I stopped by a gun shop I rarely get to, and lo-and-behold there sat two canisters of SR-4759. I did the happy dance the whole way back to my car! That puts me over ten pounds of it for my "Golden Years". I gotta start using it judiciously!
I stopped by a gun shop I rarely get to, and lo-and-behold there sat two canisters of SR-4759. I did the happy dance the whole way back to my car! That puts me over ten pounds of it for my "Golden Years". I gotta start using it judiciously!
I bought two jugs when the discontinuation was announced. I should have bought a case......or two
I bought four 8 pounders when it was discontinued. If I use it all before I die I will not regret running out.
Yeah, when they announced the discontinuance I was at a low ebb financially and couldn't afford to stockpile any. I wish too I had been able to, for that is my all time favorite cast bullet powder.
Last weekend at the local gunshow, one older fella and long time private vendor had a large box of powder canisters that were the rectangular paper type with steel base and top...vintage about 1950s or 60s I'd guess? Most were empty, a few were seemingly sealed and full. The box said $2 for empties and $6 for full canisters.
I looked inside and lifted a few canisters. There was one 8oz can of SR4759 and a 16oz of 4831, every other full one was dupont #6 or other similar discontinued powder I never heard of. I walked away to think about it.
Near the end of the show, that vendor was walking by my table trying to give away stuff, as he said he wasn't bringing any of this stuff home. He handed my neighbor [a stock maker] a nice mossberg 22lr rifle stock and then handed me a bowl of 12 ga ammo (misc paper type). I asked him about the box of powder canisters...he said that is already gone...I didn't ask for the details as I was too busy kicking myself for not going back to his table earlier.
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“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001
Was pretty proud of myself until I read this thread. Yesterday, tested a second load with SR4759 in my 45-70 with excellent results. Today you tell me it's discontinued. I'm on my way to the LGS to get the last 2 cans if they are still there!
It was discontinued over a year ago if that helps
What are the equivalents? 5744 for one, right?
There are none. This was a powder unto itself.
A neighbor was getting out of reloading a couple months back. He asked me to come over and made me a good deal on anything i could use. So now among other things i have a 90% full can of SR-4759. Just enough to work up some great loads and then miss the stuff for the rest of my life.
What if we all start calling IMR everyday? Seems like if we annoy those people enough they might give us what we want.
You can contact Hodgdon about it. It's an old powder that is expensive to produce. Back when powder was readily available it usually sat on the shelves collecting dust. And I mean that literally. If it does come back I'm sure it would be a new and improved formula which may or may not be the same.
I still have about 15lbs left from two 8lbs jugs I bought when I heard it was going away.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
I though Lovex or Noble made a similar one.
D060 - This is what I was thinking about.
Like others, I bought some when it was announced the powder would be discontinued. I've used it for years with great results. However, I think some judicious experimentation might prove that other powders will duplicate SR4759 results. I'd probably begin with (depending on the cartridge) H4895, 5744, and Reloder 7.
Alliant MP300 is a slightly slower powder than 296/H110 or 5744. It is accurate in the guns I have tried it in and meters easily. The highest velocity out of my Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter 41 mag. is with this powder and the RCBS 215 gr SWC. Over 1,500 fps 15 feet from the muzzle. Also shot it in an old Mosin Nagant and the 314299 with 1 inch groups frequently at 100 yards (has a 2X7 scout scope on it).
There's no particular reason that 5744 shouldn't be equivalent to 4759, but in my guns it is not. Early writers said it bulked up in the case like 4759, was accurate with cast boolits like 4759, but it didn't leave those annoying half-burned kibbles strung down the barrel after firing like 4759.
When I tried it, it did bulk up in the case, but the same half-burned kibbles were there in my best loads, and even then, it wasn't quite as accurate as 4759. In my .30 Remington, I gradually increased the load of 5744 until the kibbles disappeared, and accuracy went from OK to nonexistent.
By the way, I've never noticed an increase in accuracy when I've blown the half burned powder out of the barrel before the next shot. It just doesn't seem to matter.
SR-4759 was discontinued once before, and brought back by popular demand. We can only hope it will happen again. Meanwhile, as the song says, "I've got mine."
I tried 5744 years ago as a substitute for 4759 and wasn't impressed. When the sad day arrives and I measure out the last of my 4759, I'll re-investigate it and look into other substitutes as well that may present themselves. Heck, maybe I'm deluding myself and 2400 or 4227 would work even better in a couple guns- I simply haven't bothered much with them much once I got going with 4759. (Note: applications I'm referring to are mostly for medium capacity .30's shooting cast bullets.) That, or I'll take up stamp collecting or tiddly-winks.
Side note: Has anybody messed with 4759 as a propellant for reduced cast loads in the .22 Hornet, .25-20WCF, or even in .32 S&W Longs fired in "bunny rifles"? 2400 and Unique have been my go-to powders with cartridges of that ilk.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |