IMR 7383, what's it compare to?

[nelsonted1]

Got more to add to my 38-55 and 7383.

A friend gave me a bread loaf of bees wax to use in BP revolvers. Since I had a bunch of discs I'd cut out to use between the balls and powder I thought I'd use it in the 38-55. All kind of questions whirled through my head ie too much lube, will the disc stick to some and not others screwing up accuracy. I tried them and like I said, I was amazed at how they shot and every time I looked down the barrel I was happy.

Question was that I never addressed was what would happen if I put those beewax discs in a .308 or 30-06 and full case of 7383.

Anybody tried a beewax disc between powder and bullets in rifle calibers?

[Reload3006]

George,
It's becoming my experience that nobody's on the fence with regard to 7383. Dedicated users swear by it and the non-informed masses swear at it. A few years back, one guy started a campaign to "educate" everyone to the "dangers" of this "unpredictable" propellant.
I've used it, with varying success, in .223, .243, .270, .308, .30-06, .303, 8MM and .45-70. I've been told it can't/couldn't be done, but I even worked up a load with it for my .45 Colt Vaquero and my .45 Colt Henry repro!
I've got a few7 # jugs of it and use it extensively and will continue to do so until I run out and/or can't get anymore.

That's my story an' I'm stickin' to it.

Bringing up an old thread but I just bought a bunch of this from Jeff Bartlett. His site says use 4831 less 15% I am hoping to use this under a 180gr condom in 06 and behind a 100 condom in 243 am I fixn to blow myself up? is this a reasonable powder for the uses I am planning provided I keep on my chorny and start really low. ..... ? advise is very much appreciated. It sounds like a powder one can really love if its respected.

[singleshot]

There's a few more threads around here regarding 7383 that are more recent. That being said, I'd start with starting 4064 or 4350 loads and work up slowly as stated many times. Nobade and I have used it successfully in 7.62x54r and 160-170 grain PP'd boolits. (I got the idea from him and bought a big pile of the stuff.)

[Maven]

Reload3006, Have a long look at these posts: http://www.google.com/cse?cx=0019512...7383&sa=Search

[9.3X62AL]

This powder still gives me the fantods. I have some, and it has sat unused since I got it. I might screw up the courage to try it eventually, but not today--or soon.

[rongaudier]

I have been playing with it in my custom 30-06 Savage. Worked up to 51 grains which is about as much as I can fit in the case with 190 SMK. So far I'm pretty happy with the results. I'm not getting the kind of velocities I got with other powders, but I've managed sub 1" 5 shot groups at 200 yards. I got a whole case of it, not sure what I'll do when I run out.

[Artful]

I've managed sub 1" 5 shot groups at 200 yards. I got a whole case of it, not sure what I'll do when I run out.

CRY? I would

[freebullet]

I have been playing with it in my custom 30-06 Savage. Worked up to 51 grains which is about as much as I can fit in the case with 190 SMK. So far I'm pretty happy with the results. I'm not getting the kind of velocities I got with other powders, but I've managed sub 1" 5 shot groups at 200 yards. I got a whole case of it, not sure what I'll do when I run out.

You can buy more. I think most folks read about it and are scared away like a couple of the above posts. I've been tinkering with it little by little with cast. I'd say in most cases smaller than say 308 it's more like black powder. It's one of the few powders that's never sold out through king zeros rein of terror.

[rongaudier]

Yea I think I'll order another case. Hopefully it will be the same lot. I've read as you have I'm sure, that there can be considerable variance lot to lot.

[Linstrum]

Dang! I'll be running out of lead before I'll be running out of powder, something back 15 years ago I never would have thought possible! Darn anti-gun nuts.

There were three lots available when it came on the market about 15 years ago, but I don't recall what the reported variations were. Being a non-canister grade military powder with only one use, it may have quite a spread in burning rate. But for things like .223 Rem/5.56 NATO, .308 Win, and .30-06, I wouldn't worry about it. Just work your loads up, remembering that by the time the powder is burning clean without any "mummies" (charred grains) you are right at the edge of being into dangerous pressure range and need to back off a grain or so, and happy powder burning! The one MAJOR designed-in characteristic no one seems to be aware of is its flashless property. In my post from 8 years ago, I did mention that in my 24" barrel Remington 700 BDL .30-06 that it gives a barely visible dull red-orange streak at night. Without going into a lot of detail, this property may have its advantages for some applications; like for those of us who hunt at the very first light before dawn and are last into camp after sundown, this would have the advantage of not blinding one's self from muzzle flash when follow-up shots are required. When I found out that this powder was flashless I couldn't wait to test it, but testing it after dark where I normally shoot was not a good idea because of upsetting the neighbors by making them wonder who was out there shooting a big loud high powered rifle in the dark. So I went to a lonely remote canyon a few miles from where I live at probably 2 AM in the morning and tested it. It was a warm cloudy moonless night, which was perfect! I selected a road cut embankment as my backstop, turned off my headlights, and fired 4 rounds. I ejected the empties onto the passenger seat, and then went home. As noted, the muzzle flash was just a dull red-orange streak that at 50 or 100 feet would not be easily noticed even when looking directly at it from the side, which for its intended purpose in the .50 caliber range-finding spotter rifle of a 106mm recoilless canon would be perfect!

rl 1,239

[PewProfessional89]

I have been experimenting with IMR 7383 to work in my AR-15 chambered in 300 blackout with a pistol length gas system. It doesn't run the gun on it's own... not even at 106% case fill with a lee 230 gr. boolit. So I did some reading and found that people were "duplexing" this powder and wc860 in 45-70 govt. with some good results. So I called Jeff Bartlett and placed an order for a couple jugs of BR-5 (Unique equivalent) and IMR 7383. I started off by trying a case full of 7383, which didn't work, then I added 1 gr of BR-5 to the bottom of the case and reduced the 7383 by 1 gr. and put it on top of the pistol powder before seating the 230 gr boolit. I kept the case fill at around 103%. After some trial and error and shooting several rounds with my butthole puckered really tight, I managed to get 3.2 gr. BR-5 below 9.3 gr of IMR 7383 to run my gun and push the pill out at an average velocity of 1248 fps. with a standard deviation of around 12 fps. More experimenting is needed, but I made a rather rough looking video of my trials and results. The video includes chronograph data.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdxzWY3_o0g&t=845s

[Nobade]

Yep, I have tried duplexing 7383 in my 358 win. It actually worked pretty well, using the 295gr. 358009 NOE bullet. A straight case full of 7383 produced 1900 fps, and duplexing it with .3cc of 10B101 brought it up to 2100 fps with very good accuracy. I was also sort of worried about what would happen, but didn't see any unusual pressure signs in 50 rounds. Not that I would recommend duplexing this powder in anything where it could build significant pressure, but the 300 BLK and the 358 win are practically straight cases so much more forgiving.

-Nobade

[BCB]

I purchased a 7-pound keg of it in 2003 for $27.02. A few of us went together and bought 6 kegs of various powders from Bartlett…

Anyhow, I probably still have 6+ pounds of it left!!!

Having read quite a bit about it on this site, I had mixed reviews—some encouraging and some scary…

So, I have messed with it some in the 223, 30-30, 7-30, and recently the 6.8mm SPC with the NOE 279-124-FP. Bingo—I finally found a use for it…

It worked fairly well with the 311041 in the 30-30 but I found WC-860 or WC-852 were better…

I am shooting 23 grains of it in the 6.8mm and accuracy is as good as I can shoot. I have limited the distance to 250 yards on life-sized steel groundhogs. Smacks them center position most of the time with the proper holdovers…

My keg, LOT # RAD78L 47985, has a burn rate slower than IMR-4064. Yet, it is not predictable to be at or near IMR-4350 all of the time. It is absolutely cartridge specific as to its burn rate…

Still, I guess it does have its uses if the uses are to be conservative expectations. I’m certainly not going to “hotrod” it as even performance engines have parts that go through the block…

Good-luck…BCB

[usbp379]

Bartlett still has this powder in stock and I'm wondering about getting some to try in 6.5 Creedmoor with a 140- or 147gr BTHP. Anyone already tried this application?

[sargenv]

After reading up on the previous older statements.. it's designed for pressure in the range of hot 30-30 ammo (38,000 psi), the 6.5 Creedmoor works at a bunch higher pressure (Max pressure @ 62,000 psi).. so while I have no experience loading this stuff, be careful

[Nobade]

Bartlett still has this powder in stock and I'm wondering about getting some to try in 6.5 Creedmoor with a 140- or 147gr BTHP. Anyone already tried this application?

Don't bother. Just get some H4350 and you're good to go. You'll never get full velocity before you run into pressure problems.

[usbp379]

Don't bother. Just get some H4350 and you're good to go. You'll never get full velocity before you run into pressure problems.

Yeah I was just looking at a couple places that are offering "Black Friday" sales.

The 7383 is still probably a little cheaper per cartridge but it isn't like I'm running a belt fed.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

[Elkins45]

7383 hates cases with skinny necks. The fatter the hole the happier it is. I wouldn’t use it in anything smaller than a 30 caliber because it the pressure curve gets really steep really fast.

My keg, LOT # RAD78L 47985, has a burn rate slower than IMR-4064. Yet, it is not predictable to be at or near IMR-4350 all of the time. It is absolutely cartridge specific as to its burn rate…

Still, I guess it does have its uses if the uses are to be conservative expectations. I’m certainly not going to “hotrod” it as even performance engines have parts that go through the block…

Good-luck…BCB

Much wisdom here IMO.

[Maven]

Well I hate to disagree with you, Elkins45, but my unmarked lot of 7383 works great in my .243Win. and my .30-06, with jacketed, not cast, bullets. Its burning rate is somewhere between IMR 4350 and IMR 4381 (?, i.e., the next slower IMR propellant). Here are the particulars:

Rifle: Ruger #1, 26" bbl., .243Win.

Case: Typically Remington, but also Winchester

Bullet: 85gr. Hornady BTSP or Sierra SP

Powder: IMR 7383; no lot markings on jug

Charge: 40.0gr. - 41.0gr. When ambient temps. are >80 deg. F, the 41.0gr. charge is not recommended due to elevated pressure. These loads -> 2,950 - 3,100 fps from my 26" bbl.

Primer: WLR

Accuracy: 1 m.o.a., often less.


To be sure IMR 7383 is an odd duck, but if you use a chronograph to develop your loads and watch for pressure signs (and heed them!), e.g., difficult extraction, flattened primers, it is quite usable/predictable. It likes higher pressure or rather full case loads, but not compression, which means it burns cleanest with jacketed bullets rather than cast in my experience.

P.S. I also use it in my Type 56 SKS (22.7gr. - 23.0gr.) with a C. E. Harris designed 160gr. gas checked cast bullet and Win. LR mag. primers (~ 1.650fps), but I get unburned powder in the magazine. Extraction is excellent, as is accuracy, btw.

[Nobade]

Similar experience here. Worked up J loads for the 243 in the winter in WV. Moved back to NM, and shot one in the summer. That was dramatic! Won't do that again. My 30-06 loves a case full of the stuff under a RCBS 165 SIL. Shoots lights out with that. But it's got a 1:14 twist barrel and shoots faster than normal '06 rifles. Probably a bit much for 1:10 barrels.