Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles IMR 4895 - Best uses?

I've never used this particular powder much, but I got too good of a deal to pass up on a big jug of it. It seems to be pretty good for 06-based rounds on down and I load for a bunch of cartridges that fall into that category. What are some of the best uses for this grand old powder?

For many years it was my go to powder in .308, it gave great accuracy probably loaded more of it in .308 than any other powder.

Loaded it a lot in the 250-3000 and 22-250 with good results.

I reload for pretty much every 308-based cartridge, but not the the 308.

What weight bullets in the 22-250?

52 53 and 55 grains.

Just loaded some 53 grain Hornady match over IMR 4895. I've been a devoted H4895 man in the 22/250,but thought I'd give this a whirl.

IMO, IMR 4895 is one of the most versatile powders available.

IMR has a drop down to check loads for a multitude of cartridges.

If interested, here is the link. If you lose the page (they may take you to the page with the warning to click first) the link to the powders on both IMR and Hodgdon in near the bottom on the left side of the main page and says "smokeless powder".

Clicking that goes to all their powders. When you scroll down it takes a bit for more to automatically load.

Probably old news to lots, but I've found this useful.

https://imrpowder.com/imr-4895/

God Bless

IMR 4895 is one of the most useful rifle powders around. I have used it in the 22-250, 250 Savage, 308, 300 Savage, 30-06, and probably other rounds I can't remember. Oh - I used it for years in the 243 with 70-75 grain bullets for varminting. 39 grains of IMR 4895 under a 75 grain VMAX was my go-to woodchuck load.

I've been using it for years in my 45/70.

IMR 4895 was the powder used by Uncle Sam for ALL the 30/06 rounds using before, during and After World War 2, for the M 1 Garand.... along with 30/06 for the Browning 30 caliber machine gun...

its been around since before WW2...

That alone I'd say the industry has produced more IMR 4895 in this country, than ANY other powder...
There is no powder as versatile...

Check out the link that Steve 692 made reference to... for cartridge load data alone... they list 17 Rem at the top of the list, all the way thru 458 Win Mag... and about anything you can think of in between... and its accurate in about any cartridge with about any bullet weight ya wanna try...

The OP asked what bullet weights is 4895 good for with in the 22.250.....ALL of them... same with the 223, 243 etc. IN the 22/250, I've used it with 40 grainers to 80 grainers in the fast twist barrels, same in the 223.

Throw it in a "Magnum" and its max velocity isn't far behind.. ( 100 fps or so) compared to regular slower burning powders everyone is preached to use...and its ALWAYS accurate as long as the barrel isn't washed out.

Regardless of ALL of the "new improved powders" that are constantly being brought to market, IMR 4895 is one of the oldest Rifle powders out there... yet it still is consistently available, because the end users know it works.. from A to Z....

If I was limited to one powder, It without a doubt would be IMR 4895. because I've never owned ANY rifle that it was not a good choice for....as I say, it works in A to Z cartridge.... and is always consistently accurate and gives good velocity in the worst case scenarios....

its got even more benefits, but I am sure I've made my point.... best and most versatile powder out there..

Been around for so long with successful market sales, it has set a gold standard long ago...

How is this powder in the 35 Remington? I need to work up a good load for mine. I think I've seen some recommendations for H4895 in that cartridge. Is the IMR version also good for that round?

Like you I came into a deal on 4895. I use it in 223, 22-250, 30-30, & 30-06. I haven't a clue with 35 Remington.

223, 243, 7mm08, 338Fed, 8mm Mauser, 3006, and even the 375H&H.

himmelrr,

Yep, very versatile. Off the top of my head, can remember using IMR4895 in the .223 Remington, .22-250, .220 Swift, .243 Winchester, 6mm Lee Navy, ..25-35, 250 Savage, .257 Roberts, .257 Ackley Improved, .260 Remington, .270 Winchester, 7mm-08, 7x57, .30-30,.300 Savage, .308 Win., .30-06, .303 Britsh, 8x57, .338 Federal, .338-06, .338 Wiin. Magnum, .35 Whelen, .375 H&H, 450/.400 Nitro Express and .45-70. Some were somewhat reduced loads, while others were full-power, but all worked well. There are probably some others I've forgotten about.

Yes, on the 45-70 with 405 grain slugs.

IMR 4895 with 200 grain bullet: 33.8 to 38 grains..

w/ 180 gr bullets, 34 to 39 grains

w/ 220-225 grain bullets: 31.5 grains to 35.5 grains..

source, Steve's Reloading Pages... http://stevespages.com/358_1_200.html

Steve long ago catalog load data from a lot of sources and then organized it into a concise straight forward
form... so its not his load data, it is from reloading manuals, manufacturers etc.

kinda like an on line reloading Bible.

"IMR 4895 was the powder used by Uncle Sam for ALL the 30/06 rounds using before, during and After World War 2, for the M 1 Garand.... along with 30/06 for the Browning 30 caliber machine gun..."

Funny thing about 4895, when Hodgden started selling the milsurp 4895 you bought it in a paper bag. The dealer wrote on the bag, "Use ******* data for this lot#. Date could be for 3031, 4064 or 4320 and possibly others although those three were the ones I saw way back then. Some of my early Lyman loading manual show 51.0 and 52.0 gr. for a starting load. Lyman has used 51.0 gr. as maximum since 1964 IIRC. Finally DuPont started selling IMR4895 as it was originally designed. For years the IMR version was a bit faster burning than the Hodgden version. Now it seems they've change positions.

These days I use the Hodgden H4895 mostly for cast bullet shooting in the .308 Win. and 30-06. The IMR 4895 would work just as well.
Paul B.

After using IMR4350, AA4350,or H4350 for all .30-06 loads for years, I've recently found measurably better accuracy with 150 Barnes bullets and H4895 powder. Velocity is about the same as that attainable with a 4350 powder.

4895 and Unique.


If you have those two powders, you can load darn near anything. Rifle or handgun.
With book loads, no special working up needed.

Neither is usually the best choice anymore, but if you want to be able to shoot anything
with a minimal powder inventory, they will probably do.


The bigger magnums, and the smallest rifle cartridges may not have data available, but that could
worked around.