IMR 8208 XBR: will miracles never cease?

[spitballer]

Unbelievable - I found a can of IMR 8208 here locally for the first time in YEARS! I'm just overjoyed! Now I can load up some of those skinny 64 grain Berger .224 varmint bullets I had such good luck with so long ago... what a stroke of luck! Yee-haw!!!

Okay, my outburst is over and you can return to your regularly scheduled thread.

Yee-haw!!!

 

[W.E.G.]

I've seen it pop up on Gunbot a few times recently.

Never lasts long.

 

[FROGO207]

Yeah---rub it in! Some will show up around here eventually. REALLY, things do seem to be getting better as far as propellant goes around here now.

 

[Potatohead]

I thought about buying some the other day but didnt know much about it. My LGS has a pretty good stock. Its in the black and gold canister right? How do you like it?

 

[zerobarrier]

I thought about buying some the other day but didnt know much about it. My LGS has a pretty good stock. Its in the black and gold canister right? How do you like it?

Yeah black and gold can. I like it. Its a small cylindrical powder that meters pretty well. I am shooting 1"-2" groups at 300yds with it in 308 using 42.7grs with 175gr smk's. I have heard it works better towards the top end of load data. The data from hodgdon's site says max charge of 42.5gr for 175gr smk's. I show no signs of pressure at 42.7grs. As always work up slowly and carefully. I am going to try it in my 223.

 

[Potatohead]

Thanks Zero. Yea when I got home from seeing it the other day I searched a few threads and did some googling. I did see a bit about the "better at the top end" stuff, which I dont get to excited about since I'm still new to 223.

This old codger was really talking it up at the LGS but I didnt know whether to listen or not, you know how that goes

 

[spitballer]

Funny, though, this can I got yesterday doesn't have a seal on it. Rim doesn't look like it ever did. No cap pad, no nothing. Just a bare tin lid. But it has an olive cast like 8208, and it smells strongly of crushed Ping-Pong balls like 8208. In fact, it looks and smells pretty darned fresh. Looks good! Feels weighty!

The lot/batch number from the label is 1050114 over 5274, if anyone knows anything about these missing seals.

 

[Havok7416]

What exactly do crushed Ping-Pong balls smell like? That's up there on the obscure reference list!

 

[NCsmitty]

Of all the IMR powders being produced, only 8208 XBR and IMR 4198 are listed as being insensitive to ambient temperature variations. It's one of the main reasons that I prefer Hodgdon Extreme powders.
I've seen other shooters on this site mention how good IMR 8208 worked for them.


NCsmitty

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

There is a guy I work with that LOVES IMR 8208 in his .308. I live in North Alabama and I've been able to find it regularly up here. But I'm not paying what the local reloading shops are asking for it.

 

[mstreddy]

A buddy of mine shoots high power matches (223) and he's using 8208 now. Apparently it's quite popular with the match crowd.

 

[spitballer]

Gee, I don't know. I guess because we used to have a ping pong table and we went through a lot of ping pong balls. Maybe it's the processed cellulose. I know ping pong balls are flammable, but I doubt they would make good cannon fodder.

 

[J_McLeod]

So far it's the best powder in my .308 and I haven't finished working with it yet. I was able to get some from Midsouth a few days ago.

 

[Potatohead]

What exactly do crushed Ping-Pong balls smell like? That's up there on the obscure reference list!

LOL thats what I was thinking..Well actually my thought was do crushed Ping Pong balls smell different than non crushed Ping Pong balls?

 

[Potatohead]

Okey doke. Went back by the LGS and snagged (well, bought it, didnt technically "snag" it) 3 lbs. Anyone want to discuss data? I will be researching my own load of course but am interested to hear anyone's data and how it worked out for you. Loading 223 with 55s and 69s.

If this is a hijack i will start new thread but figured it was close to on topic since we're talking xbr.

 

[zerobarrier]

Potatohead I have not started using it with 223 only 308. I do plan on using it with so 69gr smk's in the near future. This is where I would start, from hdgdons website.

 

[Potatohead]

Right on..thanks, and I did check that out, figuring that they know best. But I was hoping someone might elaborate on the whole "it's best on the hot side" mantra Ive run across here and there. It seems there's not a ton of info out there about it, is it a newer powder? A couple of my manuals didnt have it listed at all for 223 but a few had it listed for nearly every bullet weight IIRC.

 

[Havok7416]

Yeah that powder is relatively new. The higher the number, the later the powder came out generally.

 

[nastynatesfish]

I see I available a lot online. It's in stock now with h322 and h335

 

[au_prospector]

Saw some of that XBR powder at my LGS a couple weeks ago for $30 per pound canister. Is that good>?

Strangely I almost bought a can of it simply because I was attracted to the Gold and Black container not knowing anything else about it.

Well now I know. . .

 

[zerobarrier]

$30 is what it sells for at my LGS. Actually thats the price of all of his powders

 

[ZGunner]

I'm willing to pay $30/lb. It beats have to pay for shipping and handling AND HAZMAT fees. Sort of that convenience factor too I suppose.

 

[nix4me]

It works great in 223.

 

[J_McLeod]

I have yet to try it in .223, but I'm excited to do so. It's my top priority powder now because it's good in .223 and .308 and usable in .243 up to 85gr, so I can use it in all my rifles.

 

[spitballer]

One of the best loads I ever cooked up for my .223 was 23 grains of the 8208 XBR with Berger 64's jammed hard into the lands. Exceptionally accurate and quiet, too. This with a 26" bbl.