You realize there are a lot of other choices, don't you? There's the original IMR 4350, AA 4350, RL-17, and IMR 4451. (The latter was introduced by Hodgdon via the Canadian IMR facility to replace H4350 due to difficulty obtaining it from ADI.)
Well, you and I are both correct on this. I did some research.
In the opening days of World War II, a chemist friend of Bruce E. Hodgdon was casually reminiscing about World War I. He mentioned the quantities of surplus smokeless powder the military had dumped at sea after the war; and speculated how useful that would have been to handloaders struggling through the Great Depression. He anticipated a similar surplus powder situation might occur after World War II. Hodgdon began investigating availability of surplus powder when the war ended; and sales to handloaders began in 1946. One of the first powders he found was 4895 used for loading .30-06 Springfield service ammunition. In 1947, he began acquisition of 80 tons of spherical powder salvaged from disassembled .303 British military rifle cartridges manufactured in the United States. By 1949, he was marketing the powder as BL type C. The C was to indicate the powder burned "cooler" than traditional Improved Military Rifle (IMR) powders.[2] In 1949, he began acquisition of powder salvaged from disassembled Oerlikon 20mm cannon cartridges. This powder resembled IMR 4350 in appearance, and with a slower burning rate, was initially marketed as "4350 Data", and later as 4831.[3]
United States powder manufacturers had discontinued production of sporting ammunition during World War II; and after the war attempted to exercise greater product safety control by emphasizing sales of loaded ammunition rather than resuming production of handloading components.[4] A common approach to product safety involved offering ammunition safe for use in the oldest or weakest firearm chambered for that cartridge. Owners of stronger firearms found and experimented with Hodgdon's previously unknown powders to achieve ballistics superior to available factory ammunition for older cartridges like the 7.92×57mm Mauser.[5] Long-range shooters found 4831 was superior to previously available powders for high-capacity bottle-necked cases.[6]
History[edit]
United States powder manufacturers resumed powder sales of one-pound (454 gram) canisters after observing Hodgdon's successful sales to handloaders. DuPont resumed retail distribution of their pre-war nitrocellulose Improved Military Rifle (IMR) series; and Hercules Powder Company resumed production of six of their pre-war double-base powders. Hodgdon Powder Company began using an H-prefix to differentiate powders distributed by Hodgdon from competitors. Surplus Vulcan cannon spherical powder was distributed as H870 beginning in 1959.[7]
All of the surplus BL type C had been sold by 1961. Olin Corporation had manufactured the powder as 846, and continued production for loading 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges.[2]Hodgdon began marketing post-war production as spherical BL-C lot no. 2, or BL-C(2). Olin began retail distribution of Winchester-Western ball powders for pistol and shotgun loading in 1960; and Winchester-Western rifle ball powders followed in 1968.[5] Hodgdon distributed spherical powders HS-5 and HS-6 for shotguns and H110, H335, H380, H414, and H450 for rifles.[8]
DuPont added IMR 4895 to their retail distribution line in 1962, and added IMR 4831 in 1973 when supplies of surplus H4831 were exhausted.[9] Hodgdon then acquired newly manufactured H4831 from Nobel Enterprises in Scotland. The Nobel formulations offer similar ballistic performance, but substitute centralite deterrent coatings for dinitrotoluene used in United States formulations.[5] Handloaders were advised H-prefix powders were not the same as IMR-prefix powders of the same number.[3] Hodgdon distributed H4198 and H4227 similar to IMR powders distributed by DuPont.[8]
No, we're not "both correct." IMR 4350 was never sold under anything but the IMR banner and Wikipedia is hardly "research."
P.S. Your H4831 lineage is also wrong. 4831 began as a surplus powder, as indicated by your Wikipedia reference, but it was never known as H4831 until the surplus powder was exhausted; it was simply 4831. Not IMR or H-, just 4831. It was at that point that Hodgdon contracted to have a version manufactured and DuPont created a new version as well. At that point there was an IMR 4831 and an H4831, with Hodgdon's version (allegedly) closer in specification to the original 4831 surplus.
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Ok, its something we agree to disagree about. Carry on.
You realize that IMR 4350 was never sold under the Hodgdon banner, don't you? That point seems to be escaping you.
H&H had some when I was there today.
Gene Sears in El Reno has H4350 today.
