Decided to Try Hodgdon (formerly IMR) Hi Skor 700-X

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Loaded up my initial loads with 700-X in 9mm and 40 S&W. My FA Intellidropper didn’t miss a beat, spitting out the requested charges without a problem. The challenge came when it was time to empty the hopper. It took a bit of tapping and jostling to get the powder to flow out of the emptying valve, the powder also liked to cling to the inside of the hopper. I’m sure it was trying to imbed itself permanently...a reminder that no powder, and definitely not a double based powder should be left in the hopper after a load session.
 
hdwhit said:
Hey, why all the hate for 800-X?

Granted it meters like "cornflakes" (thank you Toprudder), but it is extremely versatile and for single-stage users like me, it's not a major inconvenience to set up the Uniflow to throw light and then trickle up to the desired charge. You get really consistent charges that way.
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Fair question. If I were going to trickle loads, or use my Chargemaster, I would not hesitate using 800x. I found some good loads for it in a few calibers where I tried it. But I also found other powders that worked as well as 800x and metered well from volumetric measures, which is my preferred method of dropping powder for those calibers. I load those calibers using a progressive press.

One thing I did notice with 800x, during my load workups, is that the velocity did not vary as much with a change in charge weight as other powders. A +/- 0.2 gn variation would not be a big deal like it would be with other powders.
 
Took my 700-X loads out to the range today. Both 9mm and 40 S&W rounds shot well. Somehow I got it right on the first try. That usually doesn’t happen and I’m back with my notes reworking powder or seating depth. Even though I made up 3 rungs in each ladder, I could shoot any of the three and be happy. So I guess that means I’ll take the highest charge and test it in every gun I have. Generally speaking, if something fires well in my Honor Guard 9, it’ll be too harsh for my Kimber Micro 9. Same with my Beretta PX4 Storm/Springfield EMP 40 S&W loads. In this case, despite having 3 nines with me, I did my testing with the Kimber Micro 9.

Impressions...very economical powder. Loads are quite small, and everything fired nicely. Cases were dirty...but not any worse than other powders I shoot. More importantly, my hands we’re still clean after the shooting session, including recovering my fired brass. One item I did note...the cases are hotter than any other powder I load, and they retained heat longer as well. It’s a bit early to make any decision, but early impressions are quite favorable.

Side note...got a wild hair on Sunday and elected to load some 38 Spl and 45 ACP loads with this 700-X, but I did it with my Hornady Powder dropper. I was prepared to chuck that and break out the FA Intellidropper. That proved unnecessary, as this powder dropped within specs each time. Charges weren’t as accurate as my electronic dispenser, but probably more accurate than I could notice in shooting. Of course that remains to be seen as I haven’t shot any of them...but mid-session checks and the powder was still within tolerances. So while I prefer loading with my FA Intellidropper, if I need to crank out some rounds in a hurry, my powder dropper will do just fine. This powder is NOTHING like Universal!
 
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FROGO207 said:
If it is burning a little dirty bump up the charges. It likes to burn under pressure and will be cleaner.
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Good advice. I have room in the loads for more powder, although I'm not as concerned about dirty cases as I am about safe and comfortable shooting. This is my first FAST powder, and I understand that pressure spikes come quick and unexpectedly with this powder. Check out this warning I received from a powder testing site when I inquired about 700-X:


"Hello. I didn't test it because its faster than TITEGROUP. and titegroup is already fast and potentially dangerous. 700x is a MUCH faster brother to 800x, its not even close. The reason I don't test it is because through a progressive press where you have variances sometimes as much as .2 grains, with some loads, that would literally be possibly a 10,000 PSI spike in pressure with that powder if I was up near maximums. Also, through progressive, you would get WILDLY erratic FPS, with giant extreme spread because even .1 grain has good impact to velocity because its so fast burning. I totally don't recommend this powder for 9 MM. I am not even that hot on fast powders like Titegroup. I like the medium burning 9 MM powders, like Sil, True blue, N340, N330, AA#5, Ultimate PIstol, etc. If you make a mistake loaded just 1 bullet with the medium burning powders, or slower, you might not even notice. You make a mistake with that powder? It will at least bulge case, blow out primer, or worse crack the breach, or bad news. Please be careful.

I think it is not responsible of Hodgdon to post reloading information for this, for pistol. Its a terrible, dangerous choice. I fully recommend for intermediate and beginer reloaders, they choose powders like AA#7, or Blue Dot, etc. Because you can't put enough powder in the case to make it super dangerous.

I hope this helps you."​

That sure got my attention. Lots of folks tell me they've been loading 700-X for years, but I suspect that they have decades of reloading and shooting experience over me. On the other hand, this warning is specifically directed to 9mm, while the 700-X lovers have been 38/357 and 45 ACP fans...so that may be the place for me to stay. I have plenty of 9mm suitable powders on hand.
 
markr6754 said:
On the other hand, this warning is specifically directed to 9mm, while the 700-X lovers have been 38/357 and 45 ACP fans...so that may be the place for me to stay. I have plenty of 9mm suitable powders on hand.
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While there is data for using 700-X in 9x19, it would not be my choice of powders for 9x19. There are too many other good powders for 9x19 that perform better than 700-X in 9x19.

700-X is my main powder for 45 ACP and have been using it from day one (1980) in my reloading career.
 
markr6754 said:
Just came home with a new powder to try. Seems all the “good” powders have been grabbed, and I don’t have any other fast powders on my shelf.

Found data at Hodgdon for every pistol caliber I shoot: 380 ACP, 9mm, 38 Spl, 357 Mag, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP. I also noted that the Sierra load manual included numerous loads for 700-X, but my Sierra app doesn’t list any.

Anyone else using 700-X for handgun loads? I’ve already read that it meters poorly, but it should do fine in my FA Intellidropper.
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I insist my shotgun powders be useable for pistol also, so yes, I have experience with loading pistol ammo with 700-X. All of in .38 Spl. I loaded all my target .38's (148 wadcutter and 158 LRN) with it back in the day. It was also what I loaded my Trap loads with. I now load Green Dot for Trap loads, and have loaded .45 ACP with it also.
 
entropy said:
I insist my shotgun powders be useable for pistol also, so yes, I have experience with loading pistol ammo with 700-X.
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I agree, it is handy to be able to use powders used in shotguns in pistol loads as well.

I used Unique in my 20 ga and 28 ga loads for a long time but recently I have been using 20/28.

I have a load recipe or two in pistol with 20/28 but there is not alot of metallic cartridge data with this powder--yet. I do like how 20/28 performs in 20 ga and 28 gauge shot shells.

P.S., I use W296 in my .410-2-1/2 skeet loads. It gives me a common powder for many magnum pistol ammunition.

I do not load much 12 gauge shot shell ammunition. So, I've not done much research to find powders suitable for both my 12 gauge ammunition and some metallic cartridges.
 
Any of you guys using 700x care to weight a Lee 1.3cc dipper for a buddy?

He's using it in 44mag under a 240gr XTP. I convinced him to hold off until he can verify the charge weight since I don't trust the value given by Lee.
 
700X will produce more smoke then Bullseye . Works ok in 45 acp & 38 Spec. for me. Doesnt go thru the measure as good as Bullseye. Left over from loading shot shell.
 
243winxb said:
700X will produce more smoke then Bullseye . Works ok in 45 acp & 38 Spec. for me. Doesnt go thru the measure as good as Bullseye. Left over from loading shot shell.
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I’ve never shot Bullseye, and I have just 60 rounds experience with 700-X, but I would have to say I observed no smoke at all. I was shooting 115gr FMJ and 165 JHP RN and the only observation I had out of the ordinary was the cases were hotter than any other recent loads, and stayed warm longer. Disregarding that I couldn’t have been happier with my first 700-X experience.
Shortly after that I fired a bunch of 9mm - 95gr JHP over HP-38, and I had fireballs the likes of which I’ve never seen before. It was as scary as it was impressive! I’ll be pursuing that to find out what on earth happened.
 
Check out this warning I received from a powder testing site when I inquired about 700-X:
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I wouldn't pay much attention to them after what was quoted that they said.......

I think it is not responsible of Hodgdon to post reloading information for this, for pistol. Its a terrible, dangerous choice
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I fully recommend for intermediate and beginer reloaders, they choose powders like AA#7, or Blue Dot, etc. Because you can't put enough powder in the case to make it super dangerous.
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THAT's why we measure powder!
Having good case fill so a double charge would overflow is nice, but not required IMO


Right, AA#7 and Blue Dot......these two are on the slow side for 9mm powder, probably about as slow as is useful in 9mm.
If I was making a recommendation for a beginner reloader in 9mm I would recommend something with a burn rate in here, HP38/W231 would be a good choice for a first powder for a new reloader.
upload_2020-10-1_10-10-58.png
Any powder is dangerous if you use to heavy a charge, faster powders are less forgiving, but to say it is not responsible of Hodgdon to post data for it is unfair.
I'm sure if there was an issue with posted data blowing up guns we would hear about it.

Now if Billy Bob decides the data is "lawyered down" and uses more than is listed, or has poor reloading QC and ends up with a heavier charge than listed charge, then yep there could be issues....


Fast powders in 9mm are best suited for midrange loads IMO, if I wanted the vel that a fast powder at MAX charge would give me I would be tempted to go with a slower powder that would give me that vel and not be at MAX charge....

Red Dot/Promo are both listed as faster than 700X, Titegroup is listed a hair slower but they are close burn speed wise, difference in charges between them of course but burn speed wise probably not that much difference.

I used up a couple lbs of Promo in 9mm with no issues. Did it meter great no, for me say + or - .2gr So if I plan on throwing a charges and am a least .2gr under max to allow for the swing I don't have to worry about it, if I was planning on loading MAX charges with it, it would be wise to weigh every charge which is always a good idea with any powder when loading MAX loads.
 
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Many moons ago, there was some discussion of appropriate powder for foreign made 9mms.

NRA shot reloads in the then-new HK P7 and found that even a top load of Bullseye was not reliable but Unique did fine. A second gun must have had a different gas port because it shot with Bullseye.

An early print AA manual warned that below maximum charges of AA #2 might not be reliable in European pistols.

Ed Harris once wrote that European 115 gr 9mm was typically loaded with powders in the 5 to 7 grain charge range. This makes CFE Pistol close to the optimum from Hodgdon. HS6 is mathematically suitable but it was the only powder I have ever shot that was dirty enough to cause malfunctions in one day at the range.
 
Dudedog said:
Right, AA#7 and Blue Dot......these two are on the slow side for 9mm powder, probably about as slow as is useful in 9mm.
If I was making a recommendation for a beginner reloader in 9mm I would recommend something with a burn rate in here, HP38/W231 would be a good choice for a first powder for a new reloader.
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Interesting statement. As it turns out, that IS the powder that I started my journey with. In fact, I could be happy with nothing but HP-38 if it was all I had. Aside from my recent fireball experience I've never had an issue. However, I started buying different powders after I had a little loading experience...and because I love a good sale. VV N320 became my favorite powder, but since my first order in 2018 I was never able to get it again..until just recently and the price was 50% higher than I originally paid. Nonetheless, I like it, so I bought more. If we ever see 1 cent HazMat again I'll likely but a 4lb jug or two.

But to get back on topic...if I knew nothing else about powders and someone gave me some 700-X...advising me to make careful measurements, I likely would love it too. Just as versatile as HP-38 as far as calibers supported. Suffice it to say, we have a plethora of powders for handgun loading, and I couldn't be happier. Now, if I could only say the same about primers...!
 
Trying for the market niche long since carved out by Unique and supported by Universal.
Can we think what niches Target, Red, Green, and Blue might be meant to share?
Surprised they didn't try for something in the Magnum revolver field.
 
What I have found with 700X is even though it might throw .2gr heavy or light in my Dillon measure, I have gotten some of my best chronograph numbers with that powder.

I still use a lot of it for plinking loads in 38 and 357mag. I actually just loaded 50 105gr lswc in 38 special cases and 50 in 357 magnum cases using 700X. Hoping to try them out Saturday.

Another nice think about 700X? It's usually always on the shelf lol. Since I have so much load data from using it, I can easily get to loading without having to do workups.
 
During a sale with free HazMat I purchased 16lb of 700-X a few years back. It sat unused for a while, but recently I developed loads for it in 9mm, 38Spl and 357Mag.
I find it a good medium powder. At 6.2gn in a 357 Mag under a 125gn JHP I get 1058fps with an SD of 6.0 for 10 shots from a 4" Model 19. In my 20" 1873 velocity is 1383fps.
There is a slight film after a shooting but it wipes away with an oily rag. I weight each charge, even though I load on a Dillon 1050. I couldn't get it to meter better than +/- 1gn.
 
ausrobbo said:
Lee 1.3cc dipper 700X. My dipper technique isn't great. So I dipped 5 charges and repeated that 4 times.
48.88gn
49.26gn
49.08gn
49.16gn

Ave: 9.8gn
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I greatly appreciate it. That's about double what he needs (240gr 44mag plinking loads).

Thanks a million! I have the dippers and scale, but no 700x!
 
VV N320 became my favorite powder
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If you like N320 in 9mm you might give N330 a try next time you order, just a bit slower a little bit more velocity if you want it, meters well and clean like N320.

I liked N330 a lot but it didn't do anything for me that WSF won't and WSF is less expensive and easier to find. Accuracy wise in my gun it was to close to call between the 2.
 
Lee 1.3cc dipper 700X. My dipper technique isn't great. So I dipped 5 charges and repeated that 4 times.
48.88gn
49.26gn
49.08gn
49.16gn
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The 4s are a mis-copy I assume, so you mean
8.88
9.26
9.08
9.16
?
listed VMD of 700X is .1343 (sometimes the listed VMD is close sometimes it is not... Looks like the above lot was a little higher than .1343 about .143
VMD*gr =cc or cc/VMD=gr
so for 700X that gives
0.1343vmd 9.7gr 1.30271cc
0.1343vmd 9.8gr 1.31614cc
say 9.7gr for 1.3cc but it depends on how close the listed VMD is to the real one. (and some powders vary between lots more than others IMO)
You can work backwards and get the VMD of your powder by weighing the charge from a couple different dippers.
Then with your VMD you will get an idea of what a scoop will give you (do I have one the size I need...)

say
.46cc= 5gr VMD=.092
.57cc= 6.2gr VMD= .0919 call it .092

so then I could figure that a .76cc dipper would give me about 8.3gr

(Yes I loaded with a Lee pro Disk so it was worth thinking about VMD)

I like to load WSF listed VMD is .084 my batches seem to run closer to .092,
Unique is listed at .1092 mine batch ran closer to .13,
HP38 is listed at .092 my batches were about .092, Universal at .1099 my batches were about .11 so some listed are close some are not.

I have some listed VMDs for various powders if any one is interested let me know and I can post them here or PM them.
 
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