Recommendations for H4831SC

[Andrew Massi]

Despite what all the uninformed naysayers have said above you absolutely can use h4831 in 22-250 albeit with heavy for cartridge bullets of 77gr or more.

 

[GuntherRLII]

OK, I did not mean all powders cause high temp pressure spikes in the Swift. I'm pretty much back to H4895 which gives zero problems. 760 and 414 ARE the same powder and both will give spikes. So will Re15 which really sucks because I like the smell of those double base powders.

 

[Alibiiv]

Despite what all the uninformed naysayers have said above you absolutely can use h4831 in 22-250 albeit with heavy for cartridge bullets of 77gr or more.

I don't consider myself and expert, nor do I consider myself an "uninformed naysayer" either. The OP was looking for load data using 4831SC with/for, "55 gr. NBTs or Hornady VMax". And......yes one can use 4831SC to load a 22-250, but......there are better powders out there to use with the bullets that the poster was looking for load data on. Could even use Bullseye if one chose to, but.....it is not the correct powder for that particular cartridge/bullet combination. If one were to load 37.7grains of 4831SC into a 22-250 case the volume would bring the powder up to where the neck junctures with the shoulder. And....one could stuff a 77 grain bullet into that case, however it will be a compressed load, that will/could give pretty good performance "with that 77 grain bullet", not so much with a 55 grain bullet though. A couple of months ago I bought eight-pounds of 4831SC at a very premium price because we were low and that is the only powder that I could find at the time. I pretty much shoot 180gr bullets out of the 30-06 and a 300WinMag. Well...........presently it turns out that neither rifle likes this powder, and it is a "very" compressed load with the 30-06 ABLRs. I also load for a .270 Ackley Improved, and figured that I could use this powder all across the boards for all three cartridges; but, presently not so with the .30 calibers. I am looking for better performance with the .270 Ackley. So.......yup 4831 SC can be used to load a 77gr bullet in the 22-250, however not so much with the 55gr bullets the OP was looking for. One last thing, I hope that the OP reads this reply.

 

[xsn10s]

If you really want to get the best info on the possibility of using H4831sc with 55 BT's call Nosler. They have data that isn't always published in their load manuals. Good luck.

 

[david g ranes]

Looking for anyone with experience with loading H4831SC in small calibers, such as the .223 and .22-250. I have had good success with a Varget load and 55 gr. NBTs or Hornady VMax, but have a limited supply of Varget, and a lot more available H4831SC. I shoot 55 gr. loads almost exclusively, because that is what the rifles shoot the best.
Also, any suggestions on the use of Winchester 760 would be helpful, as the only thing I am using that powder for now is a load for .25-06 with 115 gr. NBTs. Again, what the rifle shoots well.
Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.
crm

I've shot a lot of h4831 in a 22-250 through the 80s and 90s because I had a lot given to me that was bought in 1964 for 50 cents a pound I have never chased speed I was getting enough velocity that 55 grain bullets make the hair fly on a coyote and put them down never no fireworks flying out of the barrel I have not used it in a 223 but the guy who gave me the powder used it in his 222 shooting bench test matches in Wichita. David

 

[kiwikid]

Back in the late 70s when I started reloading it was for the 22-250 and my mentor suggested H4831 powder for 55 grain Sierra Spitzer bullets. The starting load I used was 39 grains in Sako cases with CCI 200 primers. Max load was 42 grains and eventually I loaded to 40 grains being a new kid on the block. My Carl Gustaf 9000 rifle liked that load and I was soon shooting rabbits in the head at 200 odd yards.
Here is the load data from a 1992 Hodgdon manual.

 

[bigbrad53]

H4831 will work in the Swift but not real well. You'll never get the pressures you need for consistency with the .223. 760, or H414 will be better but for some reason I ain't the biggest fan of most ball powders. Even the "temp insensitive" seem to be pretty temp sensitive. My Swift will go from what appears to be a good load to overpressure when worked up at 50-60 degrees to the 105 degree dogtown days.

That's why I all ways work up my maximum loads in July and August. Cooler months loads are just fine, though a little under max.

 

[Andrew Massi]

I don't consider myself and expert, nor do I consider myself an "uninformed naysayer" either. The OP was looking for load data using 4831SC with/for, "55 gr. NBTs or Hornady VMax". And......yes one can use 4831SC to load a 22-250, but......there are better powders out there to use with the bullets that the poster was looking for load data on. Could even use Bullseye if one chose to, but.....it is not the correct powder for that particular cartridge/bullet combination. If one were to load 37.7grains of 4831SC into a 22-250 case the volume would bring the powder up to where the neck junctures with the shoulder. And....one could stuff a 77 grain bullet into that case, however it will be a compressed load, that will/could give pretty good performance "with that 77 grain bullet", not so much with a 55 grain bullet though. A couple of months ago I bought eight-pounds of 4831SC at a very premium price because we were low and that is the only powder that I could find at the time. I pretty much shoot 180gr bullets out of the 30-06 and a 300WinMag. Well...........presently it turns out that neither rifle likes this powder, and it is a "very" compressed load with the 30-06 ABLRs. I also load for a .270 Ackley Improved, and figured that I could use this powder all across the boards for all three cartridges; but, presently not so with the .30 calibers. I am looking for better performance with the .270 Ackley. So.......yup 4831 SC can be used to load a 77gr bullet in the 22-250, however not so much with the 55gr bullets the OP was looking for. One last thing, I hope that the OP reads this reply.

Turns out lots of people load 55s with h4831sc. Who would have thought a 100 year old cartridge would utilize a 100 year old mil surp powder

 

[UncleDano]

4831 is as many have stated, totally not suitable for the .223 or the 22-250. Why waste your time trying to make something that is not the right fit work?

 

[UncleDano]

I don't consider myself and expert, nor do I consider myself an "uninformed naysayer" either. The OP was looking for load data using 4831SC with/for, "55 gr. NBTs or Hornady VMax". And......yes one can use 4831SC to load a 22-250, but......there are better powders out there to use with the bullets that the poster was looking for load data on. Could even use Bullseye if one chose to, but.....it is not the correct powder for that particular cartridge/bullet combination. If one were to load 37.7grains of 4831SC into a 22-250 case the volume would bring the powder up to where the neck junctures with the shoulder. And....one could stuff a 77 grain bullet into that case, however it will be a compressed load, that will/could give pretty good performance "with that 77 grain bullet", not so much with a 55 grain bullet though. A couple of months ago I bought eight-pounds of 4831SC at a very premium price because we were low and that is the only powder that I could find at the time. I pretty much shoot 180gr bullets out of the 30-06 and a 300WinMag. Well...........presently it turns out that neither rifle likes this powder, and it is a "very" compressed load with the 30-06 ABLRs. I also load for a .270 Ackley Improved, and figured that I could use this powder all across the boards for all three cartridges; but, presently not so with the .30 calibers. I am looking for better performance with the .270 Ackley. So.......yup 4831 SC can be used to load a 77gr bullet in the 22-250, however not so much with the 55gr bullets the OP was looking for. One last thing, I hope that the OP reads this reply.

You would not want to "stuff a 77 grain bullet into that case" as the 22-250 is a 1-12 twist and it will just key-hole in the target. But, if you like tumbling bullets, it might be fun, just not accurate.

 

[nicholasjohn]

You would not want to "stuff a 77 grain bullet into that case" as the 22-250 is a 1-12 twist and it will just key-hole in the target. But, if you like tumbling bullets, it might be fun, just not accurate.

My 22-250 has a 14" twist. It's an old Sako, and I measured it myself. My buddy's 700 Remington does, too. They will both stabilize spitzer bullets up to 64 grains, as well as the Speer 70-grain semi-spitzer. 69-grain spitzers key-holed; 75-grain spitzers hit the target going sideways. They also make a funny noise sometimes, like a ricochet. Both rifles shot the lighter of these bullets as accurately as they did 55-grain bullets, and we used IMR 4350 for both. We never tried any other powder, faster or slower. Dime-sized groups and good velocity left us no reason try anything else.

 

[UncleDano]

My 22-250 has a 14" twist. It's an old Sako, and I measured it myself. My buddy's 700 Remington does, too. They will both stabilize spitzer bullets up to 64 grains, as well as the Speer 70-grain semi-spitzer. 69-grain spitzers key-holed; 75-grain spitzers hit the target going sideways. They also make a funny noise sometimes, like a ricochet. Both rifles shot the lighter of these bullets as accurately as they did 55-grain bullets, and we used IMR 4350 for both. We never tried any other powder, faster or slower. Dime-sized groups and good velocity left us no reason try anything else.

You are correct - my typo. 1 in 14 twist even more key-hole effect potential.
My bolt .223 has the 1 in 12 twist, and it will key-hole everything over 65 grains.

 

[nicholasjohn]

You are correct - my typo. 1 in 14 twist even more key-hole effect potential.
My bolt .223 has the 1 in 12 twist, and it will key-hole everything over 65 grains.

My old 222 also had a 1-in-12" twist, and did fine with the same bullets as the 22-250. It seems that most manufacturers are offering faster twist barrels in all of these 22-caliber centerfires now, which is probably a good thing. They say that they do about as well with the lighter bullets, and with the heavies they are definitely going to do better.

 

[Alibiiv]

You would not want to "stuff a 77 grain bullet into that case" as the 22-250 is a 1-12 twist and it will just key-hole in the target. But, if you like tumbling bullets, it might be fun, just not accurate.

I agree, essentially that's what I was talking about .