Imr 4350 & H4350

jasonc84 · July 21, 2005, 02:15 PM

IMR 4350 & H4350

Is there much difference in quallity in these two?
Does one burn faster than the other or cleaner?

Smokey Joe · July 27, 2005, 11:17 AM

Actually there are THREE 4350's--The 2 you mention plus Accurate Arms makes one also. If you're thinking of substituting one for the other, I have but one word for you: DON'T. They are similar in behavior, but my sources are unanimous in this: NEVER SUBSTITUTE ONE POWDER FOR ANOTHER in a recipie. Having the same number means nothing in terms of safety.

It's as if Chevy came out with a Corvette, and then Ford decided to compete so they called their similar car a Corvette, and then Chrysler got into the act with a Chrysler Corvette. Stupid, hey?

Car companies are smarter--the Ford is a Thunderbird, the Chrysler a Viper. Similar but different.

Calling similar-but-different products similar names is an invitation to disaster. I can't imagine what they were thinking when they did it.

(BTW, I don't care to get into an argument about how the Viper is/isn't like a Corvette, etc, etc, etc. I made it up as an example, that's all.)

To answer the rest of yr question: Difference in quality, no. I don't believe there are any crummy powders on the market today. And the 3 4350's have similar burn rates. AFAIK they all burn clean. It's some pistol powders that burn dirty.

But my major point must be just this: NEVER, BUT NEVER, SUBSTITUTE ONE POWDER FOR ANOTHER IN A HANDLOADING RECIPIE.

The one exception would be if a published authority--not on the I'net, not your reloading buddy, not your own gut feeling--says that for this particular application, 2 named powders are interchangeable. If Lyman's 48th edition manual says it in print, for example, I'd believe it. Such a statement would have had to be OK'd by their lawyers to be in there. Otherwise, just don't do it.

As the man said, there are old reloaders, and there are bold reloaders. But there are no old, bold, reloaders.

If you knew all of this anyway, great, and sorry for the rant. Be safe. Enjoy reloading for many years.

LHB1 · July 27, 2005, 02:46 PM

+1 emphatically with what SmokyJoe posted!!! Have used both powders at different times in the last 40+ years of reloading with good results but DON'T consider substituting one for the other.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

jasonc84 · July 28, 2005, 08:16 AM

Thanks for the replies. I know better than substituting powders. I was going to start over and switch to H4350, I had been using IMR4350. My nosler manual suggested that H4350 was the most accurate for the bullet I'm using. I wasn't paying close enough attention to what I picked up off the shelf and it was IMR4350. If you havn't noticed, since Hodgdon boughtout IMR their containers look very simular.

LAH · July 28, 2005, 08:52 AM

I've used IMR 4350 for years and have no reason to switch since I've been completely happy. The IMR line is now owned by the big "H" so I wonder what changes if any will be made. Till something happens I'll stay with IMR. Wish I could compare the two for you but I can't.

Leftoverdj · July 28, 2005, 11:10 AM

I checked the Lee burning rate chart. All three 4350 powders are listed together. I would unhesitatingly use the starting load for any of those powders with any of the others. There may well be differences at the top end or accuracy differences, just as there can be between different lots of powder of the same label, but they are interchangeable at the starting level.

dakotashooter2 · July 29, 2005, 08:22 AM

I have found the H4350 to have a slight edge over the IMR 4350 for my purposes. The H 4350 being less temp sensitive is ideal for my shooting which can be in temps varying anywhere from 95 degrees to -25 degrees.

July 21, 2005, 02:15 PM	#1
jasonc84 Member Join Date: February 28, 2005 Posts: 35	Imr 4350 & H4350 IMR 4350 & H4350 Is there much difference in quallity in these two? Does one burn faster than the other or cleaner?

July 27, 2005, 11:17 AM	#2
Smokey Joe Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2001 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,106	The different 4350's Actually there are THREE 4350's--The 2 you mention plus Accurate Arms makes one also. If you're thinking of substituting one for the other, I have but one word for you: DON'T. They are similar in behavior, but my sources are unanimous in this: NEVER SUBSTITUTE ONE POWDER FOR ANOTHER in a recipie. Having the same number means nothing in terms of safety. It's as if Chevy came out with a Corvette, and then Ford decided to compete so they called their similar car a Corvette, and then Chrysler got into the act with a Chrysler Corvette. Stupid, hey? Car companies are smarter--the Ford is a Thunderbird, the Chrysler a Viper. Similar but different. Calling similar-but-different products similar names is an invitation to disaster. I can't imagine what they were thinking when they did it. (BTW, I don't care to get into an argument about how the Viper is/isn't like a Corvette, etc, etc, etc. I made it up as an example, that's all.) To answer the rest of yr question: Difference in quality, no. I don't believe there are any crummy powders on the market today. And the 3 4350's have similar burn rates. AFAIK they all burn clean. It's some pistol powders that burn dirty. But my major point must be just this: NEVER, BUT NEVER, SUBSTITUTE ONE POWDER FOR ANOTHER IN A HANDLOADING RECIPIE. The one exception would be if a published authority--not on the I'net, not your reloading buddy, not your own gut feeling--says that for this particular application, 2 named powders are interchangeable. If Lyman's 48th edition manual says it in print, for example, I'd believe it. Such a statement would have had to be OK'd by their lawyers to be in there. Otherwise, just don't do it. As the man said, there are old reloaders, and there are bold reloaders. But there are no old, bold, reloaders. If you knew all of this anyway, great, and sorry for the rant. Be safe. Enjoy reloading for many years. __________________ God Bless America --Smokey Joe

July 27, 2005, 02:46 PM	#3
LHB1 Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,545	+1 emphatically with what SmokyJoe posted!!! Have used both powders at different times in the last 40+ years of reloading with good results but DON'T consider substituting one for the other. Good shooting and be safe. LB

July 28, 2005, 08:16 AM	#4
jasonc84 Member Join Date: February 28, 2005 Posts: 35	Thanks for the replies. I know better than substituting powders. I was going to start over and switch to H4350, I had been using IMR4350. My nosler manual suggested that H4350 was the most accurate for the bullet I'm using. I wasn't paying close enough attention to what I picked up off the shelf and it was IMR4350. If you havn't noticed, since Hodgdon boughtout IMR their containers look very simular.

July 28, 2005, 08:52 AM	#5
LAH Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2002 Location: In The Hardwoods Posts: 1,188	I've used IMR 4350 for years and have no reason to switch since I've been completely happy. The IMR line is now owned by the big "H" so I wonder what changes if any will be made. Till something happens I'll stay with IMR. Wish I could compare the two for you but I can't.

July 28, 2005, 11:10 AM	#6
Leftoverdj Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2004 Posts: 934	I checked the Lee burning rate chart. All three 4350 powders are listed together. I would unhesitatingly use the starting load for any of those powders with any of the others. There may well be differences at the top end or accuracy differences, just as there can be between different lots of powder of the same label, but they are interchangeable at the starting level.

July 29, 2005, 08:22 AM	#7
dakotashooter2 Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2005 Posts: 498	I have found the H4350 to have a slight edge over the IMR 4350 for my purposes. The H 4350 being less temp sensitive is ideal for my shooting which can be in temps varying anywhere from 95 degrees to -25 degrees.