Australian Winchester 1500HS

[ATCDoktor]

An Australian gentleman on another forum I frequent has come into a “vintage” 8 pound (factory sealed) metal tin of Winchester 1500HS powder.


Does anyone have any experience with this powder?

Does it have a modern equivalent, or could it be an older non canister powder that was sold off as bulk surplus?

Is there any data out there and is it suitable for handgun ammunition?

He’d sure appreciate any help he could get as it appears that the Australian powder shortage is way worse than ours.

Thanks
Dr.

[olskool]

you think like me, i was going to ask over here too,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Bmi48219]

I don’t claim any first hand knowledge but that’s an interesting can. I wonder if the label indicates the country of manufacture. With US manufacturers we can at least narrow down the age if the label has a zip code in the address. The 1500HS label appears to be supplemental, and it looks like it was torn off a roll of stickers. Also just below it in blue band it reads ‘BaL Powder’. What the heck is BaL Powder? I can’t imagine Winchester would let a typo misspell of Ball slip past inspection.

[ATCDoktor]

The widow woman he received the powder from shared that her husband was a trap shooter so it’s most likely a shotgun powder.

I figure the HS suffix is some kind of reference to Winchesters “High Strength” shotgun hulls:


The internet says that the Winchester HS hulls we’re introduced around the year 2000 or so (and seeing is how the word “new” is printed on the label in the upper left hand corner) that may give the group a rough date to work with reference when it was introduced.

[Bmi48219]

The metal can would seem to indicate it is older. I’ve seen Winchester metal powder cans that are labeled ‘Ball’ but not ‘BaL’
If it was made here it should have a manufacturer’s address, if made here after July 1, 1963 address should have a zip code. It could be 1500HS that was repackage into an old tin can but the BaL is pretty odd.

Beginning to wonder if that can / label was from a batch of discarded misprints that someone used to repackage barrels of surplus powder.

[rintinglen]

That has to be at least 38 years old. By 1985, all Winchester powders were being sold in Plastic containers, at least all that were being sold in my neck of the woods. The only metal container I have presently is a late 70's can for 748

[Rich/WIS]

Wonder about the BaL marking, the upper case L might indicate some sort of abbreviated nomenclature and not be a miss-spelling.

[clearwater]

Same type yellow label as as tin of 785HS I had. My dad bought it around 1980.

They went to white labels and metal cans later before plastics.

[Mike H]

I caught up with a friend who has used the Winchester 1500 HS powder for reloading 12gauge shotgun cartridges,he said it was for one and a quarter ounce loads.In his opinion it would be suitable for pistol cartridges.