284 win, and h4831 sc

[C. Collins]

Here she goes, who else uses h4831 SC in the 284 win? What are your estimated velocities, and did you go another route? Some info on my part, 31.5" barrel, 9 twist Bartlein 5r, 53 gr. Of powder and a 210match primer pushing a 180 gr. Smk at approximately 2650-2700 fps. This is based on my correction from 100 to 300 and 300 to 600. Thanks
Chris

 

[rwh38238]

Brux 1-9 twist 24in. with brake
55.3 H4831sc
180 Berger 180 Hybrid 20 thou off lands
Lapua Brass
CCI BR-2 Primer
2706 FPS Average measured with Magneto speed V3

 

[bsumoba]

It's not a 284, but a 284 Shehane....

My fireform load, which is essentially a 284, is 54gr H4831SC. Velocity is around 2760 I think. Super accurate! I shoot it out to 600 yards. I tried it at 1000 yards, but my wind reading didn't help and I don't recall the vertical.

 

[ShootDots]

Here she goes, who else uses h4831 SC in the 284 win? What are your estimated velocities, and did you go another route? Some info on my part, 31.5" barrel, 9 twist Bartlein 5r, 53 gr. Of powder and a 210match primer pushing a 180 gr. Smk at approximately 2650-2700 fps. This is based on my correction from 100 to 300 and 300 to 600. Thanks
Chris

I believe there are 3 "PRIMARY" powders used in either the .284 or it's Shehane brother. In order of burn rate, they are: H4350, H4831SC and IMR 7828. Of those H4831SC is, I believe, the most prominent... It is extremely accurate, has very low e.s.'s and is very temp stable. It would be difficult to find a better powder for those rounds. According to the Hodgdon manual, you can go up to 57.0grs. I do believe that if you reach for max, you will loosen primer pockets quickly. With a straight .284, if you stay in the 54.0 to 55.0gr range, with either H4831SC or IMR 7828 and you will be fine.

 

[turbo54]

With my 27" barrel, I see 2825fps from a 175smk over 54gr H4831sc.

From my 23.5" barrel, it's more like 2700, so I use 50gr H4350 instead, which nets ~2775fps.

 

[JamesnTN]

With my 27" barrel, I see 2825fps from a 175smk over 54gr H4831sc.

From my 23.5" barrel, it's more like 2700, so I use 50gr H4350 instead, which nets ~2775fps.

I don't see how you guys are supposibly getting the velocities you say? I'm using 57.5 grains of 4831sc and my velocity is just 2864 fps and this is from a 30" barrel. This is from my 284 Shehane, not a 284. I must really have a slow barrel is all I can say.

 

[bsumoba]

With my 27" barrel, I see 2825fps from a 175smk over 54gr H4831sc.

From my 23.5" barrel, it's more like 2700, so I use 50gr H4350 instead, which nets ~2775fps.

I don't see how you guys are supposibly getting the velocities you say? I'm using 57.5 grains of 4831sc and my velocity is just 2864 fps and this is from a 30" barrel. This is from my 284 Shehane, not a 284. I must really have a slow barrel is all I can say.

That is a little slow for a 284 shehane and 180gr hybrids.

I am getting 2890 fps with a 30" bartlein 5R barrel, 56.8gr H4831SC and 4831SC.

My fireform load of 54gr is 2760ish if I remember correctly...again a 30" barrel.

 

[brxbrad]

2830fps. 32* bartlein. 54.5 gns. 4831sc. tula lrm. lapua brass. 180 berger vlds.

 

[Elwood]

With my 27" barrel, I see 2825fps from a 175smk over 54gr H4831sc.

From my 23.5" barrel, it's more like 2700, so I use 50gr H4350 instead, which nets ~2775fps.

I don't see how you guys are supposibly getting the velocities you say? I'm using 57.5 grains of 4831sc and my velocity is just 2864 fps and this is from a 30" barrel. This is from my 284 Shehane, not a 284. I must really have a slow barrel is all I can say.

There is some slow H4831SC out there, I know I have some and so did a fellow shooter, but please don't ask for the lot number as I have since decanted mine into another batch.

Both myself and my freind had been using 4831SC in our Shehanes and had been getting 2940 fps from a 31 inch Bartlein and 180 gr VLD's.
Eight tubs of 4831Sc became available during the UK shortage and naturally we grabbed them all, but when it came to using the powder neither of our rifles performed and we both noticed having to use a lot more elevation at 600 yards which we attributed to the cold weather at the time. Curiosity got the better of us and we put the rifles over a chronograph (Magneto) and we had velocities of 2830 and 2850 fps, which verified our 600 yard drops.
We have since had another batch of 4831SC and this is faster than the original lot we used, using our go to load in the Shehanes over 3000 fps was achieved which is obviously way to fast. Half a grain less and the velocity came back down to where we wanted it to be.

I agree 100% with Shootdots.

284, 55.6 gr 4831SC, BR2, 31 inch Bartlein and 180 Hybrids 2860 fps

 

[6mmcldasher]

With my 27" barrel, I see 2825fps from a 175smk over 54gr H4831sc.

From my 23.5" barrel, it's more like 2700, so I use 50gr H4350 instead, which nets ~2775fps.

I don't see how you guys are supposibly getting the velocities you say? I'm using 57.5 grains of 4831sc and my velocity is just 2864 fps and this is from a 30" barrel. This is from my 284 Shehane, not a 284. I must really have a slow barrel is all I can say.

James; you should check your speed on another crony . at 57.5 I'm running 2990 to 3000 fps , a lower node at 56.3 is more accurate , it runs at 2915fps , I found 7828 runs a little faster but in both my shehanes 4350 is the most accurate running at 2880 to 2900fps.

My .284 lives on a diet of 7828 at 52.8g. if I go any higher it pressures up. I can't run it up in the 55g zone where most of the guys run. it likes 7828 and 4350 but never shot well on 4831.

 

[swampshooter]

My best accuracy node in my 284 shooting 180 SMK is 53 gr H-4831sc/ Fed. 210. 32" Bartlein 5R barrel. Velocity runs 2795/2800 fps. 100 yd. groups average in the .3's, 300 yd. accuracy around 1" or slightly less. Bullets are sorted and pointed.
Pressures must be very reasonable because I'm still shooting Lapua cases with 20 loads through them.

 

[rpierce]

55.4 gr of 4831sc, cci BR2 in my 32" barrels is around 2850 with a 180 hybrid. The fireforming load I settled on for my 284 shehane is the same as bsumoba's. 54gr 4831sc with 180 hybrid off the lands. I took an old barrel with 2000 rounds through it and cut 2" off the back and 1" off the front and chambered it in shehane. It shot a 200-17x and two 200-15x's last weekend at a 600 yd fclass match while forming brass. Total score for the weekend was 1592-92x total out of 1600. Not bad for an old barrel forming brass. Oh and the points I lost were due to wind not vertical.

 

[bsumoba]

55.4 gr of 4831sc, cci BR2 in my 32" barrels is around 2850 with a 180 hybrid. The fireforming load I settled on for my 284 shehane is the same as bsumoba's. 54gr 4831sc with 180 hybrid off the lands. I took an old barrel with 2000 rounds through it and cut 2" off the back and 1" off the front and chambered it in shehane. It shot a 200-17x and two 200-15x's last weekend at a 600 yd fclass match while forming brass. Total score for the weekend was 1592-92x total out of 1600. Not bad for an old barrel forming brass. Oh and the points I lost were due to wind not vertical.

That is the beauty of the 284 Shehane. You still get excellent accuracy even out of a fireform load....although, you can say that about a lot of other fireforming calibers like the 6 dasher among others. They are all good even fireforming.

But, if we have a crappy day, we can then blame it on fireforming right? :

 

[normmatzen]

I have since switched to 162 gr A-MAX in my 30" Bartlein straight 284 WIN. But, I originally was shooting 180 gr Berger Hybrids (By the way, I use hBN) and was getting 2845 fps with 55.5 gr H4831sc. No sign of primer pockets opening.

H4831sc became un-obtanium so as I use RL-17 in many other guns and it is readily available at my ranges shop, I changed to RL17.
I had tried RL-17 a few years ago when I first started BR with a 243 WIN that I used H1000 in for better barrel life ( it worked) and tried RL-17 but couldn't get it to work as well as H1000.
Since I have shifted to RL-17, I have done well with 162 A-MAX as well, 52gr RL-17 gives about 2950 fps.
With 180 Hybrids, 52.1 gr yields about 2845 fps.

I know RL-17 is not as temp stable, but I store my ammo in an insulated bag till I go to the bench. Haven't had a problem from winter to warm spring. I had no problem years ago with my 243 WIN as well with ammo kept cool.

 

[BradY]

Amazed that so many people dont use H4350 as the go to powder for the 284 and 284 shehane.

 

[ShootDots]

Amazed that so many people dont use H4350 as the go to powder for the 284 and 284 shehane.

In the Shehane you would be using (with H4350) about 50.5 to about 52.5grs. It gives GREAT e.s.'s but really no better accuracy than H4831SC. In order to reach the same velocities as H4831SC you will be running MORE pressure to obtain the same velocity. "Normally" if you push it like that, you will curtail brass life with loose primer pockets. I think that is the primary reason why H4831SC is the "go to" powder..

 

[BradY]

From shooters reports here, even pushing 2900+fps with H4831 and 180's starts to reduce case life anyway.

Much nicer to shoot the 2800-2850 bracket, keep case life and barrel life up. 2950 is SAUM territory for my liking. Going through 284 cases gets expensive when they are $170 per 100! From past shooting Ive found H4831 will make a horrible black mess in your barrel if pressures arent up. The other problem we have (and we make the powder) is we cant get H4831 in 4kg tubs. H4350 is perfect- 4kg tubs, temp stable, great ES and just works. People seem to use RL17 occasionally with success but RL19 is another powder Ive tried with success and burns nice and clean. It would be my choice to push for velocity with, but still lapua cases were getting loose pockets in 5-6 firings when I tried it.

 

[ShootDots]

I will soon be getting 300 pieces of "Norma-Shiraz" brass. I am really hoping that with "normal" Shehane pressures (say about 57.0grs of H4831) will keep primer pockets tight. My present Shehane barrel likes 56.5grs of H4831SC with 180 Hybrids, that appears to leave my primer pockets in good shape. My previous barrel liked 57.0grs and I was getting 5 shots per piece of brass.. I also have an 8.5twist barrel ready to be installed and I will do ALL load development and match brass with the "Shiraz" brass.. I am going to prep 250 pieces with 200 going for match brass and the rest for load development..

 

[BradY]

Shame we cant get ahold of that stuff here... would like to try some and see if it holds up.

 

[ShootDots]

Shame we cant get ahold of that stuff here... would like to try some and see if it holds up.

I will let you know how it holds up... I plan on doing another "Shehane Load Development" write up using the 1-8.5 twist, 180 Hybrids and H4831SC. I will give the complete write up from start to final load for use at 1000. I will find out if it is what it should be.