Looking at ond old Lyman reloading manual, I see loading for Hi-Vel powder. I believe this was made by Hercules in years past which is now Alliant. Is the Hi-Vel still being made and sold under another name, such as one of the RL powders? Looking at the old Lyman manual, Hi-Vel gave some of the best velocities of any shown. Just wondering.

I haven't seen or heard of Hi Vel in years.

HiVel has not been produced for years was a good performing powder for me.ATK cut this double based powder at least 20 years ago.

Hi-Vel#2 was a Camp Perry favorite for the .30-'06. It shot extremely well in service competition loads.

The reason(s) for its discontinuance have been the subject of urban and rural lore for years. One or more of the following may actually be correct:

Hi-Vel was a very erosive powder and was replaced with a less erosive number.

Hi-Vel died with the advent of non-corrosive priming. Supposedly it liked perchlorate primers and when the non-corrosive lead styphnate primers came along, it did not perform well.

The .308 supplanted the .30-'06 as the service cartridge and HV did not shoot as well as some other powders.

There are probably other stories as well, but suspect a lack of sales as the real reason. What caused the lack of sales, is something for speculation.

Along in the 1970s, Hercules tried to reintroduce it. It did not sell well then, either.

I've been reloading since 1948, and I don't recall it being available when I started. Hi-Vel was in loading manuals of the day, but I know I never bought any back then. I'm thinking Hi-Vel left the scene in the 1930's sometime.
Interesting thread as I hadn't thought of that powder for a long time.

Don

Edit to add: It may have been available on the dealer's shelf when I started loading now that I think of it. Fuzzy memory on that point. My Dad was into IMR powders at that time, so I was too.

I bought Hi-Vel#2 as late as the early sixties and it was THE powder for .30-06 competition loads at that time. As far as "Urban Legends" about the powders peculiarities, it was a double based (Nitro-cellulose and Nitro Glycerin) powder which did cause more erosin in barrels than it's single based (Nitro-cellulose) counterparts. That never bothered me, considering that I got the best accuracy of any powder in my "across-the-course" loads. IMR-4895 came in a good second choice and that's what I used after Hi-Vel#2's demise. I still have a pound of it I'm keeping just for old times sake.

Thanks to all the above answers regarding Hi-Vel powder. Apparently it was completely discontinued. I was just wondering if it was currently produced and sold under another name. Well anyway, we have plenty available to choose from now.

The HiVel series of Hercules powders continued on through HiVel#6, which was introduced in 1936 and discontinued at the beginnig of WWII. HiVel #2, however, was the only HiVel number to be remanufactured after the war. It was discontinued in the early 1960's and was still on shelves in 1964 when I started loading.

quote:

Is the Hi-Vel still being made and sold under another name

No, more's the pity! A very decent powder..........

quote:

Originally posted by Masterifleman:
I bought Hi-Vel#2 as late as the early sixties and it was THE powder for .30-06 competition loads at that time. As far as "Urban Legends" about the powders peculiarities, it was a double based (Nitro-cellulose and Nitro Glycerin) powder which did cause more erosin in barrels than it's single based (Nitro-cellulose) counterparts. That never bothered me, considering that I got the best accuracy of any powder in my "across-the-course" loads. IMR-4895 came in a good second choice and that's what I used after Hi-Vel#2's demise. I still have a pound of it I'm keeping just for old times sake.

Good info.

Thanks,

Don

Grandpa told me not to consider Hi-Vel#2 when I started reloading in the late 1960s. Did not see it on the shelves where I was living, so I learned to reload with IMR and Norma powders. Owned an old .350 Wildcat rifle with most of its laods done in HiVel which gave me fits developing new IMR loads, but that's why we have wildcats.

LLS