I have a full unopened container of this powder but no loading tables. It was marketed by Xelex in Hawkesbury in the sixties I believe. It is Higginson's Powders now. Do any of the old timers have reloading info for this? I also have a container of X-3031 of theirs and it is great powder. David
Xelex Ltd. 55 smokeless powder
- Thread starter Dantforth
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Higginson in it’s early days was selling repacked - bulk surplus military powder. They never plublisged load data - only referenced to commercial powder - exemple WC855 as H335 and were most of the time saying to start 10 % below H335 data.
I doupt load data exist for your powder..long shot... call Higginson, maybe the son got some of his father archives or old adds with infos..
I doupt load data exist for your powder..long shot... call Higginson, maybe the son got some of his father archives or old adds with infos..
Not that many years ago, I emailed the good folks at Hhigginson's asking about the equivalence of one of their powders. They actually did still have a cross-reference then. It might be worth an email to them.
BTW, I never did use the #55 powder.
BTW, I never did use the #55 powder.
Thanks for all the quick responses. Eagleye, I await you contribution. Hoping you have the info I require. I am using another of their powders marked "X3031" but it is easy to make the jump to IMR3031 loading info and I stay a full 10% below even though I see no signs of pressure. If all else fails I will call Higginson but I would not be hopeful. Dave
Not completely true. Higginson's did publish load data in the form of newspapers they included with each order.
I actually helped Tom put together several load tables for different powders for several cartridges with different weight bullets. No pressures, just charges and velocities from specific rifles for comparison purposes.
Xelex was a product sold almost exclusively by Higginson's to International Firearms. International would often pick up large quantities of components, as well as other firearms related materials. Tom at Higginson's would repackage it for them, using green cardboard containers marked XL or Xelex. For instance, when the 6,5x55 chambered Swedish Mausers and Ag42B rifles first came into Canada, CIL/Dominion were in the midst of change. They offered old stock, loaded ammo but no more brass.
International made a deal with Norma to import several hundred thousand brass cases into North America to fill the void. Tom repackaged all of those cases into XL boxes of 20 for them and even offered them for distribution to most local gun shops in Canada.
The #55 powder you mention was very close to BLC2 and is very consistent in burn rate. It's almost ideal for cartridges such as the 223 Win.
It was made by Olin around 1971 and IS NOT CANISTER GRADE. It was developed for factory loaded 223 Rem and it's supposed to be great for cartridges right up to 30-06. I've still got some of it left but mostly save it for 223 Rem and 22-250.
BLC2 is just slightly faster burning than #55 and the data I helped compile for that powder for Tom is very close.
PM me if you have a particular cartridge you want to use it for and I will go back into my records for the data, I may not have what you need. I only helped compile data for 15 different cartridges, some obscure.
Using BLC2 data will give you safe loads for anything listed in modern manuals.
One thing, this is a "ball" type powder and it needs magnum primers to give consistent results.
littlehughey
Regular
- Location
- Central Alberta
It never ceases to amaze me the knowledge of some of our members, thanks for your contribution Bearhunter
I spent a bit of time hunting for the info on #55 powder from XELEX. Finally found some info, and
bearhunter has basically summed it up. Burning rate close to BLC-2 and H335.
It worked great in the 223, and IIRC, the 30-30. I did not use a lot of it. Now #44, that was a
different story, lol. Dave.
bearhunter has basically summed it up. Burning rate close to BLC-2 and H335.
It worked great in the 223, and IIRC, the 30-30. I did not use a lot of it. Now #44, that was a
different story, lol. Dave.
It sure was, some of that #44 powder (slightly faster than IMR3031) was unstable and after about ten years it broke down into an acidic mix.
I've never had an issue with the #55, nor heard of any.
That #44 powder was excellent while it was stable and I used up over a hundred pounds of it.
It is wonderful when everything falls into place. I reload for .223, 7.5X55 Swiss, 303 British. Thanks to all for the information. I will use it where appropriate. Now to look see if my reloading manual has BLC-2 and H335. Reloaders helping reloaders. It is also interesting how this post has helped others. David
Bearhunter, I believe you and I had some similar experiences with certain powders. I burned up at least 40 lbs of #44
I had a couple of pounds go bad, but the worst experience I had was with that OEM 4350 [N160?] I lost 28 lbs of it.
Went acidic as well, and corroded everything in it's proximity.
Just a heads up. recently, I had 1 kg container, [about ½ full ] of Vihtavuori N150 do the same thing. Acidic as H3LL. Fortunately,
I caught it early, so it did not get a chance to do any real damage. Metal lid was very rusty, though.
Regards, Dave.
