Surplus 4895, good all around powder for 308 and 223?

[MLC]

I am considering buying a couple jugs of the surplus 4895 powder that is available.
It is slightly slower than IMR 4895 but faster than 4064.

Does anyone have experience loading this powder with 223 using 69-75 grain bullets and 308 using 155-190 grain bullets.

It appears to be nearly ideal for the 223/308 but it is hard to "try" a powder that is sold in 8# jugs.

 

[shooter1970]

WHERE DO YOU GET THE SURPLUS POWDER,AND HOW MUCH?

 

[GermanS1]

MLC, I assume youre talking about the powder from www.gibrass.com If so, I've used quite a bit of it in the .308 and 30-06 and it is a very good choice. I find that the burn rate is pretty normal 4895, don't go too high thinking it's a lot slower, it's just a normal 4895 on the slower side of the various lots. I don't shoot .223 normally so I haven't tried it there.

 

[Clark]

He want $100/8#= $12.50/#, when it can be bought canister grade and new for $121/8# = $15.12/#
http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/


When was buying surplus IMR4895 10 years ago, it was $64/8# = $8/#

These days, I just buy it at the gunstore for $149/8# = $18.62/#

 

[clowdis]

Last weekend I shot some .223 with the 75 gr. Hornady match bullet and 23 grains of the Bartlett 4895 through my AR. It hammered at 200 and 300 but was a little on the "down" side at 600. Could have been bullet or powder or shooter. But 23 grains was a compressed load and you wouldn't want to go much more. I also shot some of it in my Palma rifle using Lapua brass. I tried 45 grains because that was all I could get in the case and still put a Sierra 155 in and that was a little weak also at 1,000 yards. You might be able to get another 1/2 grain or so into the case if you used Winchester brass. Overall I'd say it's a pretty good powder, but I had a few problems getting enough into a case for my long range purposes. Still it's a great buy and I'll find a use for it somewhere, maybe in 22-250AI with 50 or 55s.

 

[GermanS1]

Blair, 42.0 with a moly Lapua 185 in a Winchester case will put a smile on your face.

 

[Will]

German, Does it matter which Lapua 185 you use ? Where you jamming the lands or keeping them close to 2.820"? I have the Scenar & the rebated BT just haven't explored the possibilities. Last but not least ... Have you worked any loads with same powder & LC LR OR Lapua brass ?

Thanks

 

[GermanS1]

Will, I think either of the Lapua 185's will do fine. I keep tthem 0.020" off the lands. I haven't used that powder with LC or Lapua brass but usually 1.0 grain less than Winchester is fine in Lapua brass, LC should be similar, maybe cut it 1.5 to start.

 

[hayseed]

MLC -

To provide some perspective on stocking up on components, and 4895 in particular - During the late sixties thru the mid-seventies, I burned up a number of kegs of the surplus 4895 then available. Found it to be quite versatile and dependable in many calibers. Don't think I paid more than a couple bucks a pound for any of it.

I admit to falling into paranoia regarding price/availability of components toward the tail end of the above period. For at least 5 years, all my "disposable income" went toward rat-piling the consumables of reloading. For powder, I tried to concentrate on proven, versatile numbers, and only ended up with a few morphadites. Last Fall, when working up hunting loads for the new 325 WSM, I was pleased and smug that the old stock 4350 worked slightly better for me than the IMR 4007SSC at $18/lb. Sticker was still on the 4350 at $3.99...

Point is, it's all relative. A couple of months ago, I was anguished to find that that other caddy in the back there was 4831, not 4895. I was out!!! Yep, $124 from Powder Valley. I may also look into the surplus that German mentioned. Not sure if I'll last long enough for it to represent the kind of savings I'm now enjoying, but one thing is for sure - nothing will be going down in price. Who knows if we will see availability problems in the future?

I think you'll find the 4895 will work well in both your calibers. Not sure about the heaviest bullets you mentioned. I don't think you'd ever be sorry for stocking up.

One last thing I should mention. Another nice side benifit of being stocked up pretty heavily is you can use it to justify the purchase of new rifles,Well Hell, that beautiful little K-Hornet would be just the thing for me to get to work on all that WW680 with...). Hmmm, now what was I going to use that AL8 for?

Best of luck

 

[MichaelN]

I know I am a little late to the dance here but this is not the same 4895 Jeff was selling a few years ago . My understanding is that the old stuff was pulldown from Surplus ammunition and the new stuff is New powder from Russia . The powder was what they used in the 7.62X54 and is very coarse with uneven kernels . It will work well in the .223 and .308 but it meters very poorly and you cannot get as much of it into the case so velocities will be down .

Dad bought 32 pounds of it for loading in his FAL's and I bought the remaining 16 pounds of the old stock 4895 from him for my .308 loads .

I hope this helps you out .

 

[Will]

All it takes to get the volume in a case is a Loooooonngg Drop Tube !! I took a RCBS Funnel & glued a section of arrow shaft to it and on the bottom chamfered so it will fit over my cases. Currently my long drop tube is 13" ... maybe overkill but I don't have powder crunch!!

 

[GermanS1]

Another method is vibration. I charge 50 cases in a tray, place another tray over it to "seal" the cases, grip tightly, press lightly against a running vibratory tumbler for 30 seconds and the powder level drops dramatically.