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Thread: why is imr red blue green target so cheap

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    why is imr red blue green target so cheap

    I have yet to try any of these but saw that powder Vally is selling this stuff real cheap.
    are they close replacements for Alliant powders?

  2. #2
    Banned
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    This is just a guess ---- they are trying to get their foot in the door with these "clone" powders

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    I suspect they are not selling that much of it. So lower the price until they do. Then slowly raise it back up over time.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master


    swheeler's Avatar
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    What about Unequal, or is there none to be had?
    Charter Member #148

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Unequal, the powder that never was. After trying the new powder Red, I was trying to locate some Unequal, and would see it pictured on several distributors websites, but always out of stock. Then the image of the product disappeared, and I looked at the IMR website, and it was gone there also. I finally sent them an E-mail asking about the product, and was told that it didn't perform to their requirements or expectations, so it was dropped from production. Personally, I don't think any was actually sold, but if it was ,I would like to find a sample to try out.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I have bought powders I have never used if the price it right. There is not much "load development" needed to get a decent plinking load for a pistol. I currently have 10 powders in stock I can utilize for the pistols I use. I can get by with one powder and it sure is economical to use 4-6 gr of powder for most of my shooting. If you hunt or need optimum accuracy it changes things a bit.

    I would certainly purchase the powders mentioned in the OP if I need to stock up but I have a lifetime supply. Look at the load data and pick the one that fits your needs.

    When shortages hit, any powder that works is better than none of your ideal powder. And currently some powders are difficult to get and/or expensive.
    Don Verna


  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    IMR Blue - Green - Red powders are a new IMR family of powders that have comparable burn speeds to competitor shotgun powders
    Regards
    John

  8. #8
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    RogerDat's Avatar
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    If IMR Red can do what Red Dot does it is pretty darn useful powder. Only use I have tried Blue Dot for is round ball in 20 gauge and higher end shotgun loads. I think it boils down to checking what can I load with it against what do I need to load.

    Like an earlier poster pointed out. It works for and is available trumps it works great for but can't be had. Thee is also some potential for buying cheap and stacking deep if it is inexpensive. Worth checking load data, trying a pound, then buying 8 pounds if it works.

    I have at least 1/2 dozen flavors of 1# bottles that I tried and decided not the right one for my uses, I also have 4 or 5 of those samples that where added to after I found I liked it. Tightgroup is one such. Red Dot is another. Revolver good, mil-surplus plinking load good. Buy more. Have more the next time supplies are scarce. I would look at the load data and if I can afford it buy some just to see how it does. I have some Green Dot I don't know if I will ever use. But win some lose some, and maybe it will be like that aluminum stock I had for 10 years, just what I needed eventually.
    Scrap.... because all the really pithy and emphatic four letter words were taken and we had to describe this source of casting material somehow so we added an "S" to what non casters and wives call what we collect.

    Kind of hard to claim to love America while one is hating half the Americans that disagree with you. One nation indivisible requires work.

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  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    I believe that the IMR red/blue/green powders were created because they are "new formulation" style powders,
    where the chemistry of the powder's production by products is not costly to dispose of, compared with the traditional powders.

    Keep in mind that many/most of the powders we use are actually made in Australia, Europe, or Canada, where the greenies
    have passed successively more restrictive/costly measures on what-you-can-do-with/how-you treat the production process residues.
    if powder X has a production residue that costs $100 a ton to get rid of, then that $100 comes off the profits of powder X.
    If you can create a powder Y which is very similar but the residues cost $2 a ton to get rid of, then the powder companies are
    that much further ahead.

    This is one of the reasons that production costs in china are so cheap.
    In the US, the production residues must be processed so thoroughly that a baby can swallow a gallon of it and not get a tummy ache,
    and that costs money.
    In china, they just toss the toxins in the ravine and the gov and the company (same thing since they are communist) don't care.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master

    FLINTNFIRE's Avatar
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    I bought IMR red and Target when one dealer had them at 119. for 8lbs still had promo , was out of Unique , switched to Target for 9mm and for 45acp , am happy with that decision . The Green interests me but not really needed for my loading , a replacement priced right and available for Unique would interest me .
    More choices are always good for reloaders , only wished to have bought more Target before sale prices ended , always stock up when you can afford it and it is available as the shortages are becoming more frequent . I believe the dealer I bought from was selling as a promotional to get people using it , glad it was at the price it was , shoots clean , data available on Hodgdons site .

  11. #11
    Boolit Master


    Burnt Fingers's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by swheeler View Post
    What about Unequal, or is there none to be had?
    I talked with one of the Hodgdon people at a NRA annual meeting.

    Unequal was shelved because the powder that was delivered was VERY inconsistent so the decision was made to not release it.

    I've used the Target and the Red.

    The Red has done quite well for me in both 9mm and 45 ACP.
    NRA Benefactor.

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Pay attention when buying them. Some are 14 ounce bottles instead of one pound. This has been happening more often w/ newer powders. It seems they learned from the likes of Unilever that keeps the same packaging, reduces quantity and charges the same price.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Some powder are bulkier than others for the same weight, therefore a full pound won’t fit in the their standardized container. Also the Canadian Dollar is a solid 25% less valuable than the USD.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check