Next best powder to replace IMR 8208

[afrench]

From the same source (Eurenco Bofors in Karslkoga, Sweden), there is Norma 202 whose performance is close to H4895, and rather faster burning but very well suited to 60gn and lighter bullets in 222/223 Norma 201. How are Norma supplies in the US? - the Scandi countries appear to have switched output to military ammo given the 'Putin / Ukraine' shock which is seeing Finland/Sweden/Norway investing in defence like there's no tomorrow (which may be literally true if like them you're a neighbour of Comrade Putin's Russia).

Nonexistent. I haven't seen Norma powders available at any retailers I frequent in at least 2 years, probably closer to 3.

 

[Murray Brook]

Same case up here in Canada. Three or four yrs ago you could easily find some. Since then Zero.

 

[Gary in MD]

Just trying Benchmark in my 223 ackley improved and it’s shooting very well.

 

[Mulligan]

Yes, definitely an extruded / tubular powder as per the rest of the Hodgdon 'Extreme' range. It is made (as are all other Hodgdon 'Extreme Extruded' powders) by ADI in Mulwala, New South Wales, Australia and its local name is ADI 'Benchmark 8208' even featuring on the cover of the company's online reloading guide.

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/41410732/guide-6th-edition-adi-powders-handloaders-guide

For marketing reasons that made sense at the time, Hodgdon Powder named it as an IMR grade after the then much praised and desired surplus IMR-8208 that American 6PPC BR shooters and some varminters raved about. (Australian 8208 didn't succeed in this role and Accurate LT 32 apparently subsequently did the job better. It of course is now a Hodgdon Powder Co. group product too, Hodgdon having recently bought Western Powders.) Logically, 8208 should be in the Hodgdon product line sitting next to H4895.

I used 8208XBR in 308 Win for FTR a lot with the Berger 155.5gn 'Fullbore' LRBT some 10 years plus ago, it then being a new and locally unknown powder in the UK which let me buy a number of tins from the same lot, H4895 and VarGet having then become locally unavailable for the umpteenth time. (We've now lost ALL Hodgdon 'Extreme' powders, all IMR legacy grades thanks to health & safety / environmental regulations on our side of the Atlantic, and of course the 'green' replacement 'Enduron' IMR grades have now been withdrawn too.)

For us in the UK, Viht provides the obvious replacements, N133/135/140/540 doing the same jobs depending on cartridge and bullet weight.

Alliant AR-Comp is a great alternative, if pricey, but supplies have dried up here and from comments on Accurate Shooter, the situation doesn't look too good in the US either.

From the same source (Eurenco Bofors in Karslkoga, Sweden), there is Norma 202 whose performance is close to H4895, and rather faster burning but very well suited to 60gn and lighter bullets in 222/223 Norma 201. How are Norma supplies in the US? - the Scandi countries appear to have switched output to military ammo given the 'Putin / Ukraine' shock which is seeing Finland/Sweden/Norway investing in defence like there's no tomorrow (which may be literally true if like them you're a neighbour of Comrade Putin's Russia).

There are Czech Lovex powders both extruded and ball in this performance bracket, some of which are sold to you guys as Shooters World grades.

Belgian manufactured Ramshot X-Terminator and TAC bracket 8208 in their applications, and you have Accurate brand spherical grades from St. Marks Powder in Florida. (We don't, their never having been imported here.)

What is the supply like for Alliant Power Pro grades (also St. Marks made) in the US? - we're supposed to have them, but so far they've mostly yet to turn up.

Since the Accurate marque LT grades are doing 8208's job, as others have suggested in their posts, they seem obvious alternatives depending on local supply. (Never tried them myself as we don't get Accurate grades here.)

�

Norma Support normasupport@normashooting.com via freshdesk.com​	Fri, Jun 10, 2022, 4:33 AM
to me

Hi,

At this time we are not selling or producing powders. For all available products please visit Normashooting.com.

Kind Regards,
Thaddeus T.
NormaShooting.com
912-800-9332


The above email was the response I received from Norma about a year ago when I inquired about powder availability in the good ol USA.

CW

 

[BoydAllen]

In regard to 8208 being extruded, it certainly is, but I would have never guessed that H335 is also extruded. Seems most all of the powder I use is extruded.

I have had accidents in the past with a Dillon where I didn't get a primer seated properly and the power goes all over the plate, the H335 is tiny, I would have thought it was spherical, but no, it is actually extruded also.

Not that the shape matters, both H335 and 8208 work fine for me in my reloads, as does Varget, it just doesn't meter very well, and better suited for single stage, IMO.

In hindsight, and going by memory, I think I must have confused the H335 with 8208, because if you look at the second pic, even my p!$$ poor eyes can clearly see that the 8208 is extruded.
View attachment 1453887
View attachment 1453896

No actually, it is not an extruded powder. Hodgdon describes H335 as a spherical powder. Here is a link to a good picture and other details. Looking at the picture is seems to be a slightly flattened spherical, or ball powder. Your closeup picture is not H335.

National Center for Forensic Science

 

[AlNyhus]

New H335 I have is most definitely not a spherical/flattened spherical. -Al