Pick a powder

[longwinters]

Between IMR and Hodgdons which powder do you generally prefer? Is this a result of shooting both or just because it is the one you started out with? I started out using IMR as well as Reliant but after seeing how H-4831 works in my 280 and also seeing as how so many of the Hodgdon powders are temp insensative I will be looking more at their other powders.

Long

 

[308sako]

Well this is my first Nosler posting so I'll tell you right off that I believe each rifle will have some individual traits or preferences which will determine the answer to your question. As to us as shooters several things enter into the discussion. The first of which is habit,seconded by experience (good or bad) followed too closely sometimes by availability. Also there is the issue of what we are attempting to accomplish with a given handload. Is it pure speed, or tightest groups, best wind resistance, lowest extreme spread, and on and on. I use lots of IMR, but also burn the Hogdgon's, and wish I burned even more. Good shooting. :grin:

 

[longwinters]

308,

You are entirely correct. But when it comes down to "I gotta pick a starting powder for this rifle" what is your preference/leaning.

Long

 

[2ndtimer]

Between IMR and Hodgdons which powder do you generally prefer? Is this a result of shooting both or just because it is the one you started out with? I started out using IMR as well as Reliant but after seeing how H-4831 works in my 280 and also seeing as how so many of the Hodgdon powders are temp insensative I will be looking more at their other powders.

Long

I have tried a little of everything over the years, starting our with Winchester, IMR and then moving to Hodgdon, Alliant (back when it was Hercules) and on to Accurate and now Vihtavuori. Haven't tried any of the Ramshot yet, but since it is cheaper than some of the others, I eventually may. At present, I have been using Vihtavuori N-165, Accurate 4350 and both Hodgdon and IMR 4895. I am not totally sold on the "Extreme" powders, and wonder if Hodgdon isn't just doing some "Extreme" marketing . :roll:
Since I lack the time and technical expertise to properly test their claims, I remain skeptical. It will be interesting to see now that they have acquired IMR if they continue to promote the Hodgdon temperature insensitivity, or if IMR will also magically become Extreme, too!

 

[QuietHunter]

I used to only use IMR because it worked well enough. Now, when starting load development I usually grab Hodgdon and if that does not work I try Alliant.

 

[FOTIS]

Hodgon's always. Less temp sensitive.

 

[Tiny]

When starting out with a new toy to play with I usally pick powders that I already have on hand.Usally that mean's at lest one them is a IMR.

 

[Savage99]

I started with IMR and have burned more 3031 than any powder. All that Hercules made then was HiVel2 and some pistol powders. I have never loaded shotgun shells except brass ones.

Then I got a keg of Ball C1. The data was wrong on that from Hogdon and it was a dirty powder but I sold some and burned it up. That set me off on Hogdon and in particular ball powder. Since then I have used quite a bit of RL 22 and some RL 15. I have not found that those Alliant powders vary all that much as many others report.

The only surplus powder that I have use in quanity was 4831. Hogdon did not have their name on that one. The old 4831, at $.60 a pound, was and still is an outstanding powder.

The few bottles of MagPro I have burned are leaving a film on the necks and maybe the bore of my 270 WSM. I want to find a substitute this year.

I buy powder in the large cans for the most part and that reduces the chances of lot variablity.

My next new powders may be Winchesters WXR and Hogdon's 4831 SC.

I would like to see some proof that Hogdons extreme line are really temperature insensitive. The few cans I shot up were no better than IMR.

Prove it!

 

[longwinters]

It would not really be hard to prove either way. A person would need : to load up loads of similar velocity with same type of each powder, a chronograph and some extreme temperatures. Then thru velocity differences and possibly accuracy differences or POI differences you would know. I can do it all but don't have the chronograph so maybe later this year.

Long