doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Alcan Powder AL6 - for Disbelievers

Here is the picture of the can for those who think I made the AL6 up.
[img]http://gallery.me.com/gamele/100024[/img]

Still asking for old load info

I only remember Alcan powder coming in cardboard can-like containers, so I'm wondering out loud here if AL-6 was out of production before I got involved in reloading (early sixties). Anyone else remember metal cans?

No I started using Alcan powders in the mid 60s and it was in cardboard containers.

I started loading in the early '60's, too, and I remember Alcan 5 in metal cans. Of course, the gunsmith who my dad and I bought the stuff from was notoriously "frugal", so it would be very difficult to tell how long he had the stuff before he sold it to us. Heck, we even used DuPont "Bulk" powder that we bought from him!

Gerald, Here's something I found in the Lyman Ideal Hand Book
#39. On page 129 it references AL-6 specifically for magnum
loads. On page 130 it lists two 10ga & two 12ga loads
10 ga
1 5/8OZ & 38.0 GR
1 7/8OZ & 37.0 GR

12 ga
1 3/8OZ & 32.0 GR
1 1/2OZ & 30.0 GR

Copyright May, 1953.

Hope this helps, Chris

These loads would be made up of paper hulls, and nitro card and fiber or felt filler wads, of course.

Alcan powders were the basis of some really fine loads. It is too bad that they are no longer available. (Nobel, are you listening?)

I suspect that the old Alcan 220 "Maxfire" primers' brisance levels were pretty close to those of modern-day Fiocchi 616 primers; the "Maxfires" having been a Fiocchi product.

Reproductions of the Alcan "Airwedge" OP wads are currently being offered by Ballistic Products. In the immortal words of Martha Stewart, "It is a good thing".

I have always been impressed by Alcan's "Feltan Bluestreak" lubricated felt filler wads. They were good wads at a reasonable price. Today's felt filler wads tend to be relatively expensive. I wonder whether "workaday" felt filler wads could be made, today, that would be as useful and relatively inexpensive as the old "Bluestreaks".

An Alcan component that I wish that someone would bring back was the "Qick-sert" [spelling?]shot bandage. This was a strip of plastic that could be inserted into a load using a conventional wad seater. These little beauties really simplified shot protection when they were inserted on top of "stacked" wad columns.

Chris,
Thanks. I don't have any old lymn shotshell handbooks, (something to look for at sales now).
I would not have guess this loading. I would have assumed it was something between AL5 and AL7. With AL7 (and AL8) being used for heavy loads.

The fellow I got it from used to load 28 gauge shells, I thought that it might be for it.

I also have a bunch of Alcan wedges and other felt wads. Sounds like it is time for some classic loads.

Thanks Again.

Jerry

Jerry,
In looking further, it does reference to an earlier edition but
doesn't mention the number. I get the feeling that AL-6 was
replaced with AL-7 when plastic arrived on the scene. I'm not sure I've got anything else but will poke around and see.
Dingelfutz - Now that brings back some memories. Those Kwik Serts
were indeed pattern tighteners and have used many of them.
Ahh for the old days!

Best to all,
Chris

CHN,

So THAT'S how "Kwik Serts" was spelled! (It's not aging. It's "information overload"! That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!)

I can't imagine how some version of "Kwik Serts" would not be salable, today. Certainly they should be no big deal to make.

Dumb idea [?]: If "KSs" might not be a viable thing, commercially, might it be of some use to have a machinist make "arc punches" that could be used to punch "KSs" out of tough paper or plastic sheeting?

Ah, the old days! Now, even nostalgia isn't what it used to be!

Hang in there!

John

I have Lyman manuals #37 (2-50) & #38 (Jan 51). Neither of these manuals list any Alcan powders at all. A Lyman manual I purchased new back around '57 has lost portions of its front pages & cover over the years, but I think was maybe 41, just not sure now, has only Al-5 & AL-7 listed. Powder charges from this manual are close to those given for the AL-6, "BUT" only with 1¼oz shot charges in both 10 & 12 gauges. Heavier shot wts in this later manual were for AL-7, but also with heavier powder wts. It might seem that the AL-6 was for the heavy shot wts, but not suitable for full velocities that were obtainable with AL-7. I do seem to recall AL-8 being introduced in the late 50's prior to the introduction of Remington's first plastic loads in the SP (Steel/Polyethylene) cases around the early 60's. I believe this was the firsat venture into plastics by a Major Ammunition Co on a production basis. Herter's had offered some plastic cases for loading prior to this, made of a harder plastic which used a top wad & were to be slightly turned in to hold the wad, not a full roll crimp as such. I tried a few of these but they were prone to splitting at the mouth after a couple of loadings & no longer held the top wad reliably, so not very successful.