Hello
I have 6 pounds of 7625. I've never used 7625 and thus don't have an opinion or favorite load. I'm trying to decide if I should keep it or trade it for a powder I know about. I load 9mm, 45 acp and 38 spl., all light target loads using plated RN. With the 6 pounds I have I could make a lot of ammo but once it's gone, well that's it. So if anyone has an opinion feel free to express it. Thanks in advance.

Howdy Thomas, I scored 2# last summer only to find out later that IMR will no longer produce it. I really like it under cast 147gr TC Poly coated bullets...but I'm shooting out of a Marlin Camp 9 carbine. If I have 6#s I'd be very happy.

Enjoy...

I haven't loaded 7625 in some time but I looked up some of my loads and it appears I loaded it 4.5 gr in 9mm with a 124 gr RN plated bullet. As I remember it loaded and shot just fine, no problems at all.

I like 7625 for 9mm, it works well at the heavier end of the load. Many competition shooters use it for loading Major power factor. It's too bad that it's being discontinued but there are other powders that I like better (wider application). I've got an 8# jug that I'm hoarding in case I can't find my more preferred powders (Autocomp and CFE Pistol).

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Minimize the variables

Wideners had 4# jugs of it yesterday--gone today. I had posted a notice in the DAILY Notices thread.

I have happily used it in 158-gr .38 Spl +P(+?) loadings that are no longer listed and for higher-pressure .45 ACP loads that are no longer listed. They worked great for me.

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Now go make God proud...

Love it for 124gr 9mm.... Wish I could find a few jugs for the future...

It's a great powder for semi auto loads and meters superbly. However I found it to be EXTREMELY position sensitive in moderate pressure 38 special loads. Due to the cancellation notice put out by Hodgdon's I've spent the past two years stocking up and probably have enough on hand to last me for 5 years or a bit more. Because to me it seems to produced a somewhat softer recoil impulse and less muzzle flip than something like Unique.

I developed some accurate 9mm and .38 Special loads with SR7625 twenty-five or more years ago, but never bought any more when I used up my supply. With a little experimentation, other powders will provide comparable results and may be more versatile. It shouldn't be missed.

It is my 9mm load - 4.8 grains behind a RMR 115 plated or Sierra 115 JHP bullet. You are good to go

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Webfarmer

I used a lot of it in 38Sp back when.
Then I switched to Red dot for some reason,,probably availability,price,,somebody gave me some,,what ever,,

Never had any complaints about the 7625 in 38SP when I did use it though. But I'm easy to please. Cast SWC at moderate vel was the ticket at the time.

It's a very popular shotgun powder for 12ga (and 10ga) for use in making up low pressure loads now.
People loading for vintage shotguns and those with damascus bbls use it quite often as there are loads listed w/psi in the 4K to 6K rating in 12ga right out of the book.
Some say it's sensitive to cold temps in the shotshell loadings (below 20F or so) but I never had any problems with it.

Shooting composite structure bbl'd guns is a decision you have to make all on your own and the debate is forever on going.
But the low breech pressure shot loads that can be made up with 7625 are certainly there.
The powder meters nicely too.

A shooter/reloader of vintage shotgun(s) would certainly want the powder if you decided to part with it.

There are plenty of good 'pistol' powders around.
Finding any in stock is the problem of late of course.,,,the 7625 you have 'in hand' and it works.
A sure advantage at this point!

7625 is favorite 9mm powder for 115 grain target loads. It has been extremely accurate at the upper end of it's currently listed charges.

Seems they are charging a premium for it now, when available. When I run out will switch, instead of paying the premium. Lots of good powders for the 9mm.

Thank you for all of the well reasoned responses. I guess I will keep it and use it. I also load 38Spl. in addition to 9mm.

I use it in my short 10ga. SXS and it works great. I will take your word for the below 20F because I am not going to be out in that kind of weather. Larry

My favorite powder for 9mm, 115 & 124 gr. In my testing with .38 spl I was not impressed.
Jim

I'm a new reloader and bought 2 pounds of 7625 last year. Just started using it. I was using red dot for 38 special and only started loading 9MM last month. I am SUPER impressed with the 7625. Meters dead on to the grain every time. I weigh every charge so I know. I am using the free 115 grain Hornady XTP bullets that I got with the press, and I loaded 18 rounds each of 4.5, 4.6, and 4.7 grains. Manual calls for a max charge of 4.9. All 54 bullets I loaded worked great in three different guns. I've settled in 4.6 grains until I run out of the XTP bullets. I'll reevaluate when I buy the fmj rounds next.

I have a pound of HP38, which I also heard is good. But I am so happy with 7625 that I will not be switching from it until it is all gone.

I just recently started to work up a 38 spl. load using SR-7625 under a 158 grain .358 LSWC for my GP100. I am just below the max charge weight listed in the Hodgdon Load Data Center and I am getting a lot of unburned powder left in the case so the verdict is still out on this powder for me. It is working very well otherwise.

I do NOT recommend SR7626 for use in 38 special because my testing showed it to be EXTREMELY Position Sensitive. A while back I worked up a 38 special load featuring a 4.8 grain charge and a 125 grain Rainier plated bullet and the load was distinctly accurate. However, the recoil was so light that it felt like I was shooting a model 18 instead of my model 67. In addition the muzzle report sounded a lot like a 22 caliber model 18.

Because of this I got out the chronograph and did some testing for position sensitivity, which is something a Range Officer flat out doesn't like to see a shooter doing. Because that testing require the handgun to be manipulated with the barrel pointed either straight down or straight up. However, by discussing this ahead of time and allowing a RO at my elbow to insure my trigger was never contacted during those manipulations I was able to do this testing. Procedure is to point the barrel straight down, lightly tap the closed cylinder, then gently level the pistol and fire a shot over the chronograph. Then point the barrel straight up, lightly tap the cylinder, then gently level the pistol and fire a shot over the chronograph. Average velocity for the barrel down pre positioning was 400 feet per second. Average velocity for the barrel up pre positioning was 700 feet per second. That is a 300 feet per second swing in produced velocity all determined by how the revolver was pointed prior to shooting.

Since my normal practice when loading a revolver is to have the barrel pointed down nd then closing the cylinder it's no wonder why my model 67 suddenly started to feel like a 22 caliber model 18. With a produced velocity of only 400 feet per second it's actually a bit lucky I didn't have one of those plated bullets squib in my barrel. After those tests I stopped trying to use SR7625 in my 38 special loads and now use Vihtavouri 3N37 which has tested to have no measurable Position Sensitivity. BTW, I also tested SR7625 in my 40 S&W and 45 ACP loads with SR7625 and in these did not observe any issues with Position Sensitivity.

So I expect the problem is due to that tiny 4.8 grain charge way down at the bottom of the long 38 special case. Possible fixes for this issue would be some type of inert wadding to isolate the charge near the primer, using a 38 Short Colt case in a 38 special, or possibly using a Magnum primer. However, there are so many alternates to SR7625 for loading a 38 special I see no need to adopt special measures to try and do a force fit to get this powder to work.

I use it a lot in .38 super. I will miss it when it goes.

Thanks for the info scooter123. I have been researching SR7625 on the internet for the past couple of days and early this morning I ran into several posts by you describing the position sensitivity of it and I am definitely going to look for alternative powders. I would prefer HP38/231 but it is a little scarce at the moment. Right now the only other powder I have available is SR4756. I also load .45 auto and have been using the 4756 for it and it has worked well in that application. From what I understand the SR4756 is a decent powder for 38 spl. I have a couple of pounds of it and I am going to change over to it for my 38 spl. loads. I have a lot of the SR7625 but it will not go to waste. I will just work up a load for my 45 auto. More on topic (sorry to the OP for the hijack). I noticed that after I reached 4.0 grains in my ladder tests with the 7625 I started to see pressure signs with the primers flattening out. Not on every round mind you but a few here and there. I tend to think this happened because of the powders position sensitivity. At that point I was leery of increasing the charge weight. The Hodgdon SR7625 load data I was using had a max charge weight of 4.2gr. and I have seen some other printed data as high as 4.5gr.

SR7625 is a great powder for 9mm, I've loaded thousands of rounds with it. It meters wonderfully and burns pretty darn clean with higher powered 9mm loads. I load 124gr Rainer HP & RN pretty much exclusively with occasional XTP runs. I'm really bummed that it's being discontinued. I have about 4# left and should probably start looking for another 8# sometime soon.

Like swamprabbit, I found it to be less than ideal when used for 38 secial. It's extremely position sensitive and leaves a lot of unburned powder. Again, it works well with high power/pressure loads. A category that 38 special does not fall into. Red Dot has worked quite well for this caliber, especially for short barrel configurations.