Found some more powder: IMR Target. Any favorite loads?

Nice find. I load most of my 9 with AA No 5 or 7. I do load 45 Colt a lot with H110 and AA5744.

Are you asking for pet loads with that powder for those to projectile weights. I have never seen or used that powder.

It looks like it's IMR's copy of Bullseye, so I would suspect mid-range loads with standard bullet weights would work well, even 230grn .45's.

Hodgdon online has some data for it, I used the 125gr data for 9mm as a starting point. I was shooting for minor and didn’t quite finish the load workup as I switched to a 147gr bullet. Where I left it was 124gr RMR FP MW, 4.2gr Target, 1.120” COL 129 PF out of a P226. Good grouping and a sharper felt recoil than N320 or ASP.
Same deal for .45, online data, and loaded both 200 SWC and 230 plated and HAPs.
I had some RMR 230gr RN Pulls, 4.4gr Target, 1.230” COL 172PF out of a 625. Online data only had Lead RN and FMJ FP so I worked down to this PF actually.
I like most aspects of Target including the fact I could get some. The only negative is it doesn’t meter quite as well as others in my Hornady LNL. I believe the flakes are pressed so thin they sometimes bind the rotor. Both IMR Red and Target meter the same. But the powders burn clean, group well and definitely something I’ll order again when supply is a bit better. Good luck.

Watch your powder drops. Every time I try and use that powder it clogs up my Hornady LNL dispenser and causes real light charges. I've used at least 2 dozen different powders in the last 5 year and Target is the only one that has caused this problem.

lordpaxman said:

Hodgdon online has some data for it, I used the 125gr data for 9mm as a starting point. I was shooting for minor and didn’t quite finish the load workup as I switched to a 147gr bullet. Where I left it was 124gr RMR FP MW, 4.2gr Target, 1.120” COL 129 PF out of a P226. Good grouping and a sharper felt recoil than N320 or ASP.
Same deal for .45, online data, and loaded both 200 SWC and 230 plated and HAPs.
I had some RMR 230gr RN Pulls, 4.4gr Target, 1.230” COL 172PF out of a 625. Online data only had Lead RN and FMJ FP so I worked down to this PF actually.
I like most aspects of Target including the fact I could get some. The only negative is it doesn’t meter quite as well as others in my Hornady LNL. I believe the flakes are pressed so thin they sometimes bind the rotor. Both IMR Red and Target meter the same. But the powders burn clean, group well and definitely something I’ll order again when supply is a bit better. Good luck.

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I'm watching for experiences between W244 and IMR Target. I have better of 3 lbs. of HP-38 left, but am looking to find at other options.

Sounds like Target may meter like Titegroup?

kcofohio said:

I'm watching for experiences between W244 and IMR Target.

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I've been working with W244... I like it. It meters very well, and seems to be consistent enough. It is sensitive to case fill, however... the same charge under the same bullet with a shorter OAL tightened up the SD a LOT. I have not done any powder position tests, however.

I've had good results with it in both the .45ACP and 9mm.

kcofohio said:

I'm watching for experiences between W244 and IMR Target. I have better of 3 lbs. of HP-38 left, but am looking to find at other options.

Sounds like Target may meter like Titegroup?

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As was I. While I like the old tried and true powders I’m not adverse to trying the new kids on the block. My initial impressions of both W244 and Target were that I’d order 8#ers the next time. W244 metered fine in my LNL, but Target would sometimes hang up the rotor. I did not get bridging but then again I have polished most drop surfaces and had a slight mod to the powder measure so it cut the rotor at a more oblique angle. Both powders were clean burning and good groups.
In my LNL I don’t have any trouble metering Titegroup. TG is very consistent, about the only powder that does better than TG is AA2.

lordpaxman said:

As was I. While I like the old tried and true powders I’m not adverse to trying the new kids on the block. My initial impressions of both W244 and Target were that I’d order 8#ers the next time. W244 metered fine in my LNL, but Target would sometimes hang up the rotor. I did not get bridging but then again I have polished most drop surfaces and had a slight mod to the powder measure so it cut the rotor at a more oblique angle. Both powders were clean burning and good groups.
In my LNL I don’t have any trouble metering Titegroup. TG is very consistent, about the only powder that does better than TG is AA2.

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Interesting! Thank you for sharing.

1KPerDay said:

I have heard good things about IMR Target and will of course verify with published sources.

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From my testing, IMR Target produced smaller groups compared to other powders like W231/HP-38.

Charlie98 said:

It looks like it's IMR's copy of Bullseye, so I would suspect mid-range loads with standard bullet weights would work well

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Interestingly, IMR Target produced accuracy at same powder charge range as Bullseye.

lordpaxman said:

Good grouping and a sharper felt recoil than N320 or ASP.

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Similar experience for me as Hodgdon lists Target right behind Bullseye in burn rate and produces "barky firm" recoil like Bullseye using same 4.2-4.3 gr charge for 115 gr FMJ.

kcofohio said:

I'm watching for experiences between W244 and IMR Target.

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W244 is slower burning than W231/HP-38.

kcofohio said:

Sounds like Target may meter like Titegroup?

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Below left shows IMR Target which is small flake powder that looks like larger Bullseye granules compared to W231/HP-38

With Pro Auto Disk, I got the following drops:

.46 Auto Disk = 4.0 - 4.1 gr
.49 Auto Disk = 4.2 - 4.3 gr
.53 Auto Disk = 4.5 - 4.6 gr

1KPerDay said:

4.0 IMR Target under an MBC 115 hi-tek coated

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You are at start charge and may want to try 4.2-4.3 gr.

These are the load data I referenced for my load development - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-vectan-ba-9-5-ba-9.817796/#post-10508215

• 115 gr Lead RN IMR Target Dia .356" COL 1.100" Start 4.0 gr (1,095 fps) 25,500 PSI - Max 4.5 gr (1,197 fps) 33,100 PSI

• 115 gr Speer Gold Dot HP IMR Target Dia .355" COL 1.125" Start 4.4 gr (1,084 fps) 28,700 PSI - Max 4.9 gr (1,171 fps) 32,600 PSI

• 124 gr Berry's HBRN-TP IMR Target Dia .356" COL 1.150" Start 4.1 gr (1,017 fps) 29,000 PSI - Max 4.5 gr (1,109 fps) 32,900 PSI

Chrono data from Glock 22/KKM conversion barrel and Caldwell chronograph:

RMR 115 gr FMJ:
4.0-4.1 gr: 1008-981-991-1023-1034 fps
4.2-4.3 gr: 1049-1053-1067-1055-1085 fps
4.5-4.6 gr: 1162-1166-1138-1110-1151 fps

RMR 115 gr Hardcore Match RN:
4.0-4.1 gr: 986-1002-1071-975-1002 fps
4.2-4.3 gr: 1024-1054-1030-1036-1030 fps

RMR 124 gr Hardcore Match RN:
4.0-4.1 gr: 959-991-984-986-931 fps
4.2-4.3 gr: 1049-1033-1018-1063-1046 fps

Below is IMR Target powder work up groups that were shot from 17" carbine with bipod and scope. Notice the accuracy node that formed at mid-range load data?



IMR Target 1.155" vs 1.130" - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...124-gn-bullet-load-data.875597/#post-11652996



And pistol testing with G22 and KKM conversion barrel

I think it's kind of a moot point... didn't IMR discontinue their pistol powders? I don't think Unequal even made it to distribution.

Charlie98 said:

I think it's kind of a moot point... didn't IMR discontinue their pistol powders? I don't think Unequal even made it to distribution.

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I hope not. I developed a competition load with Target and 147’s and am trying to decide between that and ASP. And I only had a 4# jug of Target, it’s on the list of “must buy”. It also works well in other calibers including the longer .38 case. The only issue I had with Target is the flakes are really thin and occasionally would hang up my LNL powder measure rotor. It did have consistent drops, but not as consistent as Titegroup. I have heard it meters well in a Dillon pm, so I’ll be trying that soon. Good luck.

lordpaxman said:

I hope not.

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sorry... but it's true. I went to the IMR page (on the Hodgdon site) and when you pull up each of those powders, they state that they have been discontinued. Get it while you can!

I found 2 lbs. of IMR Target at a gun show for $11.00 per pound and bought it just because it was so cheap. Turns out it's pretty much a duplicate of Bullseye, and I loaded it as such. It is GREAT powder and I got outstanding accuracy from it in my .38 Special's, .44 Special's and 45 Colt's.



35W

Rats! Another good powder goes by the wayside .



I used it in .44 Spl. lighter weight bullet loads like the 200 gr Eggleston RNFP or 165 gr MBC TCFP coated offerings. I found Target to be very accurate and pleasant to shoot.



I just checked the shelf and saw that I only have three pounds left. Since the charge weights aren’t huge this will probably last me through 2022, after that I guess it’s back to Bullseye for these lighter loads.

Stay safe.

Charlie98 said:

I think it's kind of a moot point... didn't IMR discontinue their pistol powders?

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Riomouse911 said:

Rats! Another good powder goes by the wayside .

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Yeah, too bad. IMR Target was turning out to be very accurate powder for me.

But since being flake powder, not metering with .1 gr variance probably turned many shooters away particularly match shooters. And they never published load data for IMR Red in pistol calibers which probably didn't help. While I bought IMR Green, never saw IMR Unequal nor IMR Blue.

I really do hope Hodgdon release Target under Hodgdon label as they own IMR. (Hodgdon, are you listening? )

I was very surprised to learn it was discontinued. It’s got to be a large undertaking to bring a new powder to market, and they did a whole family. I’m kicking myself I only ordered a 4# jug, should have listened to myself and stuck with the 8#er.

LiveLife said:

And they never published load data for IMR Red in pistol calibers which probably didn't help.

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I found Hodgdon IMR Red online data for .38 and .45 which I tried and was happy with it but never say 9mm data. I just hope Alliant continues to churn out colored powders.

lordpaxman said:

I just hope Alliant continues to churn out colored powders.

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Alliant probably knows the Dots (and Unique) are their pistol bread and butter.

With IMR... I think it was just very poor timing, and lack of enthusiasm to provide load data.