[davidjayuden]

I just drug home a box of stuff from an Estate Sale, including lots of reloading stuff. It includes an unopened package of 1000 ALCAN MAX-FIRE 209 primers, and some smaller amounts of ALCAN powder. Maybe an ALCAN 6 and ALCAN 5, but only about a half pound of each.
The primers I would like to put to work. Anyone used them in recent history, are they reliable and will they interchange directly with today's WW 209's?
Thank you.
dju

 

[Shooting Coach]

Used them many years ago, might be tempted to use Fed 209A data.

Use the powder for fertilizer.

 

[grntitan]

Personally I wouldn't use any of the stuff. It's older components that you don't have real data for because of the age. I definitely wouldn't use the powder as you can't be sure what is in the can is what is marked on the can. I have both the powder and primers and elect to just display them as history pieces. Just my opinion anyway.

 

[jagrdawger]

I got about 2000 ALCAN Maxi-fire 220 primers a few years ago. When I finally found some data on them they were rated as one of the hottest primers (if not the hottest of their time). I used them in some blue magic hulls with a medium (19 grain) American Select recipe under 1 1/8th oz #8 and a Winchester WAA12 wad if I remember correctly. They all went bang, they were very consistent and I missed seeing the last one go. (Actually, I found the last one and used it last week, but the rest were gone about 4 years ago.)

I would load a few to test them to make sure they fire and then go from there. FED 209A data would be a good comparison for data. They are definitely hotter than W209's.

FYI - The type 57 primers are probably for an older ALCAN brass shell with a smaller primer pocket so they will probably not work in modern hulls.

 

[jagrdawger]

OOOPPPPSSSS I see the 57's are someone elses display.

 

[frostyman]

Just use the primers like you would regular 209a primers. I have loaded a lot of them. You can probably tell if the powder is correct because it had different colored flakes similar to red dot or green dot does.

 

[Jawhawker]

As others stated, I would use 209A data. If memory serves they were real close to a Fiocchi 616 in brilliance. They were also oversized as I recall.

 

[Dr.Longshot]

The *57 primers are Remington small primers, I LLLLOOOOOVVVVEEEE LOVE those 220 Max Fires wish I could buy them today, they Lite Slow Burning Powder The Best.

Gary Bryant
Dr.longshot

 

[wayneo]

We use to use a lot of Alcan stuff. I still have a lot of their fiber wads. I think the company in Sweden that made Alcan powders, still makes the Reloader powders for Alliant.

We used this burn rate yeas ago, I would not trust it today.

AL-120==Red Dot

AL-5==Unique

AL-7==Herco

AL-8==Blue Dot

Never heard of AL-6

Wayne

 

[chuckie68]

At a time in the 70"s (yes I remember that) the Alcan primers were larger than a standard 209. In other words, once you used them in a shell the primer pocket got stretched so you could not use a 209 primer after that. Make sure that you have 209 size primers. I have about 1500 left in my collection and I only use them for "magnum hunting reloads"

Chuck

P.S. I also have about 3 pounds of AL-8 that makes a great load!

 

[Jim Zee]

Yes shoot them ( primers that is ) not sure about the powder, I have used those primers with 700x and Red Dot

 

[wolfram]

I got in on a similar deal and ended up with 2 ea 3lb cans of AL-5. These are in like new condition and are not tampered with. I may be tempted to use the powder someday but for now it is just another couple of things for my 'old stuff' collection. From the old data I have found, it looks like AL-5 was a decent powder for heavy target and 12 gauge field loads.

 

[davidjayuden]

I loaded up a couple of my regular practice loads using the Alcan Max fire 220's and could not tell the difference. Just in case they are oversized I will use them in cases that are on their last leg (splitting along the crimp folds) and then pitch them.
That is unless any local shooters want to trade straight across for current US made primers. Don't care to go thru the haz-mat headache...
I don't have enough Alcan powder to mess with. Just a couple of opened half-pound cans. (Some of those cans are marked $2.90 sale price...)
Thanks for all your help.
dju