IMR 4955

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Howa 9700

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Resumed reloading for metalica in Feb 2021 when everything was in short supply and nearly impossible to find. One of the first powders to come available was 4955, which was said to be a good substitute for 4831, and had load data to go with it. Snagged 2 pounds.

Tried loading it into two calibers and result was the same. Ran into pressure early and recoil was excessive for where it should have been. And in both cases, best groups I could get ran about 2 MOA. Not what I was looking for, but that would be good enough to kill a lot of deer.

Since then have found an abundance of actual 4831 and 4350 powders, such that I will never use the 4955.

Last part is 4955 was part of the IMR enduron line, which have now been discontinued. So is an obsolete powder. So what to do with it? My thinking is it will push a bullet down the barrel, and someday if things go south again, someone might be happy to have it. Just not me.
 
BTW, the problems I ran into with 4955 were great enough I half expected Hodgdon to issue a recall. Would be happy to swap mine out for half that amount of either 4350, 4831 or even Varget if they had an abundance of that they wanted to get rid of. :cool:
 
Yea, I picked up IMR4451 as a substitute for one of the 4350’s in 6.5CM. Like you said… it pushes the bullet out the tube. I’m going to burn up the last half pound or so in medium velocity practice rounds… and be done wit it.
 
Same boat here!

I bought 2 lbs (darn 2 lb limit) of both IMR 4451, and IMR 4955, one other too.

I never opened a single jar because I was able to find powders I was more familiar with shortly afterwards.

But it’s fresh, and like you said, they’ll push a bullet down a barrel.

Mine is in storage. Hoping I find a use for them but I will not start load development with any of them if 2 lbs is all I can have.
 
Advertise locally, at your range or such. Someone might swap for something you can use or purchase it outright. These days it is more likely to be something sombody would want.
 
FROGO207 said:
Advertise locally, at your range or such. Someone might swap for something you can use or purchase it outright.
Click to expand...

That's quite true. I was reading the FB page where Powder Valley announced Hodgdon was discontinuing the Enduron powders, and a lot of those guys were upset because they had worked up good loads with it.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
I have been trying into trade off the 4166 and 4451 I bought without success. None of the reloaders I know want it, and I know a good number of them.
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If you were closer I'd trade you out of the 4166. I've got some decent 30-30 and .243 loads with it.
 
Hugger-4641 said:
If you were closer I'd trade you out of the 4166. I've got some decent 30-30 and .243 loads with it.
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Thank you sir, it is unfortunate many of us live so far from each other and of course the regulations and Hazmat laws make simple none explosive smokeless powder a very difficult if impossible item to ship by us common folks.
 
Charlie98 said:
That's quite true. I was reading the FB page where Powder Valley announced Hodgdon was discontinuing the Enduron powders, and a lot of those guys were upset because they had worked up good loads with it.
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Damn. Didn't know about this till just now. Glad I bought 16 pounds of it because I found a freaking great 4955 load for my Weatherby 30-06.
 
ojibweindian said:
Damn. Didn't know about this till just now. Glad I bought 16 pounds of it because I found a freaking great 4955 load for my Weatherby 30-06.
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I bought a pound of 4955 just to try it, started with .243 and a heavy bullet and the starting load exceeded the max load velocity and blew out the primer. I had thought about using it for the 06, but not sure it makes sense if it’s discontinued. When will I ever learn?
 
lordpaxman said:
I bought a pound of 4955 just to try it, started with .243 and a heavy bullet and the starting load exceeded the max load velocity and blew out the primer. I had thought about using it for the 06, but not sure it makes sense if it’s discontinued. When will I ever learn?
Click to expand...
=D

I feel your pain.

I found a load for my Weatherby 30-06 that printed a center-to-center 3 round group of 0.178" at 100 yards. Another load went 0.922" center-to-center.

First load ran 2723 fps, and the second ran 2772 fps.

I'm going to whip up another 20 round batch of both and see if they'll be consistent.
 
This is the risk with the Powder du Jour. Media hypes the stuff as the end of history, but when it is actually tested, if there is an improvement, the improvement is slight.

Magic powders exist in the same story realms as magic beans.

When the hype does not match the outcome, the buying public tends to go back to same ole same ole.
 
Slamfire said:
This is the risk with the Powder du Jour. Media hypes the stuff as the end of history, but when it is actually tested, if there is an improvement, the improvement is slight.

Magic powders exist in the same story realms as magic beans.

When the hype does not match the outcome, the buying public tends to go back to same ole same ole.
Click to expand...
The powders you really want are normally gone, and that's a sign they are meeting expectations of others. I found a little place that had powder that was normally a rip off and I got 9 pounds out of the place before they figured it out and doubled the price... now I won't go back.
 
Set it on the powder shelf and carry on . You never know what the future holds and to say I will NEVER use this powder is rather short sighted ... Never say Never !
In 1979 a local dealer was closing up his shop and had Alcan powders at giveaway prices ...
I bought a lot of Alcan #5 and Alcan #7 with no idea what to do with it , my standard bullsey , Unique and 2400 was plentiful ... I put the Alcan powders in the closet on the back shelf .
Well Today I been using it to reload 38 spcl. , 357 mag. . 45 acp , 41 mag and 9mm because I can't find any Bullseye or Unique or 2400 ... I never would have dreamed the USA would have powder shortages ,,, but I've been through 3 different shortages ... and guess what has kept me going ... Alcan #5 and Alcan #7 that I stashed away in 1979 !
My advice is to gather loading data and hang on to that powder for a day when you need it ...
Surely it can be used to reload something with ... and it is paid for

Remember ... Never say Never !
Gary
 
gwpercle said:
Set it on the powder shelf and carry on . You never know what the future holds and to say I will NEVER use this powder is rather short sighted ... Never say Never !
In 1979 a local dealer was closing up his shop and had Alcan powders at giveaway prices ...
I bought a lot of Alcan #5 and Alcan #7 with no idea what to do with it , my standard bullsey , Unique and 2400 was plentiful ... I put the Alcan powders in the closet on the back shelf .
Well Today I been using it to reload 38 spcl. , 357 mag. . 45 acp , 41 mag and 9mm because I can't find any Bullseye or Unique or 2400 ... I never would have dreamed the USA would have powder shortages ,,, but I've been through 3 different shortages ... and guess what has kept me going ... Alcan #5 and Alcan #7 that I stashed away in 1979 !
My advice is to gather loading data and hang on to that powder for a day when you need it ...
Surely it can be used to reload something with ... and it is paid for

Remember ... Never say Never !
Gary
Click to expand...
Exactly what I’m doing. I bought 3 of the “Enduron” powders when they were the only thing available. Sadly, I probably had enough RL22, RL19, RL17, RL15, IMR 4350, IMR 4831, H380, H4895, H414 and W760 to last me the rest of my lifetime. But I didn’t know so I now own 2 lbs (2lb limit) of 3 of the Endurons.

Barely enough to work up a load in a magnum caliber. But as others said, it’ll push a bullet down a barrel. If someone wanted any of them, I’d make em a good trade. But I’m not advertising.

Gotta admit, they have pretty colors on ther jars!
 
As noted on my original post, aside from never found an accurate load from limited tests, using 4955 (similar to 4831 burn speed) I ran into pressure signs early, and was still several grains below max. So far out of whack I half expected to see a recall on it from Hodgdon.

But good to see others have found some use for it. Unless and until they do issue a recoil, I'll hang on to it. Future is unknown and it's better than nothing, which is what I had when I bought it last year.
 
Howa 9700 said:
As noted on my original post, aside from never found an accurate load from limited tests, using 4955 (similar to 4831 burn speed) I ran into pressure signs early, and was still several grains below max. So far out of whack I half expected to see a recall on it from Hodgdon.

But good to see others have found some use for it. Unless and until they do issue a recoil, I'll hang on to it. Future is unknown and it's better than nothing, which is what I had when I bought it last year.
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That was my general read on the Endurons… you had to redline the charge to get equivalent velocity vs the standard powder it replaced.
 
The whole IMR powder saga is an odd one… first they cut their ‘new’ pistol powders, and now the Enduron line. They came full circle and are now back to what they have been producing for years. You never know… maybe they will reintroduce SR4759 and 4320…
 
Even more curious when you remember Hodgdon doesn't make any of these powders. They are just repackaging powders made by others. Guess those endurons didn't work out in practice.
 
Also think there are way to many powders to keep track of.

Seems to me if they could find a way to reliably keep Varget, 4895, 4064, 4350 and 4831 on the shelves, 95% of the rifle shooting world would be happy.
 
Howa 9700 said:
Even more curious when you remember Hodgdon doesn't make any of these powders. They are just repackaging powders made by others. Guess those endurons didn't work out in practice.
Click to expand...

Howa 9700 said:
Also think there are way to many powders to keep track of.

Seems to me if they could find a way to reliably keep Varget, 4895, 4064, 4350 and 4831 on the shelves, 95% of the rifle shooting world would be happy.
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I've often thought that, too. Now that Hodgdon runs the powder market almost exclusively, why are they still packaging W231 and HP38 separately. We ALL know it's the same powder, why the 2 flavors? It seems to me that if they consolidated the lines, it would lead to easier distribution.
 
Charlie98 said:
I've often thought that, too. Now that Hodgdon runs the powder market almost exclusively, why are they still packaging W231 and HP38 separately. We ALL know it's the same powder, why the 2 flavors? It seems to me that if they consolidated the lines, it would lead to easier distribution.
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Brand loyalty is probably the reason. Also, from what I read Hodgdon doesn't really own the Winchester line, they acquired to rights to be the sole distributor of those powders. (I could be wrong) Hodgdon decided to release 6 new powers under the Winchester banner. (3X StaBall variations, W244, W572 and AutoComp)

The Winchester franchise is iconic and there is no way they would want to degrade it's worth.
 
Magic powders exist in the same story realms as magic beans.
Click to expand...

Magic beans do exist!
They are called coffee beans,
they get me up in the morning, and get me moving.
MAGIC
:rofl:
 
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