H-4831sc, The Zero Use Powder

[blacktailhunter]

It's funny how over the years loading countless different cartridges in many different rifles that I have never gained acceptable end results with H-4831 or the short-cut version. This is supposed to be the "go to" powder-or darn close to it- for just about any bottle-necked cartridge one could handload. It is the foundation for so many pet loads, yet I have never been satisfied with the results.

The 30-06 was the first cartridge for which I developed handloads. This is about the only time that I hadn't tried H-4831. The real reason for that was my inexperience, so I had a friend guide me along with what has worked for him, IMR-4350. 56.5gr under a 165grn Hornady BTSP, and I was in business. That tang-safety M77 had just become a tack driver!

As far as cartridges that got the honors of H-4831 stuffed down their throats first, that list starts with the .243 Win, 25-06 Rem, 257 Roberts, 270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag, 300 Win Mag, and 270WSM. Most calibers under .284 were loaded with heavy for caliber bullets while the rest were in the mid-weight range. I even revisted two 25-06's, two 270's and one 7 Mag with H-4831 after confirming acceptable loads with other powders. I wanted to make sure that it wasn't just a new rifle on a few occasions or just a difference in loading technique. All the above mentioned rifles ended up with close or well under MOA handloads by switching powders. Unfortunately, H-4831 failed me miserably in many cases.

Why would I mention this? Exactly what is my point? I'm not sure that there is a real valid point other than what is popular with most has not been popular with me at all in these circumstances. Do I just have a powder jinx or something? Just to show you how crazy I really am, tomorrow I am range testing a friends new .243, and some of the loads I have started with consist of, you guessed it, H-4831sc. This time I am going to shoot the IMR7828 loads first, followed by the W780 loads just so there won't be any surprises when the H-4831sc loads show a shotgun pattern! Who knows, I just might find a use for it after all.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

WOW. My experience is just the opposite. Nothing but good luck with H4831/H4831sc, so long as I don't use Fed215 primers with it. For small to medium cases, such as .243 and .270 Winchester, CCI 200's work about the best. I've had similar experience with H4350. For me, some ball powders won't shoot well with anything except Fed215's. Some components just don't play well with other. Looks like you've chosen 3 good powders, I would expect at least one of them to shoot.

But if you can't figure out any uses for the H4831, you can always send it to me! :grin:

 

[DrMike]

I've used H4831 (and H4831SC), and I use it. There aren't many cartridges that I use it for as I seem always to gravitate to other powders. However, I can't say that it doesn't work. It is just that some other powders work better for a given cartridge. For instance, in the 280, H4831 gave me good velocity and very fine groups with Nosler 140 AB. However, RL19 was marginally better in accuracy, though the velocity was virtually identical. With the 154 grain Hornady SP in the 280, H4831 gave me good groups and good velocity, but Rottweil R905 has a significantly higher velocity and provides marginally better accuracy. With Swift 150 grain Sciroccos in the 7mm RM, H4831SC gave excellent accuracy and velocity, but RL22 was marginally better. Consequently, in each of these instances I went with another powder, but I would certainly hate to divest myself of the H4831.

 

[Ol` Joe]

Althought I shoot a different set of cartridges - 270, 6.5x55, 6.5x284, 260 30-08 - my experiance with H4831 mirrors Dr Mike. I don`t always find it giving the very best load but, it always is right up close and never truely a bad choice.

 

[Bigwheels]

I can say that I've had mixed results with H-4831sc in both my 338WM, & 300WM. I could get good groups with it, but velocities were marginal as compared with H-4350, & H-1000 in the same rifles. Both use heavy for caliber bullets. 250 AB's in my 338, & 208 A-Max, & 210 Bergers in the 300.

 

[hardpan]

Hi there,
I use IMR 4831 and federal 215 primers for my 7MM wby, .264 win mag and my brothers 258 wby mag. Groups are outstanding. I have ok (1/2 inch groups) with it in my .300 wby and another 7mm wby mag. Not sure about H, but it is one of my favorite powders along with imr 7828,
Hardpan

 

[FOTIS]

Althought I shoot a different set of cartridges - 270, 6.5x55, 6.5x284, 260 30-08 - my experiance with H4831 mirrors Dr Mike. I don`t always find it giving the very best load but, it always is right up close and never truely a bad choice.

Same here!

 

[wingnut]

Long, long time ago in a land far, far away, there was only H4831 and H870. Those were the choices for slow rifle powders. Since the advent of RL-22 and follow-ons during the last 30 years, there is now a plethora of choices that fill the gap. Many newer powders work better than H4831 in a given circumstance.

 

[Bruce Mc]

Most of my old pet loads that included H-4831 have been replaced by loads of Reloder 22 or H-1000. Re 22 has provided better velocity and accuracy in my .257 Roberts, 270 Win, and 7mm Rem Mag. But I found Re 22 to be a tad temperature sensative in the 7mm rem mag and H-1000 has proven to be the ticket for both accuracy and velocity in the mag.

 

[Charlie-NY]

H4831 was THE powder of choice in my 6.5x284 launching 140gr bullets. Great velocity and unmatched accuracy. H4350 ran a close second place.

 

[longwinters]

For my 280 and other family members 270's (2) H4831 and SC are absolute tops. Between that, H4350 and Reloader 15 I don't need any other powders.....course I have others just in case I find something that doesn't like my BIG THREE. :wink:

Long

 

[JD338]

I have had good luck with 4831. In 280 Rem, H4831SC is top notch with a 160 gr PT.

JD338

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I have used the H4831sc in a 25-06 w/110g AB's and in a 270 win w/150g SBT's. They both shot lights out. It was just another powder to try, never stuck with it...

 

[YoteSmoker]

A near-max load of H4831SC with 130-140 grain bullets worked well in two 270s I loaded for. I have not used this powder for anything else, but will for sure give it a try with the 280.

 

[blacktailhunter]

Well, no real surprizes today at the range, but H-4831 wasn't the total loser for me like in the past. The IMR7828ssc with the 90 grain Nosler E-Tip was the winner in a class by itself. Once we realized this was going to be the load to use, three of us each shot three shots at the same target over a period of about an hour, for we were working with four other rifles. That 9-shot group mesured 1.217" out-side to out-side. Extreme spread was under 40fps with a standard deviation of just 11fps. My friend calls this his 30-30 load, for the first shot on the first 3 groups measured exactly 3030fps. W780 shot well enough to hunt with, but about every 3rd or 4th shot regisered almost 160fps faster than the previous group average. H-4831 was nothing to write home about, but it was nothing do dismiss either. All groups were between 1" and 1.3" with nothing under or over that. Velocity averages were almost the same as the IMR7828ssc loads but not nearly as consistent. I could probably tweak this load and gain some improvents, but I don't see that happening.

This particular rifle was a Remington 700 SPS Stainless with a Nikon
3-9x40 BDC. After my friend's 15 year-old daughter shot a nice 3" group at 200yds off the shooting sticks, she decided that it was going to be her primary rifle for her upcoming mule deer hunt. It's not a huge change for her since her regular rifle is a M700 7-08. Hopefully I will get a report on how those E-Tips work!

 

[coyotetrapper]

Well I have had great luck with H-4831 SC in my .243 using nosler brass and winchester primers. 43 grains and nosler 95 BT makes tiny and very repeatable groups. Plus SD is below 10. I can get more velocity with other powders but group size and SD is the best with H-4831sc.

I have used it with nosler 90's,95's and Berge 95VLDs all with low SD and good grouping it is just my rem rifle likes the 95 nosler BT's the best.