IMR 4451 and IMR 4831

TackDriver284

Handloader
Feb 13, 2016
2,560
2,140
Headed out of town to run some errands and thought about the powder shortages on the way,,,something bugged me to give a gun shop a call which was an hour away. I asked if they had any Varget, H4350, H1000 or H4831SC laying around to grab and they said they were out and i asked what they do have and the response was 9 pounds of IMR 4451 Enduron and 5 pounds of IMR 4831 and I requested they hold them for me till I got there. Since the powder shortages are everywhere, I decided to grab all those powders and bring them home.
I never used IMR 4451 or the IMR 4831 and does anyone have any success with these two powders and for what caliber?
 
I seem to have read that 4451 does well in the 30-06, and 4831 has been around for about forever. It's a well-proven powder that I've used in several different rifle cartridges.

Guy
 
I’ve used IMR 4831 in many cartridges.
22-250, 243, 3006, 300WSM.

Nice powder.


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Haven't used it yet, but I've got a couple pounds of 4451 set aside for my 6.5 Creed. By all reports, it's a very good powder for that caliber.
 
Been using H-4831 for decades, IMR is similar. 4451 has a similar burn rate as H-4350
 
I read that IMR 4451 has almost the same burn rate as H4350 which I use for my 6.5 Creedmoor. Deciding to see if the IMR 4451 will work for the 6.5 x 284 that come in a few months since I barely have 3 pounds left of H4831SC which worked so well for the older 6.5 x 284. I see on the Nosler Reloading data that it does not show 4451 for the 140 grain bullets, but shows H414 and H4831, now my question is since H414 is faster than the IMR 4451 and H4831 is slower than IMR 4451, so does that mean that I can experiment with 4451 for the 6.5 x 284 even though 4451 powder is not listed in the manual for that caliber? I'm looking at the Burn rates as I am typing this up.

The IMR 4831 is the same burn rate as H4831SC, I could try that in the 6.5 x 284 as well. IMR 4831 is the longer grain version, hopefully have room in the 284 case using bullets from 140 to 156 grains since its a 7.5 twist.
 
I use IMR 4451 in my grandson's 260 Rem giving MOA or better groups. Have not tried it in any other calibers yet. IMR 4831 has proven to be a winner in the 270 Win and 7mm Rem Mag plus the 243 Win. Dan.
 
IMR 4451 has worked well for me in the 3-06 with 180 grain bullets. Good accuracy and reasonable velocity. Good luck.. Rol
 
I have had great results with 4451 in 30-06 with 165 gr bullets, 2925 velocity with Single digit SD/ES and 1/2 moa groups. Also had luck with 4451 in the 270. I have successfully used IMR 4831 in 243, 270 and 7 mag. Speeds with 4831 have not been top notch but accuracy has been.
 
TackDriver284":2s5sxxx0 said:
Deciding to see if the IMR 4451 will work for the 6.5 x 284...

The IMR 4831 is the same burn rate as H4831SC, I could try that in the 6.5 x 284 as well. IMR 4831 is the longer grain version, hopefully have room in the 284 case using bullets from 140 to 156 grains since its a 7.5 twist.

Both powders should work well in the 6.5 x 284 - Hodgdon lists a good number of loads with both - https://shop.hodgdon.com/reloading-data ... 1612808627.

I do see reduced copper fouling with IMR 4451 and some bullets but not others. I'm using somewhere around 42-43 grains in the 6.5 Creed using 130 grain Game Changer bullets and copper fouling is very mild. It does seem to burn a little dirty though, might be the copper being encapsulated by the carbon / tin mix.

I find IMR 4831 to be a bit faster in burn rate and speed than H4831 or H4831sc. I've been moving away from it and towards H4831sc when shooting heavier bullets and IMR 4451 for the lighter and midweight bullets. In the 280 Rem / AI it does very well with 140-154 grain bullets and I've loaded 175 grain NP which is a good combo. I've used it in the 30-06, but it has been replaced by IMR 4451.

Hodgdon likewise lists 6.5 x 284 loads with IMR 4831 and they show it as a faster burning powder. With a 142 grain they show 46.2 grains of IMR 4831 at 2,692 fps and 50.3 grains of H4831 at 2714 fps. With a 140 grain bullet they show 1.7 grains less IMR 4831 for about 40 fps gain over H4831sc.
 
Hope you meant you bought each of them, not all they had. That would be why we are having a shortage of powder.
 
IMR4831 is NOT a longer grain version of H4831. It s burn rate is faster. It lies between the 4350 and H4831 powders. As others have said it is an excellent powder in a number of cartridges from 22-250 heavy bullets to 300 Win Mag. I ve even had success with it in the 338 WM with heavy bullets and the 375 UM !!

Good score on both those powders !
 
frankm":36aaxs76 said:
Good score on both those powders !
Thank you.
I meant I used the H4831SC for the 6.5 x 284, and the smaller grains gives room in the 284 case, I havent opened the IMR 4831 to see if the grains are the same size as the H4831SC or a tad longer, case fill was my concern, but I'll grab a case tomorrow and fill one up with a max dose of IMR 4831 and see what % fill I'll have.
 
Ive shot 4451 in the 6.5creed and my 7x57 and both loadings performed great. I did NOT see any evidence of copper eliminating from the 4451 but you may or may not in your rifles.

4831 has been good to me in a 270 and Ive also used it for 140 to 150gr bullets in my 280 Ackley.
 
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