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Old October 18, 2001, 07:39 PM   #1
El Rojo
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Experiences with surplus powder? Is it any good?

I am thinking of getting a ton of reloading components from Jeff Bartlett. My question is, is that pulldown surplus poweder any good? It is certainly cheap enough and I was thinking of buying some for reloading a ton of .30-06. Have any of you used it? Does anyone know of any srouces better than Jeff for this stuff? He seems to have pretty decent prices.
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Old October 18, 2001, 08:50 PM   #2
Target Shooter
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I use some of the surplus pull down powders. I usually buy mine from Hi-Tech Ammunition.http://www.iidbs.com/hitech
I use the surplus IMR 4895 for my Garands and the WC860 and IMR 5010 for my 50 BMG.
It all works and I get very good accuracy.

TS
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Old October 19, 2001, 06:59 AM   #3
swampyMO
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El Rojo,

Ditto on the pulldown 4895 and WC-846...

I use 4895 in Garand and WC-846 in .308 and .223.

The only thing to be aware of with military powders is that they are NOT canister grade, i.e. each lot may have a slightly different burn rate. Every time you buy from a new lot number you MUST "go back to 'zero'" and work up loads. The new lot just MIGHT be hotter than the last batch you used.

I have direct experience with this. Commercial canister grade IMR 4895 and two different lots of Military 4895 all require a different charge to give me a certain velocity with a 150 grain bullet in '06. The Canister grade seems to be about in the middle of the range. Spread is almost 3.0 grains. That's a BIG difference, especially if you are shooting at the top of the velocity/pressure range for that round.

Use them with confidence, but ALWAYS work up loads for each new lot # you buy.

Swampy
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Old October 19, 2001, 04:48 PM   #4
Steve Smith
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I too have gotten excellent accuracy from www.hi-techammo.com 's IMR 4895 pulldown.
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Old October 19, 2001, 06:18 PM   #5
PDshooter
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Good people at hi-tech! Use there IMR-4895 in my M1 .48grs behind a 150gr bullet.
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Old October 19, 2001, 06:59 PM   #6
dick w. holliday
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Jeff Bartlet and Pats Reloading are my 2 main sources for powder....Surplus powder is about all i shoot now.....Dick
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Old October 19, 2001, 07:33 PM   #7
Southla1
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Got an 8# jug of IMR4895 some time back from Hi-Tech. Fine folks to deal with, and fine powder. I use it in 30-06 amd 22-250. Just remember what SwampyMO said about the powder being NON-CANISTER. Use the starting loads and work from there. In a case like this a chronograph is a handy tool.
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Old October 22, 2001, 01:46 PM   #8
kerth
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I too use pull down 4895 from Bartlett's, 30-'06 and 223. Always had good results, but you must work up with each new canister.
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Old October 22, 2001, 04:58 PM   #9
Poodleshooter
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I'm using WC846 for loads in .223, .308, 7.62x39 and (coming soon) 30/30. Cheap powder is a good thing.
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Old October 22, 2001, 10:55 PM   #10
KP95DAO
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I have bought over $1000.00 from Jeff over the last several years. I currently use five different powders from him 852, M9, PSA, 105 (no longer available) and 102. Great stuff.
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Old October 24, 2001, 09:57 PM   #11
Clark
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It works for me.

I bought some old IMR4895 for $64/8#.
It works just as well as the stuff from the gunstore in the purple metal can for $19/1#.

surplus powder
http://www.zcr.com/hitech
http://web.mountain.net/~kneiper/surpow.htm
http://www.gibrass.com/gunpowder.html
http://www.chestnutridge.com/products/brass.asp
http://www.alabamaammo.com/
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Old October 25, 2001, 06:55 PM   #12
Patrick Graham
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I'm finishing up my 3rd 8lb bottle of pulled 4895.
Works great in Garands.
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