Hogdon H1000 availability

[GT3_richy]

I realise this is not REACH compliant and will be gone in due course, but is there much/any of it floating about still currently?

Anyone happen to know of a stash?

Also - Reloder 26, this doesn't appear to be for sale anywhere that I can see, 25 and 33 common place, 26...nope, is there a reason for this?

Cheers,
Rich

[Laurie]

Re26 is made for Alliant ATK by Nitrochemie in Switzerland, ie the manufacturer of Reload Swiss powders, presumably to Alliant's specifications. There is as yet no RS branded version of the powder.

We will only ever get Re26 as and when it is released here as an RS grade, just as Re17 is no longer imported to Europe which uses RS60 instead, the pair being the same thing and both made by Nitrochemie.

As to why Nitrochemie hasn't released the Re26 base product here under its own name? ................    ............ well, who knows?

Possible reasons might be:

Alliant will take 100% of Nitrochemie's output and is able to sell it all in the USA making it unwilling to see any diverted elsewhere. Part of its contract with the manufacturer may be that it cannot be sold elsewhere as long as Alliant will take agreed tonnages per year. With Hodgdon dominating US sales and there still being recurrent shortages of VarGet, H4350, and H4831 in the US such is the demand for them, Alliant no doubt sees every suitable tool in its bag that offers an advantage against Hodgdon as vital to keep its brand prospering - or even surviving! - and no doubt about it, Re26 is one of its most successful recent introductions, if not the most successful.

Or ...... Nitrochemie may feel that its European Reload Swiss range is adequate and/or struggles to meet demand as things stand. The latter wouldn't surprise me with Reach implementation imminent removing great chunks of supply from the market and the Reach effects have still to feed through fully. (Or maybe they've barely fed through at all - not everybody who handloads is on forums or reads shooting mags. I bet there will still be innocent souls turning up at their local gunshop in two or three years time and saying: "......... and add two tins each of VarGet and H4350.")

Introducing a new product at a time when you're using 100% of your plant capacity making existing ones is a poor corporate and marketing strategy.

The people who might have some insight are at the UK importer. An email there might or might not elicit some information.

http://www.propellants.co.uk/contact-us.html

[GT3_richy]

Many thanks Laurie, the proverbial fountain of knowledge as usual.

[Laurie]

It's not only Re26. Unless there is something I've missed, the last new Alliant powder that the company bothered to obtain CE certification for was Re17 sometime around 2009 (in its pre Reload Swiss days).

Since then Alliant has introduced three European manufactured propellants in addition and prior to Re26, which by definition will be Reach compliant, but has shown no interest in getting EU import certification despite requests from Edgar Brothers which is not only our importer, but also that for the rest of Europe.

AR-Comp introduced c.2011, a modified slightly faster burning version of Re15 which is said to be one of the least temperature affected powders around. It is a head-on competitor to H. VarGet. Manufactured by Bofors in Sweden.

Re16 another Bofors product using new technology to reduce temperature sensitivity (and it apparently works - independent tests show it is at least as good as equivalent Hodgdon grades, possibly better) and a head-on competitor to H4350 and IMR-4451. On sale in US gunshops since mid 2016 and with growing popularity among users of cartridges such as 6.5 Creedmoor.

Re23, announced in 2014, but like Re16 not widely available in US gunshops until 2016. This is also a new generation Bofors manufactured powder with a similar burning speed to Re22, but like Re16 and AR-Comp, it is largely temperature unaffected. As we are  much less affected than our American cousins by large temperature changes, its absence here is of less concern as we have Re22 and (I'm told) Bofors manufactured Norma MRP available, neither the same thing as Re23, but all three doing a similar job in the same group of cartridges.

All of these new Bofors manufactured grades have other enhancements, primarily anti-copper fouling agents in the formulation.

I can understand Alliant ATK not bothering to introduce AR-Comp and Re16 in Europe, even if I can hardly say I'm happy about it. As direct (and reportedly, very competent) competitors to H. VarGet and H4350 respectively, and being as good as or even better than the Hodgdon / ADI varieties in resisting temperature changes, it finally gives Alliant ATK credible products in two key powder burn rate segments for the US market, moreover at a time when Hodgdon has been often unable to supply demand. The temperature sensitivity issue has become so toxic in North America that many handloaders won't consider Re15, 19, 22, or 25, and the word getting around that the US Army demanded a change away from the (Re15) propellant in the M118LR 7.62 sniper round a few years ago after pressure problems in Iraqi and Afghan summer conditions didn't help much either.

[6mmBR]

I have 3-4 tubs of H1000 kicking about if that's any good?

[Bianchi]

13 hours ago, Laurie said:

Re26 is made for Alliant ATK by Nitrochemie in Switzerland, ie the manufacturer of Reload Swiss powders, presumably to Alliant's specifications. There is as yet no RS branded version of the powder.

We will only ever get Re26 as and when it is released here as an RS grade, just as Re17 is no longer imported to Europe which uses RS60 instead, the pair being the same thing and both made by Nitrochemie.

As to why Nitrochemie hasn't released the Re26 base product here under its own name? ................    ............ well, who knows?

That could tie in with what was mentioned at the RS booth during this year’s IWA. A new Reload Swiss-branded powder is in the proverbial pipeline and will be marketed as RS76. At least mathematically, it should fit in somewhere between RS70 and RS80 along with H1000 and Re26, amongst others . 

[GT3_richy]

14 hours ago, 6mmBR said:

I have 3-4 tubs of H1000 kicking about if that's any good?

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