As I reside in Africa and do not have access to you wonderful veriaty of powders I was wondering if someone could tell me if you get IMR4895 and H-4895 powders.

You see we use powders manufactured in South Africa and they have a table that compares your powders burning rates to theirs so that we have a starting point when loading. There they show IMR4895 and I have always thought that it was H-4895.

Please help.

Well IMR 4895 and H 4895 are pretty close in burn rates. IMR being made now by Hodgons (but still using the IMR formulation) since they bought out IMR and the H4895 is made by Hodgons. There is a burn rate chart on this site, go to the main page and find Ballisticians corner, then scrol down to burn rates.

There's enough other stuff there I usually get lost on the way to whatever I'm looking for.

Thank you very much for your reply. This will really help me.

Well IMR 4895 and H 4895 are pretty close in burn rates. IMR being made now by Hodgons (but still using the IMR formulation) since they bought out IMR and the H4895 is made by Hodgons. There is a burn rate chart on this site, go to the main page and find Ballisticians corner, then scrol down to burn rates.

There's enough other stuff there I usually get lost on the way to whatever I'm looking for.

FWIW, as I understand it Hodgdon doesn't actually "make" any powders at all. They buy from the actual manufacturers (the folx that make powder for commercial ammo makers) in huge bulk quantities and package it for reloading consumers.

Also, while IMR 4895 and H4895 are "close" they are not the same powder from the same actual manufacturer, and loading data for them is definitely not interchangeable. Make sure you watch carefully for which one is which when reading load data.

Friend, you can get all the data on H-4895 you could ever need:

www.hodgdon.com

Best of luck.

Thank you gentleman for taking the time to answer my question. I have managed to establish that IMR4895 has a slightly faster (very slight) burning rate than H-4895 but to the layman it is almost undedectable.

If I may I would like to ask another question regarding the H-4895 load used on a webpage in this website namely the load for the 45-70 525gr WLNGC "Pile Driver" of 52,5gr H-4895 with velocity 1820fps. I would like to know if anyone knows what pressure this load generates?

Thank you all once again for taking the time to answer.

God Bless

Friend,
I don't know where you got that 52.5 grain load from, but DON'T USE IT!!!!! My manuals all indicate that that load is much too hot for even Ruger rifles.
What rifle do ypu have? Chk Hodgdon website. Bob

Hi BigBob3006,

Igot the loading data from http://beartoothbullets.com/open_sight/archive_open_sight.htm/21

Take alook and tell me what you think.

God Bless

For all the talk about how effective "big and slow" is, people sure seem ****-bent on trying to load the 45-70 to .458WM velocities.

The article you mention says the loads don't exceed 40,000 psi, it also says to start at 10% UNDER the loads listed.

My Speer manual lists 35,000 psi loads only for single shots and bolt actions.

Note: I may have misused psi/cup in one or more places.

I would always be skeptical of loads posted on the internet and particularly 45-70 loads. The element of testosterone and one-upmanship seems particularly prevalent amongst some 45-70 aficionados.

KenK,

Why would you think that we 45-70 reloaders are trying to 458wm velocities. Have you ever stopped to think that maybe we just like to see what the "old" 45-70 can achive in a lever action.

I enjoy my Marlin 1895SS and have never had a problem stopping, yes stopping, an Afrcan Buffalo with it using 500gr cartridges made by another manufacturer.

I like to experiment and have never worried about velocity. I was mearly curious about the pressures. I unfortunately overlooked what it said in the article so missed the 40 000psi stated there. It also does not state what the pressure is but that all the loads mentioned there were under 40 000psi. 20 000 is also under but I don't believe that it is that.

So, I would still like to know if anyone can tell me what the pressure for that load is???

God Bless

Didn't mean to get your dander up friend.

Language usage may be different in Africa than the U.S. but here, typically, when someone uses the term does not exceed, or less than, or the like it usually means very close to the number being referenced.

KenK,

Sorry if I seemed like my dander was up as you put it but it seems that on every forum people have it in for us 45-70 lovers.

But you are right to a certain degree there are those out there trying to make the 45-70 what it isn't.

Thank you for responding and it is good "talking" with you.

Take care and God Bless :)

Friend,

I've read the article and consulted several manuals. Unfortunately information for such a heavy bullet is scarce. I dislike comparing apples and pears but in this case it is necessary. One point I dislike is that the article makes a point of how this bullet is intended for use in the Browning and Marlin lever action. Still the rifle in the picture with the load data is a Ruger #1 or 3. This makes me think we are being misled. The 48th edition of the Lyman reloading handbook suggest a max load of 40.5 grains of IMR 4198 for use in loads for the Browning and Marlin. The load info has a max suggested load of 42.7 grains. The Lyman has a max suggested load of 42.0 grains of 4198 for the 535 grain bullet to be used ONLY in the Ruger #1 and #3, and that is with a bullet that is 130 grains heavier. I may have been born during a rain storm, but by golly it wasn't the last rain. There is just too much here that doesn't seem right.

This does seem to be an interesting bullet, I'd be interested in your results.


I strongly suggest that you contact the Hodgdon websit and research your problem. If it were me I'd start alot lower than just 10% and work up slowly.

Bob

Being a 45-70 owner and reloader, I'd be a little leery of the stated 52 gr load of 4198 using a 525 gr slug.

First of all, it DOES seem awfully high for this burn rate powder. Maybe a typo took place and the load sould be "42.0" gr.

Next, with the length of the 525 gr bullet, the case is going to be very crowded to get that much powder in and still maintain the recommended OAL of the loaded round, utilizing the crimping groove.

Hi Kdub,

The article says 42.7gr of 4198 and I am refering in particular to the load of H-4895 52.5gr.

The question you raise about the seeting depth with 525gr bullet. Is there sufficient space left for 52.5gr H-4895 without seriuosly compressing the charge?

Maybe Marshall Stanton, the auther of the article, should answer that one for us.

I am really looking forward to trying these IF they are safe.

Thanks to all for your interest and assistance.

God Bless

I haven't resorted to one in some years, but there are several reloading websites that list the comparative burning rates of the powders we use. They don't give actual data but will let you know by their rank order if you should back off. I found them quite useful. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal