Loading 308 WIN with SR4759

[DonMountain]

I picked a load of 22.0 grains of SR4759 powder from the RCBS Cast Bullet manual in a 7.62 NATO brass using a Winchester WLR primer under an RCBS 30-180-SP gas checked boolit. It performs as indicated in the manual with the accuracy I expected out of my old Mauser rifle. My question is, the casing is about half empty with this volume of powder. Should I redevelop this load using SR4759 using a filler like I do when working up loads of H4895 that I usually use for deer ammo? This load is for teaching a young rifle shooter how to shoot a deer rifle at targets, and maybe a few ground hogs when the time comes. Will I have less variations with fillers in the case using SR4759, or are they not needed?

[35 shooter]

I use it in 35 whelen Tried it both ways. Works much better with filler. Cleaner burn and more accurrate for me.

[bhn22]

SR4759 is on the endangered species list now, so you may want to lay in a stock of it.

[bowenrd]

SR4759 is on the endangered species list now, so you may want to lay in a stock of it.

What is the source for this bit of info?

[jmort]

Hodgdon

[MtGun44]

Not going to be available after 2014, so buy your lifetime supply or choose another
powder to work with. H4227 is a touch faster and AA 5744 is a touch slower. . .
and there are about a dozen other good choices. Unique is good up to about 1500-1600
fps, too and uses a very small charge, not wad needed.

I verified with Hodgdon, SR4756, SR 4759, SR7625, and PB will be taking orders thru
2014 but not after the end of the year.

Bill

[fcvan]

I thought I saw in another thread that 4756 was on the outs. There is some discussion regarding this in the 'canister' section. One of the guys is waiting on an email from Hodgdon to confirm the powders reportedly slated for extinction due to cost of production or something.

[swheeler]

looks like all the sporting rifle powders(the SR prefix stands for sporting rifle for those who are ignorant of this fact-seems quite a few) are doomed

[Mr Peabody]

I've had better luck without a filler with this powder. You might cut the load to 20gr's and try again.

[jmort]

No need to wait. From Brain Enos Forum

Posted 15 December 2013 - 03:53 PM

Email I recieved when asking about 4756 being discontinued:

Chris Hodgdon
3:41 PM (2 hours ago)
to me
Scott
Yes this powder along with 4759, PB and 7625 will be discontinued by the end of 2014. I can understand that you are disappointed but there are many reasons why we are discontinuing including outdated technology, high manufacturing costs and low sales.
Appreciate your interest and business

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=186621

[MtGun44]

"looks like all the sporting rifle powders are doomed"
LOL!!!!

You have got to be kidding! There are more powders available now than any time in
history. Discontinuing 4 out of maybe 100 -150 available powders with every
tiny niche in burning speed pretty tightly filled is pretty irrelevant in the larger
picture. No question that some folks that have a pet load with one of these will
have to buy a few 8 lbers and then move on.

Also - how in the WORLD would you even DEFINE "sporting rifle powders"? How
are they different than any other kind of powders? How is a "military" 7.62 powder
different than a "sporting" .308 powder? Or a "military" 5.56 powder different
than a "sporting" .223 powder?

There will be plenty of powder available until we get those rail guns and "laser rifles
in the 40 megawatt range" that the Terminator was trying to buy, actually out and in
production.

The only constant in life is change.

Bill

[swheeler]

"looks like all the sporting rifle powders are doomed"
LOL!!!!

You have got to be kidding! There are more powders available now than any time in
history. Discontinuing 4 out of maybe 100 -150 available powders with every
tiny niche in burning speed pretty tightly filled is pretty irrelevant in the larger
picture. No question that some folks that have a pet load with one of these will
have to buy a few 8 lbers and then move on.

Also - how in the WORLD would you even DEFINE "sporting rifle powders"?
How
are they different than any other kind of powders? How is a "military" 7.62 powder
different than a "sporting" .308 powder? Or a "military" 5.56 powder different
than a "sporting" .223 powder?

There will be plenty of powder available until we get those rail guns and "laser rifles
in the 40 megawatt range" that the Terminator was trying to buy, actually out and in
production.

The only constant in life is change.

Bill

My goodness, what have we come too?? SR 7625, SR4756, SR 4759 SR stands for SPORTING RIFLE, I didn't name them just used them for many years

[swheeler]

And just so you know IMR does not stand for I mister

[MtGun44]

OK - SORRY, I had no idea what the SR stood for. I have been educated. I completely
misunderstood your post. I was thinking someone was lamenting that we would somehow
not have any powders for our sporting rifles. . . . . .

Thanks for clearing that up! I DO know what IMR stands for. :bigsmyl2:

Bill

[swheeler]

Sorry I got a little riled up Bill. I sometimes take too much for granted, the OP was talking about SR powder, probably should have worded it as loosing SR series of powder or some such. I am glad I didn't say anything about PB;))))

[MtGun44]

This medium is imperfect, and even in person, misunderstandings occur.

No big deal, but it a bit embarrassing to misinterpret a post so totally!

Bill

[BABore]

Are we all ok now or should we book you guys a room!:roll:

[swheeler]

Are we all ok now or should we book you guys a room!:roll:

huh?? oh i get it you're being funny, cute:)

[starmac]

(there are many reasons why we are discontinuing including outdated technology, high manufacturing costs and low sales.)
That last reason cracked me up big time, I have been noticing all of those powders growing dust on the shelves. lol

[DonMountain]

So, I guess I am on the right track with loads of 22.0 grains of SR4759 under a 180 grain boolit in a 308 Winchester. What other rounds with lead boolits do you all use SR4759 for? I just bought a pound of it for experimentation since I have seen it in some of my reloading manuals. And it worked so well in the 7.62 NATO that I thought about investing in an 8 pound jug of it since my local dealer has an old one sitting on his shelf.

[MtGun44]

Get it now, while you can!

Bill

[caseyboy]

I use it in the 7mm-08. Good powder, just doesn't meter worth ****!

[starmac]

If I found an old 8 pound jug of anything sitting on a shelf around here, I would take a picture of it. Right before I paid for it. lol

[waco]

"looks like all the sporting rifle powders are doomed"
LOL!!!!

You have got to be kidding! There are more powders available now than any time in
history. Discontinuing 4 out of maybe 100 -150 available powders with every
tiny niche in burning speed pretty tightly filled is pretty irrelevant in the larger
picture. No question that some folks that have a pet load with one of these will
have to buy a few 8 lbers and then move on.

Also - how in the WORLD would you even DEFINE "sporting rifle powders"? How
are they different than any other kind of powders? How is a "military" 7.62 powder
different than a "sporting" .308 powder? Or a "military" 5.56 powder different
than a "sporting" .223 powder?

There will be plenty of powder available until we get those rail guns and "laser rifles
in the 40 megawatt range" that the Terminator was trying to buy, actually out and in
production.

The only constant in life is change.

Bill

Awesome Bill, just awesome......!!!!

[swheeler]

For all who can not read or comprehend- the SR prefix on the powder the original poster asked about stands for SPORTING RIFLE-duh!

[62chevy]

For all who can not read or comprehend- the SR prefix on the powder the original poster asked about stands for SPORTING RIFLE-duh!

I knew that and IMR stands for “Improved Military Rifle” .

I have IMR powders but no Military Rifles. :groner:

[swheeler]

I think what we are seeing here are the effects of "No child left behind";)

[cbrick]

Not going to be available after 2014, so buy your lifetime supply or choose another
powder to work with. I verified with Hodgdon, SR4756, SR 4759, SR7625, and PB will be taking orders thru
2014 but not after the end of the year. Bill

You sure know how to ruin a guys day don't you. I've only got about 12 pounds right now, guess I had better start buying. Powder Valley has had 1 pounders in stock steady for a couple of weeks now. 8 pounders are out of stock though.

Rick

[cbrick]

I've never used filler in the 308 with 4759 but I found the accuracy to drop off with 20.0 gr + in my single shot with 180's. Anything 18.0 up to 20 worked really well for me.

Rick

[WILCO]

I am glad I didn't say anything about PB;))))

What's up with Peanut Butter? Have you heard something?????

[cbrick]

Jimmy Carter got out of the farming business. :mrgreen:

Rick

[MT Gianni]

You sure know how to ruin a guys day don't you. I've only got about 12 pounds right now, guess I had better start buying. Powder Valley has had 1 pounders in stock steady for a couple of weeks now. 8 pounders are out of stock though.

Rick

Rick, If they are discontinuing it I would not expect to see 4 or 8 lbs available, one lb cans only.

[DonMountain]

I've never used filler in the 308 with 4759 but I found the accuracy to drop off with 20.0 gr + in my single shot with 180's. Anything 18.0 up to 20 worked really well for me.

Rick

Thank you very much Rick. This was the kind of info I was looking for. I am not sure what happen to the rest of the thread the rest of these guys are going on about. I am using Lake City military brass too, and I bet the interior volume is probably different than commercial brass that you might be using? I wonder what effects that might have also? And I plan to try it in some of my other military classics also. And buy some extra powder before it runs out of production if it all works out ok.

[cbrick]

I verified with Hodgdon, SR4756, SR 4759, SR7625, and PB will be taking orders thru
2014 but not after the end of the year. Bill

Just checked Powder Valley, today Jan 06, they have both 1 and 8 pounders of 4759 available. I just ordered another 8 pounder. If you want it jump on it while the jumping is good.

Powder Valley (http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/index.html)

Rick

[DLCTEX]

I use 4759 in 45-70 and 30-30.

[Shuz]

I'll gladly swap someone in my area a new un-opened 4 lb jug of 4759 for an equal amount of Alliant Reloder7.--Shuz

[Char-Gar]

A response to the OP:

First, an answer to your question: No, there is no need to use a filler. If you are getting the results you want, don't fix what isn't broken.

Second, a little about 4759. Although it carried the designation SR (Sporting Rifle) it was developed for the military. To train air to air gunners in WWII, the used 30-06 frangible ammo in machine guns. This uses a composite bullet that broke up (in theory) on the skin of an airplane if it took a hit when towing an aerial target.

They military needed a bulky powder to used in reduced velocity loads for this frangible ammo, so 4759 was born. It needed to be bulky to provide good ignition in reduced charges.

For generations after WWII, 4759 was the cast bullet powder for the same reasons it was used in the USGI frangible ammo. It has been in and out of production over the years, but it is too good to go away for good. With the current high demand for powders, I suspect that makers are concentrating their production capacity on their highest sellers, and one day when this feeding frenzy is over, we will see 4759 again.

In the meantime, 2400 and 4227 will do just fine for the same applications. If 2400 goes away for good, the world is truly over. The next thing up is the asteroid strike.

[MtGun44]

Wait a minute!!! Are you saying that "SR" powders were developed for MILITARY applications!!!!

Notify the media! I have it on good authority that they are only for Sporting Rifles. :kidding: :bigsmyl2:

Bill

[winelover]

I am not sure what happen to the rest of the thread the rest of these guys are going on about. I.


Try this link:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?120045-SR-4759-List-your-reloads-here


Winelover