Shawn Carlock
Sponsor
This is not a big alarm but something to be aware of. I had not bought any H1000 or other Hogden powder for over a year, a few days ago a customer of a new 338 Edge came in with a pierced primer issue. He was shooting 92.0 grains of H1000, CCI250, OAL 3.785" and a 300 SMK. This was our standard test load and has ben for some time. We looked at all the normal things that would effect this, heavy weighing scales, short shoulder lengths etc. Finally I chronographed the load and was suprised to fined the load cranking out at 2848 fps instead of the normal 2760 fps I am used to in a 30" barrel. So I opened my newest can of H1000 and loaded some up to find the same numbers with it as well. I lowered the load to 90 grains even to hit 2790-2800 fps and no pressure issues or pierced primers. I loaded our new HTIR II ( Hard Target Interdiction Rifle 2 ) up with 92.0 grains and it shot 2860's with a light bolt stick. I backed it too down to 90 grains for just over 2800 fps and no issues. This is not limited to H1000, my first loads for my 338 Allen Mag were 144 gr of H50 BMG with a 300 SMK @ 3300 fps on the nose. One of my friends I also built one for just last year tried the same load and experienced sticky bolt and ejector marks along with a velocity of 3460 fps. The two rifles have no mechnical differences, same chamber, same barrel demensions, same action, same brass etc. The only difference is that my H50 BMG was purchased 3 years ago and his last fall. I am going to make changes on my website reloading info to reflect this apparent change in burn rates. I just wanted everyone to be informed and careful. We are still having excellent results with all Hogden powders but just using less powder now to do it.
