.280 rem / 7mm express powder

So, I finally pulled apart my remington core-lokt factory 150 psp that is the only round i can find working perfectly in my 7400 :banghead: , and weighed their powder. It was 53.3 grains of some large black shiny grain stuff that looked like IMR 4138 maybe? Anyway, I've gotten core lokt bullets to try to replicate the load and hopefully use the powder on some other bullets like the hornady 154 grain, but I would like to identify this powder. The online Hodgdon resource doesn't show 53.3 grains of anything, or even close. IMR 4350 is listed in Sierra's manual as "the accuracy load" at 53 grains (according to the interwebz) but, I've never seen the powder so; it does it look like that?

There is no way to identify the powders that many of the ammo makers use in their lines as most are custom blends to the manufacturer's specs. You cannot duplicate those custom powders. You have canister lots to work with, using data made for those listed powders.
IMR4350 is a good powder to use in your 280 Rem, as are several others listed at Hodgdon's site.

www.hodgdon.com


NCsmitty

Thanks. that's what the sierra manual was showing for the accuracy load, so we'll see if it works next.

You have to realize that it was the accuracy load in the firearm or test fixture that they used when developing the load. It may or may not be optimal in your firearm, but it's a place to start. Do not use maximum loads to start, always work up looking for the accuracy.


NCsmitty