4198 vs. 4198

[Lead melter]

I'm finding H4198 to be an extremely versatile powder to use with cast boolits when the extra punch above the 10-15 grain Unique/Red Dot threshold is called for.
The catch is that H4198 is sometimes hard to come by in my area and I have never tried IMR-4198.
Are these two powders similar enough to be interchangable, [W296/H110] or are there some differences that need to be watched for?
Better safe than sorry.

[cb4017]

The burning rates are a little different but I’ve used them pretty much interchangeably in low to moderate loads for my .45-70. The shorter powder granules of H4198 will meter better in a powder measure.

[gon2shoot]

As said, there is a slight difference in the two.
Hodgdon has a site with load data that shows simuliar weights on some loads, and as much as 3 gr. difference on others.

I tend to prefer "H" over "IMR". dont really have a good reason though.

[C A Plater]

They are close enough to be interchangeable in use but not data. Unlike H110-WW296 they are made by different manufacturers and with different processes so you will need to work up new load data for the IMR if you have H.

[Rocky Raab]

"Interchangeable in use but not data" is about the best wording I have yet seen for this and similar pairings of powder.

[Throwback]

I also agree - well put. I used IMR first because it was what I had on hand and later added Hodgdon. The old gentleman who mentored me in reloading always used IMR. Now it feels like I use everything from everybody. Both are easy to find here locally and while I have stuck with the IMR in the Whelen because it worked so well, there is little to choose from between them. Both are very useful in the same applications.

[Bret4207]

Funny, I remember when Hodgdon was as exotic as Norma powder to get. I don;t think I saw a can by Hodgdon till I was at least 30 and that was 1990. Dupont and Hercules was all there was where I lived. Saw lots of Alcan, but nothing Hodgdon.

Now the situation seems reversed.

[mooman76]

H4198 vs IMR 4198, I don't remember which but they used to be the exact same powder. As I remember one company bought a lot of the powder that was surplus and marketed it under their own name and when it ran out they made their own with similar caractaristics. So yes you can use the same data but work up the loads as always.

[Urny]

Funny, I remember when Hodgdon was as exotic as Norma powder to get. I don;t think I saw a can by Hodgdon till I was at least 30 and that was 1990. Dupont and Hercules was all there was where I lived. Saw lots of Alcan, but nothing Hodgdon.

Now the situation seems reversed.

Bret, I think I bought my first paper sack of Hodgdon's surplus 4831 from Al's Sporting Goods in Del Paso Heights, California, about the time you were born. For some years his 4831 and BLC2 were all I used in rifles.