Review Of IMR 8208 XBR-Hogdon's New Benchrest Powder By James Mock

[ADMIN]

Thunderbird T-322 or T-32 has been a favorite powder of top Benchrest shooters since first packaged in the '70's. This was a military surplus powder (Dupont 8208) that was first used by Walt Berger for Benchrest shooting.

Walt was contacted by the folks at Thunderbird Cartridge Company to see if the 8208 that they bought had any application for Benchrest shooting. There were three lots of this surplus powder, and Walt found one to be better than the other two. He got a second opinion from Don Geraci. Both agreed that this one lot had the characteristics for which BR shooters were looking. Read More...

This is a thread for discussion of the article, Review Of IMR 8208 XBR-Hogdon's New Benchrest Powder, By James Mock. Here you can ask questions or make comments about the article.

 

[Alan Griffith]

I have a new Surgeon 591 SA with a 26" MTU contour Krieger in 6.5x47. I may be able to obtain some 8208 and was wondering if you thought it might work for something in the 123 gr class bullet? I realize 8208 is a bit fast powder but I might be willing to sacrifice some speed for accruacy and consistency.

Alan

 

[royinidaho]

Timely and informative article.

Just happened to be in a store this afternoon and "think" I saw a bottle of this powder.

I have to go by there tomorrow. If it is this powder I'll snap it up. I have a project nearing its completion for which this stuff may well be the ticket.

Great article.

 

[simonsaorsa]

So what is new? Hodgdon buying in yet another powder from ADI of Australia for its Extreme range. Isn't this just ADI's AR2219 rebranded by Hodgdon? Check out the ADI website - ADI's Smokeless Powders Handloaders Guide. And guess what - yes ADI is owned by those nice French people at Thales.

Many Reloder powders come from Bofors in Sweden who also supply Norma and RWS of Germany,a sRe17 comes from Switzerland.

I reckon quite a few of the Winchester powders come from Belgium. Some of the Accurate powders seem likely to come from the Czech Republic.

Just how much of your own powders do you guys think is made in the USA these days? Just like us Brits, you've outsourced.
We were in the daft situation a while back of buying in our artillery ammo from South Africa. Next we'll be buying our planes from the Russians ...

 

[ForneyRider]

Isn't 8208 XBR just H-Benchmark or ADI Benchmark 2?

http://www.adi-limited.com/handloaders-guide/

 

[smithcha]

ADI make great powder be glad we can get under Hogdon's brand here in US. Varget has delivered accuracy and stable powder for my hunting rifles now I cant wait to try IMR 8208 XBR another ADI powder.gun)

 

[Ben22]

u r talking about 4th edition ADI powder hm???

 

[Alan Griffith]

Tried the Berger 130 VLD in my big 6.5*47 Lapua. Also my 16" .223 with 75 Hornady bthp match as well as 9.3*62mm with 250 Accubond. All three gave great to incredible accuracy, consistency, but lacks in velocity.

Alan

 

[rjaxon]

gun)I use hogden 8208xbr in my 6br and my .223 with light bullets with excelent results. rjaxon

 

[kweidner]

great for 175 smk in a .308 too. It meters like a dream compared to the others in the extreme line.

 

[Aldon]

I just got a couple pounds and am just starting work on 223 in 65 and 77 gr sierra loads and 6.5x55 I am working up a load with the 129 gr Hornady.

I too really like the metering capability and the consitancy of weight through the powder measure.

Too soon to determine if it will give me the accuracy I wish but it should. I will sacrifice a bit of speed for really tight groups and temperature insensitivity. Metering is icing on the proverbial cake.

 

[GB3]

I use 8208 XBR in my .22-250 factory Rem 700 24" bbl. I run 40 gr. Ballistic Tips. My gun loves it, it pulls 1/2" groups and shoots fast, 4250 fps. This powder is not sensitive to temp at all. Between shooting on a bench at 80 degrees to shooting coyotes at 0 degrees, I noticed no diffrence in point of aim. 8208 is prime time stuff in my book.

 

[65WSM]

I read the stories on the 6mm BR website and believed that VihtaVuori N-133 was "the" most consistant powder. I had a can of IMR 8208 and tried it after a scope change on my 6mm PPC to "just get on paper". I ran a chronograph and was impressed with the extreme spread and SD. It was a HMMMM? moment.lightbulb

After testing IMR 3031, H-335, R-15, 2000-MR, VV N-530 and N-540, N-133, H-4895, in the caliber, I ordered a .204 Ruger custom barrel thinking I would run N-540 with 40gr Sierras. By the time the barrel arrived, I was even more impressed with 8208. It is within 30 fps of N-540. Both powders are much faster than the rest of the pack. With HBN coated bullets I am sure my pressure is below what is listed in the Hodgdon website for maximum load of 28.2 gr yet the velocity is over 3900 fps. It takes more pressure to beat it with VV N-540 and it is harder to measure because of its coarse grain size.

I am building a .20 PPC now and plan to use 8208 early and often.

 

[brentc]

8208 shoots like a dream in my 6.5 Grendel AR. I get top velocity, great accuracy, temp stability, and low ES which is sometimes hard to find in a small semi auto. I use it with bullet weights from 107 up through 130.