I have mentioned in a few posts the use of Mulwex (ADI) powder, which some here do not know, so I thought a quick thread outlining these powders may prove useful. DISCLAIMER: This is my understanding as things stood a few years ago. They may be different now given company mergers and sell offs.
Australian Defence Industries was set up by the Australian government in the late 1980's to take over management of all defence procurement. This included everything from supplying socks to making propellant power, the Australian Steyr AUG rifle, ammunition and all military vehicles including army vehicles and naval ships.
The powder requested buy the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for use in their .223 ammunition was identical to Hodgdon H4227 but with a new powder coating to reduce burning temperature. Made by ADI this powder was sold to civilians under the Mulwex brand as AR (Australian Rifle) 2205. It was also sold to New Zealand Defence Forces as loaded ammunition. For all intents and purposes it was H4227 powder only it metered slightly lower charges per volume due to the powder coating.
When I was sitting up high volume/low burning powder rounds in .38 Special I settled on H4227 in preference to the ADI branded powder, as my perceptions as that it was a bit more accurate in my pistol than AR2205, even if it cost more.
Two other lines of Mulwex powder are produced, AP (Australian Pistol) and AS (Australian Shotgun) although in truth both were the same powder marked differently for the two markets. All powder was manufactured at the Sydney site originally, but as urban creep eventually took it over manufacture was shifted to Bengowa in the Australian state of Victoria.
The AR line expanded for civilian shooters and ADI began to manufacture powder for other brands, including Hodgdon.
ADI was sold off buy the Australian government in the 1990's. Current ownership is a bit clouded for a quick internet search with the French Thales group currently holding a 50% stake in ownership. At one time Hodgdon became involved in the ownership of ADI and it was at that time they decided to stop producing H4227, as the management saw no sense in making two powders that for all purposes are identical. That was a bit of a blow to me as I never really warmed to AR2205. I used AR2205 for a few years and eventually moved to standard low charges of faster powder. Over the last two years I have standardised on Tightgroup for most of my pistol shooting. I still use AR2205 in .357 magnum cases, but at a .38 Special +P charge (10.5 grains), under a 100 grain LFPRN bullet in my Henry Big Boy .357 for Cowboy shooting. Otherwise what I don't load with Tightgroup I load with AP50N (.38 S&W, .32 Auto and a low (130) power factor .45 app load).
While the ADI/Mulwex brand continues to be sold here, in the US it appears it is mainly sold under the Hodgdon brand. I found some online posts from 1994 suggesting that AR2208, the powder I said I wanted to use in 30-30 lead bullet loads, was branded Hodgdon H 1000, so if you do not know these powders by the names I know them as, you probably do know and have used them.
Given the merges between manufacturers over the last decade or two it is likely that some Winchester powders are also made in the ADI production facility in Bengowa, Australia.
Mulwex (ADI) powders
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