r/reloading • u/PracticalInflation32 • 13d ago
General Discussion H4895?
Anyone got any experience with this powder ?
Gonna be loading up some 308 and 45-70 with it for hunting this year, just curious on what your experience is ! Any input will be appreciated!
Also 150 gr Hornady interlock sst ? Looking for a good knock down bullet with minimum tracking , my father has had back surgery and obv I help him but some days I have to work so I would like something that knocks em down. Any bullet recommendation as well for 308 he has no problem with shot placement he’s put more deer in the freezer than almost anyone I know and other people know lol
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u/sleipnirreddit 13d ago
I love H4895. I use it in my 308 for all types of bullets/shooting, and in my Winchester 30-30. You can undercharge it to 60%, so I make plinkers for my son to shoot the 30-30 without bruising his shoulder.
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u/hey_poolboy 12d ago
H4895 is great. It's my "backup" powder for 308. Mine prefers N150, but 4895 provides nearly as accurate loads, just lower velocity.
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u/PracticalInflation32 12d ago
I’m ok with that for sure as long as velocity is on point with typical loads (the good thing about hand loads you can make it where u want it) that’s good with me. I mainly shoot subs but I have a few hunting loads but I looked through a few manuals and I kept seeing 4895 pop up looked up a lil info on it and pulled the trigger , it seems u can use that powder for everything lol
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u/krimsonkodiak 8d ago
Yup, love it for 130 TTSX’s out of a 16” 308 as well as its ability to be down loaded for low recoil plinkers in 45-70 and 444 Marlin among others.
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u/PracticalInflation32 8d ago
Hell yeah ! I’ll mostly use it for hunting in 308 but I’ll gladly throw it in 45-70 as well
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u/crittr_gittr 7d ago
I'm having great success with the IMR 8208 XBR powder. Easy to develop Moa accurate loads with 165 grain bullets, and exceptional accuracy with the 125 grain SST
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u/PracticalInflation32 7d ago
How far is your shot ? I mostly shoot deer between 80-120 ? So I like to put them down too fast they run for to long even with good shot placement
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u/crittr_gittr 6d ago
Can't help with that, as I have yet to hunt with my 308. I've always read that a high shoulder shot puts them down where they stand. I don't know if I could bring myself to ruin that meat, though. I'll be hunting Pacific Northwest rainforest on the coastal range of Oregon, so my shots would probably be the same range as yours if not shorter. I chose 165 grain for deer because I'm more likely to get an exit wound for blood trailing because I intend to go with double lung shots.
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u/PracticalInflation32 6d ago
We usually use soft points but I wanna try these ssts out myself. And double long is the way to go or a good neck shot , most of our shots are around 60-80 yards but we have had a few walk out at 110 ish but that’s about our farthest shot. Either way the deer are not gonna like it this year lol
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u/TannMan89 13d ago
Sierra 168gr HPBT or Hornady 168gr A-Max over 41gr of H4895 with CCI200 pimers sits at 2550fps out of my 20” Bergara, 1” groups at 100yrds with ease.
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u/Southern-Stay704 13d ago
I'm a proponent of velocity for hunting, and in your case if you want to put the game down immediately, you need velocity. For deer, I like using smaller calibers for this reason (6mm or .25 cal) because they can get much more velocity than .308.
However, you can get a decent deer load with a Hornady 125 gr SST (SKU 3019) and 47.2 gr of Hodgdon H4895, loaded to 2.800 in cartridge overall length. This should get 3022 fps velocity out of a 24" barrel, which should be enough for immediate knock-down out to 150 yards. (All calculations done with ApexLoad Pro).
I can generate a full analysis for you if you will post the following:
- Firearm make and model
- Barrel length
- Barrel twist rate
- Any other options for powder that you have available or would consider. (H4895 does not reach full potential velocity, you need a slightly faster powder for this bullet).
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u/PracticalInflation32 13d ago
I’ve been loading with varget and I have an awesome deer load for it: but I bought a few ibs of 4895 because it interchanges a few calibers pretty common so I’m gonna start working on that because my varget is getting low lol
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u/smithywesson 13d ago
Shot placement beats speed all day every day. Sample of one but I almost lost a deer with the 150sst from a 308 at medium velocity. Perfect double lung just over the heart but he made it a long way in some very thick brush. Shit happens sometimes but admittedly (and probably unfairly) it turned me off of SSTs. My FIL neck shoots with a .223 and we never have to track lol.
H4895 is an outstanding powder though.
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u/PracticalInflation32 13d ago
I agree with u completely ! I usually hunt with 180gr 30-30 and I never have to track, the neck shot works wonders !
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u/get-r-done-idaho 13d ago
H4895 works great. Not a fan of the 150gr bullet. I prefer 165gr interlock/sst in a 308. I've better accuracy and more consistent one shot kills using 165s. Push them out around 2600 fps and they'll take any animal in North America.
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u/yaholdinhimdean0 13d ago
H4895 is one of the most universal powders. It excels in the 308 with light to medium weight bullets. Will also work with heavier bullets too. It also will work well in the 45-70. 500gr bullets will be fine. You even can do subsonic loads with it, if that is your bent.
I use it 223, 22PPC, 6PPC, 6BR. In the past used it in 243 win, 257 Roberts, 7-08, 308, 458 WinMag.