Chose of powder for 6.5-284

[Laurie]

I can understand why people are using H100V in the US - it gives higher MVs than any other IMR / Hodgdon powder in the cartridge if you go onto Hodgdon's website and select its online 'Reloading Data Center' facility, nearly 200 fps more with a 142gn SMK than H4350 for instance.

 

For those unfamiliar with the powder, which means most people in the UK, it was introduced around five years ago, and has been available here at least some of that time. It may well still be available if you hunt around due its low profile hence somewhat lower demand than for the old favourites like H4350 and H4831.

 

The powder isn't an 'Extreme' stick type as made for Hodgdon by ADI in Australia, rather it's a modified or 'hybrid' ball type made by the St. Marks Powder Co. in Florida which supplies other Hodgdon ball numbers - H380, B-LC(2), H414/W760 and suchlike. It's called 'Hybrid' as it is made using ball powder technology, but is somehow formed into an elongated shape making it a short stick with rounded ends. Hodgdon claims it meters beautifully in conventional mechanical measures, but I found that wasn't always so when I ran a series of comparative tests on half a dozen meaures three years ago. Some makes / models of measure did well with it, others poorly.

 

Anyway, being a modified ball basically, it's double-base (nitroglycerine in the base ingredient mix) with all this type's pluses and minuses - more energy = higher MVs; more energy = shorter barrel life if used fully. Burning rate wise, it's said to be (1) close to H4350, (2) between H4350 and H4831 depending on source. It is obviously well suited to 6.5-284 as it produces exceptionally high MVs within allowable pressures. I've used it in a few sample loadings in 6.5mm Hornady Creedmoor where it performed well. As with a lot of ball type powders, it appeared to need to be run at full or nearly full pressures to perform at its best. It burns a bit dirty with charges below maximum loads.

 

While I'm sure it'll do well, I doubt if it'll achieve anything that you can't get from other double-based or high-energy types - Viht N560, Ramshot Hunter / Magnum, Re22/25, Re17/Elcho 17 some of which are more widely available here and cheaper.