Is SR-7625 Any Good for Cast Boolits

[CENTEX BILL]

I have a chance to buy an old supply of SR-7625 (approx 10 lbs) which came from an estate of an avid shotgunner. I think I can get it for about $5/lb.

HERE IS THE QUESTION. Does it have any practical uses in loading cast boolits or is it strickly a shotgun powder. I am unfamilar with this powder.

I don't want to pass up a bargain, but it will only be a bargain to me if I can put it to use.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Centex Bill

[sargenv]

SR 7625 is slower than Unique and I'd rate it somewhere in the range of Herco. It can be inconsistent lot to lot, which is how I aquired my supply of it.. a gent was using it for 38 super loads for action shooting and that particular lot was not producing the velocity he wanted.. so he switched to Ramshot Sillouette. If you are getting a good deal on it, I'd say go for it.. at least that 10 lb will be consistent for whatever you are loading.. it is good for medium range cast bullet loads and light magnum handgun and shotshell loads.. I've not used it in rifles but since it is slower than Unique, it could certainly be used as such.

[wiljen]

I have used a good bit of it in mid-range 45 ACP loads and it works well. Meters great and behaves like a single based unique in that role.

[acl864]

Not to be argumentative sargenv, but SR-7625 is listed on both Powder Burn Rate charts that I have as being slightly faster than Unique. But it fills a similar niche for me as Unique, sort of a middle of the road powder that works well in hotter 38 Special and mid-range 357 Mag. My current favorite plinking/target load for 357 Mag uses SR-7625 behind a 158 gr TLSWC.

[swheeler]

Think of it as a fast lot Unique, I've used it in 38 special, 9mm and still use it in 223 with cast. At 5 dollars a pound it's a steal.

[sargenv]

Ok, so I was incorrect on where it burns... this is of course my experience and I didn't take the time to look at burn rate charts.. which can be kind of selective... I generally go by load data since that is a bit more telling.. to me. Unique in the shotshell scale is generally for high velocity 1 1/8 and light 1 1/4 oz loads of lead.. I just looked at the velocity spreads for these powders on their related web site...

1 1/4 oz lead, SR 7625, Win AA 2 3/4" hull, velocity tops out at 1325 fps.

1 1/4 oz lead, Unique, Win AA 2 3/4" hull, velocity tops out at 1225 fps.

1 1/4 oz lead, Herco, Win AA 2 3/4" hull, velocity tops out about 1310 fps.

1 3/8 oz lead, SR 7625, Rem STS 2 3/4" hull, velocity tops out at 1200 fps

Unique and Herco do not have any load data listed for 1 3/8 oz loads in any hull.

So if Unique is slower that SR 7625, why do they have no data for the heavier shot load? If it were slower, should it not follow that there should be load data for it? I would think so.. this is the main reason I don't trust burn rate charts.

Also in loading for high performance pistols.. there is no one that I know that would think that Unique were a slow powder used for creating the gasses needed to run a comp.. but if you asked about SR 7625, you would find more than a handfull of people who have tried it and either they liked it or they found it inconsistent but were willing to work with it adjusting their loads lot to lot. As usual, YMMV.

[wiljen]

it might be something in the difference in how single and double based propellants burn. 7625 is single base, unique is double so it might follow that when put in different shape containers, they exhibit different characters aside from just burn rate.

[acl864]

... bottom line at $5 a lbs. it's a bargain.

[Larry Gibson]

... bottom line at $5 a lbs. it's a bargain.

Yes, and where can I get about 20 lbs?????maybe 40?

Larry Gibson

[45 2.1]

Most shotgun powders act a little differently in brass cases. Go from a small to a larger sized pistol case versus different calibers and you will see different burn rates between them.

[madsenshooter]

Faster than unique according to this chart: http://gsgroup.co.za/burnrates.html Closer to green dot and at $5lb, I'd be using it.

[RayinNH]

One of the guys at our club that I see quite often swears by the stuff for handgun use. It's kind of a sleeper in the handgun powder world. That being said any canister powder at five bucks per pound is a good deal, something will have a use for it eventually...Ray

[jameslovesjammie]

It is my go to powder in my 20 gauge.

One thing not really mentioned by so far is that it is a little bulkier than most powders. A "one pound can" comes with 8 oz in it.

Lyman 49 lists it in 32 acp, 32 s&w long, 32 h&r, 32-20, 380, 9mm, 38 super, 38 s&w, 38 special, 357, 44 special, 45 acp/ar, and 45 colt. So if you have any of these, you are good to go.

If I could find it for $5/pound...I would buy it all.

[res45]

A "one pound can" comes with 8 oz in it.

Are you talking about Trail Boss it has 9 oz. to the can. If I buy a 1 lb. can of powder I expect it to have 1 lb. in it not 9 oz.

IMR-7625
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1/rhsikes/651412.jpg
Trial Boss
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1/rhsikes/840525.jpg

[leadman]

I just shot some of this in a 7.5X55 Swiss K-31. 150gr RCBS, 13gr gave 1,560fps average, very good accuracy.

My can is an old IMR metal can marked as 8oz.

[sargenv]

Yep, in the metal cans, it was 8 oz.. When hodgdon took over for IMR, they repackaged it into 1, 4, and 8 pounders.. I think it used to be in 8 oz, 4, 8, and 12 pounders..

Trail boss is so bulky, 9 oz is all that fits... an 8# can of most other denser powders is actually only 5# of Trail boss.

[evan price]

I had a 4# can I got from a guy who used it for shotgun. Used it up in 38 special wadcutters. It's a stick powder iirc, had no trouble with it.

[PbHurler]

Interestingly,
SR7625 IS my go-to powder for my lead boolit loads. I picked up on it in the 10th edition of Speer's loading manual. I use it in 38 spl, 357 (reduced) and 44 mag (reduced) Burns pretty clean in my loadings. Just picked up 4lbs. this last weekend. The last I bought was a 5lb. caddy around 1995, the sad thing was the price sticker on the caddy was 56.95! I almost payed double that for the 4lb. I just bought.

[res45]

Well jameslovesjammie I owe you an apoligie,I used up the last of my IMR metal can powders several years ago but never ran across any 8 oz. quantities in the 1 lb. can. One thing is for sure if somebody made it somebody on here will know about it.

[evan price]

I have one of those 8-oz cans of IMR HiSkor 800-X... I only use it for 25 Auto and some experimenting with .40 S&W though so it should last darn near forever.

[troyboy]

I have one of those 8ounce 1 pound cans as well. Never would have noticed.......

[richhodg66]

Several years ago, I got six or eight of those old Dupont cans at a gun show for about $4 apiece. I've been using it in .45 ACP with good results. An RCBS Lil Dandy rotor #10 throws 5.5 grains which is a nice load with a 230 grain RN. I've used it in .38 Special too as well as some limited .308 cast bullet loads. If you can get a bunch of it real cheap, jump on it.

[Viper225]

I have a couple cans of SR7625 myself.

http://i39.tinypic.com/sxn150.jpg
This is what the 8 OZ Cans look like. The "8 Ounces AV." is at the bottom of the SR7625 Can in very small print. It is easy to make out on the 800X Can.

I need to try some out in my 38 Special loads. I have been trying some of the Alliant 20/28 lately. I have not worked with it enough to form an opinion so far.

Bob

[Outpost75]

Years ago I shot lots of 7625 in. 38 wadcutter ammunition for target shooting and it ran very well.
3.5 grains with Remington 148 HBWC bullet in R-P wadcutter brass, Remington 1-1/2 primer, flush seated
and taper crimped only enough to remove all mouth flare, gave 750 fps from a .38 AMU NM government model.

[Green Lizzard]

it has worked great for me, on the plus side it meters great(way better than unique) small kernels about like cornmeal.

[Iowa Fox]

Works great with cast. The old Lyman manual had lots of loads for everything with it. I'm down to my last unopened Lb of it. @ 5$ a Lb I'd be on it like a dog on bone if it was stored properly.

[floydboy]

I to use it in my 45 ACP and so far is one of my best powders in 22-250 at 8.5 grs. under a 225415.

Floyd

[sargenv]

On another note and slightly off topic, I'm using this 17.5 gr of this powder to propel a 1/2 oz of #7 steel shot using bio-wads in 20 gauge Win and Rem STS hulls for skeet loads.. My club shoots over water and we are required to use non toxic shot and bio-degradeable wads for target shooting.. It makes a quite effective aerial clay breaker..