New 284 barrel and need help with H4350

[jnm300ultra]

I just received my new 284 rifle. I have a 33” Benchmark 1-9 Speedy contour. I have 10 pounds of H4350 and looking for a starting load data. I was thinking about 49, 49.5, 50, 50.5. I was going to do my first 15 rounds at 49 grains, and then clean the barrel after each group. The first 15 I will clean every round. I will be shooting the Berger 184 grain hybrid, around 2815-2840.
Thanks again
Jason

 

[davidjoe]

I hear 4350 shoots well but is markedly harder on .284 barrels than competing choices.

Certainly, it requires less of it to reach the same velocity as say 4831SC. There may be a necessary implication from this fact, that 4350 burns hotter.

 

[Uthink Uknow]

You might give the Berger 168 Match VLDs a try.

 

[jnm300ultra]

I was thinking I should not be cheap and buy some H4831SC. I also shoot the 6.5x47 Lapua and use H4350 that’s why I have so much.

 

[kyreloader]

Every single straight .284 barrel that I have ever used settled between 50-51.4g of H4350 with the 180g Hybrids or 184g Berger’s in my FClass rifles.

I therefore think your plan is sound.

 

[FatBoy]

We shoot about the same. 51-52gr H4350 w/30" 9 twists and 180BHs. (I shoot an 8.5 twist) We have long freebore, putting the bearing surface maybe .0030" - .0045" over neck/shoulder on necked up Lapua brass . Gets us 2800-2850 fps depending on the barrel.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

51-51.3 has worked well in every barrel I've tried it in, both 32" and 30". Velocities fall between 2795 and 2815 depending on the barrel.

I'd be careful about getting the velocity above 2830, case life will suffer.

 

[jnm300ultra]

Just getting ready to reload tonight. Thanks for all the info. I’m going to start at 49-51.5. All will be in 1/2 grain lots. It’s a rough test just to see the speed and what to start with.
Jason

 

[dskogman]

There is a very accurate node around 2700 FPS and 48.5-49g of 4350. Most like to shoot 2800 ish but it’s harder to stay in.

 

[Scott Harris]

I was thinking I should not be cheap and buy some H4831SC. I also shoot the 6.5x47 Lapua and use H4350 that’s why I have so much.

H4350 is a go-to powder for the 284 WIN. 2770-2780, 2820-2830 are well-known accuracy nodes.

 

[FeMan]

My best shooting 284 barrel liked H4350 with F210M primers. All my other barrels have shot better with H4831. For the barrel that shot H4350, the F210s were key for me. I had single digit ES's at 2804 fps; kinda slow but it hammered!. It didn't shoot well with CCI's though.

Anyway, good luck with it and let us know how it goes.

 

[pat fulghum]

Depends on the primer used and lot of H4350.

I ended up just below 51gr with fed210 match primers

I would need to go just above 51 with CCI.

you are in the right ball park.

Start low and work up but try different primers..maybe some 4831, RL16

Also, I would not do any final load development until you have 100 rounds down the barrel

 

[jnm300ultra]

Thanks for all the great load advice. My top load was 51.5 of H4350 and my speed was 2775. The load looked very good. The 5 shot group measured .625 outside -outside. I showed no sign of pressure. I’m going to keep testing around this node and make smaller increases probably to 52.5. Next test will be .03 increments, and a 3 shot group instead of my normal 5 shot groups. With life being extremely busy with work and family I’m going to shoot the next match with 51.5 load, and see what happens. I would rather have a club match at 1000 yds to see what the load does than do load work at 100 yds.
Jason

 

[savageshooter86]

How’d it finally tune in ?

 

[sigma2chi]

How’d it finally tune in ?

Not well so far. Must have had a piece of trash or something in the chamber that got stuck in front of the first or second bullet. Borescoped after the second shot and noticed a gouge running almost the length of the barrel in the middle of one of the lands. Labradar shows velocity ALL OVER THE PLACE for the first 50 rounds. May have ruined a barrel. Gonna Iosso this weekend and see what happens.

 

[dthomas]

I use 50.2 gr of h4350 with berger 180 hybrid in peterson brass with cci br2 for 2830 fps in a 30" barrel.

 

[Nellej12]

I use H4350 in my straight 284, 51.2 grains gets me 2850 fps in a 29 inch barrel. Shoots great at 600 or 1,000 yards. Shot my personal best score at 1,000 yards last summer with 180 Berger's. 200 14X

 

[big john 5394]

We have 4 284 shooting with h4831sc at 55 to 55.5 grains and .004 off the lands with 180 hybrids and will shoot well under 2in. at 600 yds.