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Thread: The hype is real. HP-38 meters incredibly

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    The hype is real. HP-38 meters incredibly

    I'm a beginner reloader and several months ago I asked what powder meters the most consistently with the Lee auto disc powder measure.

    HP-38 was mentioned by MANY people.

    Today I actually tested it out.

    Using a digital scale that has 0.02gn resolution, I threw 10 charges with HP-38 and disc 0.53 cc

    The charge measured 5.38gn

    I then tared the case and powder combined so I could see only the differences for the next 9 charges.

    I got 0.00 for the next nine!

    No tapping, nothing special, just pulled the handle each time. Hopper half full.

    And yes I confirmed this wasn't something dumb, the scale still measures different values and everything makes sense.

    This is incredible!!!

    So my question is, what powder for 223 loads would meter as consistently? This would be awesome for rifle!!

    I'm guessing this powder meters so well because its such thin flakes, making it much less likely to have different volumes depending on minute shakes or vibrations.

    The powder I am currently using for 223 is reloader 7 and its been treating me well for what I'm doing. My goal is to buy expensive new brass (Lapua etc..) and combined with 69gn sierra matchkings make as accurate ammo as possible.

    Sierras data for the 69gn is below..of those powders which would meter as well as HP-38?


  2. #2
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    The finer a powder's granules are- the better and more consistently it will meter out.
    Of the different shapes, I've found the ball powders to be a little better than the flake type.

    Of the various powders for .223, I find myself coming back to Win748 time & again.
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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Winger Ed. View Post
    The finer a powder's granuals are- the better it will meter out.
    Of the different shapes, I've found the ball powders to be a little better than the flake type.

    Of the various powders for .223, I find myself coming back to Win748 time & again.
    I should do my homework but I notice HP-38 is described as spherical but appears to be smashed flat circular discs. Is that what a "ball" powder is?

  4. #4
    Boolit Master trails4u's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Winger Ed. View Post
    The finer a powder's granules are- the better and more consistently it will meter out.
    Of the different shapes, I've found the ball powders to be a little better than the flake type.

    Of the various powders for .223, I find myself coming back to Win748 time & again.
    It is hard to get away from 748....I LOVE it. Varget has been good too, but 748 meters much better.
    "Do not follow where the path might lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail" Ralph Waldo Emerson

  5. #5
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by guy_with_boolits View Post
    I should do my homework but I notice HP-38 is described as spherical but appears to be smashed flat circular discs. Is that what a "ball" powder is?
    I think so. My understanding is that 'ball' and 'spherical' are interchangeable.
    Those seem to be solid balls, that got flattened in the manufacturing process.
    Maybe when in their liquid state, they were more 'soupy' or had a lower viscosity
    and didn't finish the process being perfectly round.

    The flake powders seem to look more like little dots punched out of paper and are less dense.
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  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I like H335.


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  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    For heavier bullets in .223 you might try AA 2520. It meters nicely too.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    Not one of the powders listed in your picture but I get superb results with BL-C2. Load data at https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/rel...c=true&type=54. BL-C2 is a sherical/granular powder that feeds very accurately through my Lee Pro Auto disk measure.
    My load is exactly midrange, according to Hodgdon data site, in a Hornady case with a Winchester SRP loaded as long as they will fit and feed in the magazines. No pressure signs whatsoever in my rifles.
    Those 69 grain Matchkings give me groups under 1 inch at 200 yards with my two Savage varmint rifles. Tested velocities match the listed results for me.

  9. #9
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    Hp38 and win 231 are the exact same powder ! They come from the same vat just different labels! To answer your question, probably H335 or varget.
    Long, Wide, Deep, and Without Hesitation!

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Also a 748 fan...I use 26.0 grains with the 69 grain SMK and 63 grain Sierra SMP and they are astounding accurate.

  11. #11
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    I use 748 for my 55gr sp and FM, in 223 loads. Love the way it runs through my powder measure.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Accurate 2520

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    I use 2520 in the 308, 300 Savage and 223. Meters/measures very accurately. Most of the ball/spherical powders measure with little variation. Acccurate 2460, 2520, 2230 , Ramshot TAC, Hodgdon's H335, BL-C2, H414 all throw charges with 'no' discernable variance from most powder measures. Used them all at one time or another. IMR 4064 and IMR 3031 are 'crunchy' in many measures due to long slender grains. Good for many purposes but not for loading a couple hundred at a time.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Any ball/spherical powder will meter very well. The flake types not so well and the stick powders are the worst.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master derek45's Avatar
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    the LEE auto disk may not have enough volume for rifle calibers.

    Powders that typically don't measure well are large "stick" powders like IMR4895

    Ball powders typically measure very well.

    AA2230, 748, H335, TAC,
    .


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  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy alfadan's Avatar
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    Aa2460 or 2230

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master OS OK's Avatar
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    You can go to the 'National Center for Forensic Science' and use their database of powders...they have lots of powders there.
    http://www.ilrc.ucf.edu/powders/samp...?powder_id=385

    You'll get a picture of the powers and a complete description along with measurements of the granules like below...



    This way, you can look up any recomendations made here if your not familiar with the brand or type.

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  18. #18
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    I'm liking Hodgdon-Varget & Hodgdon-335 for 223 (factory and swaged)

    335 meters better, (some prefer srm primers for this powder)

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy

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    Indeed it does.

  20. #20
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    I votes with them as votes for 748. I have found nothing better for my .223 CZ 527 than a Sierra 52 grain over 26.5 grains of WW 748
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