Author Topic: New Super Powders from Hodgdon (Read 5001 times)

quickdtoo · « **on:** August 18, 2010, 03:21:07 PM »

http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammunition/ST_superpowders_081710WO/index.html#cont

Quote

Hodgdon Announces New Super Powders
Handloaders can now safely duplicate the performance of Hornady Superformance and Leverevolution ammunition.
By Scott E. Mayer

Today, Hodgdon Powder Company shared with a small group of InterMedia's writers an announcement that beginning in January 2011 it will offer two new canister powders that allow handloaders to safely duplicate the velocities of Hornady's Superformance and Leverevolution lines of premium ammunition.

According to Hodgdon's Chris Hodgdon, Superformance and Leverevolution powders essentially duplicate the proprietary blends currently being used by Hornady, and previously unavailable to handloaders.

This is welcome news to handloaders who until now have had to sit by and watch as factories make the best use of new bullets such as Hornady's FTX and mass-produced loads that handloaders couldn't safely duplicate. This should also be welcome news to shooters who until now have avoided new high performance cartridges over concerns about future high performance ammunition availability.

tacklebury · « **Reply #1 on:** August 18, 2010, 05:51:56 PM »

Nice, thanks for the information Tim.

DannoBoone · « **Reply #2 on:** August 18, 2010, 05:58:28 PM »

Wonder what kind of price tag they're going to put on those new powders.

I've been getting some pretty "superperformance" with accuracy in the .25-06 using
RL17. No signs of over-pressure. If the new Hodgdon powders are better than that,
it will be truly amazing.

tacklebury · « **Reply #3 on:** August 18, 2010, 06:04:21 PM »

Most of the Hodgedon's are 24-28 a pound here. I'd assume it'll be around there or slightly higher as a specialty blend. My H-110 runs about 24.95.

topper88 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 18, 2010, 06:15:18 PM »

With Hornady's V-Max, A-Max & LeveRevolution bullets and now the powder to propel them by Hodgdon, it's better than living in the mid sixty's to seventies. Even though the improvements are only about 10%, it makes a big difference. Stock up on the bullets now before the powder comes out or you may have trouble getting them. At least the shooting industry fueled by a huge increase in sales has done some R&D and recycled some of the profit for the shooter. Remarkable! Only in the USA.

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #5 on:** August 18, 2010, 06:34:55 PM »

That's really good news, Tim! Guess I better hurry and shoot up the 60-70 pounds of powder I have on hand. Oh well, somebody has to help get the economy goin'.

I hope they are as good as they advertise, Hodgdon is pretty good about truth in advertising, they put out a good product. DP

Dill45 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 18, 2010, 07:07:52 PM »

Very cool!!!

Grumulkin · « **Reply #7 on:** August 19, 2010, 03:16:27 AM »

On NO! More powders to stock!

So, we now have all the wonder cartridges with small cases that with "super powders" get as good performance as cartridges with larger cases. What will the cartridge companies have to market when people find out that a 308 Winchester loaded with one of said powders really does perform better than a 308 Marlin Express or 30 TC?

Silvertp · « **Reply #8 on:** August 19, 2010, 05:07:57 AM »

Wow...thanks for the post. I'm really liking this.

Time to breath some "rocket science" into some of my firearms...

Silvertp

drdougrx · « **Reply #9 on:** August 19, 2010, 06:19:30 AM »

All this new and improved stuff....makes my hair hurt....wonder if game animals will notice the difference??

anweis · « **Reply #10 on:** August 19, 2010, 09:11:57 AM »

Quote from: drdougrx on August 19, 2010, 06:19:30 AM

All this new and improved stuff....makes my hair hurt....wonder if game animals will notice the difference??

Truth be told, i did hear the pig last year mumbling "you son of a bEEP, a 100 gr. round nosed bullet and 6 year old IMR 4350 is all you got?" before expiring...

Stimpy was here

drdougrx · « **Reply #11 on:** August 19, 2010, 10:23:50 AM »

YOU TOO!!!!! I KNEW IT! Super pigs...I saw them on the television!!!! 45/70s bounce right off'n em.......

Only super mega magnums with krypton coated bullets for me!!!

But really...I'm for having and shooting good stuff cause it's fun .... but ... how many times do I hear guys preach'n that the lowly 30-06 is the bare minimum.....shoulda heard them around the fire at the last bear camp I was in in Maine.....incredibly precise rifles and match grade ammunition at the edge of the sound barrier. All for a 50yard shot at 150lb black bear eat'n from a barrel.

But then again.....it is SUPERFORMANCE........be still my beating heart......

huntswithdogs · « **Reply #12 on:** August 19, 2010, 10:37:24 AM »

OH HECK!
Now I'm gonna have to go buy some, work up a load and all that crap!!! AGAIN!
Man, I love reloading!!!!!!

Thanks for the warning on the powder!

HWD

KansasPaul · « **Reply #13 on:** August 19, 2010, 03:27:35 PM »

This is precisely what I have been looking for.... dang, why do we have to wait until January!!!!

wncchester · « **Reply #14 on:** August 20, 2010, 04:40:06 AM »

"All this new and improved stuff....makes my hair hurt....wonder if game animals will notice the difference??"

Naw, you REALLY don't! Nor do I.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #15 on:** August 20, 2010, 07:58:03 AM »

I need to speed up my inventory reduction program to make room. I bet one will have to take out a home load to buy 8-pounds. Maybe somebody was looking over my shoulder a few months ago and I could not find H4831. I passed on WW780 because it cost more than H414.

I am thinking beyond the 30-30 for the Leverevolution powder. It might have applications with the 300 Savage, 30-40 Krag, 303 British, 303 Savage, 32 Special, and some other small case rounds.

Superformance is interesting and I might find room for it.

I suspect that manufactures have started to hit a bump or slow down in the sale of standard powders with shooters stockpiles during the bama bama shortage. I was at an event sale a couple months ago at which a lot of powder was sold. I kept within my budget and bought 8-pounds of H414. A lot of powder moved that weekend into consumer inventory.

I have had the itch to add to my manual library, but I already have the lastest Sierra and Hornady manuals. I think I will put the itch on hold, with the thougth that update manuals with data for the two powders will be in the works.

quickdtoo: Thanks for the update.

anweis · « **Reply #16 on:** August 20, 2010, 08:19:02 AM »

Quote from: KansasPaul on August 19, 2010, 03:27:35 PM

This is precisely what I have been looking for.... dang, why do we have to wait until January!!!!

Because someone has to develop and test safe loading data so that you would not blow your face off.

mauser98us · « **Reply #17 on:** August 20, 2010, 02:13:57 PM »

Actually, with all the lawyers suing everybody, I'm surprised components still exist for sale.

mantley · « **Reply #18 on:** August 21, 2010, 04:07:15 PM »

Looks like the same black containers i have. They just change the label to get you to buy it. ;|

flashhole · « **Reply #19 on:** August 22, 2010, 02:47:54 AM »

In the words of the late Mr. Rogers. Hi boys and girls. Can you say .... marketing hype .... sure you can. It's easy.

bajabill · « **Reply #20 on:** August 25, 2010, 08:26:12 AM »

Im starting to be a little skeptical, just 2 powders that optimized in all of those light mag offerings (243 thru 338wm, and the lever cartridges too, plus the new TC, RCM, marlin express, etc.)

I guess there will be a load manual also ??, however, I am really interested

drdougrx · « **Reply #21 on:** August 25, 2010, 10:18:23 AM »

If these powders will give me better esults than my current ones...I'll try them...cept....I hate to buy a pound.....

tacklebury · « **Reply #22 on:** August 25, 2010, 06:11:50 PM »

Quote from: drdougrx on August 25, 2010, 10:18:23 AM

If these powders will give me better esults than my current ones...I'll try them...cept....I hate to buy a pound.....

Man I agree with that. I usually try to get a small sample from someone I know that reloads. I wish they had like 1oz. trial packets. That'd ROCK!

drdougrx · « **Reply #23 on:** August 26, 2010, 04:55:29 AM »

I'm with you Tack....but...being the rambunctious type...I usually get the 1st pound and then give an ounce to the buds.....

Larry Gibson · « **Reply #24 on:** August 26, 2010, 10:44:31 AM »

I have run test of velocity, pressure and BC using an Oehler M43 with my 24" barreled M94AE Black Shadow. I have tests of factory loading s of 150 and 170 gr bullets and the 160 gr leveRevolution along with all of my reloads including Paco Kelly's loads. The LeveRevolution 160 gr 30-30 ammo does 2440 fps with 37,800 psi(M43). The BC is .304 and accuracy for 7 shots was 1.4". Zeroed at 200 yards The midrange is 2.87" and 300 yard drop is 12.26". Remaining velocity is 1714 fps with 1043 ft/lbs of energy. THAT makes the old 30-30 into a definate 300 yard antelop/deer rifle for those who like a lever action. The LeveRevolution ammo was intended for the Marlin 24" barreled XTRs and I'm sure they will perform with it as well as the M94AE.

Now with standard powders you can push FP 130 and FP 150s to some pretty impresive velocities with Paco kelly loads. However, you also push pressure up up into the 44,000+ psi range. The BCs of the 130 & 150s are in the .190 to .225s which doesn't give as good external ballistics. Lower the pressures to 38,000 psi and they are 200 yard performers as always. My point here is if I can get the same 2440 fps at the same 37-38,000 psi with the 160 LeveRevolution bullets using the new powder then I certainly will use it for my huntingloads. I can still use all my other powders for cast and jacketed bullet practice/plinking. If that performance is available for the 30-30 then I'll have no qualms about buying a lb or two of that powder to get that performance.

Who knows yet wat other benifits to other cartridges it potentially has. There are a lot of powders available tody but many are duplications (how many 4895s or 4350s do we really need?) or are of the same general burning rate. Many do not offer any advantage over the other similar powders. However, in this case there is a real potential gain in a longer and slower time pressure curve with all of the powder being consumed in 24" barls. This has real potential for higher velocity cast bullet loads and jacketed hunting loads in standard cartridges. I think being able to bump up the .300 Savage to .308W, the .308W to '06 and the '06 up into 300 H&H velcoities with safe pressures is a real potential. That's just my perspective and I am looking forward to testing the new powders, glad to see them finally released to reloaders.

Larry Gibson

tacklebury · « **Reply #25 on:** August 26, 2010, 06:01:05 PM »

Quote from: drdougrx on August 26, 2010, 04:55:29 AM

I'm with you Tack....but...being the rambunctious type...I usually get the 1st pound and then give an ounce to the buds.....

Wish I lived by you!

I only have one buddy that stocks several. Most of us around here find one that works good and rarely move. This time, maybe I"LL have to be the rambunctious one.

mrussel · « **Reply #26 on:** September 01, 2010, 07:15:50 PM »

Quote from: tacklebury on August 25, 2010, 06:11:50 PM

Quote from: drdougrx on August 25, 2010, 10:18:23 AM
If these powders will give me better esults than my current ones...I'll try them...cept....I hate to buy a pound.....

Man I agree with that. I usually try to get a small sample from someone I know that reloads. I wish they had like 1oz. trial packets. That'd ROCK!

Or a sampler box with 1oz trial packages of a whole range of them.

shot1 · « **Reply #27 on:** September 02, 2010, 04:13:25 AM »

I think it was Hodgdon that tried the sample box of smaller amounts of powders a few years ago. I went over like a lead balloon.

I am one that finds a good very accurate load and tends to stay with it. My buddy kept telling me that I needed to go to H-4831 for my 25-06 instead of the IMR-4350 that I have been using for many years. He told me that I could get more velocity. He was only getting 50 fps more velocity than I am with the same 117 Sierra bullet. I told him I have killed everything that I have ever shot at with my load, well over 100 deer, so why change. Plus my load is more accurate in my rifle than his is.

The way things have been going for me lately I already have enough powder to last me two life times in stock.

Now if a new powder will get me 200 of more fps and tack driving accuracy you might be able to twist my arm to try it.

demented · « **Reply #28 on:** September 06, 2010, 07:41:56 PM »

Thanks for the "heads up." I had purchased two hundred FTX bullets to try in my 30-30, after seeing max velocities with available powder, I just gave up on the bullets and donated them to a friend. Looks like I mat need to purchase another round....IF I can get my hands on this new powder first.

Ronno · « **Reply #29 on:** September 09, 2010, 07:10:56 PM »

Thank you, I have been using the XBR 8208 powder from IMR. I will look forward to this new super poweder!