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H4198 powder

16K views 15 replies 14 participants last post by  Fieldmaster 
#1 ·
Des Anyone have a recipe for 308 7.62/51 using H4198 powder I was given 4 bran new bottles of this stuff and I know that I can us it for 223 but I don't shoot them as much as my 308.

any help would be much liked
 
#3 ·
The various flavors of 4198 are fast-burning rifle powders. It really isn't ideal for the 308 and is actually faster than indicated for the 223. You don't happen to have 8,000 22 Hornet cases laying around, do you?
 
#9 · (Edited)
You don't happen to have 8,000 .22 Hornet cases laying around, do you?
Lemme look...

Thirty-some years ago, I loaded H-4198 in my Colt SP-1 with the Lee 1.6cc dipper; was using 55-grain FMJs. Talk about too hot!! It blew the primer out and visibly bulged the case at the base datum. I knew nothing about reloading, back then. Learned a few things since then, but still don't know it all...
 
#11 ·
You can even reload .30-06 with 4198. John Clarke had loads for the Garand with it. Most folks just don't do it because the fast burn rate limits the charge weight to something that produces lower velocities than most folks buy a .30-06 or a .308 for. 4198 is bulky enough, though, that the low charges are possible to achieve at safe levels of case fill. You just have to be willing to settle for .30-30 velocities, as mentioned before, or to shoot really light bullets, like the 110 grain .30 Carbine bullets, which can achieve near their full velocity potential with this powder.

In .223, 4198 was one of the powders Eugene Stoner used for 50 grain bullets during the development of the cartridge. Again, not going as fast as possible, it makes a good short range accuracy powder with lighter bullets if you don't have too much twist for those bullets. This is why it remains a top target powder for .222 Rem with 50 grain bullets; the .222 Rem usually has a 14" twist.

If you need full power loads, Old Guide's suggestion to find some 4895 is good. WC852 I am less enthusiastic about. It was really designed for .30-06 ball ammo and is a little slow for .308. WC846 was the 7.62/.308 purpose-equivalent. However, WC852 was surplussed out at some point with two distinctly different burn rates, and the faster stuff would be OK in .308.

So, the question is, what are your objectives? What do you want the loads to be able to do?
 
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#12 ·
If you have that much 4198 it might be almost worth buying a 222 because that powder is ideal for that small case. The 308 is really better off with a slower powder like Varget or 4895. Personally I reckon all you'll be doing is burning powder for no real benefit. My 4cents worth (inflation)
JD
 
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