H4895 and Cast Boolits

[303Guy]

Is anyone using H4895 for cast boolits? How does it work out? What velocity? What boolit weight and charge?

[Jupiter7]

Yes,.223,18gr, 1850fps-ish

[Cherokee]

Yes. 30/30, 22 gr with Lee 309-150 FN GC 151 gr, speed unknown but accurate with open sights for me, that being 2-5" at 100 yd. Did win a match with the load once with a much smaller group. Bullets cast from 2/3/95 alloy, White Label CR lube, sized .310. Shot is a Winchester 94 rifle. Also 30/06 with RCBS 30-180 FN GC 188 gr bullet, 27 gr, speed unknown, shoots about 2-3" groups at 100 yd. Bullets cast from 3/3/94 alloy, White Label CR lube, sized .309. Shot in old well-used 1917 Enfield.

[youngda9]

42gr in my 358 win with a 232gr boolit (Accurate 36-230D) gives me 2209fps and excellent accuracy. I chose H4895 because it gave the highest velocity at the lowest pressure in the 358 with the 225gr boolits. I figured that combo gave me the best chance at the highest velocity without issues. It is also fills the case completely which is a good thing for accuracy and consistency. Bought an 8lb jug a few months back and couldn't be happier.

[curator]

180 grain LBT/314-200 SP-GC boolit cast from WDww+2%tin and .32 grains of IMR 4895 in my No4 Mk2T-Indian sniper rifle with Rem brass is a real winner. 1 to 1 1/4 MOA groups out to 200 yards (which is all I have to work with here) 3.5X scope is not all that precise but groups are good. LBT mould is cut from a throat slug which is the best way to go. I also use LBT "blue" lube which I believe has a positive effect. Lee collet die and no full-length sizing--belet seated out to touch the rifling.

[Baja_Traveler]

34 grains under a 311299 works awesome in my Garand...

[Larry Gibson]

Surely you jest?

I have recommended 4895, particularly H4895, since I started posting on the predecessor forum and on this forum for years. I have recomended H4895 in numerous cartridges with cast bullets. H4895 is an excellent powder for many cartrdges with medium to heavy weight cast bullets. I have received a lot of gruff from several pundits for my recommendation of 4895 in many applications. However 4895s most often excellent performance with cast bullets speaks for itself.

Larry Gibson

[3006mv]

H4198 is pretty good too.

[35 shooter]

I use it for jacketed and cast in 35 whelen along with 4759. Actually all i need IS 4895 in that rifle.
200 grain rcbs gcfn boolit and 40 grains h4895, 48grains, and 51 grains (i use a filler with 40 grains, but no filler with the others). Fps is suppossed to be 2000, 2400, and 2500. This is according to data i found that others had chronoed. For whatever reason, imr 4895 did not do nearly as well in my rifle.

As long as the temp is not over 95 degrees these loads will stay a little under minute of angle at 100 yards, some days a lot better. Any hotter temp and my groups will open to as much as 1.5 inches, but that could be me and not the load.

[popper]

Works great in 308 & 30/30

[sthwestvictoria]

This is my comment:
"One of the beautiful things about using H4895 (AR2206H for us Australians - it is made here) is there are two safe ways of reducing it. The Lee 1grain reduction factor which gets you ballpark.
The other safe factory suggestion is from Hodgdon - they state it is safe to reduce any max load for jacketed by up to 60% of that load. For information on this google hodgdon youth loads. This only applys to H4895! So two safe ways to use reduced H4895 jacketed data for cast. I have done this with 30-30 and 35 whelen when i could not find cast data but only jacketed. "

From this thread:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?213107-Need-308-200gr-H4895-starting-load/page2

[303Guy]

Thanks for the replies! Thanks Larry - now that you mention it I do recall you suggesting it.


The other safe factory suggestion is from Hodgdon - they state it is safe to reduce any max load for jacketed by up to 60% of that load.Yes, I read that this morning. They also say that after the 60% reduction (of their max load) one can adjust up or down by a further 10% (of the actual load). That's why I asked, I haven't really paid that much attention to H4895 suggestions before as I didn't have any. I remember reading that H4895 is used for reduced pressure loads because it the one powder that burns consistently at low pressures. It will be my next powder. I hope it looks different to H4350. I gave away my Varget because it looked too similar and got some W748 which also works for cast but I haven't range tested it yet.

For the Brit a 60% of max listed load is 22.5gr. That's the perfect starting point for a reduced load! I have to go to over 30gr of W748 for decent combustion. I noticed for the first time today that H4895 is quite bulky - perfect! I buy all the ADI packaged Hodgdon equivalents. Good powder!

I've been using AR2205 (H4227) and have been wondering whether H4198 would be better but now I'll go with H4895.

[sthwestvictoria]

. I hope it looks different to H4350. I gave away my Varget because it looked too similar and got some W748 which also works for cast but I haven't range tested it yet.

I've been using AR2205 (H4227) and have been wondering whether H4198 would be better but now I'll go with H4895.

I am afraid that H4895 (AR2206H) looks exactly like Varget (AR2208) with 3mm short rods, greeny/gray from graphite. Although I don't have any, i'll bet H4198(AR2207) and H4350(AR2209) look the same. H4227 (AR2205) looks different, more granular.

One benefit of H4198 is that it seems to be the go-to Hodgdon powder listed in the Lyman 4th ED so there is plenty of data there. There is little data there for H4895 in the Lyman 4th. Plenty in the Lee book and the ADI free PDF.

[303Guy]

AR2208 and AR2209 look identical. One can tell them apart by miking the granules - 2208 is 0.8mm and 2209 is 1.0mm. Too close to tell apart by just looking. I wonder whether they are the same chemically with only the stick thickness being different?

[sthwestvictoria]

Yes I have exaggerated with 2206h at 3mm. I'll go measure some after dinner/bed/bath for the kinder.

[sthwestvictoria]

Yes I have exaggerated with 2206h at 3mm. I'll go measure some after dinner/bed/bath for the kinder.

[Mike H]

AR2208 and AR2209 look identical. One can tell them apart by miking the granules - 2208 is 0.8mm and 2209 is 1.0mm. Too close to tell apart by just looking. I wonder whether they are the same chemically with only the stick thickness being different?
Most people keep their powder in the original container unless loading and only the container of the powder being used on or near the bench.Should not be a problem.
Mike.
H4895/2206H is an excellent powder as is Varget/2208,the discontinued 2206,slightly faster than 2206H,was also a good powder.Have used them all in .223,.303 British and .308 in jacketed and cast loads.

[Stephen Cohen]

I have used 4895/2206H in 375 whelen Imp. 36gr under 270gr cast was nice load, if I can cure the slight leading I will bump it up a bit.

[shooter93]

With 4895 and Unique you can find an accecptable load for a huge number of cartridges. Having those two around you'll always be able to shoot.

[sirgknight]

my go-to powder behind the 311291 in my Garand. wouldn't be caught dead without 4895 or unique.

[Gohon]

It really isn't that difficult to type out Lyman 170 grain RN/GC.

[303Guy]

Most people keep their powder in the original container unless loading and only the container of the powder being used on or near the benchYup, I do that but, Murphy's law states that if anything can go wrong it will. So far I've been lucky and only managed to mix small quantities of powder, those being different in appearance. I've tightened up my routines after the fact - I do go over how I botched it till I figure it out then make changes accordingly. Now I follow one rule - Murphy's law. Things run smoother now.:mrgreen:

[leadman]

I have used it in the 30-30 with the 311041, 28grs gives about 2,100 fps. For the 223 rem, 27grs behind a 45gr Lyman RN, Hi-Tek coating, 3,465fps average.

[barrabruce]

2207 to 2209 all look the same.

with 30-30 loads pp 150-170's up to @ 32 grns 2206h clean burning and good for me.
2208 bit of unbunt powder in bore unless I down loaded from max.

2206h and 2207 used in there cowboy loads...reduced loads...Used up all me 2206h but have a big 'ol tin of 2207 to play with as well as one marked mulex 2207 which still smells good.
I'll be playing with this lot for some time to come.

got a bit of 2206 and 2209 keeping me last bit of 2206h for special occasion such as actually shooting sumtin with pp.
2208 is good enough for j words.

All of then are grey rods or logs.
I have learnt to only use one bloody powder at a time too.
I had a good handfull or two to spread around the garden.

now if yu wanna play with something I got me a bran new tin of ww 785 which I am afraid of but it is pristine condition.

Barra

[Moonie]

my go-to powder behind the 311291 in my Garand. wouldn't be caught dead without 4895 or unique.

I still have a couple of pounds left out of my last 8 pounder of H4895, however I'm out of Unique again, will be getting a 4 pounder soon.

[smokeywolf]

4895 is good for most rifle cartridges having moderate to large capacity cases. Real good in 30-40 and 30-06. I'd probably choose a faster powder if I'm loading 30-30 that will be fired out of a less than medium length barrel, i.e., a trapper's model '94 Winchester.

Although it performs particularly well behind heavier boolits, whether your projectiles are Cast, copper struck or copper jacketed, IMR 4895 or H4895sc seems to perform equally well on all of them.

Keeping a sufficient supply of 4895 in the powder magazine is like keeping a sufficient supply of wheat, sugar or coffee in your pantry.