H870 Powder

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xminerat

New member
I bought a pound of unopened H870 powder from a friend, and I'm wondering in what calibers anyone has had success with it.

It's slow, and maybe a magnum-only powder. I was going to try it in a 7MM Remington Mag with heavier bullets.

Anyone have any experience with this powder?

Thanks!
 
I have used H870 in a 7mm Remington magnum with 154 grain Hornady bullets or 160 grain Nosler partitions, it is a very good powder in my opinion. I used 78 grains under either bullet and was happy with the groups. When I first tried it I loaded three cartridges,it was my first experience with a compressed load,and thought I don't like this load but I shot them into a one-half inch group at 100 yds, changed my mind and have shot that load ever since. It is a discontinued powder in case you didn't know that.
 
Interesting!

Did you try regular or magnum rifle primers? I'm going to try regular large rifle primers.

My Hodgdon Manual 26th Edition lists only 79 grains of H870 with 154-162 grain bullets. I wonder what their concerns were with lighter powder loads? Possibly detonation?

Thanks Blackhawk43!!
 
I got my data from an older Hornady manual, it listed max at 79.9 if I remember correctly. I have only used CCI large rifle magnum primers, you're lighting quite a bit of powder. I have had good luck selecting a load from the Hornady manual by going half-way between the max load and the next one under it if I am in a hurry, but I would still reccomend starting at least 5% below max and working up by 1% increments.
 
I'm a cautious person, and an even more cautious reloader. I'll start down at least 74 grains with the 154-160 bullets and work up from there. I'm just curious why the Hodgdon Manual listed just one powder charge for this bullet range.

I have some old Hornady Manuals...one as early as 1968 or so...I'll also check out H870 loads in them.

Thanks again, Blackhawk43!!
 
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