Berger 300gr OTM Hybrids and I cannot say what, if any, advantage I've experienced using Bertram Brass, but that is only due to lack of time and experience with Remington and Hornady brass of which I've used also. Of the hundred I bought I've 97 left; I jammed the other three in the die (uh hugh, I forgot the lube) and they were destroyed upon removal. The rest have been reloaded a minimum of four times, some seven, without any issues that I couldn't deal with. Hogdon US869 really looks good, but it's a ball powder which means a large deviation/temperature ratio. I've found I can overcome that by keeping the loads inside my clothes when it's below freezing (I use RL22 in my 270). Seems like M70s' prefer ball... I haven't been able to find any VV powders, but N570 and maybe 24n21 (?) should be great also. I found I couldn't load 104gr of H50BMG which may have worked if I could; the rods are just too big for enough compression to take place when seating.

Sounds luke you're living the dream.

How have you found the hybrids on game? I didnt have much luck so switched to hunter elites, lucky they shoot the same.

Sounds like you are having good luck with bertram brass, I may give it a try if remington continues to be hard to get. Norma stuff is reasonably cheap in comparison but quite soft.

I would have thought h50 and us869 would be a bit slow

I've got a thirty inch barrel so I thought she'd burn the slower stuff to best advantage; sure works with H-US869. It has rained all summer and therefore hard to get out to shoot. I think I'll be setting up a tarp shelter when I get back. I shot a caribou this winter at 810 yards, it was my first game shot with this rifle and it wasn't a good hit so cannot say about the hybrid on game. I've heard all good things though...