The Accurate Reloading Forums
EU REACH Hodgson powder ban - alternatives?
02 February 2018, 16:29
robthomEU REACH Hodgson powder ban - alternatives?
As some may know, the EU REACH directive affecting chemicals with known harmful affects will result in the ban of most Hodgson reloading powders in the UK / EU.
I use H414 in my .338-06 as it is the one powder I have found which produces acceptable velocities in my .338-06 with 210 grain Barnes and 200 / 210 grain Nosler bullets. RL15 is rather uninspiring in my rifle.
So, now I must find EU compliant alternative powder(s) to H414. What is the best way to go about this? Should I look to equivalent, acceptable powders with similar burn rates to H414 and which list very similar charge weights in .30-06? I have read that what works well in a .30-06 will / should be good for a .338-06.
At the moment, I think I am practically restricted to Norma and Vihtavouri (?spelling?0 powders here in the UK. Plus, maybe, Reloader but, as I wrote above, I have difficulty in obtaining the manual stated max velocities; anywhere between 70fps and 150fps below book. With H414 I am up there / close maxing quite close at 2 grains below max charge in my rifle.
02 February 2018, 16:52
GhubertReloder 17 or Reload Swiss RS60 is what I use in my 3006, the first time I have exceeded book velocities without exceeding book max as well.
Should work well in your 338'06.
02 February 2018, 19:16
243winxbI was thinking Hodgdon fixed the problem???
Spherical Powders
www.Hodgdon.com *
www.IMRpowder.com *
www.WWpowder.com6430 Vista Drive * Shawnee, KS 66218 * Phone (913) 362-9455 * Fax (913-362-1307
SAFETY DATA SHEET
June 2017
The following modern smokeless powders are
distributed by Hodgdon Powder Company.
HP-38® (EX-2013060589)
H110® (EX-2012100357)
H414® (EX-2012100357)
H380® (EX-2012100357)
Lil' Gun® (EX-2015110870)
Hybrid 100VTM (EX-2012010821)
LEVEREVOLUTION® (EX-2016090003)
SUPERFORMANCE® (EX-2015110877)
CFE® 223 (EX-2015110877)
CFE® Pistol (EX-2015110879)
HS-6® (EX-2013060589)
H335® (EX-2012100357)
Titegroup® (EX-2015110879)
Longshot® (EX-2015110879)
US869® (EX-2013031309)
BL-C(2)® (EX-2012100357)
02 February 2018, 20:27
SaeedVery strange!
I thought practically all powders are either single base or double base, regardless of make!!
Wonder what chemical in Hodgdon’s that is objectionable??
03 February 2018, 00:34
30.06kingAgree that RL17 is worth trying. Gives me very good fps ( i.e. book max ) in my 30.06 with 165 gn TTSX. Another that gives me grain for grain almost identical performance with this same projectile is Norma URP. With these powders if you are interested in obtaining max fps try comparing magnum to standard Large Rifle primers. I use either Federal 210 standard or 215 magnum. Sometimes no significant difference but other times around 20 - 50 fps gain with magnum primers and no accuracy loss.
Good luck.
Hunting.... it's not everything, it's the only thing.
03 February 2018, 00:47
eagle27The H series of Hodgdon powders is made in Australia, we know them as AR powders.
Simple fix of course is why live in England or an EU country. We left England and some of those old European countries a century or so ago ago for similar reasons

03 February 2018, 01:20
sambarman338So what is supposedly a danger in these powders?
03 February 2018, 02:34
Michael MichalskiMy sympathies for your predicament. But you must realize that the government knows what is best for you. Of course.....sure.
NRA Benefactor Member
US Navy Veteran
03 February 2018, 03:29
Lamarit's the chemical waste from the base ingredients they don't like.
if you don't meet their regulations you don't import to their UNION.
as far as a replacement since this is for a 30-06 I would look at RL-19,4831,4350-RL-16,4064-RL-15,RL-22.
all of them work just fine.
everyone on the planet makes an equivalent.
unfortunately H-414's is ww-760, but you have all kinds of replacements.
03 February 2018, 04:22
ArnietQuick buy a lifetime supply, before the ban. I think the only source for H414/W760 is St. Marks in Florida, USA.
03 February 2018, 06:32
sambarman338Maybe, after Brexit, that ban won't apply. Then you might be able to import the AR equiv. from the colony of origin.
03 February 2018, 06:45
243winxbFrom
http://benchrest.com/showthrea...ufactures&styleid=71 REACH compliant? Authorization under REACH:
Some types of cartridges may contain propellant dibutyl phthalate (CAS No. 84-74-2) in an amount more
than 0.3% of the total weight of propellant (mixture).
This substance is identified in the list of the Authorization - Annex XIV of Regulation no. 1907/2006 (REACH).
For the substance has been requested authorization for the use of the substance in the military and civilian
ammunition.
What effect ,if any, will this "Reach" have on our smokeless powder??
Looks like the USA has higher limits?https://www.osha.gov/dts/chemicalsam...CH_232600.html dibutyl phthalate
03 February 2018, 09:14
LeeCIf you can get Winchester
W760 is the EXACT SAME powder.
Get it.
I dont use ball powders myself, so RL17 would be my next choice.
03 February 2018, 12:00
enyIs Norma MRP available? works for me.
03 February 2018, 17:13
p dog shooterquote:
We left England and some of those old European countries a century or so ago ago for similar reasons
I thought the first Europeans to settle were criminals forced there.
03 February 2018, 20:41
jeffeossouhm ... diesel and petro are WAY worse -- and used for more crimes -- hell, petro has sulfuric acid in it (yeah, it does, really)
04 February 2018, 07:20
eagle27quote:
Originally posted by p dog shooter:
quote:
We left England and some of those old European countries a century or so ago ago for similar reasons
I thought the first Europeans to settle were criminals forced there.
That was Aussie where some of the first white people were criminals deported to the penal colonies but off course also accompanied by others seeking fortune in mineral discovery and farming. Our NZ white forebears, were the ones who had had enough of the old countries class structure and everything that went with it, so set off looking for a new life in a new country. Thankfully we have managed to retain a fairly classless structure, in fact tall poppies get cut down rather quickly here which is not always good for business and development but then the alternative is usually worse e.g. many countries in the world have hunting locked up only for the rich and nobility.
06 February 2018, 16:25
StonecreekAs several have mentioned, RL-17 (made in Europe) is an excellent performer in the .30-06 and is very close to H414/WW760 in burning rate. I assume that what we Americans know as "RL-17" is sold in Europe under some other designation, but I do not know who markets it or under what designation.
07 February 2018, 03:30
LeeCI know that there is overlap in Norma, and Alliant.
If I could not find Alliant RL17, I would look at the burn chart, and find the closest Norma powder. They are likely to be the same, or very close.
Not all the Norma, and Alliant powders are the same, but a few are.
Looking at the Burn chart that would be N204
07 February 2018, 16:58
416TanzanRel-17
is ReloadSwiss - 60.
Good powder, about the fastest for the '4350 burn-rate' group.
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"A well-rounded hunting battery might include:
500 AccRel Nyati, 416 Rigby or 416 Ruger, 375Ruger or 338WM, 308 or 270, 243, 223" --
Conserving creation, hunting the harvest.