Imr 8208 xbr / 30-30

Leadman · July 18, 2010, 06:12 PM

I am going to be recieving 2lbs. of 8208 XBR in the next couple of days. I am going to try this powder out on several of my hunting rifles starting with the good old 30-30 and the FTX bullet from Hornady. I am curious to hear from anyone that has had any experience with it (not caliber specific) for hunting loads. Being that it is supposed to be so temp insensitive I thought this would be a great place to start with this powder. I do see temp ranges from single digits to mid 60's during my hunting season.
I will be hunting whitetail,hogs,coyote,bobcats and possibly bear if one happens to wonder near.
Any info. or experience will be appreciated.

TXGunNut · July 18, 2010, 10:44 PM

It's a new powder, higly acclaimed with applications in a wide variety of cartridges. I'm looking forward to the responses.

Jim243 · July 18, 2010, 10:46 PM

Excelent powder works well, but I use it for 223.

Jim

Leadman · July 18, 2010, 11:09 PM

I have some hornady brass preped and ready,hopfully I can get some loaded up this week and head to the range. I will post my results here then. i will be starting with 30gr. and working up @ 33 looking for preasure signs. With factory loaded FTX's I get @1.5 to 2" from my 30as. Hope to acheave that at a minimum. Gun-Marlin 30as, scope-Leupold 3x9x33 UL.

amamnn · July 19, 2010, 01:40 PM

Apparently lot to lot consistency has been less than perfect with the XBR shipped so far. Several point blank BR shooters have been whining about it lately on benchrest.com. I have a later lot (4802 as I recall) and have found it to be very good in my .243 WSSM. N-135 outperforms it in my 6BR norma and 22BR rem. I have not tried it in my 30-30 and probably will not, since I am trying to simplify my life and have abandoned loading for rifles I hardly ever shoot.

Those are the only cartridges I have tried it in so far, and the 22BR was pure guesswork as Hodgon does not offer data for the XBR in that cartridge. Since IMR/Hodgon considers the powder's data to be a deep dark secret, you cannot make a file for it on quickload.

When the powder first was available for testing, by selected shooters, it was touted by the maker as an improvement over N-133 and other powders generally used in the short fat cartridge family, most especially BR cartridges. So far, it has not lived up to the hype, and there's probably not a lot of reason to think it will be any more consistent in cartridges for which it was not designed, but you never know.

If anyone wants XBR in quantity go to benchrest.com the centerfire BR forum and post a "wanted: BR powder cheap" thread and see what you get for answers. There is one gent who just set a new world record in the 100 yard LV for group class who was lamenting the 95 pounds of XBR he bought not long ago-- he might be in a good mood and willing to deal.

Fatelvis · July 24, 2010, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Apparently lot to lot consistency has been less than perfect with the XBR shipped so far.

I'm glad a bought an 8 pounder then! I just tried it in my 30-30 14" Contender. (I'm trying to work up a good IMHSA load). I was using W-W brass, WLR primer, Lyman's 311041 GC bullet, and 22.0 grns 8208. It shot remarkably well, but I could tell by the trajectory at 200 meters, and the look of the primers that it was moderately underpowered load. I'm loading 10 rounds of each increment next, (22.5, 23, 23.5, 24, 24.5, 26grns.), and I'll report my findings.

July 18, 2010, 06:12 PM	#1
Leadman Member Join Date: January 19, 2010 Location: The great state of Arkansas! Posts: 42	Imr 8208 xbr / 30-30 I am going to be recieving 2lbs. of 8208 XBR in the next couple of days. I am going to try this powder out on several of my hunting rifles starting with the good old 30-30 and the FTX bullet from Hornady. I am curious to hear from anyone that has had any experience with it (not caliber specific) for hunting loads. Being that it is supposed to be so temp insensitive I thought this would be a great place to start with this powder. I do see temp ranges from single digits to mid 60's during my hunting season. I will be hunting whitetail,hogs,coyote,bobcats and possibly bear if one happens to wonder near. Any info. or experience will be appreciated.

July 18, 2010, 10:44 PM	#2
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,860	It's a new powder, higly acclaimed with applications in a wide variety of cartridges. I'm looking forward to the responses. __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.

July 19, 2010, 01:40 PM	#5
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	Apparently lot to lot consistency has been less than perfect with the XBR shipped so far. Several point blank BR shooters have been whining about it lately on benchrest.com. I have a later lot (4802 as I recall) and have found it to be very good in my .243 WSSM. N-135 outperforms it in my 6BR norma and 22BR rem. I have not tried it in my 30-30 and probably will not, since I am trying to simplify my life and have abandoned loading for rifles I hardly ever shoot. Those are the only cartridges I have tried it in so far, and the 22BR was pure guesswork as Hodgon does not offer data for the XBR in that cartridge. Since IMR/Hodgon considers the powder's data to be a deep dark secret, you cannot make a file for it on quickload. When the powder first was available for testing, by selected shooters, it was touted by the maker as an improvement over N-133 and other powders generally used in the short fat cartridge family, most especially BR cartridges. So far, it has not lived up to the hype, and there's probably not a lot of reason to think it will be any more consistent in cartridges for which it was not designed, but you never know. If anyone wants XBR in quantity go to benchrest.com the centerfire BR forum and post a "wanted: BR powder cheap" thread and see what you get for answers. There is one gent who just set a new world record in the 100 yard LV for group class who was lamenting the 95 pounds of XBR he bought not long ago-- he might be in a good mood and willing to deal. __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal Last edited by amamnn; July 19, 2010 at 01:42 PM. Reason: punctuation

July 18, 2010, 10:46 PM	#3
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	Excelent powder works well, but I use it for 223. Jim

July 18, 2010, 11:09 PM	#4
Leadman Member Join Date: January 19, 2010 Location: The great state of Arkansas! Posts: 42	I have some hornady brass preped and ready,hopfully I can get some loaded up this week and head to the range. I will post my results here then. i will be starting with 30gr. and working up @ 33 looking for preasure signs. With factory loaded FTX's I get @1.5 to 2" from my 30as. Hope to acheave that at a minimum. Gun-Marlin 30as, scope-Leupold 3x9x33 UL.