SR4759....How much are you Rat holing away?

[fatelvis]

With the (sigh) discontinuation of 4759, I'm stocking up now for what will hopefully cover loading for the rest of my years. Right now I have 24lbs., and counting. I figure I'm set for about 9K rounds now, but thinking of getting another 8lber. If you're a fan of this powder, how much do you consider "enough" stock?

[fryboy]

if they never make it again ( which they said they were ) and you live for another 50 years how much is enough ? if i die tomorrow i have enough :-P
granted your stash makes mine seem trivial ( erm unless i die tomorrow lolz ) i also have to admit that i wonder about it "being gone forever" it was discontinued once before ... will history repeat it's self or is perhaps this just a ploy to help sell a powder that was selling slow when they were pushing "the latest and greatest" ?
2 or 3 pounds a year is what i go thru and i have to admit that i've been burning up more unique ...now if i just had a idea of how many shooting years i have left i could give you a better answer

[dh2]

I only got 16 lbs of AA3100 when it was discontinued now I dearly with I had more so I am thinking go for 30 lbs if I can get it on this one

[44man]

I guess I have 20# of 4759 right now. I think I will be gone before all is gone.

[gnoahhh]

I acquired a few pounds at a LGS recently, bringing my stash of 4759 up to around 8 pounds. When it's gone, it's gone, and I'll move on to something else. With my current powder supply weighing in the neighborhood of 50 pounds, I really don't want any more. That much alone kind of gives me the willies from a fire standpoint. Not that I worry about it catching or contributing to a fire, but rather what the insurance company would say if the house burned down and it was discovered I had a big pile of powder inside. They have been known to deny claims based on that. Sometimes it pays to pay heed to fire regulations!

[osteodoc08]

What is everyone using 4759 for anyhow? I see where it is good for reduced rifle loads and reportedly magnum pistol, but I have not really seen published data for pistol. My LGS has quite a bit and was thihnking about picking some up to see what all the fuss is about.

[fryboy]

*snip
I see where it is good for reduced rifle loads and reportedly magnum pistol, but I have not really seen published data for pistol.
*snip


ummm ... "reduced rifle loads" translates to excellent cast boolit rifle loadings !!! what more can i say ??? ;)

[osteodoc08]

ummm ... "reduced rifle loads" translates to excellent cast boolit rifle loadings !!! what more can i say ??? ;)

I have several multitaskers on hand already including 2400, which as it happens, is an excellent magnum pistol powder. If I can use 4759 in my 41 and 45 colt, then I may pick some up. Was more a question of curiosity since I dont see any data for 4759 readily available (for my wheelguns).

[44man]

What is everyone using 4759 for anyhow? I see where it is good for reduced rifle loads and reportedly magnum pistol, but I have not really seen published data for pistol. My LGS has quite a bit and was thihnking about picking some up to see what all the fuss is about.
It is the ONLY powder that works in my BFR 45-70 revolver. I use it in the 7R and 7BR pistols and 30-30.
It was developed for reduced loads in larger cases by having more bulk to fill the case but don't overlook it for more velocity in small cases either.
It is hard to find many loads for in books.
In my Wichita 7R, 10" pistol with a 154 gr Hornady it gives me 1633 fps using 18.4 gr and more 40's at IHMSA then I can count. Same with the 7BR in the Rem XP100 and MOA with 18 gr.
The next powder for deer in the pistols using 120 gr SSP bullets is Varget. The 7R uses 34.5 gr for 1/2" at 50 yards and the 7 BR uses 32.5 gr at 2175 fps from a 10" barrel. I was told by Hodgdon that Varget is too slow.
I have not used 4759 in revolvers but some say it works. I don't think enough can be put in some cases.

[plainsman456]

I have 3 cans now and hope to get some more.
It is true that other powders cam work in it's place,it does have a purpose.

[fryboy]

at one time ( and long ago ) i recall reading in a gun book of a formula to convert using 4759 in place of black powder safely .. i wish i still had that article ( and remembered the formula ) but i was alot younger then and supplies of powder were plentiful ( and cheap )

[Scharfschuetze]

Well, I've got enough for a few more years of shooting. My friend who owns a LGS saved an 8 pound caddy for me so that and my previous stash will hold for a while. IMR 4227 and 4198 will substitute for 4759 well, so when mine's gone, I'll hopefully still be able find one of those powders.

Fryboy,

If you find that article again, I'd like to see it. It might be useful for loading my old Trapdoors. 25 grains of SR 4759 will generally duplicate 70 grains of BP behind a 405 grain boolit in them which has proven to be a safe load and duplicates the original infantry load for these rifles.

[44man]

Well, I've got enough for a few more years of shooting. My friend who owns a LGS saved an 8 pound caddy for me so that and my previous stash will hold for a while. IMR 4227 and 4198 will substitute for 4759 well, so when mine's gone, I'll hopefully still be able find one of those powders.

Fryboy,

If you find that article again, I'd like to see it. It might be useful for loading my old Trapdoors. 25 grains of SR 4759 will generally duplicate 70 grains of BP behind a 405 grain boolit in them which has proven to be a safe load and duplicates the original infantry load for these rifles.
4227 and 4198 has not proven to come close to 4759. I have found no powder to sub for it.

[Green Frog]

What I thought was an 8# jug of it turns out to only have 2 1/2# left in it when I checked! AAUUUGGHHH! [smilie=b: Even when I add up all the smidgeons I have stashed around in various places, I still only have about 5# left. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and buy some of the expensive stuff out there now and just save it for shooting my Winchester 32-40 high wall when I am competing and shooting breech seated. I have a good 4227 load for fixed, so all is not lost, but I sure do love my 4759 for when I get serious at Schuetzen! :???:

Froggie

PS Has anybody had any luck with Accurate 5447? Their reps told me years ago that's what I should be using. :?:

[Scharfschuetze]

I guess we all have our own experiences to go by, and having used 4759 for more than 40 years, I prefer it for most cast boolit or reduced loads used in mid size to larger cases. Still, don't sell other powders short if you can't find or if you run out of 4759. I've often exceeded the accuracy and ballistic uniformity of 4759 in the 270, 30/06, 8mm and 45/70 using IMR 4198 or Reloader 7. There's a lot of vagaries in load development and to swear by just one powder will often not maximize the performance potential of your rifle, calibre, primer and boolit choice.

Green Frog,

Was that a typo for 5744? If so, I've used up a caddy of that and I've found that unless you're working close to its upper end of useful pressure, it leaves a lot of coarse debris in the bore and action of the rifle. I also think that it heats the barrel up much faster than IMR powders, probably due to its double base formula. My caddy of the stuff was bought early in its production (circa 1994 or so) and some have said that it's been improved a great deal as far as leaving debris behind. I've only used it in the 45/70 duplicating the original BP loads in Trapdoor Springfields and a Marlin 1895 so I can't comment on its performance outside of that calibre.

[fatelvis]

I like how 4759 fills the case nicely, burns clean, is accurate as all get out, and NEVER needs wadding. I refuse to use wadding.

[fatelvis]

I know it's coarse like gravel, but I use my Chargemaster exclusively with 4759. The best groups I've ever gotten, by far, was with this powder in several cartridges.

[Scharfschuetze]

I've always had some issues using 4759 in my Redding 3BR powder measure with up to half a grain variations per throw. The rifle powder chamber is just too big for accurate throws with the coarse kernels and a double throw with the small volume pistol drum doesn't do much better.

I recently bought the RCBS competition powder measure with an intermediate sized powder chamber. In loading 40 rounds of 7.65X53 today (208 grain 314299 with 20 grains of 4759 for 1800 fps) the new measure (first time I used it) threw consistent charges all within plus or minus a tenth of a grain. While not as accurate as an electronic device, it's about as good as you can get with a manual measure and more than good enough for very accurate loads. Wish I would have had this measure for 4759 40 years ago.

[SSGOldfart]

I guess I have 20# of 4759 right now. I think I will be gone before all is gone.
About the same plus I've got some others to use as well and not too many more years to go
So my stock is set unless some TrailBoss comes along and maybe a few more pounds
of unique

[jonk]

4 pounds, if we count the pound of 4759-esque surplus from back in the day that I still have left.

I don't use it very often. Most of my guns prefer 2400, or do at least as well as with 4198, 5744, or 3031. For the 2-3 guns that do prefer the SR, I only shoot them once per year or so anyhow, 30 rounds at a time from each, charge weight of about 20 gr. So... 1800 gr a year, that's about a 15 year supply I suppose.

Sounds like a lot, but I'm just getting to the bottom of an 8lb jug of WC852 I got at Camp Perry 12 years ago, seems like yesterday I got it for $64.

[mtnman31]

I'd like a couple more pounds. I figure I can make a couple pounds last a few years and when it is gone, I'll find a new powder to use in its place. I am not tied to any specific powders. There are a few powders that would be painful to lose. For me losing this powder is mostly an inconvenience and not a major hastle. That said, I don't like to see the shooting community lose any products that are useful.

[M-Tecs]

Was down to a 1/2 pound. I now have 32 1/2 pounds. That should last me.

[Green Frog]

Green Frog,

Was that a typo for 5744? If so, I've used up a caddy of that and I've found that unless you're working close to its upper end of useful pressure, it leaves a lot of coarse debris in the bore and action of the rifle. I also think that it heats the barrel up much faster than IMR powders, probably due to its double base formula. My caddy of the stuff was bought early in its production (circa 1994 or so) and some have said that it's been improved a great deal as far as leaving debris behind. I've only used it in the 45/70 duplicating the original BP loads in Trapdoor Springfields and a Marlin 1895 so I can't comment on its performance outside of that calibre.

Yep, typing with webbed fingers is a little tricky sometimes! :mrgreen:

The thing about Accurate™ powders is that you never know where a given lot will come from or how it will have been made. They buy the stuff from manufacturers who make it to gross specs for the lot, but the way a given batch behaves in a cartridge can be quite variable. I've got 3 one pound cans of AA #7, one from Israel, one from South Africa, and one from the Czech Republic. What are the chances they will all behave the same? As for 5744, if I could get a good 1# can to develop a load then buy a couple of 8# kegs from the same lot, that might be a way to proceed. Otherwise, I guess I'll just have to make do with 4227.

One characteristic of 4759 I really liked was its inherent lack of tendency to ring chambers when used breech seated. Another was its relative position insensitivity. All in all, it will be hard to replace 4759 within its assigned niche. :cry:

Froggie

[goryshaw]

Picked up 4 lbs of SR 4759 at the LGS last month, if they still have it in stock I'll pick up another 4-8 lbs of it tomorrow. Would love to use 2400 for cast loads in my milsurps, but that is impossible to find lately. I reload for 1/2 dozen or so battle rifle cartridges, and SR 4759 should work pretty well in all of them.