Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Norma Powder?

An old gunsmith friend left behind a wooden box of goodies for me. Among those things was two cans (400 grams) of "norma SMOKLESS POWDER" 205.

I am unfamiliar with this powder but he wouldn't have left it for me if he had not expected that it would work well in one of my rifles. His last work for me was on a 257 Roberts AI. He had also advised me some on a 6.5X55 Ruger #3 build.

Any one know of this powder? Where on the burn chart it would be? Any formulas for the above calibers? I'd like to work with it but I need a reliable place to begin.

Thanks

Jim

I believe it's #212

http://home.hiwaay.net/%7Estargate/powder/powder.htm

sako4me

Thanks. That's a beginning.

That is the first time that I have seen this chart.

Have you ever used it, N205?

Thanks

Jim

N205 was replaced by Norma MRP.

It was a slow burning powder in the R22, H4831 range.

Alvaro is correct.

The OP should make sure all the powder has the same Lot number. N205 was known for varying form lot to lot, I think one of the reasons it was replaced by MRP.

I still have some. Used it in a 338 WM. Very comparable to RL22. Best I recall both it and RL22 were a bit inconsistent but I used it interchangeably, same charge weights. I'd just have to vary them a bit with different lots. This was back about 1990 or so.

It was a highly coveted powder after they stopped making it, I remember seeing cans of it at gun shows and it was marked up high dollar powder.
It was especially popular in the .270 win.

I used it in my 7mm RM loads, and moved on to MRP when that powder became available. In those times availability was the major problem with Norma powders�

jim

These commentaries certainly are helpful. I was hoping to hear from those who have actually used the powder. Now I have.

Bob338, I take particular interest in the statement " it and RL22 were a bit inconsistent but I used it interchangeably, same charge weights." Now I have considerable familiarity with RL 22 and I am OK using something similar. When you say that it's "a bit inconsistent." How inconsistent is "a bit?"

BobinNH The numbers on the bottom of the cans are the same. I'm thinking those are the lot numbers, right? The only other numbers on the cans are 205 and an old price tag - 19.99.

Everybody's input here is valuable and appreciated. This will eventually result in my stuffing some in a case and going bang. I quite readily attempt new things but with this one I'm a little protective of the gun's action and the front of my head.

Again, your information is taken seriously with gratitude.

Thanks

Jim

IIRC Hodgdon also imported and sold Norma 205 and it was labeled H205.

Rug yes sounds like those are the Lot numbers.

N205, MRP, and RL22 are all double base powders of about te same burning rate,ie about like H4831. We were always cautioned they were not the same but it was hard to tell based on loads and velocities obtained in various cartridges.

They seem to have shared that characteristic of continuing to show velocity increases as charges were increased ( unlike single based powders like H4831 that sort of hit a velocity "wall" at max charges)....so that as you added powder, velocities kept going up to the point where little cartridges started to behave like bigger cartridges,and we ended up with 7x57's pushing 140's at 3000 fps and 30/06's humping 180's at almost 300 magnum velocities.

Some guys thought nothing of all this...others of us got scared

N205 and MRP were almost like "cult powders" due to scarcity(as Hunter Jim points out) and the higher velocities they showed....I saw people trading MRP like it was cocaine.

My first exposure to RL22 was in the 280 Remington where it won the velocity/accuracy contest hands down and I have used RL22 in the 257 Roberts,270,280,7 Rem Mag,7mm Dakota,300 Win Mag,300WSM, and a few others.

Some folks don't like it because velocity varies a bit with temperature but I always have several pounds around for use in various cartridges. I think it is good stuff.

Bob,

I just picked up an 8# jug of MRP from MidwayUSA. I also got a pound of N-217, the current version of MRP-2 and a pound of URP, current version of N-204. N-204 was the best powder in my 7mm-08. I eventually traded the 7mm-08 and still have a half can of the old 204.

I was surprised to see them having these Norma powders, as I was never able to find any before.

I'm getting low on Ramshot Magnum. It seems to be the best powder in my .240 Wby. with heavier bullets. Don't know where or when I'll find more of that.

DF

I got an 8 lb jug of Ramshot Magnum from Midway a month ago.

Thanks for the heads up, Dusty.

I'll have to keep watching.

DF

i think it was a favorite of bob hagel

Powder Valley has 8lb jugs of Ramshot Magnum in stock now.

Just maybe H205 and Norma 205 had more in common than the number. Certainly each was promptly discontinued but at the time I never heard that they were actually the same though they may have been. I thought H205 was an attempt at a knockoff by another maker to cash in on the enthusiasm and just possibly again there was a golden lot but too much variation to leave in the lineup.

In any event Norma 205 was popular enough and people were excited enough about Norma 205 that many people reported results. FREX Rifle Issue 108 - November, 1986 reports results in the .257 Roberts AI. Load Data with its search by maker and by powder has a vast number of loads reported in a great many cartridges

Bob,

Thanks for the info and history. Now, which to try it in first? 257AI or Ruger #3 6.5X55. The loading specs being similar to RL22 gives me a whole lot to go on. Valuable info.

Thanks

Jim

Thanks, Dusty.

Just ordered a jug. I was starting to sweat that one...

DF

DF: Yes I understand that Norma is selling more powders here now...they have changed all the names and designations but I have not kept up.



metric yes N205 was used by Hagel in a few cartridges; it was not unusual to see loads with N205 and H4831 in his data.

RUG I have never owned a 6,5x55 nor a 257AI so can't really say what works in them; but I bet you could find application for RL22 in both.