SR4759....Wow!

[fatelvis]

I have to say as a generality, without exception, that 4759 has performed better than any other powder I've tried. I am driven to write this after shooting yesterday and seeing some incredibly low SDs and great accuracy. It gives awesome accuracy, better SDs, works great without fillers, burns clean as a whistle, and gives great velocities that increase proportionately and predictably with charge weight increase. Only setback is that it doesnt throw from a measure well, and for best results it goes through my Chargemaster. I prefer it in my 6.5 Bullberry, 7BR, 30-30, Krag,303 Brit, and now working on 30-06. And now it's being discontinued!! [smilie=b: I've tried almost all of the standard powders mentioned on this site, except IMR4198. By the way....Does 4198 usually need fillers when loading reduced charges?

[44man]

Been going through the same thing, nothing works as good.
With all the members, we should close down Hodgdon's phone lines.

[Old School Big Bore]

I agree. Let's do a Skeeter on em.

fatelvis - Have you tried RL7? I just bought a couple pounds of it since it's apparently everyone's go-to replacement for 4759, but I haven't had a chance to work with it yet.

[zidave]

I'm new to using 4759 but so far I'm very impressed with it. Been looking to get some more before it's discontinued

[wallenba]

Already lamenting it's loss here. AA 5744 showing some promise.

[fatelvis]

I have not tried RL7 yet. After checking it's use and numbers on Quickload, it looks very promising. As they say though, the proof is in the pudding! Now if I can find some in stock......

[44man]

I agree. Let's do a Skeeter on em.

fatelvis - Have you tried RL7? I just bought a couple pounds of it since it's apparently everyone's go-to replacement for 4759, but I haven't had a chance to work with it yet.
Doesn't work, 5744 is worse. I have worked months and months with all the powders I have plus what I could beg and nothing is made that will replace 4759.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

In the February issue of Handloader Mike Venturino wrote an article about loading for the 45-70 Trapdoor in which he stated that no smokeless powder even came close to producing the accurate hand loads that 5744 did. I have never seen a can of 5744 much less loaded anything with it.

[Toymaker]

I have a great deal of respect for Mike Venturino. I've learned a great deal from the articles he's written. But sometimes he comes up with something that leaves me dumb-struck. For 45-70 I use 23.5 grains of 4759, large pistol primer and a 405 grain bullet that whoops any load I've tried with 5744. HOWEVER, move up to a 500 grain bullet and 5744 takes the lead. UNLESS I put a biodegradable packing peanut on top of the 4759. Then they're about even. UNTIL I put the packing peanut on top of the 5744.

Now, when I put that packing peanut under that 405 grain bullet with 4759 I couldn't tell there were two bullets through one hole. Fortunately I burped as I squeezed the third shot and made the hole egg shaped. I realize every firearm is different, but that's what's been working for me.

[jmort]

It will be missed.

[Green Lizzard]

if you can find an old belding and mull measure, they work great with the course powder, someone else said sr4759 meters like dog food. i agree

[Shiloh]

Doesn't work, 5744 is worse. I have worked months and months with all the powders I have plus what I could beg and nothing is made that will replace 4759.

4227 is close.

Shiloh

[kungfustyle]

OK is it just me or does some one need a wake up slap....all components are scarce, why discontinue anything.....nothing but BMG powder available.... I bought an 8lb keg of sr4759 and use it in all my rifles and love it. My next email is going to imr/hodgdon.

[Guesser]

I've used 4759 in 45-70 for years, like it. Since its being dropped I have tried some other I have on hand. A5744 is good, Reloader 7 is good too. I've never been satisfied with either of the 4198s.

[fatelvis]

Until now, I've avoided using any loads that require a filler. I really would rather not bother with it.

[Scharfschuetze]

Other than it's lack of uniformity through a measure, it's been my favorite cast boolet powder for many years. Fortunately I am friends with the owner of a LGS and he secured an 8 lb caddy for me. When that's gone, I guess it'll be 4198 as that's always worked well for me.

[35 shooter]

I love 4759 in the 35 whelen but i do use dacron fillers with it. It's a bit of a hassle but was worth it in my rifle. I'd like to try rl 7, but it's hard to find around here. My brother has had good luck with 5744 for reduced loads in his whelen, but had to use a filler to get accuracy with it too. I truly hate to see 4759 go.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I use 4759 in my 38-55, 40-65 and 45-70. If I ever get around to putting my 45-90 barrel on the roller I have waiting in the wings it will also be fed 4759. I have found it meters much better than 4198, 4895 or 3031. 4759 also fills the case better than many other powders do. R7 may be close in burning rate and it meters much better but you can hardly see it in the bottom of a large case. I do love R7 in my 30-06 It will be a sad day when 4759 is actually gone.

[jmort]

At this point shoot it while you got it. I'm not building any loads around 4759 as it is hard to find and will be gone, gone, gone. RL7 may not be as good, but works well enough for me.

[waco]

Loading up some 30-30 with 4759 as we speak.....
Great powder

[shooter93]

4759 has come and gone several times over the years. It's the only powder that was specifically designed for straight wall cases. It may be possible with enough contact that they will at least make a run of it every year or two. Worth a shot, it's happened before.

[bbqncigars]

That's how Starline does a lot of their brass. Just run off a batch every so often.

[Green Frog]

I fear we've seen the last run of 4759... it's made by old manufacturing techniques that have fallen out of favor, and the bean counters don't seem to believe that enough of it would sell to justify reactivating the old production. The bean counters seem to take the attitude that there are lots of different powders out there anyway, and powder is powder, so why worry about just one kind! :???: The use of 4759 came in, IIRC, about the end of WW II and was itself a replacement for an older "standard" choice (#80??) I like it specifically for 32-40 loads, and have a pretty fair amount on hand now, so I will just take care of what I've got and use it sparingly... at last count I had most of an 8# jug and about a half dozen 1# cans in various degrees of fullness. At 13.6 grains/shot, it should last a long time for me.

Froggie

[fourarmed]

Someplace - maybe another thread here - somebody quoted a Hodgdon honcho as saying "There's nothing 4759 will do that Trailboss won't do better." I don't know. Any of you guys used Trailboss like that?

[Char-Gar]

4759 was designed for use in "frangible" bullet ammo. This was lower velocity stuff that was used in aerial gunnery practice. The low velocity companioned with a bullet that broke up on contact prevented (in theory) air planes from being shot down in practice, but it did happen. 4759 was designed to be bulky for good ignition and hence is a primo cast bullet powder.

40 years ago, it was "the cast bullet powder". It has gone off the market several times, but it will be back sooner or later. While it is in hiatus either 2400 (Alliant) or 4227 (IMR) can be good substitutes. These powders are quite similar in burning rates with similar charge weights for similar velocities. Note, I said similar and not same. All three of these powders (4759, 2400 and 4227) are crackerjack cast bullet powders. I use them all without fillers for good results.

[dragon813gt]

Someplace - maybe another thread here - somebody quoted a Hodgdon honcho as saying "There's nothing 4759 will do that Trailboss won't do better." I don't know. Any of you guys used Trailboss like that?

Did you read all of that thread because it calls that statement for what it is. Hodgdon doesn't make powder so it's pointless to call them. 4759's death is at the manufacturing level. The manufacturer sees a greater profit in modern ball powders. From a business standpoint I can't blame them. When powder was readily available 4759 cans were always dusty when on the shelf.

[guicksylver]

If it helps you guys at all. I have managed to achieve sub 1/2 MOA @ 100 yds out of my Winchester 94 (1917 BUILT) rifle with RL7 and Lymans 311407. If I can do it you can too.
RL 7 is a fine powder.
Not bad mouthing 4759, just saying there is hope.

[jmort]

^ Completely agree with the above two posts

[zidave]

I was able to pick up 2 more lbs today

[leadman]

When I spoke to a Hodgdon rep he said it takes more than 3 years to sell a run of 4759 versus a year or less for more popular powders. I reminded him that if a product is not advertised properly it probably will not sell well. He said the decision is made so no use complaining about it. I do think complaining about it should be done.
As far as Trail Boss doing everything that 4759 will do that is not possible since you can not get enough of it in most cases to equal the top velocities with 4759.

I have tried Alliant 300 MP and it works very well and is less expensive than 4759. It also meters very well and works better than 4759 in magnum pistols.

[jmort]

Power Pro 300 MP really needs some attention and load work. It is slightly slower burning than 110/296.

[Char-Gar]

When I spoke to a Hodgdon rep he said it takes more than 3 years to sell a run of 4759 versus a year or less for more popular powders. I reminded him that if a product is not advertised properly it probably will not sell well. He said the decision is made so no use complaining about it. I do think complaining about it should be done.
As far as Trail Boss doing everything that 4759 will do that is not possible since you can not get enough of it in most cases to equal the top velocities with 4759.

I have tried Alliant 300 MP and it works very well and is less expensive than 4759. It also meters very well and works better than 4759 in magnum pistols.

OK....That is enough reason for me not to by any Hodgdon powder. If a company isn't servicing all it's customer's needs, then those customers should look elsewhere. If Hodgdon want to go for the quick buck, that is their business, but they won't get my buck.

[Green Frog]

OK....That is enough reason for me not to by any Hodgdon powder. If a company isn't servicing all it's customer's needs, then those customers should look elsewhere. If Hodgdon want to go for the quick buck, that is their business, but they won't get my buck.

With the combining of various powder manufacturers/marketers, I'm not sure this will be possible, Char-Gar, and I am certain that it is a little short sighted. Keep in mind that all of the powder companies are selling just about every kernel of powder they can produce, so it makes sense that they would give priority to cranking out whichever were the most popular at the time. We don't have to like it, but that is just good business for them.

As for substitutes, a couple you might look into would be Accurate #7 and 5744, the former not one people often think of, but we used it with good results in 32-40 target loads. Of course if you could find some of the late, lamented H108 to use, that would be wonderful, but that was all from surplus stocks of GI powder and is long gone in the system. We have been spoiled over recent decades to having an abundance of powder of multiple types, so we have to some degree gotten lazy with our shopping and load development... I'm as guilty as most! Anyway, stay with it and keep loading, but hold on for better times. Don't burn bridges just to see the smoke!

JMHO/YMMV
Froggie

[Char-Gar]

With the combining of various powder manufacturers/marketers, I'm not sure this will be possible, Char-Gar, and I am certain that it is a little short sighted. Keep in mind that all of the powder companies are selling just about every kernel of powder they can produce, so it makes sense that they would give priority to cranking out whichever were the most popular at the time. We don't have to like it, but that is just good business for them.

As for substitutes, a couple you might look into would be Accurate #7 and 5744, the former not one people often think of, but we used it with good results in 32-40 target loads. Of course if you could find some of the late, lamented H108 to use, that would be wonderful, but that was all from surplus stocks of GI powder and is long gone in the system. We have been spoiled over recent decades to having an abundance of powder of multiple types, so we have to some degree gotten lazy with our shopping and load development... I'm as guilty as most! Anyway, stay with it and keep loading, but hold on for better times. Don't burn bridges just to see the smoke!

JMHO/YMMV
Froggie

I still have about 6 lbs of the original Dupont 4759 on hand. Either Alliant 2400 or AA9 will prove an adequate substitute for 4759 and I have both in quantity. Therefore my ire at Hodgdon will have no negative consequences for my shooting. I can well get by without them.

In fact, I have enough powder of different types, primers of different types, brass, lead and gas checks to keep me shooting for any likely life span I have left. I have been buying in bulk since the 1960's when the Viet Nam war threatened to make reloading supplies to be in short supply. I was not caught flat footed by this current madness.