Reload Data for IMR 4895 and 9mm Lugar

[blazergt]

Hello everyone!
Someone sold me a couple pounds of IMR 4895 and told me that it was a good powder for the 9mm lugar rounds that I am about to make. The only problem is that now i cant find any kind of reloading data for it! I have looked everywhere online and in several of my own reloading manuals. Even IMR's site doesnt list anything for it. I have used cases and 121gr hornady HAP bullets, can someone please tell me a good starting grain and COL so i can make these? Thanks

[Brian Pfleuger]

IMR 4895 is a rifle powder. It will not work in 9mm.

[blazergt]

*sigh*.....So i was talking to an idiot who didn't know anything and was trying to push the product out. That explains why i cant find any data for 9mm lol. Thanks

[SL1]

From your post, it seems like you are very new to reloading.

And, it sounds like the "someone" who sold you the IMR-4895 was not being honest with you about its applications.

So, those are two big red flags with respect to starting to load 9mm pistol cartridges.

9mm is not the easiest cartridge to load safely. There are non-obvious issues like bullet set-back during feeding, and substantial pressure variations with just a little change in bullet seating depth.

So, I urge you to start cautiously. Please get a good manual on the PROCESS of reloading, with emphasis on pistol cartridges. For that purpose, I like the latest Speer manual, because it does a better job than most with respect to addressing some of the important issues that require caution. Others on the forum may have better suggestions for such a manual. Getting more than one is not a bad idea.

SL1

[Slamfire]

Cheer up, IMR 4895 is a great powder for medium sized rifle cases, like the 30-06 or the 8mm Mauser.

If you are looking for a 9mm suggestion, I know a lot of people who use W231 in the 9mm.

[Sevens]

Exactly! I don't typically post to simply say " +1 ", but I've got to say that:

--if you EVER find that guy again, you absolutely must tell him that he's not only full of crap, but he's a genuine jerk for attempting to either pass along information that he knew squat about, or attempting to willingly and knowingly mislead you. There are many powders that can be used outside of their comfort zone in a pinch, with lesser than optimal results, but even attempting to use IMR-4895 in 9mm would absolutely end VERY poorly, and could actually be catastrophic. As in -- someone could get hurt or killed.*

--IMR-4895 is a very good rifle powder, VERY popular and a good choice in some very common rifle rounds. If you one day intend to load center fire rifle, keep this powder and you'll be glad you did. Or, otherwise, I'm sure that a number of folks at any gun show would love to get their hands on it, especially right now considering the panic and the dearth of components. You could sell or swap. By retail, a pound of IMR-4895 costs a bit more than most any common pistol powder, so you should do well on a sell or swap.

*we knocked heads in this forum recently about "how" using such a slow rifle powder could be catastrophic in a small pistol round... common thinking would be that it wouldn't produce NEAR enough energy to even get the bullet moving...but in the REAL world, as nobody that I know has actually tested such a thing, you simply have to default to the possibilities -- especially when discussing this with folks new to handloading. And the most obvious, blatant possibility I see is that a new handloader with IMR-4895 loaded 9mm handloads goes to range, loads a round, pulls trigger once and sticks a bullet in the bore. Feels that it didn't work, so he unloads the rest of his handloads and defaults to the factory ammo that he almost assuredly still has. He puts a full power factory round behind a stuck bullet and that's precisely the moment when steel and/or plastic & wood starts flying, taking little bits of hands or face with it.

[William T. Watts]

Unless the powder was still in it's original container and factory SEALED you have no way of knowing if it indeed is IMR4895!! In this particular situation with the information provided I wouldn't trust squat!! William

[Sevens]

Oh yeah, that's a really good call, too.
I'm starting to worry that maybe it's a pull down powder that's been re-packaged.

[chris in va]

Agreed, considering the guy blatantly lied to you about the powder to make a sale, there's no telling what's actually in those jugs.

Now if it's in a black plastic container with a purple label with 'IMR 4895 Smokeless Powder' and sealed with a white foam inner cap, it's probably OK. Otherwise, take it back and have words.

[rogn]

Blazer: He could have easily given you a propellant that would have been dangerous to load in that round. Take heart though if they wont take the powder back, you'll have no trouble finding a buyer for it in todays market. If you were close to the eastern shore we could probably even trade for the proper powder. OTOH Hodgdon has a good data manual which is inexpensive and it covers IMR< winchester and Hodgdon powders. Its not rich in procceedures but in loading data. Lyman #'s 48 and 49 are excellent manuals with good data and instructional information. The intrnet can add to your knowledge, but a good mentor is priceless. If you can find an experienced reloader in your area to help and answer questions things will go much smoother. Just remember all the old experienced reloaders are opinionated and stubborn.

[blazergt]

Thanks guys! It IS a bunch of crap that he sold it to me but thankfully i also load .223 and found some nice reload info for that. It was also properly packaged. Getting a little tired of this shortage, i hope everything goes back to normal. I just wish i didnt spend all this time trying to figure out data for pistol reloads when i had a rifle powder!

[hodaka]

Yep, jerk is a mild word for your seller. I started loading .223 with 4895 and it is a good one to use. Enjoy the hobby and most on this site can be counted on for good advice.

[Slamfire]

IMR 4895 is a wonderfull 223 powder. I ran tests with it with 69's and 80 grain bullets and the accuracy was excellent. Functioned perfectly in my AR's.

[Boomer58cal]

I load .223 with 26 gn IMR-4895 with a 53 gn V-max. The load is from the Hornady 2012 and 2013 load books. You'll get about 3000 fps with a 16.5 in. barrel(AR-15) and 3200 fps from a 20 in.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Asked and answered, nothing more to see here.