I have a rifle I picked up with a fair amount of handloads. One in particular shoots great. It utilizes H4831 powder and loading info shows 1998 as the loaded date. Just wanted to see if the recipes for powder have changed much and I need to start over, or if I can just try to start with what has been working?
Powder changes since 90's?
- Thread starter BigBraz15
- Start date
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Firing handloads that are assembled by strangers can lead to problems for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is that there are lot to lot variations in powder burn rates, never mind variations that may occur across a span of decades, perhaps with powder manufactured in different plants, in different countries, despite being labeled as the same number and the same manufacturer. Even though the powder is made to a specification, those specifications allow for tolerances and are not absolute. If the handloader works up a load, then continues to use that load across different lots of powder, without considering the possibility of variations in burn rate, high pressure loads could be the result.
Other problems can arise also. If the handloader works up his load in cold weather, and you use that ammo in the heat of the summer, after its been exposed to the sun for several hours, you could experience high pressure situations. These circumstances can arise, even if the handloader weighs each and every load, his scale is accurate and repeatable, his brass is trimmed to the correct length, and he has culled any brass with loose primer pockets, or is dangerously thin above the web.
Other problems can arise also. If the handloader works up his load in cold weather, and you use that ammo in the heat of the summer, after its been exposed to the sun for several hours, you could experience high pressure situations. These circumstances can arise, even if the handloader weighs each and every load, his scale is accurate and repeatable, his brass is trimmed to the correct length, and he has culled any brass with loose primer pockets, or is dangerously thin above the web.
What calibre, what bullet weight and powder weight, meaning with more info we can look in our reloading manuals and give a better answer.
I have been reloading for over 47 years and any powder can vary from lot to lot but has to stay within a given range.
If the ammunition is loaded close to max load you could reduce 10% and make a new work up load especially if you change primers, brand of bullets, etc.
What do your fired cases look like, my biggest concern would be how many times have the cases been reloaded before you got them.
My son came home two weeks ago and we fired my 30-30 with ammo I loaded in 1986. And I will reload these cases with the same load I have used since 1982.
These 30-30 cases are loaded near max but the 30-30 is only loaded to 38,000 cup or 43,000 psi and my primers are protruding.
Lay a straight edge across the base of your fired cases and the primer, if the primer is protruding even the slightest amount and not flush with the case its well below max load.
Once you give us more information and know more about the load and estimated chamber pressure we could give you a better answer.
If I switched to a different brand of case, primer, powder or bullet I would start low and work up.
I wouldn't call the load hot, in this particular rifle, but it is over the book max. It shoots fine, and although I haven't measured case expansion, the primers look better than a lot I have saw in some other rifles. The load is hornady 220 grain in 8mm rem mag with 81 grains of h4831. Federal 215 primers in a rem case.
Hornady #7 manual dated 2007 with a 220 grain bullet No.3238 (discontinued) list 75.6 grains max of H4831
Hornady #10 manual dated 2016 with 195-196 grain bullets list 81.7 grains as max with H4831 (Hornady #10 manual does not list a 220 grain bullet)
Hodgdon's *manual with the Hornady 220 SP lists 80.5 as max with H4831 (*Hodgdon's 2018 Annual Manual Magazine)
Hodgdon's website with Hornady 220 SP lists 80.5 as max with H4831, 2816 fps 52,100 cup
Lyman manual dated 2016 50th edition, with 200 grain Nosler Jacketed Accubond 80.0 grains of H4831SC listed as max load.
Since the Hornady 220 grain bullet has been discontinued and the Hornady #7 manual list 75.6 as a max load for that bullet its time to start over and work up a new load.
I have no idea where the person who loaded your ammo got the loading information "BUT" it is over Hornady listed max load dated 2007. And the data may have come from a much older manual before the company lawyers rewrote the manuals. Meaning be safe and make a new workup load for the new powder and bullets.
H4831 is still an excellent powder for that caliber.
Buy a new box of bullets and do a quick survey (say 30 of each, in 0.3 gr increments) and work up to see what the rifle likes today with today's powder and bullet.
You are looking for the place where you have 2 or 3 sequential loads that all group well.
If it is a colder day, choose the load at the milder end of the sequence, to make room for a hot day.
Buy a new box of bullets and do a quick survey (say 30 of each, in 0.3 gr increments) and work up to see what the rifle likes today with today's powder and bullet.
You are looking for the place where you have 2 or 3 sequential loads that all group well.
If it is a colder day, choose the load at the milder end of the sequence, to make room for a hot day.
I have built up lots of loads for different rifles. This one just shoots really good with this load and I didn't want to start from scratch. It shows no pressure signs at all with this load. I still have enough to keep me stocked up for this season.
sharp shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Essex county (Ontario)
I picked up a bunch of components at a show along with several boxes of hanloads. The boxes of handliads all had the load data neatly written on a small price of paper and the chargers were close to max according to load data books. When I pulled all of them I noticed several different types of powder within one box of reloads. Stranger Danger applies to reloads.
