Help with Powder Selection

[Cray7614]

Reloading a 6.5 Creedmoor having a hard time deciding whether on going with Hodgdon 4350 or the IMR 4350.

What are y'alls opinion? And do you have any data on the two side by side?

 

[Rifleman97]

What brand do you like better? The only real difference is lot to lot. You'll probably find just as much variation between a few different lots of IMR as you would between hogdgon and IMR from what I've found. I chose IMR, but Its known as H4350 more commonly than IMR 4350, but honestly it doesn't really matter. Try and buy a 7 pound jug of whatever you choose if you're going to be running your loads hot to eliminate pressure differences in Lot to Lot consistency. Good luck!

 

[Dosh]

7614, we've found the Hodgdon Extreme more temp stable than the IMR. The Hodgdon is much more difficult to find here though. I load for three 6.5CM and luckily, we found an 8 pounder locally.

 

[mpk1996]

for the creed, I would go with RL16. I have been getting much better results with it vs H4350, and you can actually find it

 

[North Idaho Hunter]

Temperature stability would be my number one factor.

with that being said, H4350, H4831SC, R-16, as well as IMR 4451 would be my choices.

 

[jibnast]

If you already have H4350 in large quantities I would use it If not I would get Reloader 16 or IMR 4451 both work great and you can actually find them.

 

[Rifleman97]

for the creed, I would go with RL16. I have been getting much better results with it vs H4350, and you can actually find it

Where do you live? I have to drive 2 hours to find any of the R powders, R16, R22 etc. I always thought nothing was more common than H4350

 

[mhamlin]

Where do you live? I have to drive 2 hours to find any of the R powders, R16, R22 etc. I always thought nothing was more common than H4350

It was...until the Creedmoor became so popular

 

[Rifleman97]

The creedmoor craze hasn't really hit Iowa yet. At my Walmart you can't find ammo for it, and there might be a gun in that caliber at your local gun store, but don't count on it. So maybe that's why.

Edit: It's not that there's not a fair amount of people with creedmoors, but it's not a craze and it's definitely the minority.

 

[mpk1996]

Where do you live? I have to drive 2 hours to find any of the R powders, R16, R22 etc. I always thought nothing was more common than H4350

I order all my powder. I use enough that I just buy a bunch to offset the hazmat fee. plus the savings of getting it bulk/online does that anyway. so I just order it along with primers and what not.

right now, H4350 is pretty much out everywhere, but RL16 can be had. I have about 10# of h4350 left, but it hasn't been shooting as well as the RL16 in both my creed and 6xc. so I guess i'll be ordering more RL16 soon!!

 

[Greyfox]

H4350 is an excellent powder for the 6.5 Creedmoor. I have found it to be more temperature stable then IMR4350.

 

[jibnast]

H4350 is an excellent powder for the 6.5 Creedmoor. I have found it to be more temperature stable then IMR4350.
View attachment 92148

IMR 4350 is not temp stable and can be dangerous if you develop your load up n the winter.

 

[SMK1000plus]

for the creed, I would go with RL16. I have been getting much better results with it vs H4350, and you can actually find it

I've found Alliant Reloder 16 to be very temperature stable. I've done load development and have been getting excellent results in several of my 7mm-08s. Haven't tried it in my new RPR 6.5 Creedmoor yet. Still rounding up other components for it but, expect good performance in it as well.

 

[Cray7614]

Thanks guys for all of your help! I think I'm going to try the H4350 and see how it goes. It seems to be easy to get ahold of around here.