What’s the POWDER you love to hate?

[hystaspes]

Has anyone said "the powder that is hard to find or unavailable" for the love hate relationship.

This is exactly how i fell about quite a number of powders..

Hate is not the right word. I hear so many great things about h4350 and Varget as the miracle powders to solve all the reloading problems, just that I never seem to find it in stock. Such a tease.

 

[The Badger]

Can't say I hate it, but Reloader 22 was a bust for me. Shot accurate and good velocities, but in Fl summers the temp sensitivity was a pain and led to a fair amout of pulled bullets. Reloader 23 solved that.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Try a different book. I generally have good luck with H4831SC, but I go over the books max load by several grs. Like wise with H4350. If you are loading 70+ grs. You can move up at .5grs at a time to find that max. Velocity should move up too.

Preaching to choir there buddy.
I no longer shoot anything, so my use of any powder now is moot.

Cheers.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Not this Bob. I tried IMR 4350 once due to the shortage. I didn't like it and it sits on the shelf.

I've burned a couple kegs of I 4350 over the years.. a 30-06 with a 165 Hornady with a 215 under it. Every 30-06 I've owned will do 2800 fps +- with it and 1/2 moa or so if the rifle is worth anything...
Most of you that are having issues with rl powders getting spiky in high temp. are simply pushing a bit too hard. I burn more RL than anything else ( I currently use 7, 10, 15, 17, 19, 22, 25, 33, 50) and I've used 12, 16 and 26. It's probably going to change as they are out of their mind on price and availability sucks...
I will not buy Magpro and have used some as fertilizer. I had hangfires with it in a couple of different cartridges. Some may like it, but I'll buy a matchlock if I want that locktime...

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I'm glad I gave superformance a second chance…it's either the best or the worst haha

I've had some of that around since the year it came out... Bought 2#... haven't even burned up 1 yet...
I've recently turned my 30-06 into a garbage can... I'm loading mild loads of oddball stuff to shoot up this summer with old range brass that I don't care about.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

h4831 has been around a long time and widely used for its accuracy and stability, it appears.
Its **** sure not the champ of Velocity!

the old war surp h4831 would do nearly 3150 fps with a 180 in an old rem 700 300win I owned. I ran that # out and switched to sc... I barely got 3000 fps at the same charge. Even h1000 would barely do 3100 fps with a 180 in that rifle. I switched to rl22 and my 300win rifles have been up to speed since.
I've got to find a good rl22 replacement that isn't Hodgdon though. I have some, but my kid's rifles both run REALLY well on it and it's been hard to get at a decent price... Perhaps I'll dig into the 7828...I've got a few other powders to try too I guess...

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Hey just out of curiosity…hodgdon used to have an H570 back in the day….is N570 a similar burn rate? Or are the numbers coincidental?

coincidental... h570 was a mil surp 50 cal powder as was h870... probably like wc 867 and wc 872 are now when you can find them. I have a few kegs of wc872 that need to be put to use... decent stuff...

 

[Peacemaker1873]

good to know. Not that I foresee using it any decade soon

For my .300 win with heavy bullets, now that they went and discontinued 7977 and 8133 (and h1000 and retumbo command a premium I will not pay) I've rediscovered what a huge fan I am of IMR 7828 and Reloader 25. They're not so popular anymore. I'm okay with that

Have you had any experience with the Vihtavuori propellants? 560 or 565?

 

[Calvin45]

Have you had any experience with the Vihtavuori propellants? 560 or 565?

Nope

 

[LRNut]

I hate IMR 8133 but only because it is discontinued. Shoots incredibly well in my Savage Lapua (only stock rifle that I use for LR practice).

Lots of comments on N570. I use it in a 300 RUM but haven't shot it that much. The kernals are huge - if you use an A&D scale you soon learn that .04 is as close as you might get.

 

[Calvin45]

I hate IMR 8133 but only because it is discontinued. Shoots incredibly well in my Savage Lapua (only stock rifle that I use for LR practice).

Lots of comments on N570. I use it in a 300 RUM but haven't shot it that much. The kernals are huge - if you use an A&D scale you soon learn that .04 is as close as you might get.

I hate it for that reason as well.

One ragged hole accurate in my 300 win (also a factory savage haha) compressed under 225 eldms

 

[RidgeTop]

The one I want and can't get.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Have you had any experience with the Vihtavuori propellants? 560 or 565?

I have some 565 loaded in 300win ammo with 200eld-x pills on top... good load, but that powder is a bit hard to find right now. It's probably a hot burner like other 500 series, so I'm probably better off switching, but it shoots well, so I might just reserve the load for shots that count like hunting...

 

[Phil Rizzo]

What velo you getting?
I'm at 2950 with 568, 200 gr accubond with a 26"
Seems mediocre but I have zero pressure..??