30BR...life after H4198

[Chris Roland]

I think so too. Necessity is often the mother of invention. H4198 has been very good and for so long, tons of people had never tried anything else. That's for sure not me. I enjoy testing different combinations, loads, powders, even cartridges. Sometimes it takes a long while to discern if one is better than the other, when you find something else that works and sometimes...it's even better.

I found a load using a blend of AA2230 and AA2460 in my 6 Grendel with 80's that might be the best load of all in it. I found it because 8208, Benchmark, h4895...several that I knew were very good but they all got so hard to find. I had some of I think all of those but I didn't want to run out without a good plan B, C and D! Testing stuff is how we know things. And remember, it was a blend, not just trying one or the other or even both...but thorough testing is how and why I found it.

Mike I have to agree, it’s so easy to get drug into h4198 because it shoots so well out of the gate and not trying g something different. LT-32 for me when it first came out shot some really small aggs, even though it gave up speed to h4198 my x counts went up even at 200 and I truly believe it was because the load just fought wind much better? If I do ever venture back to SR score or group it will definitely be with the itty bitty 30’s, iv really got it bad right now for the 600 yard stuff. Been playing with 6br and bra lately and having a ball with em. Sure do miss the 30’s though, that are just flat fun to shoot!!

 

[Bob in WI]

I for one don't want " Life after H4198" in a 30BR and I am sure I am not alone on this. It has proved its worth since the early days of the 30BR and has been powder of many since then. Hodgdon for some bs reason, seems be sitting on their collective butts about getting any 4198 on the boat along with all the other powders making the trip across the pond. Perhaps Hodgdon isn't aware of the countless matches and championships won with this powder..maybe they dont care to have their name associated with winners, winners who have been loyal to the brand. To date I have used Hodgdon powders as much as I can and they have worked very well.
Perhaps a shift of loyalty to Vihtavuori powders is in my winds, I keep seeing N130 mentioned with great success for the 30BR and they have a good selection of powder for everything else I shoot.

 

[Bill Norris]

I for one don't want " Life after H4198" in a 30BR and I am sure I am not alone on this. It has proved its worth since the early days of the 30BR and has been powder of many since then. Hodgdon for some bs reason, seems be sitting on their collective butts about getting any 4198 on the boat along with all the other powders making the trip across the pond. Perhaps Hodgdon isn't aware of the countless matches and championships won with this powder..maybe they dont care to have their name associated with winners, winners who have been loyal to the brand. To date I have used Hodgdon powders as much as I can and they have worked very well.
Perhaps a shift of loyalty to Vihtavuori powders is in my winds, I keep seeing N130 mentioned with great success for the 30BR and they have a good selection of powder for everything else I shoot.

From what I have seen with VV-N130 you will be O K with it.

 

[Chris Roland]

I for one don't want " Life after H4198" in a 30BR and I am sure I am not alone on this. It has proved its worth since the early days of the 30BR and has been powder of many since then. Hodgdon for some bs reason, seems be sitting on their collective butts about getting any 4198 on the boat along with all the other powders making the trip across the pond. Perhaps Hodgdon isn't aware of the countless matches and championships won with this powder..maybe they dont care to have their name associated with winners, winners who have been loyal to the brand. To date I have used Hodgdon powders as much as I can and they have worked very well.
Perhaps a shift of loyalty to Vihtavuori powders is in my winds, I keep seeing N130 mentioned with great success for the 30BR and they have a good selection of powder for everything else I shoot.

I for one don't want " Life after H4198" in a 30BR and I am sure I am not alone on this. It has proved its worth since the early days of the 30BR and has been powder of many since then. Hodgdon for some bs reason, seems be sitting on their collective butts about getting any 4198 on the boat along with all the other powders making the trip across the pond. Perhaps Hodgdon isn't aware of the countless matches and championships won with this powder..maybe they dont care to have their name associated with winners, winners who have been loyal to the brand. To date I have used Hodgdon powders as much as I can and they have worked very well.
Perhaps a shift of loyalty to Vihtavuori powders is in my winds, I keep seeing N130 mentioned with great success for the 30BR and they have a good selection of powder for everything else I shoot.

I’m sure alot of us including my self don’t want to see h4198 dry up for sure, but it’s not looking good. Unless you have plenty to last it’s forcing a lot of guys and more and more as each day goes by to look for different load combos that will agg competitively, there is other powders that will do so, as bad as it sounds shooters are eventually gonna have to make a switch, test and buy as it is available now is what I keep telling myself

 

[Bob in WI]

I’m sure alot of us including my self don’t want to see h4198 dry up for sure, but it’s not looking good. Unless you have plenty to last it’s forcing a lot of guys and more and more as each day goes by to look for different load combos that will agg competitively, there is other powders that will do so, as bad as it sounds shooters are eventually gonna have to make a switch, test and buy as it is available now is what I keep telling myself

I totally understand. My stock of H4198 is under 5lbs left. Sounds like a good time to get some N130 to my door as spring will be here soon enough.

 

[Chris Roland]

I totally understand. My stock of H4198 is under 5lbs left. Sounds like a good time to get some N130 to my door as spring will be here soon enough.

Yes sir

 

[jackieschmidt]

I for one don't want " Life after H4198" in a 30BR and I am sure I am not alone on this. It has proved its worth since the early days of the 30BR and has been powder of many since then. Hodgdon for some bs reason, seems be sitting on their collective butts about getting any 4198 on the boat along with all the other powders making the trip across the pond. Perhaps Hodgdon isn't aware of the countless matches and championships won with this powder..maybe they dont care to have their name associated with winners, winners who have been loyal to the brand. To date I have used Hodgdon powders as much as I can and they have worked very well.
Perhaps a shift of loyalty to Vihtavuori powders is in my winds, I keep seeing N130 mentioned with great success for the 30BR and they have a good selection of powder for everything else I shoot.

If it’s any comfort, some twenty five years ago, “T” powder was the holy grail of Short Range Group Shooting. It was absolutely perfect for the 6PPC.

As supply’s faded, (it was military pull down), many shooters were in a panic. After all, the greatest of all, Tony Boyer, used it.

I actually saw a shooter hand another shooter $300 for one pound of it.

Then, shooters found out that 133 was just as good. In fact, Tony Boyer found out real quick, and never missed a step.

Get some N-130. You won’t miss a step.

 

[Bob in WI]

If it’s any comfort, some twenty five years ago, “T” powder was the holy grail of Short Range Group Shooting. It was absolutely perfect for the 6PPC.

As supply’s faded, (it was military pull down), many shooters were in a panic. After all, the greatest of all, Tony Boyer, used it.

I actually saw a shooter hand another shooter $300 for one pound of it.

Then, shooters found out that 133 was just as good. In fact, Tony Boyer found out real quick, and never missed a step.

Get some N-130. You won’t miss a step.

I am still pretty new to the score game and the winter before my first spring of competition I had a phone conversation with Randy R. While I had acquired some already scarce 4198 , his first suggestion was 322 (which seems to be on the blink of existence along with 4198) and then N130.

 

[alby280]

N130 is available and at a good price. You won't go wrong shooting it.

 

[searcher]

I been wanting to try RL-7.

RL 7 works very well in my rifle. It is quite temperature sensitive, as I had previously learned shooting it extensively in .223's in the varmint fields - but that can be worked around if you load based on temps.

 

[Pete Wass]

Any test results from N-120?

Pete

 

[JimPag]

I for one don't want " Life after H4198" in a 30BR and I am sure I am not alone on this. It has proved its worth since the early days of the 30BR and has been powder of many since then. Hodgdon for some bs reason, seems be sitting on their collective butts about getting any 4198 on the boat along with all the other powders making the trip across the pond. Perhaps Hodgdon isn't aware of the countless matches and championships won with this powder..maybe they dont care to have their name associated with winners, winners who have been loyal to the brand. To date I have used Hodgdon powders as much as I can and they have worked very well.
Perhaps a shift of loyalty to Vihtavuori powders is in my winds, I keep seeing N130 mentioned with great success for the 30BR and they have a good selection of powder for everything else I shoot.

Hodgdon does not care if they ever sell anymore H4198 because it's not a big seller for them. They are in business to make money not friends. 4198 is a specialized powder. Do you call the countless matches that 4198 has won the reason they should start importing it? All those matches don't add up to squat in the overall scheme of things. If every benchrest shooter who owns a 30BR were to buy 100 pounds each from Hodgdon it would be a drop in the bucket for them.

 

[Bob in WI]

Hodgdon does not care if they ever sell anymore H4198 because it's not a big seller for them. They are in business to make money not friends. 4198 is a specialized powder. Do you call the countless matches that 4198 has won the reason they should start importing it? All those matches don't add up to squat in the overall scheme of things. If every benchrest shooter who owns a 30BR were to buy 100 pounds each from Hodgdon it would be a drop in the bucket for them.

I get all that. Just irritating that a company who claims to be customer driven is all talk and money driven.

 

[JimPag]

I get all that. Just irritating that a company who claims to be customer driven is all talk and money driven.

I get what your saying. Just use N130. It's readily available, is cheaper and works almost as good as H4198. It's just a little temp sensitive below 50 degrees, but u just have to add more to the case and it will get er' done. I was lucky because I bought out at least 4 shooters entire benchrest stuff and they had a bunch of N130 and 4198 and even though I didn't need anymore if I could buy it cheap I would still buy more of it even when I didn't need it.

 

[cruisor]

Thank you so much for doing this AlNyhus. A real blessing for those of just starting out with a 30BR. Nearly ready to bed the action and paint and SHOOT the heck out of it.

Lee

 

[bugman]

I get what your saying. Just use N130. It's readily available, is cheaper and works almost as good as H4198. It's just a little temp sensitive below 50 degrees, but u just have to add more to the case and it will get er' done. I was lucky because I bought out at least 4 shooters entire benchrest stuff and they had a bunch of N130 and 4198 and even though I didn't need anymore if I could buy it cheap I would still buy more of it even when I didn't need it.

Did you sell "what you would never need" to other shooters?

 

[Larry Koch]

If it’s any comfort, some twenty five years ago, “T” powder was the holy grail of Short Range Group Shooting. It was absolutely perfect for the 6PPC.

As supply’s faded, (it was military pull down), many shooters were in a panic. After all, the greatest of all, Tony Boyer, used it.

I actually saw a shooter hand another shooter $300 for one pound of it.

Then, shooters found out that 133 was just as good. In fact, Tony Boyer found out real quick, and never missed a step.

Get some N-130. You won’t miss a step.

Has that theory changed?

 

[Shooter13]

For $300 per pound I think I could sell mine

 

[Bob in WI]

I get what your saying. Just use N130. It's readily available, is cheaper and works almost as good as H4198. It's just a little temp sensitive below 50 degrees, but u just have to add more to the case and it will get er' done. I was lucky because I bought out at least 4 shooters entire benchrest stuff and they had a bunch of N130 and 4198 and even though I didn't need anymore if I could buy it cheap I would still buy more of it even when I didn't need it.

I get what your saying. Just use N130. It's readily available, is cheaper and works almost as good as H4198. It's just a little temp sensitive below 50 degrees, but u just have to add more to the case and it will get er' done. I was lucky because I bought out at least 4 shooters entire benchrest stuff and they had a bunch of N130 and 4198 and even though I didn't need anymore if I could buy it cheap I would still buy more of it even when I didn't need it.

I think I mentioned in this post about a conversation with Randy R about 4198 alternatives..his 1st choice was H322 and then N130. He also mentioned, as Al N in not so many words has, that 30BR started out and did extremely well feeding on 4227. Sounds like N130 is where I am headed.

 

[jackieschmidt]

I started with N130 at this years Score Nationals and it shot really well. 35.7 grns was the load with my own 112 Bullet.

However, both Ed Bernabeo and I made a discovery this past two week ends.

The weather has turned cold, and it now acts way too slow. In short, it did not shoot anywhere near as well as it did in 80+ degrees.

Lt-30 shot pretty darned good today at 33 degrees. I had to take the load up to 36 grains to even get 3000 fps and get it shooting at a competitive level.

So the plan will be to use LT-30 in cold weather, and N-130 when it warms up.