Reading in Tom Roster's column in the July issue of Sporting Clays Mag. IMR SR4756,SR7625,SR4759,and PB will no longer be produced after 2014. Siting poor demand. This will give them more time and and materials for their more popular powders. Your thoughts?
Hodgdon to stop production of some IMR powders
Saxman
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Reading in Tom Roster's column in the July issue of Sporting Clays Mag. IMR SR4756,SR7625,SR4759,and PB will no longer be produced after 2014. Siting poor demand. This will give them more time and and materials for their more popular powders. Your thoughts?
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poor demand my ass, it apears they are not producing anything that the shooting community is demanding, I havn't seen 700X in 2 years, IMO they are driving us, the reloading community to other sources or to shoot factorys.
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Many medium and slower burning rifle powders are available, but I sure would like to see some shotshell powders on the shelf.
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So why did IMR/DuPont and Winchester sell out Hodgdon and Hodgdon take over production of IMR and Winchester powders?
No money in it for previous owners???
Too many powder makers, not enough demand??
Never did learn the reasons for the sales.
No money in it for previous owners???
Too many powder makers, not enough demand??
Never did learn the reasons for the sales.
They're the manufacturer, so it's their decision. Does anybody here really think that if Hodgdon were making good profits out of those propellants, they'll stop making them so they can concentrate on those that aren't giving them good profits? We, as customers, have a choice with our $$. There is always Alliant, and others. This situation illustrates why having competitors is good for consumers. Economics 101.
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The announcement from Hodgdon was made 6 months ago. Hodgdon said they make other powders that can be used to replace.
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I believe the correct term would be "imports" not manufactures.
Hodgdon has made a business on relabeling powders.
Hodgdon has made a business on relabeling powders.
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I love my 7625 so I guess I will have to stock up. I have 40 lbs but need to buy a lot more
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Fair enough, I stand corrected.
Just hope they don't discontinue Super Target, 231 and the Winchester 223 powder I like (name escapes me right now- will correct later.)
Just hope they don't discontinue Super Target, 231 and the Winchester 223 powder I like (name escapes me right now- will correct later.)
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One reason demand for those powders is so poor is the price is so high. Those are some of the highest priced powders available. It may be because there are so many middlemen involved. I don't know who the actual manufacturer of the powders is, but the manufacturer as a mark-up, Hodgdon has a mark-up and they have to pay a royalty to whoever owns the trademarks for the names of the powders. There might be more demand if the price were not so high.
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Cubancigar2000,
Your avatar sure looks like a Schultz razor. Are they any good?
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It's a sad day that SR4759 is being discontinued. It and, to a lesser extent, SR4227, are the only smokeless powders that emulate the bullet obturation feature of blackpowder. And despite Hodgdon's claim that other powders can replace the discontinued powders, this is definitely not true in the case of 4759.
Bullet obturation is when the base of a lead bullet gets slammed by the shockwave of the burning powder that it gets slightly shortened in length and expanded in diameter. This cause the bullet to expand into the grooves in the bore, making a better gas seal and contributing to accuracy. 4759 and 4227 are the only smokeless powders that can do this with soft lead alloys, giving flexibility to those who cast their own bullets but don't want to use blackpowder. 4759 is also a pretty easy replacement for blackpowder (as used in cartridges, not muzzleloaders), the general rule of thumb being that it can be used as a substitute on the order of 1:3, meaning 60 grains of blackpowder can be replaced by 20 grains of 4759.
In addition, despite a lot of warnings from safety nazis and squeamish people, it was common for blackpowder cartridge shooters to use a few grains of 4759 at the base of their cartridge to get cleaner ignition and burning, causing less fowling. This was very common at one time and has decades of successful use. This practice went by the wayside for sports, as the NRA BPCRS outlawed the practice because of "safety issues". I don't know what CASS/SASS says about it. But some blackpowder cartridge hunters still use 4759 to get cleaner burning blackpowder cartridges.
At some point it won't matter, since lead bullets will eventually be outlawed anyway and no one will hunt with blackpowder cartridges.
Bullet obturation is when the base of a lead bullet gets slammed by the shockwave of the burning powder that it gets slightly shortened in length and expanded in diameter. This cause the bullet to expand into the grooves in the bore, making a better gas seal and contributing to accuracy. 4759 and 4227 are the only smokeless powders that can do this with soft lead alloys, giving flexibility to those who cast their own bullets but don't want to use blackpowder. 4759 is also a pretty easy replacement for blackpowder (as used in cartridges, not muzzleloaders), the general rule of thumb being that it can be used as a substitute on the order of 1:3, meaning 60 grains of blackpowder can be replaced by 20 grains of 4759.
In addition, despite a lot of warnings from safety nazis and squeamish people, it was common for blackpowder cartridge shooters to use a few grains of 4759 at the base of their cartridge to get cleaner ignition and burning, causing less fowling. This was very common at one time and has decades of successful use. This practice went by the wayside for sports, as the NRA BPCRS outlawed the practice because of "safety issues". I don't know what CASS/SASS says about it. But some blackpowder cartridge hunters still use 4759 to get cleaner burning blackpowder cartridges.
At some point it won't matter, since lead bullets will eventually be outlawed anyway and no one will hunt with blackpowder cartridges.
Hodgdon does not make powders and never have, they are a packaging, marketing and sales company. Hodgdon started their business buying surplus government powders to resell to the reloader building a nice business supplying their own brand and or bought or are licensed to package and sell Winchester, IMR powders. Hodgon's core supplier is American Powder Company a joint venture between KTM and General Dynamics who manufactures all of the U.S. government propellants. APC controls all of the domestic canister powders along with most loaded shotshells. Hodgdon is at the whim of their supplier who's core business is answering to governments wishes. If you think this is not so, do the research.
Surfer
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Hodgdon purchased IMR Powder Company in 2003 and IMR is manufactured in Canada. American Powder Company was a short lived joint venture between ATK (Alliant Tech) and General Dynamics back in 2001. It was dissolved shortly after for conflict of interest concerns. General Dynamics now owns St. Marks Powder were all ball powder is manufactured. In 2006 Hodgdon powder and Winchester Ammunition announced that all Winchester branded reloading powders were licensed to Hodgdon. New River Energetics in Radford, VA is part of ATK (Alliant Tech) which is splitting into two companies Orbital ATK and "Sporting". To quote from an ATK press release dated April 29, 2014 "Both Sporting and Orbital ATK will continue to benefit from arrangements regarding sale by Orbital ATK to Sporting of ammunition from the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, which ATK currently maintains and operates for the US Army, and the sale of components and gun powder from New River Energetics." Tom
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Thanks for info, I wasn't paying attention when this happened.
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jmac_cope - Actually it is a Schulze and they are junk so you might just want to send me yours and I will dispose of it
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Just bought a pound of 4756 for loading 9mm. With 231 and HP38 no where to be found, the reloading shop recommended 4756 with what they had left.
Powder is scarce!!
When I blow through that pound, I will use the Promo and Red Dot I have. Found some data to try out.
Powder is scarce!!
When I blow through that pound, I will use the Promo and Red Dot I have. Found some data to try out.
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I have lost all faith in Hodgdon. Nothing they say surprises me. Somebody's grandson must be running the company.
Wish I had never started using their products.
M. D.
Wish I had never started using their products.
M. D.
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