4895 powder question

[Buzzsaw]

H4895 - IMR 4895 are the burn rates close enough to interchange load data in my .223?

 

[Preacher]

It's never a good idea to interchange different powders for any reason even if they are the same numbers... Start all over again when you do, just to be on the safe side...

 

[Josh11]

Preacher is right. You should start over it you change anything. Such as powder, primers, bullets or cases. That way you don't change one thing and you get too much pressure. This keeps everything safe so you can keep on shooting.

 

[JamesinAsheville]

One of my charts shows the H faster than IMR
Another chart shows IMR faster than H
Still another chart shows them to be equal.
Treat them like they are 2 different powders

 

[Josh11]

Maybe you could reduce by 10% and start from there

 

[cliffy]

Good Advise Given. Never start with Maximum load "Approval," viable someone you don't know, since working up to a high power load is critical. I have been known to Max the Maximum, and then forcefully driven back via commonsense regarding "Wow" loads. Everything you read on the Internet is NOT GOSPEL. Cliffy

 

[Bambob]

H4895 - IMR 4895 are the burn rates close enough to interchange load data in my .223?

By several actual tests over the chronograph, I've found the H4895 to produce velocities well over 200 fps above those produced by IMR 4895. Different lot numbers may give a different spread but there's a big difference in the two 8 lb. cans I have.

Bob

 

[Steve Blair]

As Preacher noted: Never change a component without reworking the load. I do not even change lots of the same powder without testing the load. Some powders are notorious for lot-to-lot variation.

All of the above are the reasons I buy in bulk.

 

[k80skeet]

The PREACHER IS ALWAYS RIGHT!!!!! RIGHT ON AGAIN( BRUCE) YOU NEVER MISS A BEAT. ALWAYS LISTEN TO HIM HE HAS GREAT ADVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I always ask him all my gunsmithing questions !!!!!!!!! He is more than glad to help you out!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jonbearman]

junk the 4895 and try h-322 works great and very consistent and meters well. H335 works great to with 50-55 grain bullets. obviously if you are shooting bench with heavy bullets then diregard,lol

 

[Laurie]

'Burn rates' are pretty crude tools for comparing powders, especially when as here they come from different manufacturers (countries even, as H4895 is an Australian ADI manufactured powder; IMR-4895 from a Canadian plant). With H4895 being one of Hodgdon's 'Extreme' models and less affected by temperature than IMR powders, this could see different pressures produced in very hot weather, even if they both behaved identically at say 60 degrees.

However, if nothing else, the difference in kernel dimensions with the IMR powder having longer sticks might give a different 'fill-ratio' for any particular charge weight in the case, and with the small capacity .223 Rem case that alone can have an effect on results and pressures.

While I like both, I'd normally use the Hodgdon version in this cartridge because of its shorter sticks that take up less room.

However ................ having said all this I ran the two through QuickLOAD in .223R behind a 69gn SMK at 2.260" COAL in a 24" barrel. With QuickLOAD's 'standard' case capacity, both powders took up near identical space, 23.1gn for 100% with both, or near enough. H4895 is calculated to produce 50,079 psi for 2,899 fps; IMR-4895 a significantly lower 45,619 psi for 2,843 fps suggesting the Hodgdon version is noticeably faster burning at least insofar as Herr Broemel's test lots were concerned when he input the values to the powder characteristics database.

This ties in with Buzzsaw's on-the-range findings.


Laurie,
York, England