Ramshot Magnum and Big Game 1lb/454g Bottles

I have been looking at RamShot powders over the last few months and I have not been disappointed. Manufactured in Belgium, these double-based, high energy propellants are fully REACHcompliant, which is required these days; as by 2018 non REACHcompliant propellants will be banned; which is because of their chemical contents and residues effects on users and the environment. Most attractive, is the fact that all grades show small and fine kernels that meter consistently through volumetric powder throwers, with minimal charge weight fluctuations; which results in low extreme spreads and greater potential accuracy.

Two for you

I’m looking at two here and here’s what RamShot says about them: Big Game is the ultimate 30-06 Springfield powder. Outstanding velocities and optimum case-fill results in excellent shot-to-shot consistency. These properties also allow it to outperform the competition in the popular 22-250 Remington and other calibres in this range. Magnum is the ultimate high performance magnum rifle powder. It provides outstanding results from the 7mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag through the Remington Ultra Mags and 338 Lapua and the number one choice for high performance ‘overbore’ magnum cartridges.

Burning rate-wise, Magnum sits around Hodgdon H-100 and Retumbo and Big Game Vihtavouri’s N140 and Vit N540. The latter, despite its name, covers a multitude of calibres, starting as small as 20 PPC with a charge of 30.3-grains throwing a 50-grain bullet at 3547 fps (maximum charge) and is also good for 20 BR too. It moves up through 22-250 Rem, 220 Swift, 243 Win, 6.5x47 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmoor, 260 Remington, 308 Win, 30-06, 300 Winchester Short Magnum, 338 Win Mag, 375 Ruger, 375 H&H and 416 Rem Mag. Magnum really starts at 243 Win, 25-06 Rem, 6.5x55 Swedish, 6.5x284, 270 Winchester and 270 WSM, 7mm Rem Mag, 300 Win Mag, 300 Remington Ultra Mag (RUM) and 338 RUM. There are more calibres, but I have picked a cross section.

 

Usage

I’ve used Big Game in 6.5 Creedmoor (24” Bergara B14 HMR), with 41.4-grains under a Hornady 143-grain ELD X bullet producing 2743 fps/2397 ft/bs and an extreme spread (ES) of just 10 fps for ¼” groups. Also, in 30-06 Browning Maral (22”) with a 180-grain Hornady SST over 54-grains making 2615 fps/2746 ft/lbs, not bad for a shorter barrel on a medium calibre. And 243 Win, with 45-grains under a 65-grain V-MAX giving 3548 fps/1830 ft/lbs for an excellent varmint load. Magnum, in 6.5x55 (Mauser M03 23.25” barrel) 51-grains gives 2675 fps/2249 ft/lbs under an ELD X 143-grain bullet. In 270 Win (Blaser R8 22.5” barrel) again using a Hornady ELD X, this time a 145-grain, 62-grains produces 2785 fps/2507 ft/lbs. Or the more common 130-grain (Nosler AccuBond) with 64-grains giving 2923 fps/2478 ft/lbs.

Two more useful powders from Ramshot’s range and well worth a look.