H110 Heads Up!!!

[Scoots]

I've been having a devil of a time finding ANY powder in my area! I stopped in at the Sportsman's Warehouse nearest me to see what they might have. Unfortunately, I can only make it on a weekend, and they get their order on Tuesday, so once again they were picked over pretty clean on powder and bullets (I did grab 1 box of Sierra 220gr. RN's - that's all they had).

I spoke with the fellow behind the gun counter, who has a LOT of reloading experience. Unfortnately again, no Ramshot Enforcer, Accurate #4100 or #9, or VihtaVuori N110. He asked what I loaded for and what powder I was currently using.

I said that I reloaded for a 300 Whisper and used Hodgdon H110. He was familiar with the Whisper and told me the following experience that he and some fellow gun club members had with H110:

He and 4 other fellows had made up quite a number of loads for their handguns using H110. It was summer in the central Oregon desert, all loads were chronographed and shooting well, but when the temp went above 90 degrees all sorts of problems developed. The kind of problems that are associated with excessive pressure, resulting in 3 handguns blowing up. None of them use H110 anymore.

The fellow got on the telephone and found some Accurate #9 for me at the SW in Vancouver - they only had 1 pound left and I bought it.

I'll only be shooting the H110 I have left during cooler temps.

[JFettig]

Sounds like a bunch of idiots..

If you blew up one handgun would you go onto the second to blow that one up too? Let alone a third?

Develop your loads for the temperature your shooting them at.

Jon

[Artful]

Actually I gave up using H110 due to pressure swings due to temp changes.
It's a powder you have to watch carefully.

[320pf]

I have also found that H110 to temperature sensitive. I have replaced my H110 loads with W296 and have been very happy with the results.

Nineteens grain of W296 pushing a 125 grain Sierra Pro-hunter is listed as a maximum load for the 300 Whisper in the Sierra Reloading Manual. I have had great success with this load. Typically, I get 2230 ±6 fps with this load and can shoot dime size groups all day long.

320pf

[Scoots]

Thanks for the info.

I also do a lot of shooting in the Oregon high desert. Temps can be in the low 40's at night to over 100 degrees during the day in summer - a lot like Nevada. In fact, my favorite place to shoot is a couple of miles from the Nevada border and it's usually in the summer when I'm down there.

I don't know all of the details on the "exploded guns" regarding loads, guns, and who did what, I just relayed what the guy in charge of the reloading section of Sportsman's Warehouse spoke of regarding H110.

Check out this link regarding H110 and W296:
http://reloadersnest.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8666

[320pf]

I have been told that H110 and W296 are the same powders as well. But I can tell you that after shoot about 5 different lots os W296 and 3 different lots of H110. W296 is a more consistent powder all the way around. I get more consistent velocities both inter-lot and intra-lot. Also W296 seem to be less temp. sensitive than H110.

I have also shot about 5lbs of Lil'Gun through my 300-221 Fireball guns. Lil'Gun will usually give you slighter higher velocities but not as consistent velocities.

320pf

[Scoots]

Originally Posted by 320pf

I have been told that H110 and W296 are the same powders as well. But I can tell you that after shoot about 5 different lots os W296 and 3 different lots of H110. W296 is a more consistent powder all the way around. I get more consistent velocities both inter-lot and intra-lot. Also W296 seem to be less temp. sensitive than H110.
320pf

Thanks for the good info on W296 - that's a powder that I can actually find!

What's your favorite load of W296 with 200gr & 220gr bullets?