[justinbaker]

i already posted this on another board, but perhaps you guys might have some more info
i just came across a huge reloading score


and this suprised me quite a bit

its hodgon 4831 and the powder still looks great

i have 6 or 7 pounds of it, and it looks to all be still sealed


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f80/jeepjustin2002/IMG_1439.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f80/jeepjustin2002/IMG_1440.jpg

[ReloaderFred]

Hodgdon bought tons of surplus 4831 after World War II. He repackaged it and that's how he started his powder business. At one time, you could buy 100 pound kegs of it from him.

I was buying my 4831 in the "coffee bean bags" like yours in 1963, when I first started loading. I still have one left.

About 1965 or so, the local fire dept. told the gunshop where I bought most of my reloading supplies that they couldn't sell powder in paper bags anymore. From that time on, all I could get was in cardboard or metal cans.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[armoredman]

Wow, I've never seen that before...thanks for sharing.

[bobotech]

Very cool pics and interesting info.

[loadedround]

If I remember correctly, Hodgdon was selling military surplus powder in paper bags in the mid 1960's. I can't recall the type(s) but H4895 sticks in my mind. I'm also guessing that your powder may go back to that era plus 10 years. :)

[KenWP]

The powder can actually be almost 65 to 70 years old . What's amazing is that it still works if stored right. Hodgdon made money selling that powder cheap like there was no tomorrow and then had to figure out how to make new powder to sell at real prices after he ran out of surplus. I can still remember buyin a pound of new powder for less then $5 and that was unhere in tax ville.

[Rollis R. Karvellis]

The good old days. Wern't the dinosours still running around when that stuff was made?

[jim147]

I'm not sure on the age of yours but I know The Bullethole beside Hodgdon sold it in one pound bags in the 80's.
I have a old shop down south of me that was still selling bulk in brown paper bags three years ago when I was there.
I still have some of the old Unique and Reddot that was bought in bags for trap many years ago.

jim

[loadedround]

Hey Rollis, "The good old days" I don't know about the dinosaurs, but most cars still had those funny looking L shaped metal things sticking out the front and you could buy a Model 70 for 80 bucks and a Colt SAA for less than 50 bucks. I can still remember buy my first reloader press, a complete Tru-line Jr kit w/dies and powder measure for 19.95. :)

[ReloaderFred]

I should have mentioned that 4831 was 35 cents a pound when I first started buying it in the paper bags in 1963. That was a lot of money, since I was only making $1.25 an hour at the time.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Rollis R. Karvellis]

I wasn't born till 1967, the funny thing is my kid think's I'm the dinosaur.