Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Hodgdon 4350

Oh oh, first Russian hacking and now Aussie interference! I see an international conspiracy developing!

I bought two pounds today. Maybe I better get some more? I really like i.

Maybe MD can check with them at SHOT Show?

I use to use it in my 25-06's. Switched over a couple of years back and never looked for it again.

Nope, because I haven't attended SHOT in several years. It's grown to be point where it's almost impossible to get any real work done.

This is interesting. I just started load development on my 7-08 and tried a few different powders in it before bringing out my jug of H4350. Found a load that was producing tight little groups and giving me nice velocity. Went online to start checking where I can pick up some H4350.......

Figures, I have not used it much in the last 3-4 years so I have been out of the loop on the availability. Some other forums I read said all the 6.5 guys were buying it up?

Either way, I am not going to fight for it. Same exact thing happened with Varget about 4-5 years ago. I found a good load for it and all of a sudden it was no where to be found. I gave up and found other powders to fit my needs. They had a bunch of it sitting on the shelf yesterday......

I picked up some 4451 to test with. I hope to find close to the same results.

I wonder how well the 4451 would work in a 7 REM mag? I have never loaded anything but IMR 4350 in the many 7's I have owned. Reloader 22 does really well for me in my 300 Win mag. I have been threatening to try it. The young guys say IMR 4350 is an old man's powder. Hard to stop using a powder that works so well for you.

I've found that IMR 7977 works great in my 7MM Rem Mag(Win. 70). Velocities(chronographed by me) and accuracy were both better than IMR7828(my former "go to" powder for 7mm) in my rifle pushing Barnes 140gr T-TSXs. Tried Reloader 26 to no avail.
IMR7977 produced 4 shots into 0.6" groups at 100yds; vel. = 3,100fps with none of the usual "high pressure" signs(heavy bolt lift, flat primers, shiny marks on the case head...). Not exactly temperature extremes but two different days on the range at 30 deg. and 60 deg. produced slightly under 0.6" and velocities were unchanged. I stopped there since accuracy was so good but probably could have pushed it a bit more(but why?).

Leftybolt

They didn't discontinue it...there is a list of real world reasons about as long as your arm as to why nearly all ADI powders are in short supply.

But suffice to say that they presented enough hurdles that Hodgdon asked IMR to develop the Enduron powders to provide a comparable product with no supply limitations.

Enduron powder is a new technology and an excellent alternative.

Sometimes a little nitro just adds some spice.

I tried both IMR 7977 and 4451 this spring with 154 gr Hornady Spire Points. They both shot great but I wasn't able to chronograph the load for some reason. If you have some it's worth a try.

The move of PRS competitors from .308 to 6.5 is why Varget is now in supply and H4350 is not.

yep..a few years ago it was Varget..........

now H4350

I was visiting with a friend Monday. He was almost out of H4350 so he picked up a pound of 4451 to try in his 6.5 Creed.

The same excellent accuracy, and it had less of a speed drop shooting down to 12 degrees for him.

I have a couple pounds of H4350 left for my 7-08s and am thinking about trying the 4451, but I know they love H4895 so maybe I'll just stay with that...

My long winded way of saying another suggestion for IMR 4451.

Was his H4350 the "Extreme" version or pre-extreme?

I just saw this. I sure do hope that people don't start liking 4451 to the point of it being hard to get....

Interview with Chris Hodgdon

I had loaded some 30-06 and 375 Ruger rounds with 4451 a while back and finally got to the range this morning. Based on this limited experience, I am sold on 4451. Accuracy with 165 Hornady's in the 06 and 300gr. A-Frames in the 375 was outstanding. Did not chrono them yet. I had always used H-4350 in these loads before with good results.

Think I'll stock up on the new stuff.

Most of the demand from competitive precision rifle shooters for H4350's claims of extremism must and shall be channeled to IMR-4451, simply because H4350 essentially doesn't exist any more.

I think it does exist. If you read what Mr. Hodgdon said its really just a shipment issue. I think they will continue to sell it, but the guys with deeper pockets than us will keep snatching it up quicker than we can. Which, is gonna be those competitive precision rifle shooters. I don't blame them, if I did competitive stuff like that I would for sure always snatch up what I can when I can. The average guy like most of us only goes to look for it when we need it.

I saw this happen with Varget. Its back on the shelves now. But I do not doubt 4451 will start to gain popularity and not have lots always sitting on the shelf simply because as people are "forced" to try it in lieu of H4350, there will be more info available to read.

If it is not as good as H4350 then we will know that also. But everything I have been reading says its gonna be. I'm testing some myself in just a few hours.

Sure wish one of you guys with a couple pounds of H4350 would go try some 4451 and then sell me your H4350.😁

Leftybolt

In playing with my new 6.5 Creedmoor I wanted to try H4350 as it had all the buzz. I eventually found a pound. What I have experienced is that RL17 provides better accuracy and slightly more velocity. RL16 provides equal accuracy and much greater velocity. RL16 is also very consistent from 70 to 12 deg. I no longer care if H4350 is available.

I switched to Varget in my 6.5 x 47's and get as just as good results as H4350. I have a load at 2765 for one of them and 2815 for the other gun. Both with a 140 Hybrid. No need to look for H4350 again....