Downloading H4831

dale2242

Well-Known Member
I was gifted 25-30# of H4831.
I was wondering if it could be downloaded safely to shoot cast in 7.62X54-30-06 size cases?
I know 4895 can be downloaded and have done that...dale
 

L Ross

Well-Known Member
Here's what I can definitively say about 4831 and cast, because I did it. After some testing I used 51.0 grains of some old surplus 4831 in a .30-06 shooting a 311284 that weighed 216 grains cast from ACWW and 2% tin. Chronographed at 1,900 fps. Shot into 1 1/2" at 80 yards. Used it to kill a doe at 42 paces with an exit wound of about 1 1/2" despite the round nose.
 

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Nice gift!
I still have 8 pounds of the surplus H4831 I bought in 1970. Started out with 30 pounds if I remember correctly. Used it in my 338's and in my 30-06 from time to time. Never used it with light charges, always used other powders. Back them and for a long time I was looking towards the hotter end of most cartridges.
 

JonB

Halcyon member
I have some vintage stuff that I found at a gunshow about 10 years ago, old rectangular paper cans with metal top and bottom, just marked "4831" with a grease pencil. I loaded some 30-06 with heavy jacketed bullets...I'd have to look up the load...but I guess that doesn't really pertain to your question anyway. Just making a post so I can follow this thread ;)
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
it down loads in the 30-30 like a champion. [34-36grs and a 170gr or so bullet is super pleasant to shoot]

the 308 not so much, it doesn't burn clean until your skipping along near 2400 fps,,, unless you use a filler.
I hain't tried it in any of the bigger cases except at upper end jacketed loads.
 

Rick H

Well-Known Member
My use is only with full house Jkt. bullet loads in the 7mm Rem Mag and 6mm Remington. I'm curious if it would be useful reduced. I have a lot of it.
 

Missionary

Well-Known Member
I seem to remember warnings of reducing 4831 under what manuals recommend.
 
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fiver

Well-Known Member
I probably ignored those warnings a time or two.

from what I've seen if I were to try it in the larger mentioned cases I'd definitely want to use a heavier bullet.
 

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
My load in the 338 was under a 275 Speer. Stocked up on them before Speer discontinued them. Still have maybe 3 boxes left.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
I haven't used a lot of any maker's 4831, but those uses were effective. It might be the best powder for heavy-bullet (160 RN Hornady) 6.5 x 55 Swede and 6.5 x 54 M/S loads. Once the milsurp WC-860 landed some years back, It got most of my attention in the Slow Fuels Department.

All of my usage of 4831 has been in 100%-density or slightly-compressed powder columns. I don't recall the source, but I do recall caveats in the past about low-density loads of slow-for-application powders and their relationship to SEE events (Secondary Explosive Effects). I just spoke online with a correspondent a few days ago concerning what was likely just such an incident--he loaded WW-296 by mistake in place of Titegroup in 45 ACP, and had what seems like a SEE take place while firing his 1911-series pistol in MT. His hand got lacerated, and one metal shard missed hitting his eye by millimeters. Sobering stuff like that serves to keep us all honest and vigilant.

These slow fuels seem at their best when pushing heavy-for-caliber bullets, and jacketed construction enhances bore resistance and probably enhances combustion accordingly. In the 6.5 x 55 Swede (Ruger 77), a full case of WC-860 (55.0 grains, just a smidge of compression) yields 1896 ballistics to 140 grain spitzers, which the rifle LOVES regardless of maker. Velocity was 2450 FPS (22" barrel), and accuracy was 7/8"-1" five shotters.

In 30-06, 60.0m grains inparts 1950-1975 FPS to the Lee C-309-200 bore rider, and 1.5"-1.7" groups at 100 yards. I have 100 of these loaded at present, and meant to take them to NCBS for the competitions there--esp, the 400 yard dinger plate bit. Alas, health issues put the kabosh to that. Maybe next year.
 

Missionary

Well-Known Member
Heavy cast is the route we use 4831 especially in the 375 H&H. 300-345 gr fngc makes those steel plates out to 300 ring like bells .
Any one tried 4831 in a caliber 50 case ? Thinking of the 50 Alaskan with 500 grainers. 4350 would be another fun afternoon.
 

Fiddler

Active Member
I was given a pound of 1969 vintage 4831 and didn't have much use for it. Looking through an older IMR loading sheet and saw that a full case in a 30-30 would be ~1900 fps. So most of the pound has gone through a 1894 with NOE's version of the 316 bullet. So so accuracy but it will ring the 200 yd plate.
 

dale2242

Well-Known Member
It was suggested to use somewhere in the 36gr. area of 4831 with a dacron filler in 30-06 size cases with cast bullets.
I would be reluctant to download it with out the dacron filler.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Scarcity of components or cheap pricing drives a lot of this shade tree experimentation. It didn't take long for questions about rifle primers in pistol applications to start popping up on reloading bulletin boards with this components drought under way.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
No doubt about it, Charles. It is funny how every time these droughts hit, the online default response is to Go Shade Tree Reloading. Human nature can be astounding at times.
 

Charles Graff

Moderator Emeritus
No doubt about it, Charles. It is funny how every time these droughts hit, the online default response is to Go Shade Tree Reloading. Human nature can be astounding at times.

Very true! Reloading can very safe or very dangerous. depending on what the reloader has between his ears. I had that impressed on me in 1959 by a man who I respected greatly.