Hodgdon "disappears" 800X for 357Mag

Register to hide this ad
I had heard very unofficially that 800X was being discontinued but that's not something I would take as gospel. OR perhaps Hodgdon's/IMR/Winchester Powders now offer so many better powders for that caliber that they no longer suggest 800X. OR perhaps they changed its formulation and it no longer is suitable for that caliber.

You could always address your concern to Hodgdon's for the real reason.

Ed
 
My main use of the 800 powder was for steel shotgun loads and +P 38 special loads. It was quite bulky and did not flow well through my powder thrower as the smaller dia. powders and was quite dirty at loads under medium fps, for me.

Herco might be a replacement but it might be on the list next since it is not ever mentioned by many modern loaders.
 
800X is a bit of a PITA in that it doesn't meter well . All that said it does produce some pretty accurate loads in my experience . I shoot 8.0grs with a Lyman 358429 Keith bullet in 357 , 8.2 was too hot & showed flattened primers & firing pin bushing imprints on caseheads . 7.5grs same bullet shoots real well in my pre 23 ODM .
 
AveragEd said:
I had heard very unofficially that 800X was being discontinued but that's not something I would take as gospel. OR perhaps Hodgdon's/IMR/Winchester Powders now offer so many better powders for that caliber that they no longer suggest 800X. OR perhaps they changed its formulation and it no longer is suitable for that caliber.

You could always address your concern to Hodgdon's for the real reason.

Ed
Click to expand...
Ed, They still list same loads for same bullets in 380.10mm,and 44Magnum so it couldn't have changed much. perhaps a call to Hodgdon is in order. - thanks
 
Have used IMR 800X from the beginning, since I first reloaded for 41 magnum. Used for all my handgun loads except 500S&W-- glad I have my supply. :)
 
I fiind the fact that they list 700X for .357 Mag and NOT any 800X to be really weird. If they eliminated 800X because they were discontinuing it, they would have eliminated 700X also.
Best to do is look to older reloading manuals or call Hodgdon.
 
Changing published load data is one reason I always print or copy the source and put it in my load book along with my actual tested load.

When I go back to a load I have used in a long time, I can see immediately where I got the starting and/or max load from.

Before I started doing this, sometimes I'd go back to my notes and wonder how or where I came up with what I did because I couldn't find anything similar anymore.
 
I went through almost all of my reloading library to see if I could find load data with 800x powder in .357 Magnum. The only manual that I found with data was Speer's Reloading Manual #11. They have nothing in their 10th edition or 13th. Did not see any load data in the 7 Lyman manuals I own or the 5 Hornady manuals, nothing in either Sierra binder, nor anything in my Nosler manual. So the Speer #11 might be a good edition to your library if you enjoy using 800x in .357 Magnum.

Looks like there are several on eBay & Amazon with prices ranging between $10-$20. Oh probably should tell you the manual has load data with 800x on the following bullets: 158gr SWC, 110gr SP/HP, 140gr HP, 158gr SP/HP, Silhouette loads for 180gr TMJ, and for Thompson Contender 200gr TMJ.
 
Last edited:
As mentioned 800X does not meter well. It may not be as popular so manuals may not list it because of that fact. Hope Hodgdon does not discontinue it.
Very true that 700X and 800X are sometimes all that was on the shelves.

wyo-man
 
I've noticed they don't list any 357 data either. Though I'm not sure if they used to? They have listed at least some of the IMR data in their reloading center. There are other publications that list 800x as suitable for the 357 though.

To read forums, maybe they no longer provide load data for "hard to meter" powders... :rolleyes:

FYI, you can find the IMR data here:

http://www.imrpowder.com/data/handgun/357mag.php
http://www.imrpowder.com/data/handgun/38spec.php

Also Nosler lists it:
357 Magnum Load Data
 
wyo-man said:
As mentioned 800X does not meter well. It may not be as popular so manuals may not list it because of that fact. Hope Hodgdon does not discontinue it.
Very true that 700X and 800X are sometimes all that was on the shelves.

wyo-man[/QUOTE For the last year or so those two ,along with Titegroup, are the most consistently available Hodgdon brands. Lee's Auto-Disk measures the large flake powders pretty well.
Click to expand...
 
Pretty hard to double charge almost any of those published loads with 800-X in my experience. Since I still either hand weigh with a balance beam scale or use the Hornady L-n-L Autocharge (actually really just an automatic powder trickler cum electronic scale) I have no problem with the way it "flows".

I was advised that one of their (older IMR data) hottest loads for 357 Mag (10.9 GR 800-X with a Hornady XTP 110 GR) was actually removed years ago. When one sees what Hodgdons shows for H110 & WIN 296 (@ 400+ EXTRA fps!) one might wonder "Why?"

Cheers!

p.s. Still one of my favorite powder for multiple calibers: 380 ACP through 44 Mag...
 
Last edited:
Again, I ask the question....

If so many of these old formulas are being shelved, and there are new powders that will do an equal or better job cleaner, with less flash, smoke and meterability, WHAT AND WHERE ARE THEY???
 
Last edited:
Unless proven otherwise......

Unless proven otherwise, like Speer's No. 8 manual, I consider all of my old load data to be good. It worked before, it should work now. All of my guns are modern and in good shape. There's no reason why I should cut back on a load that works for me. If I come across an old gun, I'll keep it in the low, or even lowest range.
 
I have no problems with 800-X. It works with the data supplied but.........

Be careful with maximum loads.
I had a load that gave just 1050fps with a 125gr JHP out of a old M19 6" barrel.
That same load out of my M49 J frame snub nose hit 952 fps !!
This is a K frame load.

In the future that data in the J frame will be reduced by .4 grs. for a maximum loading.

Have fun and stay safe.
 
800X is my go to powder for my .41 .
8 grains with a high quality cast 210g SWC yields extremely accurate light loads for my M57 6".
Going up to 10g is OK and packs a wallop at both ends. I hope they don't discontinue it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

G
Hodgdon Rant
Replies
9
Views
1K
scooter123
S
H Richard
Hodgdon "Perfect Pattern" shotgun powder
Replies
9
Views
1K
H Richard
H Richard
J
Hodgdon HP-38 powder
2 3
Replies
49
Views
7K
geeollie
G
colt_saa
2024 Hodgdon Annual Manual is available
Replies
9
Views
2K
6string
6string
S
Hodgdon's UNIVERSAL
2
Replies
29
Views
3K
sniper
S

Latest posts

Back
Top