Has anyone ever used Hodgdon H240?

[DWalt]

Hodgdon H240 is an obsolete powder and it was around in, I think, the 1960s. There is a little reloading data for it to be found in some of the old Lyman handbooks. It appears to fall somewhere between Blue Dot and 2400 in burning rate.

I came into a can of it 5 or 6 years ago, and have used it a little for some .38 Super, .38 Special, and .357 loads. However, the MV variance is something to behold, and I imagine that is the reason it did not survive. A .357 Magnum load of 10 grains behind a 158 grain lead SWC I recently tested gave an average MV (6" barrel) of 1120 ft/sec, but with extremes of 756 ft/sec to 1220 ft/sec. for 10 shots. Has anyone else had experience with it?

 

[steveno]

I can't find any data on H-240 right now but if you say the burn rate is between 2400 and blue dot , 10 grains of powder seems like a mild charge for the powder. 2400 would use about 14 grains of powder with the 158 grain bullet. I think the 10 grains of powder isn't taking up as much space as it should and that is causing the wide spread.

 

[steveno]

I have looked at Phil Sharpe's loading manual and some Lyman manuals that are over 60 years old and I don't see any mention of using H-240 in any 357 magnum load. I have seen a can of the H-240 powder but it seems strange that in these old manuals I don't see it mentioned at all. I think it may be time to throw it on the grass.

 

[125JHP]

Lyman #43 (1964) lists 5 357 Mag loads with H240, in their cast bullet section.
125 LRN Min 11.0 @ 1240 and Max 16.0 @ 1710fps
148 WC 11.0 to 15.0 (1665fps)
158 LSWC 11.0 to 14.0 (1530fps)
165 LFN 10.0 to 13.5 (1475fps)
200 LFP 9.5gr to 11.5 (1010fps)

of course all common sense and work it up yourself caveats apply to this old data.
I recall seeing other loads for it but don't copy them into my load sheet because its obsolete and rarely found these days.

Their description for that powder in the front of the book reads:

"A fine grained powder intended for small capacity rifle cartridges and for reduced loads, or for cast bullets in larger capacity rifle cartridges."
I see H240 listed frequently in the Rifle cast bullet data section but not under pistol loads except for 357 Mag, 44Spl & 44 Mag.

As for burn rate, they place it in the following order...
Bullseye
5066
Unique
Win 230
H240
2400
4759

ps - those look like some incredibly high velocities for lead - I wouldn't expect anything near what they show and would be careful approaching the max loads too. The 60's were known for all kinds of excesses.

 

[DWalt]

Good information. I have one old Lyman handbook that gives a few loads for various rifle and handgun loads using H240, but no discussion about the propellant. I may increase the load in the .357 up to 12 grains with a 158 grain bullet and see if it decreases the MV variability. The 10 grain load I used in the .357 was a top load given in an old Lyman handbook for .38 Special and a 158 grain cast bullet. That handbook did not show any loads for the .357, so I just used the top load given for .38 Special.

My old can of H240 shows no signs of deterioration. And In fact, I have used lots of ancient propellants over the years to good effect. The only propellant deterioration I have ever experienced was with some WWII-surplus 4831 that decomposed into a fine rusty powder that would barely burn.

 

[Jim Watson]

Years and years ago, I saw a can of H240 on the store shelf and bought it at a long out of date price.
It was HOT.
Starting loads above gave sticky extraction.

It was in a fiberboard can, I think it had dried out; all solvents and moisture gone, nothing but nitro left. Therefore a lot of energy per grain.

I backed off some more and used it up, but it is not something I would care to repeat.

 

[Alk8944]

H-240 hasn't been available for over 40 years, probably 50. It is just a bit slower than 2400. Used a lot of it back in the 60s. You can use 2400 data plus 10%. Naturally, due to the age of the powder and unknown storage conditions you should start below 2400 starting loads and work up cautiously.

I believe I still have Hodgdon, Ackley, and possibly Lyman data if you want anything specific.

Can't say anything about consistency, no one had a chronograph back then!

This is one of two propellants I wish was still available, the other is Hi-Vel #2.

 

[DWalt]

"all solvents and moisture gone"

There should not be any water or solvents in smokeless propellant when it leaves the factory. The final part of the manufacturing operation is the removal of water and solvents. Of course, slight traces of both will always remain.

Re HiVel #2 - It is a great propellant. 7 or 8 years ago I got 5-1 Lb cans cheap, and I hoard it. I use it only for loading .30 Remington and .300 Savage cartridges for use in my Remington Model 81 rifles in those calibers. Mainly to be historically correct. IMR 3031, which is a single-base propellant, is very similar, grain for grain, to HV #2. Some of the older reloading manuals show this. Seldom are loads more than a grain apart. HV #2 was a long-time favorite for match shooters using .30-'06 target rifles. The only problem is that it is a double-base propellant and burns hotter than single base, so is more abusive to barrels. But a little use won't hurt.

 

[WDF]

I just shot up a box of 160 grain loads, loaded some time ago, with 8.1 grains of H240. Worked great in my 1949 (pre +P rated) K model 38 Masterpiece. Down to about a half can left and plan to use it up with similar load. Hodgdon's manual (no date on it but from about 60's if you consider 13 8-1/2X11 pages a "manual") lists 150 gr bullets with 8gr/792 fps, 9 gr/979 fps, 10 gr(strong max)/1054 fps and 160 gr with 9gr(strong max)/1015 fps. Would love to use it if still available. Note to ALK8944, Was a good powder, too bad it (and my supply) is gone, and Hi-Vel #2 was Wonderful for my 30-30 and 250-3000 (now they call it 250 savage). Have sold both so guess I'll have to light charcoal with the Hi-vel. NOTE these are Hodgdon's figures, not recommendations by me. Will be using Bullseye and 231 as available, Red Dot until I can find some now that H240 is gone.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Those ES figures are HUGE !!

I would think there is not enough powder in the case and the primer is shooting its flame across the top of the powder in the case and causing those large ES figures.

Shooting a minimum load of SR 4756 did the same thing to me.
1500 fps with a starting load with a 110gr in a 357 magnum and the top load was also around 1500 fps but with a lot more powder !!

 

[6GUNSONLY]

25 years ago, my next door neighbor was an old handloader and police armorer who taught me a lot about, well, a lot of things... I recall he gave me a pound of H240 and told me to use 2400 data for it in my .44 magnums. I did, and shot it up in pretty short order. It seemed to work fine, but then I didn't have a chrono or anything back then... I remember it was in its original can, but I didn't keep it.

 

[MGren]

Hodgdon H240

I still have an original can of H240. On the back is some loading info:
Caliber. charge. bullet. velocity
22Ht. 6.7 gr. 45 gr. 2170
222. 8.0 gr. 50 gr. 1913
30-06. 17.5 gr. 169 gr. 1739
38 spec. 9.0 gr. 150 gr. no info
44 spec. 16.0 gr. 250 gr. 1189
44 mag. 22 gr. 215 gr. 1526
44 mag. 20 gr. 250 gr. 1509

This powder is adaptable to most rifle cartridges for light lead bullet loads. Also for midrange load.

 

[DWalt]

Several years ago, I ran into some information that H240 was the original propellant used for loading the .30 Carbine. Could well be. Hodgdon’s got its start by buying up surplus propellant from the government and repackaging it for civilian sale.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Hodgdon H240 is an obsolete powder and it was around in, I think, the 1960s. There is a little reloading data for it to be found in some of the old Lyman handbooks. It appears to fall somewhere between Blue Dot and 2400 in burning rate.

I came into a can of it 5 or 6 years ago, and have used it a little for some .38 Super, .38 Special, and .357 loads. However, the MV variance is something to behold, and I imagine that is the reason it did not survive. A .357 Magnum load of 10 grains behind a 158 grain lead SWC I recently tested gave an average MV (6" barrel) of 1120 ft/sec, but with extremes of 756 ft/sec to 1220 ft/sec. for 10 shots. Has anyone else had experience with it?

Just a guess but possibly using a magnum primer might help the powder to burn completely. A stiff crimp won't hurt either if you didn't already do so. Both should help that extreme ES you are finding.

 

[Skeet 028]

I still have a can of H-240. I remember using it in an old Flattop Ruger 44 mag. I have some of the HiVel #2 from a can that was dated in the late 30s. Used and still do in my 30-30 loads. I even have 3 or 4 unopened square cans of it. I not to long ago got 10 lbs of Hodgdon H-108 I think it was. i got loading data for it too. I happen to have an old Hodgdon loading booklet/sheet in a plastic binder from the early/mid 60s with data. If I can find it I will post pics for H240

 

[Green Frog]

Funny you should mention H108, Skeet 028. That was my first Hodgdon powder I started using in the early 2000s just as the supply of it dried up. It was (and still is in some circles) a favorite powder for the Schuetzen crowd. Connecting back to this thread, one range legend about it was that it was from pulled down M1 Carbine ammo. I don’t know how it compares to H-240, though. Just as an aside, there was also a powder released about that same time on the surplus market and referred to by some as Carbine Ball (and maybe WC 240 as well?) that also had the same story attached to it. It’s been a long time since the Korean War so it’s not surprising that these particular surplus powders from that era are disappearing.

The remaining stashes of H108 and the Carbine Ball powders have become much sought after by a wing of the Schuetzen set, but IIRC, H108 was originally touted by Bruce H as the “next best thing” for benchrest.

Froggie

 

[Jiffen]

Hodgdon H240

I used H240 in my Colt Python. It was my favorite load.
That was along time ago, but I believe I loaded at 14 or 16 grains.

 

[mtgianni]

Lyman #43 (1964) lists 5 357 Mag loads with H240, in their cast bullet section.
125 LRN Min 11.0 @ 1240 and Max 16.0 @ 1710fps
148 WC 11.0 to 15.0 (1665fps)
158 LSWC 11.0 to 14.0 (1530fps)
165 LFN 10.0 to 13.5 (1475fps)
200 LFP 9.5gr to 11.5 (1010fps)

of course all common sense and work it up yourself caveats apply to this old data.
I recall seeing other loads for it but don't copy them into my load sheet because its obsolete and rarely found these days.

Their description for that powder in the front of the book reads:

"A fine grained powder intended for small capacity rifle cartridges and for reduced loads, or for cast bullets in larger capacity rifle cartridges."
I see H240 listed frequently in the Rifle cast bullet data section but not under pistol loads except for 357 Mag, 44Spl & 44 Mag.

As for burn rate, they place it in the following order...
Bullseye
5066
Unique
Win 230
H240
2400
4759

ps - those look like some incredibly high velocities for lead - I wouldn't expect anything near what they show and would be careful approaching the max loads too. The 60's were known for all kinds of excesses.

How long af a barrel with the 357 loads? They look typical for a 357 rifle.