Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles H 4895 Reduce Loads????

I see folks suggesting to use Hodgdon's reduced loads with H 4895....

I have to really question if anyone has recommends this has acutally tried them?

I have....

There Accuracy Sucks big time!!!1

If you can live with 4 and 5 inch groups at 50 to 100 yds... have no problem with an elevated Boom when it goes off.. and plus it recoils a lot more than a lot of other powders with similar velocity....

I have no idea why Hodgdon recommends this powder for reduced loads, when they have a much better candidate in their product line that gives
1. much greater accuracy
2. much less recoil
3. much less retort when you pull the trigger...

in fact it is the powder that I got started on doing reduced loads based on recommendations out of the Speer Manual...

Good old H 4198...

it isn't as consistently accurate as IMR's version.. but it sure beats the daylights out of H 4895 for reduced loads for accuracy...

I love IMR's 4895... but Hodgdon's version has never impressed me and has given me plenty of frustration at the rifle range..

if you want to do reduced loads, but don't want to go with powders that you will see recommended in cast bullet manuals...
at least give SR 4759, 2400, IMR 4198, H 4198 a try first...

H 4895, just absolutely SUCKS for reduced loads...

I have H4895 loads for both my kid's 270's and my wife's 280 that do 5 in an inch. They do recoil very significantly less than full house loads. HTH, Dutch.

I had success with 110 sierras and 3/5 max IMR 4895 loads in my and my friend's .270s. It does burn a little dirty though. I never noticed it to be louder than regular ammo though.

But I use AA 5744 powder for reduced loads in my 7mm 08, 338, and .375 Ruger.

The only loads with H4895 that I have heard of were for Blackpowder cartridges to be used at safe pressures with smokeless. IIRC, it was to use a 60% charge of H4895 in place of blackpowder.

I have never tried this, and as it comes from my memory, dont try it unless you contact Hodgdon and ask for definite info.

The only reduced loads I use are with AA5744 and SR4759 because I have load data for them, have used them, and they work.

I like 4198 better for reduced loads, also.

Sorry your results sucked because mine was great. I have tried 75 gr. V-Max's in .257 Roberts; 90 gr. Sierra in .270, 100 gr. Sierra in 7mm SAUM & 200 gr. BT'S in .338 Win Mag. If I do my part 3 shots go in .5" or less. I am so impressed that I am thinking about upping the H-4895 load w/200 gr. BT's in my .338 Win Mag for a whitetail load about 2700fps.

I use these H-4895 loads with the 60 % rule with all my calibers for general shooting practice & plinking. These have been a God send for my girls for instilling confidence.

I have seen good results from both H4895 and SR4759 in 270. Plan to try them in 30-06 soon along with some BlueDot loads that a member most graciously provided

I have to say that I've had the exact opposite experience. I am now shooting H4895 as my only rifle powder. It has produced very accurate loads in a wide range of cartridges 223 Rem through 35 Whelen. A lot of these loads are reduced, but a lot of them are not. We took 5 deer this year out of 5 rifles. 4 were loaded with H4895. One was Triple-7.

This is not to say I doubt your experience. There is a lot of individuality to rifles and to rifle loaders. Some of what I've tried based on recommendations from here and elsewhere has not worked. I would say that your experience with H-4895 speaks not as much for the quality of the powder, but just how unique and diverse each rifle and each reloader is.

The biggest disappointments I have had were BL-C(2) and IMR 3031. BL-C(2) has given me inconsistent velocities in 223 Rem, 30-06 and 35 Whelen. 3031 always seemed to give me a lot more recoil than I was expecting. There are a bunch of folks that swear by these powders-- go figure.

The main reason why I went to H4895 as my sole powder was simply a matter of cost. I can buy an 8-pound jug and service all my rifles with it.