Any one using/used IMR 4955 in anything?

[7mmLFR]

Just curious if anyone has tried IMR 4955 in any of their rifles. What rifle/caliber, what was your results and observations?

I had tried this powder in both 7x57 and 7Mag, in both cases I couldnt get near expected velocities with even mild and moderate loads without serious pressure signs. Accuracy was in red barn territory, rendering it useless at any velocity. I spoke with Hodgdon at some length, and confirmed there was no reported issues with the lot#'s I have. In the end, I got the "you are close enough according to our data" story. Certainly not true relative to my data/rifles.

Like many at the time, I was looking for alternatives to the 4831's, for which the 4955 was supposed to be in the same ballpark. In my case it certainly wasnt. After a search about the internet a bit, I found several other mentions of pressure concerns with 4955 with various calibers.

I know the stuff is discontinued now, but I got just over 2lbs left, and I got to do something with it. Hopefully its useful in at least some rifle/caliber I havent tried yet.

[7mmLFR]

You can not substitute powders based on "powder x is similar to powder Y" because..........

Not sure where all that came from, I can only assume you misunderstood my post...

For one thing, its IMR 4955, not 4895.

At the time, the 4831's were scarce, and IMR 4955 was often panned in various articles as a viable alternative, not from a load data perspective, but from a general potential to get similar results out of the barrel to the target.

Working up loads incrementally in typical practice, using data from typical published manuals/sources specific to 4955, I couldnt get anywhere near expected general published velocities, mild and moderate loads showed serious pressure signs, and velocity was notably low.

In my 30 years of reloading, I have never seen a powder act like that, and be so far off from published load/velocities, etc. I had read other instances on the internet of people having a similar experience with 4955, so I thought I'd ask here about others direct experiences with it.

[7mmLFR]

You did not give specifics on your level of reloading experience or how you worked up the loads so you left us to imagine that for ourselves.

There was nothing where imagination was required, it was a simple question, I shall restate:

Just curious if anyone has tried IMR 4955 in any of their rifles. What rifle/caliber, what was your results and observations?

Pretty straight-forward.

[IronsightsRifleman]

I'm just getting into reloading, so I have no experience with it myself. From the charts, it appears to be a fairly slow powder (#139 of 163) so I'd be thinking heavy bullets and large calibers. If it were for .30-06, maybe bullets around 220 grain.

[7mmLFR]

You would think that based on available published info, but peoples end results dont jive at all that I have found so far. My own experience jives with the few others I've found on the 'net, early and unexpected (based on published data) pressure signs, and nowhere near the velocities that would be considered broadly acceptable. A few comments I've found suggested the powder was outright dangerous at published moderate to hotter loads in various calibers. That does jive with the loads I tested.

I know thats all quite generalized across different rifles/calibers, but no powder should be that far off from published data as a matter of routine across so many.

Hence my general question, basically trying to find anyone whos has any genuine success with this powder in any rifle/caliber. So far, no one.

[IronsightsRifleman]

Do you have any measured velocities for your 7x57 you could share, for given bullet weight? Reloading is a new hobby for me and I'm curious to learn.

[7mmLFR]

Do you have any measured velocities for your 7x57 you could share, for given bullet weight? Reloading is a new hobby for me and I'm curious to learn.

Many, a whole old notebook full, lol. Perhaps a different thread or IM? I dont want to digress from this thread as a previous poster did.

[jr-abs]

I had very good results in my 6.5X55. 28" Krieger barrel. 142 gr. Sierra MK @ 2775 fps. average. 7 fps vel spread.

[Sandspider500]

There are some tested loads for 7mm rem mag in handloader 323 and #308, no sure if you've already seen them. Other than that I have no experience with that powder.

In #308 they used 145gr, 150gr, 160gr, 162gr and 175gr. The loads were from a .8" group to 1.84" at 100yds. Browning x-bolt with 26" barrel.

[7mmLFR]

There are some tested loads for 7mm rem mag in handloader 323 and #308, no sure if you've already seen them. Other than that I have no experience with that powder.

In #308 they used 145gr, 150gr, 160gr, 162gr and 175gr. The loads were from a .8" group to 1.84" at 100yds. Browning x-bolt with 26" barrel.

Yes, thats one of the sources. There are a few articles floating around out there, similar in content, but I have yet to see anyone in the wild with a 7mag get decent results.

[7mmLFR]

I had very good results in my 6.5X55. 28" Krieger barrel. 142 gr. Sierra MK @ 2775 fps. average. 7 fps vel spread.

Now that is interesting. How was general accuracy? With that 142gr SMK, did velocity fall in the same general ballpark as any other powder youve used with it, i.e. is there another powder that does better (with good results)?

Youre the first person I've talked to that got results they were good with.

[jr-abs]

Here is a couple of groups at 300 yards.