What's the difference between IMR 4895 and H-4895 powders?

[DalesCarpentry]

I may have kind of screwed up. I just traded for a Remington 700 VLS 308 Win. That I will be loading for. I just got back from the gun shop where I bought Hodgdon 4895 powder. When I went in I planned on buying Varget but they were out of it so I was trying to remember powders off the top of my head that people have used with good results from articles I have read. I remembered R-15, IMR4064 and 4895. The thing I did not know was that IMR and Hodgdon both make 4895 powder. I ended up buying the H-4895 because it had 308 Win. listed on the lable and knew I was safe buying it as opposed buying another just trying to rely on just my crap memory. I have some Sierra 150 Spitzer Boat Tail bullets I want to try because they are pretty cheap and if they shoot that is great I also have some 155 grain A-MAX bullets comming with the rifle and some Nosler 175 Grain HPBT from Grafts comming next week. My Hornady load book has no load info on 150 grain bullets for the H-4895 but it does list some info for 150 GR bullets using IMR 4895 powder. Are these 2 powders close? The Hornady load book lists the burn rate of the powders as the IMR Being #79 and the Hodgdon as being #81 with the IMR being a faster burning powder. Ok I am blind my book does list some load info using H-4895 and 150 grain bullets. Do any of you use this powder and has it worked well for you? Do any of you have a pet load using this powder with any of the above mentioned bullets? My rifle has a 26" barrel with a 1 in 12" twist if that helps you any. Thanks Dale

[Larry Gibson]

H4895 is a very good powder in the .308W with 150, 155 and 175 gr bullets.  It is also an "Extreme" powder and is less sensitive to ambiant heat changes.  I use the following loads in my M70 target rifle with a 26" barrel of 12" twist.  Winchester cases with WLR primers; with 150 Sierra MKs or the 155 Palma bullets, 45 .5 gr of H4895 gives 2900 - 2920 fps.  With the 175 MKs I use 42 gr H4895 for 2595 fps.  All loads are under the SAAMI MAP for the .308W as tested with an Oehler M43.  Accuracy is excellent at .5 - .7 moa for 10 shots  at 200 yards.

Those are my loads and are safe in my rifle.  I suggest you drop down and work up the load for your rifle as on should always do.

Larry Gibson

[DalesCarpentry]

Thank you and yes I would drop back about 1 1/2 to 2 grains and work up from there. Thanks Dale

[moorepower]

The Hogdon web site has reloading data. For a .308 their is nothing wrong with either powder listed.

[stimpylu32]

Dale

Of the 2 powders ( H or  IMR ) you made the better choice , Hodgdon's has done a ton of testing on H4895 and has found it to be a very stable powder for loading reduced loads .

In some cases , it can be loaded down as much as 40% with no pressure problems and it makes great Youth loads for people that are recoil shy .

So if you want to work up some plunking loads it works for that , as well as full power loads . 

stimpy

[DalesCarpentry]

Dale

Of the 2 powders ( H or  IMR ) you made the better choice , Hodgdon's has done a ton of testing on H4895 and has found it to be a very stable powder for loading reduced loads .

In some cases , it can be loaded down as much as 40% with no pressure problems and it makes great Youth loads for people that are recoil shy .

So if you want to work up some plunking loads it works for that , as well as full power loads . 

stimpy

So you say my 308 could be loaded down to maybe like 30/30  velocity  loads, is that correct? Thanks Dale

[jeepmann1948]

Check out Hogdon's youth loads

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdfhttp://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdf

[DalesCarpentry]

Check out Hogdon's youth loads

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdfhttp://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdf

It says page not found. I think the link is broke. Thanks Dale

[OR-E-Gun Bill]

Looks like he doubled up on the link Dale. Try it like this :

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdf

[BBF]

Multiply the max load by  .6 ( note the decimal !!) that is your minimum load for that powder for that particular bullet weight.

[McDerry]

4895 is/was surplus powder.  10% below max for a starting charge.  All the listed max loads are within 2 grains of eachover, but the pressures are never listed in the same units (isn't that convenient).

Download hodgdons basic manual has loads for both.  

one will eventually phase out like imr4227 and h4227

[DEACONLLB]

When I got back into reloading I looked for a good powder that would cover all the rifles that I have and the H4895 was the one and also remembered we sold a lot of it back years ago when I worked in a large sporting goods store. It is also the powder that Hodgdon uses for all their youth or reduced loads I use it in 223 7x30 7x57 6.8 7mm08 and a reduced load in 7mm Rem mag. They all work great but make sure when you look in book to use data for H4895 and not IMR4895.

Deaconllb

[Dezynco]

I think that Hogdon developed the "H" series of powders to be a little slower burning, thus allowing a larger powder charge (ie, a fuller case which is usually considered to be the most accurate).

I've read somewhere that one can safely switch the two AT THE MINIMUM CHARGE listed for either.  Work up from there, keeping in mind that IMR powders are slightly faster burning.  However, advice that you get from the internet should be used at your own discression, so do your own research in your load manuals to decide whether to use one verses the other.

Its NEVER a good idea to try using one powders data for another powder , with a couple of exceptions ( New H110 & Win296 = same powder , per Hodgdons ) Basic loading rules state to always start low and work up , even when changing lots of the same powder .

stimpylu32