Author Topic: Differences between IMR4350 and H4350 powder? (Read 2056 times)

Jason · « **on:** December 09, 2005, 03:00:21 PM »

I am going to work up a chicken and practice load with the Speer 110-grain Varminter bullets for my 30-30 and noticed that one of the ~2000 fps loads in my Speer manual used IMR4350 powder. I already have some H4350 powder onhand and generally prefer to use the Hodgdon Extreme series of powders because they seem to handle temperature differences very well. What's the difference in the two powders? I know Hodgdon bought out the IMR stuff and I can't wait to see all those damn metal cans that are so hard to get the last bit of powder out of go, but I'll suck it up and buy a can of IMR4350 or another powder listed if I have to to be safe.

Edit: Corrected to read Speer above, not Sierra.

redmist25 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2005, 07:35:17 AM »

Jason:
They are similar but different enough that data is not interchangeable. Consult another manual or give the sierra bullet technicians a call on their hotline and they will be be glad to help you out.

1.800.223.8799 sierra@sierrabullets.com

longgun · « **Reply #2 on:** December 11, 2005, 09:10:15 AM »

on Hodgdon's burn rate chart they are next to each other

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/general/burnratechart.php

I would not hesitate to use the powder interchangably, just don't load red line loads. Don

Hornetx60 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 11, 2005, 01:13:58 PM »

H and IMR 4350 are not that close in Burn rates. They do react differently in different cases. If you don't have published load data call the Sierra or Hodgdon's Ballisticians and ask them. Just because two powders are next to each other on a burn rate chart doesn't mean they burn alike. This could be a dangerous assumption. There could be a large gap between the 2 powders , but you can't tell by looking at the chart. H4350 does handle the temperature changes better but don't try to cross over your powder charges to IMR 4350. The new H4350 is a drastically different powder from what people knew from years ago of the barrel burner that IMR 4350 used to be.

Jason · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2005, 08:35:31 PM »

I'll call Speer up and ask them. I meant Speer above, not Sierra. I use a lot of pointy Sierra bullets in my other guns and probably just typed that out of habit. For this question, I'm actually more worried about the bottom end of the scale than the top end, as this is for my chicken load of a 110-grain bullet running right at 2000fps or a little less. I'm going for as little recoil as possible to help make sure I don't lose any chickens. Those things look like they're the size of a stop sign at 50m and it's sure embarassing to leave them standing. I don't want to have too little powder in the case and make some little pressure-spiking bombs, though.

My big boomer (for a 30-30, anyway) load for rams is 34.0g of Varget behind a 150-grain bullet, is already set and works great. I'm just working up loads for the 110-grain bullet for chickens and the 130-grain Speer for pigs and turkeys for next year and I have until March to do it.

Thanks for the advice. Keep giving it if you have more to offer.

ajj · « **Reply #5 on:** December 14, 2005, 02:50:08 AM »

4350 seems pretty slow for a light-bullet 30-30 load. I would try a faster powder, something in the range of Rl 7. I've burned several pounds of it behind 150 gr Remington bulk bullets in my 30-30 bolt gun.

Jason · « **Reply #6 on:** December 14, 2005, 12:52:43 PM »

Feel free to suggest a source of load info for a ~2000fps load with the 110-grain Speer bullets. I'm looking for a readily available powder that meters well, burns clean, and handles temperature variations well. I'm not locked into the 4350 powders by any means.

ajj · « **Reply #7 on:** December 16, 2005, 03:21:30 AM »

Can't say I've ever loaded bullets this light in 30-30 so I'm not speaking from experience. Just thinking out loud, that's a really mild load with a bullet quite light for the caliber. Sounds like a good idea, mind you...just not a common use of the capabilites of the cartridge.
Powder as fast as 4198 is useful in the 30-30 and the "H" version is, I think, touted as temperture insensitive. I've never used it. I hesitate to post actual loads, better gotten from a manual. "Steve's Pages" from Ricardelli are available through a link you'll find on the Handloading board here. All that said, I'd start 4198 testing around 23 grains.
I've used lots of RL 7 with 150 grain jacketed bullets at 28 grains. With the 110, looking for 2000fps, I think I'd start around 26 grains.
Just about any powder suitable for benchrest should be good in this application. AA2015, VV 133 or 135, etc.
If you had some W 680 (AA1680) even that would be worth a try. Anyway, consult a manual and try the fast powders. You'll probably be able to find an accurate load with very low muzzle blast and near zero recoil. If you just can't get anything to shoot, go to a cheap 150 bullet and load it light. Good luck and good shooting.