Your opinion on the different 4350 powders?

[Kennibear]

Hey I really need some input here.

My last can of many cans of DuPont IMR 4350 is about empty. It is not worth using to develop loads as nobody has 20+ year old powder on the shelves.

I am looking for good groups and repeatable data, that is powder that has a tight lot to lot burn rate with little variation. It will be used in 30/06- 180gr GMK, 300 WinMag with 150gr and lighter cup and core bullets, and 375 Ruger for 270-300 grain bullets.
As I will be using it for three rifles I will end up buying three 8lb jugs. That is a lot of $ these days so I am going to do my due diligence.

Thank you all in advance. This website has more experience than all the others combined in the resources of the members. Most of the other websites have too much BS so LRH tends to be my only research tool.

KB

 

[sourdough44]

Right now I have H and IMR 4350 on the shelf. I like both, had good luck with both, and would not be able to pick one that is 'better'. Powder may be coming back some, but still hard to find exactly what you are looking for. I'd about buy what I see 1st at a fair price.

 

[Trnelson]

Possibly give some thought to R-17 and Norma URP. Both are similar in burn rate to the aforementioned 4350's... I use each of those powders and have found satisfactory results in my rifles that utilize that burnrate. Just a thought. YMMV

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I use both I and h4350; both are decent for what they do but you may find rl17 will do well too.

Powder prices are getting crazy lately..... $200 for a 8# keg of single base powder???? I was paying $ 100-150 just a few years back.. Can't seem to find any mil-surp lately either... should probably look at making my own powder but that is a real pain too. It's easier from what I've read to make serpentine black powder (coarse mix- not caked and broken) but that's another "why bother" as I only burn a pound or two of powder a year in my front stuffer.

 

[RT2506]

I have used H 4350, IMR 4350 and Accurate 4350 with great success in lots of calibers. H-4350 is just a bit slower burning than IMR and AA. I can't tell much difference between IMR and AA 4350. I would just get which one I could find and live with it.

 

[Swamplord]

Last month I used both IMR 4350 and H 4350 to work up loads in my wildcat 375 PRO with 300 gr Accubond and 300 gr A-Frame bullets

the powder was new, current stuff on the market, I was fortunate to find six 1 lb cans of each with same mfg date/lot# to work on my loading data.

300 gr Accubonds.....starting loads at 83 gr IMR 4350 clocked at 2721 fps and H 4350 clocked 2742 fps

89 gr IMR 4350 = 2925 fps and H 4350 2918 fps...

both powders produced similar velocities but H 4350 showed better accuracy in this barrel/ bullet/seating depth combo so I continued to work with it once I reached a safe max load at 90.0 grs......


300 gr Accubonds with 90 gr H 4350 6 shot ave. clocked 2946 fps at .974" & 1.075" groups

300 gr A- Frames with 90 gr H 4350 9 shot ave. clocked 2947 fps with some nice groups at .314", .483" & .573"

more info here.....

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/375-norma-127219/index7.html

 

[Kennibear]

Trnelson
I have always considered other powders but 4350 is for developed loads. Not wanting to start over. AA2700, VV150/550, RL 17, Norma 204, or Hybrid 100V are all in the same burn rate and AA 2700 was available locally.
Lefty7mmstw
Last two kegs I bought paid $88/each delivered (AA 2460). I have seen the prices go from $140 to $200/8lbs in less than 6 months. It is scary.
RT2506
Copy your evaluation of IMR/AA 4350. Two other members have stated that IMR 4350 is made at GD Canada and Western Powders/ Accurate states on their website that AA 4350 is also made in Canada. I suspect from my most recent research (10 minutes ago) that IMR and AA are the same product.
Swamplord
Thanks for the post on your results. I cannot find H4350 right now but I am leaning that way. Hodgdon's lists most loads between H4350 and IMR4350 with H4350 slightly heavier charges and corresponding velocity increases.

There was a shelf full of AA 4350 at the local Sportsman's Warehouse about 6 months ago- limit two cans per customer. They and Sportco had Retumbo (with the same lot number oddly) at the same time. Limited budget made me choose 8- 1lb cans of Retumbo and the next week H322 showed up and 7- 1lb cans went home with me. By then the AA 4350 was long gone. That prompted this thread as I wanted more insight when more 4350 shows up.

My current thirst for rifle powders is: Retumbo, H322, 4350, Superformance, RL19, RL22, H1000 (I had to choose between H1000 and Retumbo which won the coin toss), AA2700, RamShot Hunter, CFE223, and WW748. In 8lb kegs that represents $2200. The Scandinavian powders are all but unobtainable or otherwise my list would be longer.

As of right now H4350 is at the top of the 4350 list. But if I can only find one of the others....

KB

 

[Kennibear]

Swamplord

Followed that thread awhile back but just got updated. Using IMR4350 in a 375 Ruger I went to book max of 83gr with the 375- 300gr AB and got a disappointing 2600fps w/ 26" barrel. Very low pressure. But the AB has no more room left with 83gr- IMR4350 under it. I am going to Superformance and the discontinued Hornady 300gr Interlock SpBT. I will post my results.

Are those loads anywhere near 100% density?

KB

 

[Swamplord]

wierdest place I ever got powder was on Facebook !!
true story ! in my area there is a local page dedicated to reloading stuff https://m.facebook.com/groups/670926226250836

I traded off powder I didn't need for stuff I really needed,

might want to check your area for a similar page

 

[Swamplord]

Swamplord

Followed that thread awhile back but just got updated. Using IMR4350 in a 375 Ruger I went to book max of 83gr with the 375- 300gr AB and got a disappointing 2600fps w/ 26" barrel. Very low pressure. But the AB has no more room left with 83gr- IMR4350 under it. I am going to Superformance and the discontinued Hornady 300gr Interlock SpBT. I will post my results.

Are those loads anywhere near 100% density?

KB

have you tried faster powders than the 4350's ? H414, H380 , RL 15, Big Game should get you better pressure/velocity, heck I'd even try Varget and IMR 4320

with 90 gr of IMR 4350 and the 300 gr Accubond case is getting pretty full, once bullet is seated I shake it near my ear and still can hear powder moving around, probably have room for a few more grains before getting into lightly compressed loads, same thing with H 4350, although there is room to seat bullet out some to add more room, the Accubond load needs some messin' with seating depth as 1" groups at 100 yards are not acceptable

I recently got my hands on 4 boxes of the 300 gr Hornady Interlock bullets, can't wait to try them out, always had excellent accuracy with Interlocks in my 300 Win Mag and 6.5x55 Swede