[This message has been edited by Bob338 (edited 01-15-2002).]
I have done careful statistical tests in hot weather and in cold, and have the temperature coefficient for several loads in .223, .308, 6.5x55, and 30-06. If you use H4350 in a .308, you're in the sweet spot, and it has practically a zero tempco. Use it in a .223, and your temperature stability is WORSE than commercially sold Remington mil ammo. In the 30-06, H4350 has a somewhat better tempco than AA4350, enough that I do spend the extra $3.50 per pound to get Hodgdon. In the Swede, the difference is not very big, and I shoot the AA4350.
So the bottom line is that if you get good temperature stability out of Hodgdon, you've been lucky. In some cases, it does work. But making the general statement that Hodgdon does is just plain wrong.
If it is the 'extreme series', it will say so on the can.
To everyone,
H4831SC is 'extreme'. I didn't find it to temperature insensitive at all. I have clocked 3-5 shot groups in temperatures between 0 F and 95 F. From 70 F down to 0 F, it looses roughly 2 fps/degree. This is fairly typical for extruded powders.
That said, it is no worse than any other extruded powder. It is still my favorite powder for the 6.5 swede and .270 win. I have been very happy with its performance. I am more impressed with its metering in my powder measure. In fact it throws 50 grain charges +- .05 grains from my LEE perfect powder measure.
I am in complete agreement with Denton re: the Advertising Ploy -- its smarmy at best. But then, I seem to remember a 7 mm match bullet (168 gr.) that never hit the paper in agreement with its stated BC. Later they retracted their BC rating and blamed a faulty skyscreen or other instrumentation ... Yeah, and I am the POPE!
IMO, marketing = Snake Oil Sales!
[This message has been edited by Scott H (edited 01-15-2002).]
Hodgdon went out of their way in an old manual I have to make other brands of powder appear inferior to theirs. That was it for me- I haven't bought a manual of theirs since and only use H products when I have too. My take is they must think all handloaders are stupid.
They are made by Australian Defence Industries who make our military ammo.
I have not tested them for temperature variation across a chonograph so can only pass on a general observation.
In Australia we frequently shoot in our summer. We tend to shoot from vehichles and ammo is sitting in the vehichle all day. Australia's outback has a very strong radiant heat. That is everything gets extremely hot to touch.
Many years ago it was common for shooters to talk about problems they had with extraction but these days you don't seem to here the same sort of talk. The majority of Australians do use these powders.
So perhaps they do work.
Mike