Personally, I have not used e3, but I got this from a reloader in Nevada who has a chrono setup:
Seems the "estimates" done without direct pressure measurement equipment vary from "same as Red Dot" to "use 9% less than Red Dot".........hmmm?
Personally, I have not used e3, but I got this from a reloader in Nevada who has a chrono setup:
Seems the "estimates" done without direct pressure measurement equipment vary from "same as Red Dot" to "use 9% less than Red Dot".........hmmm?
I am starting 20% under Red Dot max loads with the e3 so we will be more than safe. I have also seen several posts that state e3 is pretty forgiving so we shall see. My test loads are loaded and are in .3 gr increments for larger cases and .1 for smaller cases. Still needing access to a chrono to test fire though.
Reading my Ly man 48tg edition now. Memorizing all critial issues and data on all our loads.
Gonna post day of or after 3 cal pistol e3 results w/o chrono as no one has ponied up. Gonna have to use my technicians calibrated elbows and wrist and magnifier & caliper and sons better eyes on each case as we work up. Also sighting in five 223 M4 AR's BUIS.
The scuttlebutt I heard supposedly came from an Alliant rep. It was that e3 "has an identical burn rate to Red Dot but produces about 10% more energy". And the recommendation from Alliant was to use Red Dot, but if they insisted on using e3 start with Red Dot data and back off 10%. This was just them covering their butts because they have ZERO testing with e3 in metallic cartridges. There is a fairly extensive amount of data on Brian Enos' site for e3 and there are more than one who say it's just not as fast burning as the charts indicate. Some even say that it's possibly slower than N320. In most of the charts e3 is right up there with N310 and Red Dot. My impression is that e3 is indeed as fast as they say but is just very well behaved and not as "peaky" as most very fast powders. I say this because I get a very linear velocity curve from my chrono and can see the difference in just .1 grain increments. I've never been able to discern a difference by changing powder charges .1 grains and usually go .2 grains at a time for pistol. And I've taken e3 past where one could go with N310 or Clays and still had no pressure problems or velocity spikes.
As I said before it is a fast powder, so be careful.
Great info agrees with all I have seen thus far and is best data yet we have on 2gr. Thank you.
Shadowrider, I love red dot for small cases like 32acp and even 25acp, has anyone posted results on the smaller cases with E3?
Not that I've seen, smallest caliber I've seen is 9mm. Bear in mind that the Enos site is a competition forum mostly around USPSA and our "gamer loads" are generally a good bit lighter than factory loads. I'd bet e3 would be great in those small cases.
Thanks.. I'll have to get some and try it.. Time to dig out the chrony again...
As an FYI, I've never loaded Red Dot but e3 is a flake powder just like Clays in size and metering. I'd venture that if you had your measure set for a certain drop of Clays you'd drop darn near an identical charge of e3. Like I said, I'm not familiar with Red Dot and how much case capacity it takes up. Hopefully that might help you.
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