Replacement for IMR-4895

[DonMountain]

IMR-4895 has been my favorite powder for lots of years in all of my old military guns and 150 to 220 grain cast boolets for both target shooting and deer hunting. Lately there seems to be a whole bunch of new powders coming out from all different suppliers, both American and foreign. Would anybody care to offer their suggestions for some of these "new" powders for a replacement to the very old IMR-4895?

[GhostHawk]

Call me stubborn I'll stick with the IMr 4895, I know it works.

[Outpost75]

For my .30-'06s I'll use either 4064, RL15 or Varget almost interchangibly, either cast or jacketed.

[GabbyM]

For a more modern version of IMR-4895. Just go with the Hodgdon 4895. It has the modern coatings that give it excellent resistance to temperature changes. Now the question I've no answer for is. For reduced pressure loads aka cast bullets. Is the Old IMR better than the H powder with more coatings?

My new powder is Alliant AR-Comp to replace H-Varget. I like it far better for a few attributes.

[frkelly74]

There is also Accurate 2495. Accurate 4064, and others,

[Idaho Mule]

Don, my own experience has shown that "Varget" is close in the cartridges that I load. JW

[Motor]

For a more modern version of IMR-4895. Just go with the Hodgdon 4895. It has the modern coatings that give it excellent resistance to temperature changes. Now the question I've no answer for is. For reduced pressure loads aka cast bullets. Is the Old IMR better than the H powder with more coatings?

My new powder is Alliant AR-Comp to replace H-Varget. I like it far better for a few attributes.

Considering the fact that Hodgdon uses H-4895 for all of their reduced and "youth" loads I'd have to say that it is at least as good if not better for this purpose. There really isn't much difference between the two.

Motor

[RogerDat]

Since ADI makes many of these powders for US companies you might look at this equivalents table. Looks like there are a couple that are nearly the same, and a few that are very close. Worth looking up load data on the ones they list as close.

http://www.adi-powders.com.au/handloaders/equivalents.asp

[Uncle Jimbo]

Call me stubborn I'll stick with the IMr 4895, I know it works.

I'm with you GhostHawk. Been loading for the 30-06 for more years than I care to think about. Never had any problems with it. Even with the powder shortage, I could always find it and it is still reasonably priced.
No need to fix something that isn't broke.

[DonMountain]

Since ADI makes many of these powders for US companies you might look at this equivalents table. Looks like there are a couple that are nearly the same, and a few that are very close. Worth looking up load data on the ones they list as close.

http://www.adi-powders.com.au/handloaders/equivalents.asp

So, has anybody compared AA2460 to IMR-4895 in use for medium sized rifle rounds using lead boolets? I noticed that it is available from Grafs where I usually buy my powders a short ride away. Although I can still find H-4895 there too. Or should I just predict how long I will live and how much H-4895 powder I will need to get to the end of my life and go buy it all now?

[nekshot]

I totally understand your feelings about 4895, but I bought this can of varget and I like it a whole lot that I might by more of it than 4895!!

[fryboy]

AA2520 has seemed to me to work better than AA2460 in applications where 4895 does best or is highly recommended ( especially 375 jdj where 4895 is supposedly "the powder"), for most boolit applications however I usually use a slightly faster powder