Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters H4895

I recently purchased a large estate containing many firearms, ammo, and reloading equipment and supplies. There in lies the question what year(s) did Hodgdon pack powder in 8 pound plastic bags inside a cardboard box? I have two of H4895 and the boxes state Newly Manufactured. On the end it says: When opening use knife carefully plastic bag inside. Thanks for your help.

No definitive answer to your question, but inquiring minds want to know...

When will you be listing all those goodies in the Classifieds?

I have an 8 pound box of HP 38 that has a shipping date of 1976 on it. I bought it new in 2008 and it is still in great condition. From what I have heard the late 1970s ended the 8 pound bags of powder in cardboard boxes.

I kinda remember reading somewhere that hodges got its start selling surplus pull down powder after ww 2...it was 4895 if I remember correctly...and was sold in bags...

This says Newly Manufactured and it is H4895. The H prefix was never used on surplus 4895.

Is it manufactured in Scotland?

No country of manufacture is stated on the box. I opened one box and the powder shows no signs of deterioration. I plan on using it but I'm trying to figure out if it is the same burning rate as what is currently offered.

Can't answer your question, but am envious of your treasure. H4895 is very useful stuff. In a pinch, it can feed a lot of stuff, and is excellent in some, as long as you're not allergic to extruded powder. My previous '06 liked 46gr corked with a 150gr CTNP (non-coated) pretty well. I hope the "new" one does as well.

I tend to favor powders that give useful velocity at the starting end, and H4985 is safe and often accurate down there.

Call Hodgdon with the lot number(s). I'm sure they'll help.

I have H-110 and H-4831 that came in paper bags, 10 to a divided cardboard box. I got that powder in the late '60's. No, I'm really not that old...

So, what you describe seems similar and is probably from that same vintage.

My 4831 is great powder, seems to perform as well if not better than new stuff. Both powders look great, smell good, no brown dust or signs of deterioration. But I've taken care to keep them in a temp controlled invironment most of the time. The paper bags got so brittle, I transferred the powder to empty powder cans, relabeled with a Magic Marker.

DF

Dusty - I've bought Surplus powders yrs ago and none of it was labeled 'newly manufactured'. I am NOT saying yours is of RECENT production but newly manufactured WAS accurate whenever it was made. IMO...IMO

D F - I currently have several lbs. of Surplus 4831 and it TOO performs as well as older surplus I've had in yrs. past.

Jerry

The newly manufactured label is what has me thinking it may be from the time period when Hodgdon was sourcing a lot of extruded powders from Scotland.

I believe mathman is correct. IRC hodgdon added the H to the powder after IMR started getting back into the reloader powder market in the late 50's early 60's(IMR put out its first manual in 61). They wanted to have a different powder designation due to the fact they were really selling powder made by IMR.
The supply of surplus powder started drying up in the late 60's and Hodgdon decided to start outsourceing 4895 from Scotland.
It wasn't long after this that they found the Scottish powder had a different coating than the American made and thus had a different burn rate so you could no longer use the same powder charge as the IMR powder. Think this was early to mid 70's.
Again if IRC. I have all this recorded somewhere, but since I am getting ready to move it's all packed away.

Sounds like a good question for Hodgdon

Based on my powder buying from the 70-80s I'm pretty sure BOTH Mathman & Swifty are correct.

After 'surplus' dried up--it had to be "Newly Manuf".


I certainly don't know exactly how long but AFTER a few yrs. Hodgdon dropped "newly manufactured" from the label.
IIRC


Jerry

Dusty ought to thread together a 308 and shoot that stuff.

Yes, 4895 will work across a broad spectrum.

IMO it's better in the shorter cases.

I found it to give @ 2900 fps in both,
270W--130 gr. & 30-06--150 gr.

It certainly can be used well

Jerry

4895 is so versatile. Can be used to some satisfaction in many and to excellence in others. Glad I acquired a bunch of "surplus" years ago for about $7.00 a pound
John

H4895 is the best powder in my 350 Mag and my M1. If I had only one powder to use, it might be the H4895.
But I'm glad there's others