223 rem. 44N powder
- Thread starter Russ
- Start date
44N is a surplus powder that was marketed by Ammomart over thirty years ago. It has a similar burn rate as IMR3031. Check out the interior of the container for rust. Most of this powder was delivered in one pound paper containers with metal bottoms and tops. Most of that powder deteriorated if it wasn't used up by 2000. It was very good and consistent powder. If there is any sign of rust at all, don't use it. If it is clumping, don't use it. I ruined a lovely 257Roberts barrel on a Model 70 Win Featherweight with some of that powder that went bad.
If all looks well, smells OK, then use it at your own risk. That powder was made by Bofors of Sweden during WWII for the 6,5x55. Be CAREFUL.
If all looks well, smells OK, then use it at your own risk. That powder was made by Bofors of Sweden during WWII for the 6,5x55. Be CAREFUL.
It was corrosion and it happened overnight. A barrel with less than a hundred rounds down the tube looked like it had been peened with a ballpeen hammer in the bore after running a patch through it to clean out the rust.
I had used 44N to develop a load the fall before. I cleaned the rifle meticulously as is my habit after every use. I also used the 44N in the 6.5x55 where it also worked well. The cases I was using back then were all corrosive primed so cleaning was a must as soon as possible.
The powder acted fine right up to the very end. Even on the day I shot it last. It was the next morning after the shoot that I cleaned it and noticed the bore condition. I talked with a couple of the others that had bought a large lot of this powder at the same time and one of them had similar results but in a cut down 303Brit. I went back to my records to check the other hand loads I had and started pulling bullets. Two other cartridge types had deteriorating powder in them.
That's when I went back to the powder I had in the magazine, which was a 24 cu ft chest freezer I had plugged into the wall of my shop. Temps were kept just above freezing during the whole time it was stored. It should have been fine. I had over 20 cans in there and all but two had rusty metal surfaces inside. I tossed all of it into my wife's flower gardens. Those blooms were super bright for several years.
There was another powder that was sold shortly after that gave issues as well. It was also a surplus military lot that was sold as 47N. It was the equivalent of N160 and a very consistent powder that worked well with heavy bullets in everything from the 308Win to the 338 Win Mag. It was a more modern Ball type powder that metered very easily. I really liked that powder and miss it still. Yes I've found a great replacement but that was an exceptional lot. It started to clump which isn't unusual but one day I noticed a very acrid smell coming out of the secure firearms room where I used to hand load. There was only one container on the metal shelf but the fumes escaping from it had caused the shelf to rust badly all around it. When I opened the container the powder had started to sweat and the smell was terrible. Very acrid. I check out the other two seven pound containers in the freezer and they had started doing the same thing, so they were relegated to the flower patch as well.
I have had similar things happen with commercial canister powders as well. All of them were containers I had purchased on sale from gun shops. Do I blame the shops??? No but I no longer purchase powder on sale without checking the dates of manufacture on the bottom of the cans.
The last surplus commercial powder I bought from Ammo Mart was listed as H414SL10. It is a great powder, suitable for a wide range of cartridges. So far it has stood up well for over a decade. It is extremely consistent as far as velocities go and I believe it was one of the fore runners of the powders which were later marketed as being temperature resistant concerning velocities. It is slightly slower burning than H414/W760 and is a Ball type powder.
Well I loaded up a few rounds and run them across the chronograph.
55gr V-maxFB 23.5grs "44N" COAL 2.260" powder not compressed. It ran on the slow side but consistent 2773 FPS to 2785 FPS This would be what I would expect out of IMR4895 than IMR3031.
So I loaded up the same load with know'n IMR3031. This load was slightly compressed and run just over 3000fps.
All these were run through a mini-14 and the chrony was 10ft from muzzle.
I'll creep the powder charge up a bit but I think I'll run out of case capacity before it gets to IMR3031 speeds....
Russ...
55gr V-maxFB 23.5grs "44N" COAL 2.260" powder not compressed. It ran on the slow side but consistent 2773 FPS to 2785 FPS This would be what I would expect out of IMR4895 than IMR3031.
So I loaded up the same load with know'n IMR3031. This load was slightly compressed and run just over 3000fps.
All these were run through a mini-14 and the chrony was 10ft from muzzle.
I'll creep the powder charge up a bit but I think I'll run out of case capacity before it gets to IMR3031 speeds....
Russ...
Was doing a little more poking around and found this on the powder.
HIGGINSON POWDERS INC.
2708 HIGHWAY 34
HAWKESBURY, ON K6A 2R2
TEL - (613)632-9300
FAX - (613)632-5666
www.higginsonpowders.com
Reply from original supplier, so I guess I found the information I needed.
AM 47N - Slightly faster than H-4350, use H-4350 data less 2 grains
44N - Burn rate between H-4895 & IMR 4895
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This would explain why I'm running slower than IMR3031.
HIGGINSON POWDERS INC.
2708 HIGHWAY 34
HAWKESBURY, ON K6A 2R2
TEL - (613)632-9300
FAX - (613)632-5666
www.higginsonpowders.com
Reply from original supplier, so I guess I found the information I needed.
AM 47N - Slightly faster than H-4350, use H-4350 data less 2 grains
44N - Burn rate between H-4895 & IMR 4895
--------------------------------------------------------
This would explain why I'm running slower than IMR3031.
