Old components
- Thread starter 1340
- Start date
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Hell, for free? I'll take it. I'll even pay the postage.
The guys are right though, probably nothing wrong with it, unless it's been exposed to high heat, or moisture.
If it's obviously bad, just take the powder out to the back yard and spread it out thinly. It will do no harm.
Primers? Leave them in a can full of oil for a week or so, then dispose of them.
After WW2 Bruce Hodgdon put this dirt cheap course, war surplus powder on the market and called it, "4350 data powder." That meant they hadn't really evaluated it, so just use 4350 loading data.
Jack O'Connor discovered, and wrote, that it was slower burning than 4350 and he said 60 grains of it worked like a whiz in the 270 with a 130 grain bullet.
Then it was renamed H4831. Jack O'connor later wrote that because his load was so popular that Hodgdon just took his word for it and used that load in their loading data!
I don't know what it sold for in the USA, but as late as into the 1960s it could be bought in BC, for about $30. for a 50 pound keg. I still have some of it and it still shows no difference, that I can determine.
When Hodgdon came out with new H4831, they said the loading data for the old powder could be used.
I chronographed five 270, with a 130 grain bullet and the old powder, then five more with everything the same except using the new 4831. The old powder was about 100 fps faster than the new, and far less spread!
There, boys and girls, you have your lesson on H4831 powder.
And I just started out to say that powder ten years old is actually show room smelly new!
Jack O'Connor discovered, and wrote, that it was slower burning than 4350 and he said 60 grains of it worked like a whiz in the 270 with a 130 grain bullet.
Then it was renamed H4831. Jack O'connor later wrote that because his load was so popular that Hodgdon just took his word for it and used that load in their loading data!
I don't know what it sold for in the USA, but as late as into the 1960s it could be bought in BC, for about $30. for a 50 pound keg. I still have some of it and it still shows no difference, that I can determine.
When Hodgdon came out with new H4831, they said the loading data for the old powder could be used.
I chronographed five 270, with a 130 grain bullet and the old powder, then five more with everything the same except using the new 4831. The old powder was about 100 fps faster than the new, and far less spread!
There, boys and girls, you have your lesson on H4831 powder.
And I just started out to say that powder ten years old is actually show room smelly new!
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- Location
- Alberta Free State
Well, I'm in Edmonton and I'm starting to load for pistol, so perhaps I can assist you with your dilemma
A quick run down the QE2 is not a problem.
Like Bruce, I bought some real bargain powders many years ago that I am still shooting with no problems whatsoever. These include: H4831, Norma 205 (Out of production for 30+ years) Norma 203, H4895, Win 748, H205, H570, plus a couple of others with numbers that wouldn't mean anything to most. FWIW, I paid 75 cents per pound for the H4831. The only powders that I have had go "bad" was a couple of pounds of IMR 3031 that were about 7-8 years old, and when I opened them, they were full of rust-colored "dust", a sure sign of deterioration. I am just using up the last of a big container of H4895 that I bought in 1969. worked great all through the years, still does, but I am going to hate it when the last 2 or so lbs are gone, it's been fun!!! Regards, Eagleye.
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Dang it Dave, I've used up all my Norma 205. Still have a can of N203, a couple of Norma 204 and half a can of H4895.
I got one on you, though. half a can of Herters 100 left! I never got any loading information, whatsoever, with the Herters 100, except they claimed it to be a really slow burner for the big magnums. It turned out to be faster burning than 4350, so some of my starting loads were a bit warm! I tried it in about three calibres, but couldn't see a bit of advantage to it, even if it was the "Best in the World!"
I got one on you, though. half a can of Herters 100 left! I never got any loading information, whatsoever, with the Herters 100, except they claimed it to be a really slow burner for the big magnums. It turned out to be faster burning than 4350, so some of my starting loads were a bit warm! I tried it in about three calibres, but couldn't see a bit of advantage to it, even if it was the "Best in the World!"
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
A few months back I just finished up the last can of H-4831 in the old rectangular cardboard cans. I still have some Bullseye, 2400 and Blue dot in the cylindrical cardboad cans but the last of the old Unique is finally gone. I have a tin of Alcan AL-7, not sure why. Everything else is under 20 years old.
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
I remember well going to my local purveyor ... H4831 for "a buck a pound, bring your own container" ...
Boomer, your post got me looking at my powder supply. I still have some bulk H4831 from the days of some of us buying a 50 pound keg, but really couldn't put it in the picture. All the containers have powder in them, the 5 pound keg is about half full.
Now that I have gotten going--- here is the Norma line. The 205 is empty, just added to show the old Norma powders. The only missing rifle powder from their line is 201.
You will note my loading bench is not neat, like most shown on here, but what the heck, it is convenient.
You will note my loading bench is not neat, like most shown on here, but what the heck, it is convenient.
hatman1793
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Knew this guy
My father and I visited this guy a number of times. He had a killer NRA American Rifleman magazine collection in his basement. He was a retired machinist and did some small jobs for me.
But he never had a de-humidifier and had lots of the old style square powder containers. Probably better than 30 years old. I wanted the magazines but lots of them were stuck together and musty. I got the powder instead.
Knowing their recent environment, it was prudent NOT to chance using it. Burned off lots of it outside at the range, and plenty went into kleenex tissues wrapped up in a burning schoolhouse. The one you in the fireworks assortment each year.
Nice brilliant yellow flame...
My father and I visited this guy a number of times. He had a killer NRA American Rifleman magazine collection in his basement. He was a retired machinist and did some small jobs for me.
But he never had a de-humidifier and had lots of the old style square powder containers. Probably better than 30 years old. I wanted the magazines but lots of them were stuck together and musty. I got the powder instead.
Knowing their recent environment, it was prudent NOT to chance using it. Burned off lots of it outside at the range, and plenty went into kleenex tissues wrapped up in a burning schoolhouse. The one you in the fireworks assortment each year.
Nice brilliant yellow flame...
Since the thread said, "Old components," how about bullets?
About 1947 Jack O'Connor wrote that a fellow named Fred Barnes was making custom bullets, real bone smashers. He said they were made from regular, flexible copper pipe for jackets. We sent for some and here is a picture of the orginal from that time. The one in the foreground is pulled, and by the blunted lead, it was in the magazine when one or more others were fired.
These are 30 calibre, 200 grain. We also got his 150 grain and I think the two or three moose I shot with the old Barnes 150 weere killed as quickly as any ro-06 bullet I have used.
Looking at the picture it looks like a little disc sealed the base. as you can see the walls of the jacket are thick and they really were bone smashers and penetraters.
About 1947 Jack O'Connor wrote that a fellow named Fred Barnes was making custom bullets, real bone smashers. He said they were made from regular, flexible copper pipe for jackets. We sent for some and here is a picture of the orginal from that time. The one in the foreground is pulled, and by the blunted lead, it was in the magazine when one or more others were fired.
These are 30 calibre, 200 grain. We also got his 150 grain and I think the two or three moose I shot with the old Barnes 150 weere killed as quickly as any ro-06 bullet I have used.
Looking at the picture it looks like a little disc sealed the base. as you can see the walls of the jacket are thick and they really were bone smashers and penetraters.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Great pics H4831! I lost much of my old stuff in a fire a few years back, I had round tins of 150 gr RN Saber Tip bullets with blue nylon nose caps for the .30/30. There was some WW-I era .303 rounds loaded with stick cordite. .32 Colt rounds that the bullets had turned white, and sand bags full of .5.56, 7.62, and .303 brass recovered from Ranger exercises. Seems to me that I had some .308/150 gr Herters bullets as well, they were similar to the Hornady but the tapper was different. Oh something that I still have is a small bottle of .22 Automatic rimfire cartridges. Don't see them much anymore. Churchill is an old military base, so it's still possible to find .50 cal rounds still in the links, and neat little piles of .303 brass from Bren Guns, which leave a distinctive mark on the case heads.
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I got all my Dad's reloading gear last year, reciepts with the components said '67. Had a buddy load up 100 rnds 180 grain Sierras with primers from the stash and fresh powder ( they shoot fine ). Still have 2 lbs H335 but can't find any numbers for it, yet. When I do I'll be using it.
