H4895.

Quickly becoming one of my favorite powders. A very versatile powder and accuracy and speed has so far gotten high marks. Does very well in my old 250 savage, and exceptional in an old 8x57 Mauser with 150 grain bullets. Speed is good with both.

Just out of curiosity I worked up a load with 150 grain bullets in my Springfield. Found a load near the top that will work. Didn't chrono this yet but it should be north of 2850.



This rifle has been a work in progress trying to squeeze the last drop out of an action and barrel that's near 80 yrs old. Bedded the action and bottom metal, trigger work on the original military trigger, cut 2" off the barrel due to poor rifling at the end, and re-crowned it. Finally getting the consistency along with the accuracy potential.

I put a new firing pin spring in it as I figured it couldn't hurt due to it's age, and loaded up 3 the same as the above target. That got me almost another 1/4".

That's a great deer load, that old rifle is shooting well. H 4985 is one of the most versatile powders out there, we used it in my wife's 6.5x55 for starter loads and I currently use it in my BLR 358 Win and the 180 gr Speer Hot Cor. Definitely one of those powders to keep in stock on the bench since it does so much well.

Thanks Gerry. I'm gonna try H4895 in my 6mm next, and I doubt it will disappoint with that one either. Might try it in a 22-250 also.

Hated to cut 2" off this gun, but I believe in the end it was for the best. Had nothing to lose. I marked it with tape, cut it off with a hacksaw, then lightly filed it until it showed flat on top with a carpenters square from all directions. Crowned it with a countersink bit.

Not less than an inch like the other 2, but it also doesn't do terrible with the same bullets and about as much IMR 4350 as I can get under it. This load would be a good bit faster...not a bench load but a decent shooting stout hunting load if I need it. This was before I put the new firing pin spring in it.

I just made up a bunch of 30-06 with 50.0gr of H4895 under a 150 HDY FBSP at 3.211" OAL. Should be right at 2900fps. H4895 runs easy through a powder throw so I just loaded them that way.

Loads like that are pure vanilla ice cream- just easy to like and I'd bet a mountain of meat has hit the dirt from them.

I use it for 50gr bullets in my .220 Swift.

hodgeman":thr7mv5t said:

I just made up a bunch of 30-06 with 50.0gr of H4895 under a 150 HDY FBSP at 3.211" OAL. Should be right at 2900fps. H4895 runs easy through a powder throw so I just loaded them that way.

Loads like that are pure vanilla ice cream- just easy to like and I'd bet a mountain of meat has hit the dirt from them.

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Quite a few loads like that in different calibers that just plain work and have for a long time. Makes me wonder why we sometimes (myself included) chase hypotheticals and 50fps more with a different powder or new bullet. Part of the fun I guess.

Bruce Mc":thr7mv5t said:

I use it for 50gr bullets in my .220 Swift.

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Good to hear Bruce. I'm likely gonna be working up loads for a friends 220 Swift, was gonna try H380 and still might, but I got plenty of H4895 now so I'll see which it likes best.

I never tried H4895 before and I have 2 pounds of H4895's and some 155's to burn in the 308 soon. Is it true that H4895 is cooler than Varget which I always used?

I like the ability to use it in reduced loads. Loaded some 300 wsm using reduced load. Recoil was minimum very low.


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I use a bunch of H4895, and like others have said, it is probably one of the powders you could use for about anything if you had to. Works super with the 308 sized stuff and really well with light stuff from bigger cases and there is no match when using reduced loads. It's one I keep around and it is excellent in my Whelen.

I load 37grs of H4895 in my 220 swift for a velocity of 3950 fps. Its very consistent across alot of temps.

Scotty, although I've yet to use it in that manner that's one of the appeals of it also to me. According to Hodgdon any cartridge and bullet weight that H4895 is listed for you can safely reduce the MAX load listed by a whopping 60% then work up from there if desired. Pretty handy powder for sure.

ShadeTree":199yaffw said:

Scotty, although I've yet to use it in that manner that's one of the appeals of it also to me. According to Hodgdon any cartridge and bullet weight that H4895 is listed for you can safely reduce the MAX load listed by a whopping 60% then work up from there if desired. Pretty handy powder for sure.

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It's really good at that. I goofed around with it in the 243 with 80-90's and the 6.5 Swede with 120 and 123 grain bullets. Ran them around 2400-2500 and they were so much fun to shoot. My daughters 7-08 uses the 120 BT around 2500 and it is a complete cream puff.

Back when I had a bunch of 06's I loaded 51 grains of IMR-4895 behind a 150 gr Nosler for deer. It's a great combination.

Elkman":2mzpls8a said:

Back when I had a bunch of 06's I loaded 51 grains of IMR-4895 behind a 150 gr Nosler for deer. It's a great combination.

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Any man that makes such a statement suggesting he no longer has 06's, I question his wisdom and judgement. Lol. Just kidding, couldn't resist.

ShadeTree":3hni1tva said:

Elkman":3hni1tva said:

Back when I had a bunch of 06's I loaded 51 grains of IMR-4895 behind a 150 gr Nosler for deer. It's a great combination.

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Any man that makes such a statement suggesting he no longer has 06's, I question his wisdom and judgement. Lol. Just kidding, couldn't resist.

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He used the term "bunch" ST.... I'd bet a dollar he has a "couple" kicking around somewhere that he has forgotten about.. :lol:

ST—- I have a low number 03 that has been customized very similar to yours. My SIL uses it for what little hunting he does. I had 6 at one time this one is the 7th. I moved up to the 300 WM and never saw the need for another .

Elkman":2mr2w58c said:

ST—- I have a low number 03 that has been customized very similar to yours. My SIL uses it for what little hunting he does. I had 6 at one time this one is the 7th. I moved up to the 300 WM and never saw the need for another .

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Ha, I was just busting on ya Elkman, nothing wrong with a 300 for sure. On game it's an 06 with more speed and reach. Good cartridge.

H4895 has been a very good powder for lot's of applications for a long time. Last week I was tinkering with 6.5CM loads with Hornady 123gr ELD-M bullets and Nosler 123gr Custom Comp. Decided to give H4895 a go....best five shot groups so far in two CM rifles. Varget and H4350 both gave good groups with these bullets but 4895 was a bit better. Something about "newer doesn't always mean better." came to mind.

My favorite powder. I use it for almost every load my family shoots, in .30-06, .308 and 7mm-08. I don't get dazzling velocity from any of them, but I get consistent, accurate loads at regular ol' velocities. It doesn't seem very sensitive to temps, it's great for reduced kid loads and the fast burn helps reduce muzzle flash in my 19" 7600 carbine.

I use H-4895 in Hart barrel 222mag and Rem factory 222mag.