WW 295 HP powder

[jwh32]

Have been loading for over 50 years, and have some old stock of primers and powder. Just opened a fresh can of old WW 295 HP, and had the factory data sheet that came with it. Loaded 40 rounds of 38 spec with 295 HP and old but still good WW 108 primers. Load was 9.5 gr powder over Lyman #258156 158 gr cast GC.
Question, Anyone know why 295 HP was discontinued so soon after introduction in 1960? Will try this in a 357 mag Ruger tomorrow. Comments please.

John

 

[jwh32]

Have been loading for over 50 years, and have some old stock of primers and powder. Just opened a fresh can of old WW 295 HP, and had the factory data sheet that came with it. Loaded 40 rounds of 38 spec with 295 HP and old but still good WW 108 primers. Load was 9.5 gr powder over Lyman #258156 158 gr cast GC.
Question, Anyone know why 295 HP was discontinued so soon after introduction in 1960? Will try this in a 357 mag Ruger tomorrow. Comments please.

John

 

[steveno]

I believe that at one time 295 along with 230 and 630 were considered very temprature sensitive. I only used 630 and I thought it was very erratic because of it. 680 wasn't quite so bad as I used it a lot in heavy bullet loads for the 357 max and 41 mag. it has been a long time since these powders were replaced by 231 and 296. they never came out with replacements for 630 and 680. I should add that you can't use 231 and 296 load data for 230 and 295.

 

[John Ross]

IIRC 295HP was indeed problematic in cold weather, even more so than H110. I used up the last of my supply over 35 years ago.

Still got a few pounds of surplus 4895 from WWII, though, the lot number with all the sevens in it that used 3031 data as it was faster than normal lots of 4895. Still works fine.