Accurate LT-32 Powder

[bp7178]

Has anyone worked up any loads with this so far? It's suppose to be a re-release of T32 from back in the day. I think that day was in a distant time before google because I can't find anything on it, other than people saying how great it was.

Even the load data from the manufacturer is kind of slim...

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/LT-32-Data.pdf

I was wanting to work up some 69 gr SMK or 53 gr VMAX, but don't know if either would be a good match.

[TomMcC]

Never heard of it. It's definitely on the fast side though. The charge weights are low compared to the pressures produced.

[jstone]

If they accurately matched the old thunderbird there is going to be a whole lot of happy benchresters.

You should be able to find the history online. If you look up 8208 powder. It was a mil pulldown powder that a couple companies imported. There was.only a few lots. The new 8208 came about when a competition shooter wanted to have a powder company blend him some of the original 8208. He had some that they were going to use to create the blend. The powder company found a powder that already existed that might work for what he wanted.

It was a powder used in sniper rounds. The powder was from adi i believe. The shooter was going to pay for the entire lot. Then sell it. He settled on the powder he was shown as it fit his needs without the huge cost. That powder became imr8208xbr.

There were lots of the old 8208 and thunderbird that were more desirable. Some die hard fans will pay around a hundred dollars per pound. The people that still have this powder usually pay to have ot stored in underground dry
storage facilities.

If interested in the history look up original 8208 powder. The history is very interesting. If you are interested at all in history of reloading the story of the original 8208 or t32(one company that purchased a large amount called it t32) you will find it worth your time to read up on it. It is amazing the cult following this powder has attained.

[bp7178]

I came across something from one of the Accurate people who said the IMR 8208 XBR that was being imported wasn't the same as the old mil 8208 from back in the day.

I was using 8208 XBR, and it was a very clean burning powder.

With the burn rate of LT-32 being fast(er), would that be better for lighter or heavier bullets? Barrell is a 14.5" Afghan.

[jstone]

The new xbr iw definitely different than the old powder, but it came about when a shooter was trying to duplicate the old 8208/t32.

The shooter supplied some of the old powder he had so they could blend something to match. Through there efforts they stumbled onto a powder ADI from Australia was using in sniper rounds. The shooter tried some of it and it met his needs. The powder ended up being good enough so imr decided to sell it as a canister grade powder.

Some people have confused imr8208xbr with the old mil pull down 8208, but they are completely different. T32 was 8208 that was packaged and sold by thunderbird.

Im not were where the old t32 is on the burn rate chart. I also have not seen where the new one may land. So i have no clue what weight of bullets might do better. Powders are like barrels you never know they might surprise you. One that comes to mind is markm's h322 77 matchking load. H322 seems to ne to fast for 77's, but it has given even extraordinary results. I have started a load with the same components, and it looks promising. I need to finish my testing before i make a final judgement.