A pox on H4831!

[dgibson]

Well, being the newbie and all, I picked up a pound of the aforementioned H4831. Long story short, I found out that it apparently doesn't meter worth a darn. For those that may not remember, H4831 is extruded into a little barrel shape. I threw several successive loads with it, and not a single one matched. I tried thumping the measure before and after the throw, tapping the case, etc., etc. and just couldn't get a consistent load. I got everything from 46.9 through 48.5 grains before I gave up. I've since visited ye olde Hodgdon website and found out that they make H4831SC ("short cut") for better metering. Gee, thanks. I guess now I'm going to have to buy a trickler to get the stuff measured out properly w/o pulling my hair out. You'd've been shaking your head at me anyway, Dan, 'cause I was throwing those charges for the trusty old Swede and 120 grain spitzers; I know that it's not the ideal powder for that application.

 

[danr55]

Darren, H-380 meters great and probably works a little better for Ye Ole Swede and 120 grain bullets than H-4831 anyway. Besides, you are supposed to weigh every load when you are building rifle ammunition.

NEVER trust your powder thrower to be consistant, especially if you are working closed to max loads with Lincoln Log powders. It can be dangerous with any round and more so with higher capacity/smaller bore rounds as they will go critical a lot faster.



<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 01-04-2002 05:59: Message edited by: danr55 ]</font>

 

[dgibson]

I do measure them all anyway, but with other powders they've all come out pretty close to on the money without my intervention. I like the feeling of getting at least SOME consistency out of it--that much of a swing makes me nervous.

Roger that on the H380!

 

[Calif. Hunter]

Yep, those long grain powders are a pain. I use the short cut version of H-4831. Mainly, I use a lot of IMR-7828, and my trickler gets a lot of use then. (Next to my .223, I shoot my .300 Weatherby more than anything else.)