SR 4759

[JSH]

I have asked this at other places but responses tended to get off track. I don't mean to come across as harsh, just straight forward.
I am curious as what to do on a replacement for SR 4759. I know that AA5744 is about as close as there is. But across the board it has come up sub par in the accuracy department. I have put a big dent in an 8 lb jug in the past few years trying to find the point it performs. This was in about 12-15 guns of various calibers, pistols and rifles.
No sense in hashing out the why of it being discontinued.
Unique is a closer swap in various calibers and guns than 5744 for me in the accuracy department. Getting the speeds up has been my major problem. Most of my shooting involved ranges from 50-200 meters. I do dislike the small amount of powder in the case with unique. But, hey, if it's not broke..........
I think the small following of 4759 users is small because of its metering issues through a powder measure. I use an old Belding&Mull for all my 4759 loading. It is slow but true for measuring.
I believe that is its major down fall, folks traded convenience for better results.
I have played with very little R7. Initial results were ok but nothing to write home about. It does deserve a better look.
Reduced loads of 4895, I just plain gave up.
One thing I tried that gave exceptional speeds and accuracy was out of the Lyman manuals. I used their accuracy powder for said case and similar bullet weight, only I used a start load of that powder. I may have gotten lucky, but it has worked exceptionally well for several military rifles I like to shoot.
Problem being with the above is I am back to a large assortment of powders again.
Fillers aren't option for me either. I have tinkered with them a little. I am of the mind anything I put in the case I want it to either burn, or strike the target .
Jeff

 

[Rick]

About the best I think can be hoped for is that 4759 has been discontinued before and brought back so just maybe . . .

I had about 4 pounds left of a 5 pound jug when I saw it available at Powder Valley so I got an 8 pounder. It was a month or so later when I heard it was to be discontinued again and I grabbed another 8 pounder.

A substitute for 4759? I haven't found it, yeah 5744 is right there in burn rate but at least for me isn't nearly as versatile as 4759 and like you I use it in several cartridges.

 

[358156hp]

Have you looked at Herco to get the velocities up a bit over Unique? I've heard Herco can be a bit quirky at times, but it should be available, and reasonably cheap to experiment with a pound.

 

[Ian]

I use a bunch of RX-7. I've found it to be very stable and consistent no matter what I've tried it in. Pressures don't suddenly start getting stupid in a load workup, it doesn't mind being loose in a big case as much as a lot of powders do, and it doesn't get spikey when compressed. Being a high-nitro, double-based powder it does burn fairly warm, but it is much more versatile than IMR 4198, and there are no flies on 4198. I say versatile because it takes very little to light it, it burns clean and consistent in just about any application, and stretches out the pressure curve signficantly for as fast as it compared to it's neighbors on the burn rate chart.

Herco is filthy, temperature sensitive, sometimes tough to meter, but works pretty well for some things. There really isn't a substitute for SR4759.

 

[358156hp]

I use a lot of RX7 in 223. I don't get much chance to shoot rifles anymore though.

 

[Brad]

I don't have to worry about it, I never used 4759. Now 2400, that would be an issue. I use lots of that stuff.

 

[Rick]

It's an issue for me, I'm now down to 20 pounds.

 

[JSH]

I liked one persons reply to just use trail boss. They had evidently never used both powders.
I am going to revisit R-7 I guess.
I hope they bring back 4759, but no time like the present to find a suitable replacement or somthing else. Who knows there may even be a new powder introduced.

 

[Rick]

I liked one persons reply to just use trail boss. They had evidently never used both powders.

I think your right, Trail Boss as a replacement for 4759? They either hadn't used both or possibly haven't used either one.

 

[Brad]

Trailboss has a place but this isn't it. Oddly, that place doesn't exist on my bench. Tried a bottle of Trailboss and just decided it didn't do anything I needed done.

 

[Winelover]

It's an issue for me, I'm now down to 20 pounds.

If you get that low, I'll give you my 8 #er-----haven't found much use for it. Doesn't cycle my AR-10 at the reduced charges needed to maintain any semblance of accuracy.

 

[Rick]

Trail Boss is good stuff when used for it's intended purpose. When I had the Marlin 357 I had a great plinking load with Trail Boss and 150 gr bullets. Surprisingly accurate at 100 with almost no recoil at all. Murdering soda cans was about all it was good for but it was great fun spending an afternoon plinking away. Much less fun for the cans.

But as a replacement for 4759??? Two very different things that cannot be compared.

 

[Rick]

An AR isn't the only use for 4759. It is a very versatile powder that works well in a wide variety of cartridges. You should hang on to it cause other guns and cartridges are sure to be in your future sometime.

 

[Brad]

There is no real replacement. In some areas RE7 can be substituted, in others 2400 will work. 4759 is just one of those powders that has some unique abilities to work really well in a variety of cartridges and loads.

I personally use 2400 in most of those realms already so it isn't a big deal to me.

 

[Winelover]

Not going to use 2400 in rifle cartridges. The supply lines are pretty dry and I'll keep what I have for revolver and carbine fodder.

 

[Brad]

I have almost 16 pounds if it on hand and shoot little mag handgun

 

[Winelover]

I have almost 16 pounds if it on hand and shoot little mag handgun

Don't tell your insurance company!

 

[9.3X62AL]

Speaking as a retired fire investigator........smokeless powder is about 100X safer for your home than any amount of stored gasoline, even in an approved container. Smokeless powder is slightly more dangerous than beach sand.......gasoline is slightly less dangerous than weeping dynamite. This is a case in which familiarity has TRULY bred contempt for the danger potential of this and a lot of other petroleum distillates.

I'm another who doesn't see a "road ready" replacement for SR-4759. It occupies a unique place in the fuels catalog we deal with as reloaders. On a similar note, I am sorry to see SR-4756 get the axe also. It does things in the 32-20 revolver that no other powder seems able to duplicate for me. IMR compounds the tragedy by adding 3 more new whatzis powders to their list of fuels that service needs met by other powders decades in age. Oh, yes, they are somehow New and Improved......save it, just get some powders back on the shelves. Stop turning wrenches on things not broken and try fixing the things that are--like your supply chain, for example.

 

[Rick]

Glad to see someone with the proper training and experience say that but I wonder how many of your brethren are as knowledgeable about smokeless.

 

[JSH]

9.3, all of my SR4756 is fairly old, all tin cans. I have used some as of late in the 41 mag. A good friend had excellent luck with it.
As to the 32-20/30-20, this case is my pet. A lot can be done with it in MODERN guns. I have shot it in a TC for 20+ years and 10 or better in a Ruger buckeye. The buckeye has not seen a jacketed load since I got it and the TC has a steady diet of cast only.
I could go on and on but off topic. Start a thread and I would dive in.
Jeff