Imr 4350

[ForneyRider]

It has been raining all weekend in North Texas so humidity was up.

Here's our load. 270 Winchester with 130gr Hornady SST, 55gr IMR 4350, Magnum large rifle primer. This load has been awesome with the Nosler 130gr Ballistic Tip, but we decided to save some dough and get the Hornady bullets.

The IMR 4350 was getting pretty sticky in my Lee Perfect Powder measure and getting really awful consistency. I could eyeball the differences in powder.

So we grabbed some Reloder 19 and measured out 55gr. It fed much better in the Perfect Powder.

Is the IMR 4350 shape not good for Perfect Powder? It is pretty long compared to the Reloder 19.

 

[dakotasin]

most stick powders are a general nuisance, but shoot so well that you are inclined to just suck it up and deal w/ it. h-4831 is another nuisance.

you might consider trying some ramshot hunter (about h-4831 speed) or big game (about h-4350)... it is a ball powder and measures pretty easy.

but to answer your question, it isn't your measure - its the powder.

 

[Sunray]

The only thing you can tell about any powder by looking at it is the shape of the grains. As I recall, IMR4350 is an extruded powder. Extruded powders don't go through powder throwers well. So yes, it is the shape of the grains that's giving you the grief. Mind you, really good ammo has each charge weighed on a scale.
You don't need magnum primers for IMR4350 either. Magmun primers burn a bit hotter for a bit longer and are for igniting hard to light powders or for extreme cold weather shooting. IMR4350 isn't hard to light. Regular primers are fine.
Load for the bullet weight. Who made them doesn't matter.

 

[Ol` Joe]

Load for the bullet weight. Who made them doesn't matter.

Not necessarily true!
The core hardness, jacket thickness/alloy, bearing surface, seating depth, all affect the load. A lot of the reason one manuals powder charge doesn`t agree with another is the bullet.

 

[cougar1717]

Hodgdon's website for cartridge loads is a great resource to use: http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

From this source, your original load is shown as the maximum load (for the bullet weight) with a large rifle primer.

To answer your original question without being too redundant, I've had marginal trouble using a perfect powder measure with extruded powders, but I weigh each charge. Finer powders will meter better than extruded ones.

One thing that I would be concerned about is changing any elements to the load without working it up from the starting load. I hate to be the fun police, but I agree with Ol' Joe, the bullets from different manufacturers can be very different.

 

[Stinger]

These other guys already mentioned it, but extruded powders just don't drop as consistently as ball powders. If it makes you feel any better, the Perfect Powder measure drops extruded powder better than most, however.

 

[Snapping Twig]

IMR 4350 is great stuff!

Get a powder trickler, set your powder to dispense under the charge and top off with the trickler. Rifle is slower to load anyway and this insures perfection.

 

[moosehunt]

Whenever using stick powders for rifle, which is most of the time, I always weigh each and every charge. Just too much variation if you don't. I've used a lot of Dupont/IMR 4350 over the years in many a cartridge, and you just need to accept the fact that it ain't gonna meter well. You have to weigh each charge. It really doesn't take that long. Set your measure to come up short, trickle it up to weight, pour in case, measure next dose and put on scale. While it's settling down, seat the last one's bullet. Then you're ready to trickle, repeating sequence. If you do all the powder measuring at once, it takes a good bit of time, but not bad if you seat while the scale calms down.

 

[hawkeye1]

I love the 4350 in many of my rifle loads. But, the powder does not meter well in a powder measure. For my rifle loads with the extruded stick type powder I use the Pact electronic powder measure and scale. They interact and throw the exact load that you preset. They work great and save time. It sure beats using the powder trickler and balance beam scale I was using. Don't get me wrong, the scale and trickler work fine, but the new electronic units are definitely worth taking a look at. They cost more, but after you get one you won't be sorry. Just a thought.

good shooting

 

[K3]

Not necessarily true!
The core hardness, jacket thickness/alloy, bearing surface, seating depth, all affect the load. A lot of the reason one manuals powder charge doesn`t agree with another is the bullet.

+1

I noticed a big difference in muzzle velocity between 180gr Barnes TSX and 180gr Sierra Gamekings (.308) with the same charge of IMR4831. Nearly 100fps more for the TSX out of the same rifle.

 

[ForneyRider]

I have IMR4350, IMR3031, IMR4064, RL19, RL22. May end up trying some RL 25 too.

I have the RCBS trickler.

Sounds like I have found a use for the Lee Powder dippers. I can dip close and trickle my way from there.

I was hoping to find something that measures as nice as Varget but in a RL22, RL25 performance.

IMR 4350 does cover a lot of territory.

Much Thanks.

 

[BsChoy]

What about simply switching to H4350? Its short grainules have to help and the burn rates aren't that different....just my .02

 

[moosehunt]

I've also used the H4350. It does meter better, but still not like a ball or flake powder, and in my opinion, one still needs to weigh each charge.

 

[BsChoy]

for accurate rounds you must weigh each no doubt....range blasting ammo could be dropped without much concern

 

[moosehunt]

Mr. BsChoy--Politely sir, I disagree with you. Regarding stick powder and rifle loads, I suggest that for anything approaching accuracy and even to some degree from a safety standpoint, I feel that all loads need to be weighed. Ball or flake powder, no. Stick powders, yes. Each to his own. I'm not sure what you classify as "range blasting", but every shot I fire I consider a practice shot. How do I know what I'm accomplishing in practice if I don't know where the bullet should go, i.e. a decent degree of accuracy.

 

[Stinger]

Those guys who shoot itty-bitty groups at super-long distances don't weigh all of their charges.

 

[moosehunt]

Mr. Stinger--You are not going to draw me into a pissing match. Sorry. As I said before, each to his own. I've weighed every stick powder rifle load I've made for 45 years. I'll continue to do so.

 

[USSR]

Those guys who shoot itty-bitty groups at super-long distances don't weigh all of their charges.

Oh yes we do. I don't know of a man on the 1,000 yard firing line in F Class competition that doesn't weigh their charges.

Don

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

I've weighed every stick powder rifle load I've made for 45 years. I'll continue to do so.

I've done the same for more than 20 years and will also continue to do so. I most certainly do for the loads that my boys shoot.

I don't shoot long range rifle, but even my hunting loads, (that are ~minute of angle), are weighed one at a time. I throw the charge of ~99% and then trickle the rest in on the scale. Same with my hot handgun hunting loads. Every one of them is weighed. Am I worried about over charging and blowing my gun up? Not really, I just want the most consistant accuracy I can get. That starts with uniform powder charges.

-Steve

 

[moosehunt]

My point exactly! It takes so little time, why not?

 

[Stinger]

I was being facetious. Where'd I put that smiley???