Anybody happen to have any reloading data for AL 7? I have 6 or 7 pounds that I have had for years and the only data I can find is in the Lyman Cast Bullet handbook for 45 Colt....and then just two bullet sizes....

I would like to be able to use this stuff up but I'm not much for extrapolating data from burning rates and such....call me ultra conservative when it comes to reloading but I have been at this reloading business for many years and have still got all my fingers and both eyes......

Any data/help would be appreciated.

Mike

I'd work with the data that you have for 45 colt. Vintage powder deserves vintage data. Just start low, and measure speed if you can. If all looks and feels good, you should be ok in a modern firearm. Powder looks and smells good, right?

You won't find much new data for old powders.

Cheezywan

What cartridges do you want to load with it? When I first started reloading in the late fifties seems like most Alcan powders were for shotgun shells. Let me know the cartridges and I'll dig through old loading books in my library.

Speers #9 has AL7 data. If you trust my typing I'll put it here for you. What cartridges?

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Dean,
from Idaho

I started using AL7 with Speer #9 data and also have Alcan data for it in 38 Spec, 357 Mag, 44 Mag and shotshell data with old wad columns. As Dean mentioned, a more specific request would be helpful. I was sorry to see the end of my supply of AL7, you're a lucky man Mike.

The old Lyman Cast Bullet book I've got has 158, 162, and 168 gr loads for 38 special, 180, 200, 215, 232, and 245 for 44 Magnum, and 255 gr 45 Colt. I am mainly interested in heavy 45 Colt and 44 Magnum loads but considering the age of Alcan Data, I don't recall anybody loading heavy bullets in 45 or 44 until the past 10 to 15 years.

This powder I've got is way older than that, I've had it since the late 70's.....it's been stored right and powder will last "forever" if properly stored. I just checked the date on my Lyman book and it is a third edition, printed in 1980 and the powder was 10 years old then and evidently already falling out of favor.

I guess I'm going to have to use this stuff for plinking loads with the hundreds of light bullets I still have if no newer data is available....which I am getting more doubtful about all the time.

thanks anyway, Mike

Speer #9 for 45 Colt has 250 gr lead SWC as the heaviest bullet with AL7 11.0 gr for 879 fps to 11.5 gr max for 919 fps.
Speer #9 for 44 Mag has 240 gr Speer Magnum SP with AL7 14.0 gr at 1213 fps to 15.0 gr max for 1294 fps. Also for 44 Mag with 240 gr Speer SP (a jacketed Keith/SWC) AL7 13.5 gr for 1238 fps to 14.5 gr max at 1330 fps.
Reprint of ALCAN pistol charge table for 44 Mag lists 240 gr Half-jacket AL7 max 16.0 gr at 1465 fps and 250 gr cast with AL7 max 15.5 gr at 1460 fps.
No pressure data with these sources.

I'm down to my last pound of AL-7, but have several half-pound cans each of AL-120 and AL-5 plus a partial can of AL-8. They were fine powders.

AL-7 is a bit slower than Unique, probably somewhere in the Herco to Blue Dot range. It seems to be best suited to mid-weight to heavy bullets at moderate speed in my guns. I also started with data from Speer #9.

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