700x
 

Is there a difference between Hodgdon and IMR 700X? Getting ready to start loading for my Remington short 10 and cannot find any Red Dot or Promo locally. Considering all the options and other good choices seem to be 700X, Clays, Green dot....I have some Unique but am not finding a load with the pressures listed. Based on what I find it seems like 23 - 25 grains of Unique with 1 1/8 might be good but don't want to guess.....are the two 700x powders the same if used with the load data listed in the "Loading the short ten" thread. Thanks for any info you can provide.

Hodgdon bought out IMR several years ago

you could (make that SHOULD) check with them - but I expect rebranding is at play

+1, I agree

It may also be an issue with the product. I know from experience that IMR 4895 from the Du Pont days is NOT analogous to IMR 4895 of today. It pays to check current data before loading anything . And toss old powder.

Bob, I doubt there is any difference beyond the label, current loading data from Hodgdon is on the web and it's the Hodgdon site but list 700-X as an IMR powder.

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/shotgun

As far as shooting 700-X in the short ten send Scott Kittredge a PM as he shoots a lot of 700-X through his short 10's and has done so for years with issue. He'll let you what he is has been using for 1 through 1 1/4 ounce of lead.

PS. Alliant lists a couple of 1 1/4 ounce lead 3.5 inch 10ga loads using Unique.

You can see pressures are low, velocity fairly high and using 31 grains. Green Dot and Red Dot/Promo are much better choices for a 1 1/8 ounce loading in the short ten. I would expect squibs with Unique especially in cold weather.

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...eid=3&gauge=10

700X is still made at the same factory - should be the same, just a different owner. In my 2004 Alliant book they show in the Remington hull - 31grs of Unique with a Win primer, SP-10 wad, 1 1/4oz, having just 7500psi at 1265fps. Don't know why they didn't show it with the Fed or Win hull - they're all a straight walled hull and everything should be real close as far as pressure and velocity. Maybe just didn't want to spend the extra dime for test. In the 12ga 23grs to 24grs and a 1 1/8 in Fed shell [ straight walled again ] the pressures are in the 7700 to 9100psi. So your load in the 10 would be even less because of the larger diameter chamber. You should be very safe, maybe even get some squib loads in the winter. I don't know about that without testing, but I sure wouldn't worry about it. As a matter of fact, I just bought #8s of Unique and will be trying it my 10 soon as the Green dot runs out and I'll be trying the very load you listed.

I see Pete posted as I was writing and thinking about it a bit more a lot of our loads are 12ga loads we're using in the 10. Unique is used the 10, 12, 16, 20, and the 28ga so it would seem to reason it's quite an all around powder. If RD and GD will work in the 10 with a 1 1/8 oz there's no reason to think Unique wouldn't also work. You may have to go up a grain or two to get a clean burn, but I'd first try the 23 to 24grs and check the barrel for unburnt powder. Let us know.

It's good that you asked before just to make sure Bob. As everyone has stated, it's the same powder but just labeled differently.

To make it more confusing, Hodgdon owns the Winchester brand of powders. For pistol powder, Hodgdon HP38 is exactly the same powder that is in Winchester 238 labeled bottle as well as H110 and Winchester 296. Same published loads for each. There are probably more but those are two I am aware of.

Hopefully we'll see you soon to see how well you did rolling your own short 10 loads.

Thanks for all the info gentlemen! I will let you know how the loads work out.