Alliant vs Hodgdon

[Mr. 16 gauge]

This isn't a 'which is better' thread, but rather, what is going on with Alliant?
I have used Alliant powders since the late 70's (back when they were Hercules), and have been quite satisfied with what they did. I've used Red dot, Green Dot, Unique, Herco, Blue Dot, 2400, and STEEL. I love the versatility of Unique & Herco, and have some accurate loads with cast bullets and Green dot in my 9mm.
About 10 years ago, I started using some Hodgdon powders (Universal), and bought some Longshot when I started reloading bismuth.
Recently, I have been trying to use up older powders in my cabinet, so I'm looking for loads (target-1 oz) for the 16 gauge. I find about a 3rd of a can of Longshot, so I go to Hodgdon's website and find that they have 1 oz loads listed, so I use that up. I also find a partial can of Universal, so I load that up as well. I recently bought some Unique for pistol loads, and I know I've used it in the past for 1 oz 16 gauge loads, so I went to the Alliant website to look it up, and they have no 1 oz loads listed for the 16 gauge! So I went back and checked some old data books I had, and sure enough...there was the load I was looking for.
I quickly checked out a few other loads on Alliant's site; the majority were anemic compared to what was listed in the flyer I have. I was quite disappointed to see that maybe 25-30% of the loads I have in my flyer weren't listed.
I know that Alliant revised it's data for Blue dot for some magnum handgun loads, and was told this was done because of 'legal issues'......but to slash it's load listings as drastically as they did?

I will continue to use the older data I have and will continue to buy Alliant powders; I'm too darn old to switch now! But, I'm wondering about the newer generation of shooters/hunters/reloaders coming up.....will they bother with Alliant powders if they can't find data for what they want to reload for?

I'm thinking Alliant is shooting itself in the foot here (Metophorically speaking, of course!)

[dovehunter]

I have noticed the same thing. I too have been using the older Alliant manuals for my shotshell loads. I will continue to do so as I have been shooting the same loads for years and have never had a problem. As long as I can continue to get Alliant powder I will continue to use it. I don't know what I'd do if Unique was ever discontinued.

[Jack]

I've noticed that about Alliant, too. They brought out a whole new line of rifle powders, like MR-2000, etc, and they are starting to show a little data for it, but not much. And for a while, the powder was available, but there was no data at all.

[GoodOlBoy]

Alliant has always been alittle odd with their reloading data. I use Unique for pistols as well, and it works well, but just try finding load data for a odd bullet weight from them.. Ain't gonna happen.

GoodOlBoy

[Adam Helmer]

Mr. 16 gauge,

Excellent post! I collect reloading manuals and have them going back to the early 1960s. The newer manuals NOW list my former mid-range accuracy loads as above Maximum! I never would have found my accuracy loads in many guns with today's powder listings. I will continue to use the safe loads developed in the 1960s and 1970s.

Adam

[Seawolf1090]

Hmmm.... maybe that's why I have had such insipid and disappointing performance from Unique. In the .45ACP loading, my M1991A1 got gummed up and began to fail to function after three magazines full, and velocity on my Chrony clocked in 100+ FPS slower than listed by Alliant.
In my .357Magnum loads, it also burned very dirty, gumming up the extractor star and eventually causing failure.
From reading of others extolling Unique's virtues, I began to suspect my loads were simply too light. Luckily I only had one pound - not so much of a loss when I dumped the 'flamable dirt' onto my GF's flower bed......
Switched to Bullseye for most handgun loads, and Hodgdon's Lil Gun for my .357Mag loads - been very happy ever since, and now have twelve pounds of Bullseye!

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I will continue to use the safe loads developed in the 1960s and 1970s.

Me too, Adam.....I still have my Lyman 2nd Edition shotshell manual....not much useful data in there anymore; a lot of powders have been discontinued, such as the Alcan lot, and the only shell still being made in there is the Federal Hi-Power shell w/ paper base wad.

Still, one might stumble on a deal....took a gun to the gunsmith the other day and saw that he had to full boxes (2000) of CCI #57 primers....remember those? Now, if I can just find a bunch of the old Remington hulls, I'll be all set!