OK, I've read about a million times how Hodgdon started off selling surplus 4831 after the war (the big one) for $1/lb.
I've also done a lot of reading, studying, and loading of 30-06 for the Garand, and in addition to the advice on these gas-operated rifles to stick to 4064/4895 burning speed powder (certainly never anything slower than 4320), there is the historical anecdote about the 308 coming about because someone peered down a 30-06 case in the arsenal one day (before the bullet was put on) and realized there was all that unused space in there, so why not shorten the case...
So, that leads me to my question:
If 4831 is a WWII military surplus powder, what the hell caliber did the military load with it?!?!?
It's too slow for the 30-06; it's far too fast for the 20mm; and the only thing left is the 50BMG. It seems pretty fast-burning for the 50, but that's the only thing left I can think of that they would load that speed of powder for... (That could explain why there was such a stockpile of it too. 50s take more powder to begin with, and considering aircraft MGs, vehicle-mounted MGs, the AAA units switching over from 37mm to 50-cal towards the end of the way, etc., and I'd bet that almost as much 50-cal ammo was fired during the war as 30-06... No wonder we won!! )
Anyway, that's my guess, but I'd love to hear if anyone KNOWS what the facts are.