Tell me the story of IMR 4064

[longwinters]

Just loading up some 150gn Hornady Interbonds for my 308.  I get 3/4" grouping with 42gns of Reloader 15 but see IMR 4064 as one that Hornady also recommends.  I loaded up with 43.3 gns which Hornady says will put out about 2600 fps.  Is this a good "extreme weather" powder?  Can you tell me how it has treated you?

long

[Snowshoe]

I use IMR4064 in the 8x57, .22-250, and the .30-30, and it works very good. It is a stick powder, and I am told a total pain for powder measures. If you are getting 3/4" groups, stick with what you got.

[huntsman]

Have used IMR 4064 in 8x57 and 6.5x55, but only for one set of @50 test rounds each. I haven't used in in the field and likely won't in severe weather down here in Texas. Its performance seems to be good in both calibers, getting consistency round to round and some @ 1" groups from steady fore/aft rest at 100 yards. Not an easy powder to measure, I have to mass each charge on the scale because the powder measure won't throw consistent charges. I would say it is a good powder if you aren't in a hurry or don't mind measuring each charge. Don't know if it will beat your R-15 groups, though. Only one way you will ever know.

[longwinters]

I noticed that it is harder to measure, but actually 4831, 4350  Re.-15 etc... are not all that great either.  Since I dont load hundreds of rounds at one time and tend to be pretty picky about my loads I measure each load anyway.  Is there anything out there that tells you if a powder is good for all temperatures etc...

long

[Blackhawk44]

Have used 4064 for 30 years in my 308's.  Worked up my loads in warm weather (Texas=90`+) and never had a problem with moving zero.  Have used it at temps from a 100 to down in the teens.  My load for 150gr Sierra is 46gr 4064 (work up carefully).  Chambers, throats and actions vary, so go slowly.  Has been a one hole to 3/4" load in 5 rifles with 3 bullets.   Measure my charges and check on a scale, but it takes practice to stay close.  Out of my 20" carbine chronos 2775fps at 15' from the muzzle.   Have lost count of the game dropped with this load, deer, goats, hogs, javelina, varmints...

[Siskiyou]

I have had excellent results with IMR 4064 reloading for a .300 Savage in Remington bolt.  My loads exceed recommendations for the M99.  I have had zero problems with them.  I put a lot of time and effort in developing the load.  I have tested them in a tempature span of 69 degrees.  And from a 1000 elevation to 6800 foot elevation.  I have not used it in sub-zero tempatures.  My primary development work started a 1000 elevation on a 99 degree day.

I started using IMR4064 on the recommendation of a .30 caliber campion years ago.  The results were so good that I would not use a couple of cans of the powder for other rifles.  I did find that it is a little to fast for use in the .270Win.

[redial]

I can't imagine a better powder for .308, myself. Works VERY well in '06 too!

Yup, it goes thru powder measures about as well as a can of Lincoln Logs. Oh well.

I have so much of it left over from my M14 days that I'm dying to use it in .223 heavy bullet loads. Haven't tried it yet but Derrick Martin published some very good results a couple years ago.

In .308, 4064 is always a good choice.

Redial

[Iowegan]

The IMR powders are probably the worst when it comes to temperature extreme stability. I've tested several and found as much as 300-400 fps difference from cold to hot (10-100f). The outdoor temperature has an effect, but as the gun's chamber heats up, the effect is even more notable. If you load at the "high end", you may notice pressure signs after firing 4 or 5 rounds in rapid secession. If you are hunting in cold weather, IMR's  loose about 200 fps at 10F, compared with 70f.  As your gun heats up, so does the powder in the chambered round. You can expect a 300-400 fps spread from the cold barrel to a hot one.

When I use Varget under the same conditions, (10-100f) I only get about a 70 fps spread. Many of the other Hodgdon powders are also formulated for extreme temperatures.

[while99]

I've used IMR 4064 for over 30 years in .22/250 Remington, 6mm Remington, 280 Remington, .308 Winchester, .300 Savage, .30/06, .358 Winchester, and .375 H&H.  If I had to pick the single most accurate rifle powder I've ever used, IMR 4064 would get my vote.  It is coarse and hard to meter so I've since switched to Varget, H-335, and Reloader 15 for some of the smaller cases.

[De41mag]

I have two 7mm-08's

A Ruger and a Remington, and for both of them, IMR-4064 is THE most accurate powder I've used.
I spent over a hundred bucks on factory loads to shoot through that Ruger. None of them would group. Rem. Accu-Tip would not even stay on a 8-1/2X11" piece of paper. Someone told me to try 4064, that it was excellent in 7mm-08. Bought a pound and loaded up some cases with it behind a Sierra 120gr. Spitzer. the first group was under an inch at a 100yds. for 5 shots. tried it in my Rem. Model 7FS and using Speer 130gr
SPBT's and was getting MOA groups.

Dennis  

[old06]

I've used imr 4064 in both my 308 since 79 and a few others and 150 or 165 grain bullets with great results hot weather in the south to cold weather in Alaska. With out a problem.

[SAWgunner]

I use it extensively in my .220 Swift.  It gets pretty cold here in WY, and it performs flawlessly.  I also use the same loads back home in GA, and they went off without a hitch.  Good stuff.

SAW

[riddleofsteel]

I can't say for the .308 but for the 30-06......I was given a load for my first 30-06 from the gun/reloaded amo dealer I bought it from. It involved a max charge of IMR 4064 and a 150 grain Hornady or Sierra SPBT and a BR-2 benchrest primer. The first day shooting my new rifle I was cutting .75" groups at 100 yards with mixed, used, brass! That was with a 3X7 Nikon scope.
 :grin:

[Bearwolf31]

IMR4064 has worked well enough for me that I haven't seen any reason to try anything else. That and I basically use the same charge range in my 130gr 270win as I do for my 150gr 308 win rounds ~45.5grs for both and accuracy has been excellent for me. Now that I have a new 22-250rem I plan on using it with my 55gr bullets as well. Hard to go wrong with something as universal as this.   :-D

[Darrell Davis]

Even'n shooters,

Oh yes, what about 4064?

Well I have used a fair amount of it in days past, but have not owned a rifle for some time,  including my current .243,  where I felt the need for a power in that burning range.

With the .243 I use the slower powders if loading for the hunt - 95 to 100gr bullets - or faster powders if shooting the cast bullets. Even in the days when I loaded a bunch of the 75gr.HPs, I used powders like 4831.

HOWEVER, I once was working up loads for a son's 270 and just couldn't get the thing to group to my satisfaction using the 4831 - 4350 range of powders.

A friend suggested I try IMR4064, and my reply was, "it's too fast."

Anyway, to make a long story short, I did try the 4064 and once again proved that there are a limited number of "hard and fast," rules in this reloading game. In that rifle, the 4064 proved to be the answer with the 140gr Hornady slugs we were using.

So yes, 4064 does have a place on the shelf with the 9 or 10 rifle powders I currently have, and I expect it will again have a day in the limelight given the opertunity to load for a suitable rifle.

Keep em coming! :wink: