HiVel No2

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rbygrave

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Northern BC
Am just getting into reloading and Just picked up an unopened tin of HiVel No2 at a garage sale tin looks fine, no rust and seal looks OK. I can't find any load data and was wonder if I should even use it. Does it have any historical value? is it safe to use?

Thanks
 
rbygrave said:
Am just getting into reloading and Just picked up an unopened tin of HiVel No2 at a garage sale tin looks fine, no rust and seal looks OK. I can't find any load data and was wonder if I should even use it. Does it have any historical value? is it safe to use?

Thanks
Click to expand...

By any chance would you be coming down to Kamloops, or the Okanagan?
Bruce
 
I would Google it and see for the value (in the rest of the shooting world?).

Data for some calibers will be in at least one of the Manuals here: http://stevespages.com/page7d.htm

My bet is on Sharpe's, but maybe Naramore has some. Let me know if you cannot download them, I'll try to make decent screen shots.

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm mention it and I seem to remember some data.

castpics.net has a bunch of older manuals for download too.
 
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At one time it was probably the most popular rifle powder in north America. It is mid burning, probably a bit faster than varget.
I have oodles of loading information on it. I wouldn't mind playing around with it, but because it was so widespread, I imagine the collectors have a good supply. so I doubt if there is much collector interest.
 
Like Bruce, I burned up many pounds of Hi-Vel#2 during the late 60s, 70s, and 80s. It was made by Hercules, and was considered the best high velocity powder that gave excellent accuracy. It got a reputation for being hard on barrels, probably because it was a double-base powder.

Ted
 
In the original Lyman handbook of cast bullets, almost every calibre, from the 25-35 to the 45-70, including the speedier ones like 257 Roberts and 30-06, are shown with a load of Hi Vel #2.
Bruce
 
Personally I would not reload with it. Use the powder for fertilizer, save the cans for trading. Consider it a good deed.

I'll quote another post from http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=283593

"Back in the days when the .30-'06 was the premier target cartridge, HV#2 was the powder of choice. However, it met its demise when several things happened. You can take your pick as to the actual reason or reasons, but several stories have been perpetrated on us over the years.

1-HiVel#2 developed premium accuracy with corrosive (perchlorate) primers and did not perform well with the (then) new non-corrosive (styphnate) primers. Perchlorate primers disappeared, leaving only styphnate primers and HV#2 diappeared, too. Sure enuff, there is a temporal associaton here.

2-HiVel#2 was a very erosive powder towards barrels and the advent of newer, less erosive powders, spelled its doom. Sure enuff, there is some truth to that statement, too. Not long after WWII, surplus IMR/H4895, a single-base, less-erosive, accurate powder became available and the inital surplus offerings were, relatively, cheap. Cheap was good after WWII.

3-HiVel#2 did not perform well in the (then) new .308 Win/7.62mm round and it was clearly a better target cartridge than the venerable -'06. The .308 went on to become a legendary target cartridge and the -'06 was relegated to the status of a superior hunting cartridge. Much truth to this one, too.

You can take your pick as to the actual cause, but my opinion is that all three things ganged up on poor old Hi-Vel to spell its doom; it was just its time to go."
 
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