H 240 powder

[curiousgeorge]

I have come across an old can of Hogdon H240. Am I correct in remembering that it is very similar to H110? Planning on using strictly for cast rifle loads in large cases (.30-30, .308, .30-06).

Any do's or dont's that anyone would like to share?

BTW, what a neat looking old can. Can't post pictures or I would show everyone.

Original selling price ---- $1.60 / pound!!!!

Steve

[felix]

Got this from another board, and it does appear correct from my experience. Especially, the dry powder syndrome. ... felix

Jim Watson
December 27, 2004, 11:55 AM
I bought a can of H240 a number of years ago and it was already old stock by then. It was said to be 10% faster than 2400 so I loaded up some .357s with 10% less H240 than my usual load of 2400. That gave hard extraction, I suspect I was lucky not to have jugged a chamber in that little M19. So I cut and kept cutting charges. As I recall, I was down around 11 grains of H240 with 158 gr SWC before it started acting normal.

I think what had happened that the powder had dried out, the residual powder mill solvent vaporizing and diffusing out through the fibre can, leaving behind concentrated nitrocellulose with a lot of bare surface area. Any road, it was definitely hotter than it was supposed to be.

I don't know what would be a safe load for a .44 after even more aging.

Y'all be careful, now, you hear?
............................
...........................

So, load it as BlueDot to start with. ... felix

[Eutectic]

I used H-240 decades ago and loved it!!!!!!! I ran out in the early 70's and wish it was still available! It looked like 2400 visually, but was faster burning. Hodgdon listed loads way back. I used it mostly in light .45-70 cast loads and much preferred it to 2400. IT BURNED MUCH CLEANER THAN 2400.
I echo Felix as to old stock precautions... Even if old data were found you might still find it hot... Use care if you use it at all.

Eutectic

[StarMetal]

That powder is no ways as slow as H110. Take a look at this burn rate chart:

http://home.hiwaay.net/~stargate/powder/powder.htm

H240 is number 86 on it, Blue Dot is 94, 2400 is number 101, and H110 is number 111. That's quite a lot of powders inbetween number 86 and 111.

Investigate things more before taking anyone's suggestions as how to treat that powder. Consider the poster that Felix posted in thinking the powder was very dry because of it's age, that will make a difference. No wonder why that poster had hard extraction on his first loading of it.

I'd suggest treating as the old Hodgdon HS-7, not Blue Dot.

[curiousgeorge]

Thanks for the input from all of you.

Will be careful on the loads. Am going to use strictly as light loadings, but must admit that I had not considered the "drying" effect of old powder in the cardboard container.

The back of the can actually lists loading data for several pistol rounds ( will NOT be trying any of these ) and for the .30-06 -- 16.0 grs powder behind a 165 grain cast bullet for a velocity of 1600 fps.

Regardless of what I use it for, or if I even use it, still a neat piece of our shooting history.

Thanks again.

Steve

[jimkim]

If someone here has Lyman 43, it has H-240, 303 Savage and 250 Savage data in it.

[curiousgeorge]

Actually I have every Lyman from 1940 forward.

Also most of the Speer, Hornady, and even the old Hogdon catalogs when they were selling everything from clothing to guns.

My daughter got a kick out of an old Abercrombie & Fitch catalog when they were selling guns and hunting clothes instead of what they have become today.

[StarMetal]

Actually I have every Lyman from 1940 forward.

Also most of the Speer, Hornady, and even the old Hogdon catalogs when they were selling everything from clothing to guns.

My daughter got a kick out of an old Abercrombie & Fitch catalog when they were selling guns and hunting clothes instead of what they have become today.

George,

If you do find that powder in your old book how about giving us the load data for it with the 158 grain bullet in the 357 magnum such as the poster on the another forum posted that Felix posted here.....so we can get an idea of how close he may have come to damaging his revolver if that H 240 is much faster then thought to be. Thanks

[buckndee]

What felix said about powder drying out is my experience with the can of H240 I am loading from.

My can of H240 has loading data printed on the back of the label.

Caliber Charge Bullet Velocity

22Ht 6.7gr 45gr 2170
222 Rem 8gr 50gr 1913
30-06 17.5gr 169gr 1739
38 Spec 9gr 150gr -----
44 Spec 16gr 250gr 1189
44 Mag 22gr 215gr 1526
44 Mag 20gr 250gr 1509

( This powder is adaptable to most cartridges for light lead bullet loads. Also for midrange loads. Send 25 cents for loading data. )

I loaded 20gr with 240gr cast in a 44 Mag and the recoil was stiff. Cases extracted OK, primers normal. But I will drop the charge to 19gr. Did not chronograph the load. Mybe I can chrono the load as I still have some of the 20gr loads. Very accurate at 50 yds, 2 inch groups benched for 12 shot groups, scoped S&W 629. About the best I can shoot with my old eyes.

[BerdanIII]

StarMetal:

From Lyman #48, H240 data

Lyman 358156, 357446 - 158 gr - 11.0 - 1160 fps to 14.0 - 1530 fps
Lyman 358429 - 165 gr - 10.0 - 1100 fps to 13.5 - 1475 fps

[curiousgeorge]

Buckndee has correctly listed the loads from the back of the can. My apologies for mis-quoting (from memory) the .30-06 load.

From the 1962 Hodgon's Reloader's Catalogue -

.357 Magnum - 148 gr HP - 13.5 grs velocity 1087 fps
160 gr - 12.5 grs velocity 1186 fps

Don't ask me why a higher velocity for the heavier bullet with less powder. This is exactly as listed. Both fired from a S&W 6" revolver, temperature 70 degrees, Rem. case, Win. primer.

Rifle loads listed for .22 Hornet, 218 Bee, .222, .22-250, 250 Savage, .30-06, 8mm Mauser, and .45-70.

Pistol loads for .357 mag, .38 spec (8grs @ 792 & 9grs @ 979 / 150 gr WC), .38/40, .44 spec, .44 mag, .45 colt, and .45 acp. Buckndee - thanks again for getting the .30-06 load correct. Memory may not be the first thing to go with age, but right now I can't think of what the other was.

Steve

[foxtrotter]

I have a pound + in metal cans. Have shot 20 gr, 249 swc cast, chronos 1350 fps out of a 6-1/2 blackhawk and 1250 from 5" 629. I have an old lyman cast handbook that cites 22 gr. using 429244 weighing 258 gr. no velocity given. The same book cites 13.5 gr.,429360 240 gr in 44 Spl.

[mroliver77]

I was going to ask why you guys hang on to powder for years and years. I know most of us here burn more powder than the average guy. Then I remembered a can of 230P, an old metal can of H450 and maybe a couple others hanging out in the cupboard. I did use some of the H450 for some testing a while back. I'll just keep quiet.
Jay