Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles IMR 4064 what's your usage?

It's my pet load for my 220 Swift with 55gr H ornery V-Max. Sub MOA 5-shot groups at 100 in my Remington BDL Varmit special, all stock gun.

308. 42 grains, 168 SMK in my M1A

7/08. 41 grains, 140 grain BT. Hell of a light recoiling deer load. Amazingly accurate.

30/06, 47 grains, 168 SMK in my Garand . Lights out.

Only one rifle I have uses it. 308.

I used to use it in 308 and 358 win. It was somewhat superceeded by Varget in one and TAC in the other, but did great service for me for many years.

Haven't loaded any in ages............but 4064 is/was my go-to for the .30/40 Krag

220 Swift
38.0 4064
50 Gr Ballistic Tip-3800 fps
1/2 in 5 shot groups.
Remmy 700 Classic.

Haven't found another powder that works as well as 4064 in my 220 Swift.

What kind of brass in the Garand load, and the weight of a deprimed empty? Thanks.

My “go-to” for the .308 (150/165/180 gr.) also works well with 100 gr. bullets in my Roberts. Also used it for years with 250 gr. bullets in the Whelen although I’m now leaning toward 8208XBR for that application. Haven’t (yet) tried it in 7x57.

I just looked up an article by Ed Matunas form the April 1987 American Rifleman. He cited that one ammo manufacturer used DuPont IMR 4064 for loading 110, 150, and 180gr factory ammo. (That would be Remington). So that tells you something about this great powder!

Yes I just dated myself and yes I cut out articles from gun rags and save them. Interestingly, while looking for the Matunas article, I stumbled across a JB article from the April 1993 Peterson's Hunting.....titled "New Life for Old Favorites". Obviously I have taste in writers......

The use of 4064 in factory ammo dates back quite a few decades. It’s old news to us old folks. But, it’s a good thing.

I’ve played with all the new powders over the years looking for magic dust. The very first pound of powder I ever bought was 4064 about 25 years ago. It still puts up the smallest groups in my 260, several 308s and newest 7-08AI.
If it metered better I’d use it more.

.22-250 with 55 grain SP, .30-06 with 150 SP.

For the 338/06, passing on a charge of 50 grains of 4064, will give an MV of 2500 fps...

with a 200 grain Hornady SP, a 225 grain Hornady SP, and a 250 grain Hornady SP...

and will also have pretty much the same POI at 100 yds...

I kinda like that flexibility.. you can guess what I shoot in my 338/06...

It has been a reliable performer for me in the .257 Roberts, .308 Win, .35 Whelen, and even some more obscure ones like the .356 Win. and .303 British. I stopped using it a few years ago in favour of more modern powders. But I recently picked up some good gun show deals , several one pound cans. Just today I developed a some good loads for my .375 H&H rifles, using 235, 270, and 300 gr. bullets. Very versatile.

Very versatile powder. .243 Win with light bullets, surprisingly accurate and consistent with 120 gr Sierra Pro-Hunters in 6.5x55 Swede, primary powder for .308 Win., great in 30-06 with 150 gr bullets, very good at max charges in 22-250 with 50 gr bullets, can be used for accurate loads in .223,Rem. but can’t reach maximum velocity achievable with other powders.

Primarily using IMR-4064 the 300 Savage using 41.5 grains with the Remington 150 gr core-lokt. Three bullets touching is fairly common in a Savage 99.

I use it in all my 308 based calibers. If you resize LC cases drop your charge two grains. They are really thick cases. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

Wow. That stuff is versatile.... I've used IMR-4064 in an awful lot of stuff. Went through many pounds loading for an M1-A in .308 back when I shot NRA High Power. Works great in 22-250's, years ago a buddy used it exclusively in his 220 Swift, It's my go-to powder for 7mm-08, have used it in several 7mm and 8mm Mauser loads, even .303 British, and my Henry single shot in .308 seems to like it with 150 gr, bullets. Depending on bullet weight I think it may fall into the parameters for loading the M-1 Garand but my memory is hazy on that one because IMR-4895 is my Garand powder. And yet there's tons of other uses for it that I haven't even touched on.

I have an article by Jack O'Connor from Peterson's Hunting from November 1975. JOC lists his pet load for the 30/06 as 48gr of IMR 4064 with most rifles giving 2,700 fps in a 22" bbl. In a mannlicher style rifle with a 19" bbl he got 2630 fps. He goes on to say that it gives little muzzle blast and is more comfortable to shoot than slower powders.

I've actually used that load with Speer bullets on several Wisconsin whitetails.....works very well indeed.

22-250 with 50 V Max
250 Savage, any 100 grainer.
260 Rem, 120 Sierra
30-06, 150 Hornady
338-06, 200 AB

Thats just off the top of my head. Its been good in all of those for me.