I have some really old reloading manuals that show a maximun load of 54grs of H4831 for a 117gr spizter bullet in 25-06. I had some old surplus H4831 and was loading 53grs with great results in my Rem 700 with a 26" barrel. I finally used up all the rounds I had loaded and was checking Hodgdon site to see what other powder that I have at home that I might want to use and noticed that they now have a maximum load of 52 grs of H4831 for a 117gr bullet. I can not get the same results with the 4350 and IMR 4831 that I was getting with the old H4831 and was wondering if I bought some new H4831 if I would have to load a full gr over max to get the same results. I would of course work up to such a load by small increases checking for pressure signs but I'm still wondering why such a big difference in Max load listings.
Maximun load variations
- Thread starter B-78
- Start date
Two grains is hardly a big difference. Differences in chamber and barrel dimensions, and different lot numbers of powder or cases, and different bullets, results in different pressure and velocities with the same load in different guns.
Because really old H4831 is not exactly the same as new H4831.
That's right.
The old original, standby load was 60 grains of H4831 (the war surplus variety) with 130 grain bullet in the 270. I used this load a lot.
When Hogdon's brought out the new, cannistered H4831, I tested it out, in comparison to the old.
In the lot's of powder I had, when everything else was identical, the old war surplus averaged 100 fps faster than did the new Hodgdon H4831. It also had less spread, between high and low.
I did not find too much of a difference between the "old" and "new" h4831 in my 300 weatherby and my 378 weatherby. I ended up pretty much at the same charge in both, and the performance was pretty much on par. Funny how different guns are finnicky....Thats what makes us reloaders keep doing what we do I guess!
I`ve recently come across this same info, Hodgon load manual a few years old isn`t even close with data on web site for 243 win. H4831- 100 gr. bullets my favoite load is quite a bit over the new max listing. I have a good supply of the same lot of powder so i don`t get to exited about new data. When you get some new powder is when you better start load work up again.
I was shooting .25" - .5" groups at 100 yds with the old H4831 and the best I can get is a .75" group with the IMR 4831. I know it is a good enough group for deer hunting but when you know the gun is capible of better I don't like like to settle for good enough. I have some rounds loaded with the IMR 4831 up to 1 grain over max but the weather has not been good enough these last few days to test them out. I hate to buy a lb of powder just to load for this gun because I only shoot about ten rounds a year out of it and I have so many other powders that should work. I use the gun for 3 weeks during the rifle deer season, shoot 3 or 4 deer and any unfortunate coyotes that come along then clean it up and put it in the safe until the next fall.
You will need to vary the powder charge to get roughly the same velocity, but once there, so should your accuracy return.
You say you only use the gun for about 10 shots a yr on deer or coyote.
The who cares if your group is 1/2 or 3/4", the deer won't mind & it's not like your gonna show your buddy a 1/4" diff in shot placement on a deers vital zone
Chaseing that kind of accuracy on a Varmint or Range gun I can see but seriously!
You say you only use the gun for about 10 shots a yr on deer or coyote.
The who cares if your group is 1/2 or 3/4", the deer won't mind & it's not like your gonna show your buddy a 1/4" diff in shot placement on a deers vital zone
Chaseing that kind of accuracy on a Varmint or Range gun I can see but seriously!
