Hodgons PB what does it duplicate?

bronco45

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Picked up a 1lb jug of PB but can't remember what powder it duplicates or mimics? Plan to use it in 45ACP. Lost my burn rate chart.

Your help is appreciated!!!
 
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You can go to hodgdon.com or imrpowder.com for answers.
PB is a porous single base wafer, and there is a burn rate chart in most reloading manuals.
I can't suggest to you what it mimics because I would never assume specific powder characteristics based on a burn rate chart.
Sorry.
 
from the ADI web site

AP50N, HP 38, e3, PB, W231,AA 2,N320 are all powder equivalents.

Powder equivalents, ADI Powders Handloaders' Guide

The use of "equivalent" is very misleading. Per their own disclaimer they indicate it's only within a 5" window, and then they add all the other disclaimers regarding powder lots, loading practices etc.

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In short, PB shares a burn rate in the same general class as Win 231/HP-38, E3, AA2, N320, etc, but it does not duplicate those powders and the load data is not equivalent.

PB is just "PB", plain and simple, it is not a repackaged version of something else, as is the case with recently (last 10 years of so) marketed H110/Win 296 and Win 231/HP-38.

Even with H110/Win 296 and Win 231/HP-38, I work up to maximum loads carefully, as the variation in those powders is fairly large for a canister grade powder.
 
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PB is a very bulky powder! When DuPont packaged it, the normal one pound can held only 8 ounces. expect the loads to be light in weight but normal in volume.

Ivan
 
If you are asking just generally what powder PB is similar to the closest in my experience is 700X. Both of them burn just slightly slower than Bullseye. Both were packaged 8 ounces in the normal DuPont 1 pound can, what ever that is worth. Neither are as bulky as Red Dot. Both are little round flat flakes that burn cleaner than Bullseye when loaded to low pressure pistol target loads.

Load data developed specifically for PB is readily available so why not use it?
 
PB is among the oldest powders still marketed.
And it's being discontinued.
So the reverse might be asked.
What can we use instead of PB?
I have used PB for target loads in 44 for decades.
Currently investigating Maxam CSB-1 as a sort of substitute although it is a little slower than PB
and a little faster than universal which I am also looking to replace as it is unavailable.

PB is near the bottom in performance in the 45ACP and gives results similar to Titegroup and WST.
There are many better powders for the 45ACP.
(Not saying it won't work using the data here though) :

Set your sights on pistol reloading data | Hodgdon Reloading
 
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I tried PB for light cast bullet handloads in the 38 spl and 357 mag.
Didn't care for it at all. Very position sensitive, dosen't meter well
and nothing really to recommend it over several other powders. I
think the number of handloaders who will grieve over it's loss will be
very few.
 
You are probably right.
It's obviously not selling well at this point.
I suspect 4756 is going to be missed more.
 
I'll miss SR-7625 a whole lot more. It's nearly ideal in the .32 ACP, metering well and functioning well in the small case with 75-78 grain bullets.
 
I have worked up reduced loads using SR-4759 for every magnum cartridge I own, and even some non-magnums. It will be greatly missed. Luckily, I ran into some surplus pull down a few years back and have 12 lbs. on hand.

PB with a pinch of dacron to hold the powder against the primer is my favorite light 158gr SWC target load in the .38 Special. I figure I have enough to last me a lifetime at 3.6gr. per pop.
 
I am beginning to believe that the CSB-1 grey market powder that is floating around out there is considerable quantity
(I have a few pounds) is very near PB in behavior.

At the Hodgdon site, in the caliber I use it most (44 special) the closest powder to PB is HP38/231.
Oddly enough in terms of fps/grains Trail Boss comes in close too although that isn't going to translate to other cartridges.
 
PB was officially discontinued in January of this year but went out of production almost a year ago. It is sorely missed by trapshooters as it is very soft-shooting yet produces 27-yard velocities. Hodgdon's Clays International and Alliant Green Dot are the powders trapshooters who used PB have adopted.

I tried in my .45ACP target loads but found it very dirty, quite the opposite of how it burns in shotshells. A Hodgdon's rep told me that being slow-burning, you have to load it heavy in handgun cartridges to get away from that and that there are several much better powders for that purpose.

Ed
 
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