H380 powder

strokn47265

Well does anyone use this powder? I took a chance and got an 8 pound jug and a 1 pound jug for 60 bucks. I have found some reloading recipes, but would like to have more.. It will be for a AR15, with 24 inch barrel, 223. Would like to load 55 gr spie points or boat tails. Help help appreciated.

charliemeyer007

Great price. Hornady Handbook Rifle Pistol vol. II. 55gr Spire Pt. Starting 26.9 gr @ 2700 fps Max 28.5 gr @ 2900 Rem cases Rem 6.5 primer in a Colt AR-15 Sporter 20" bbl

dcs shooters

I came up with 25.5-27.5 for that bullet.

SoreShoulder

there's always the load data on hodgdon.com

NeoBlackdog

quote:Originally posted by SoreShoulder
there's always the load data on hodgdon.com


I looked there, as I'd never heard of H380, and they don't have it listed. Is this a pretty new powder?

SoreShoulder

No, it's in a certain manual I have from 1974.

Since I made you look for no reason, I dug it up (Speer No.9) and for 55gr 223, Remington cases, and their 55gr spitzer bullet, they suggest 27.0 gr and a CCI 450 give 2739 fps, 28gr gives 2863, and the max charge of 29gr gives 2952 fps.

They advise only going up to the middle load for semiautos.

It's a little slow for 223. It was named by Bruce Hodgdon for giving accurate results with 38.0 grain charges behind a 52gr bullet in the 22-250, a much larger round, and the manual lists 39gr as a max charge.

OTOH it is one of the few non-flattened spherical powders and will meter even better than most of those.

FrancF

quote:Originally posted by strokn47265
Well does anyone use this powder?

Yes! when I can get my hands on it. Bruce Hodgdon first used it. When a 38.0 grain charge behind a 52 grain bullet gave one hole groups from his 22 caliber wildcat (now called the 22-250), he appropriately named the powder H380. H380 is also a superb performer in the 220 Swift, 243, 257 Roberts and other fine varmint cartridges.

I am thinking it might be a little slow for .223. but if you have a .22-250 or other mid sized cal.'s it's a great powder. Just not a lot of data for .223.

RobOz

quote:Originally posted by NeoBlackdog
quote:Originally posted by SoreShoulder
there's always the load data on hodgdon.com


I looked there, as I'd never heard of H380, and they don't have it listed. Is this a pretty new powder?


Been around for years. It used to be the "only" powder for the 22-250.

XXCross

H380 is an excellent mid-range powder. I've burned a tonne of it in
7mm Mauser and 30-06. I'd agree that it probably isn't the best choice for a small capacity case like the 223.

strokn47265

Thanks for the input....[:)][:)]

243winxb

Use a magnum primer. The Rem 6 1/2 should not be used in 223 rem. H380 would not be my choice for the 223 rem, but the price is right.

Ray B

If your
AR has a fast enough twist to stabilize a heavier bullet (60+ grs) the H380 would work well.

Ambrose

FWIW: I checked out at the library an old book by Warren Page. If you recall, he was in on the ground floor of benchrest shooters organizations. He was instrumental in getting Remington to produce the 7 1/2 primer. He stated that the primer is the same as the 6 1/2 except it has a thicker primer cup to better handle the higher pressures. Of course, that was long ago and it may (probably) have been changed since then. But it is still called a benchrest primer as opposed to magnum.