WANTED/ISO H4895

[Half-Cocked]

Hey guys I’m still on the look out for the h4895. Have not seen it in 3 years save gunbroker which it was going for 125 a pound. Also if anyone knows who has trailboss in stock I can use that.

I want to shoot some powder puff loads in my Italian vetterli. If I can’t acquire any powder I am going to say screw it and fill up a carcano case with black powder and give it a try. Carcano case only holds about 45 grains by volume of 2f hopefully the projectile will clear the long barrel.

Tia

 

[Hausser1]

Morning HC, been occasionally seeing sites posting IMR4895, which some say is a tad slower than Hodgdon. Canadian exchange rate..

 

[snapbang]

Is there a list of powders you can use. There should be 10 powders as an option. What is the cartridge your loading?

 

[Half-Cocked]

6.5 carcano however I need a powder that can be reduced from min starting charges. To my knowledge that is h4895. It’s my understanding that that powder can be reduced by 60% of starting charge safely without a jump fire.

I need to reduce the published load safely because of the rifle in question. It’s an old Italian vetterli. Originally it was a single shot bp cartridge gun then converted to hold 4 rounds in a fixed magazine and finally converted to the 6 round magazine of the carcano cartridge.

They were given to Italian soldiers who probably should have a rifle but, probably would never fire one. Background troops and ceremonial use. The rifle has an interesting history. They are also known to be explodedy! Even when they were new and converted, they were not meant to be fired, unless it was a life or death situation.

The barrels were also re-sleeved to 6.5 from 10.4 mm. In many cases, the barrel sleeves were simply soldered in place.

I have four of these rifles one of them was sent with the incorrect bolt. Also, damage to the sleeve. I toyed with the idea of reaming out the barrel to the diameter of a 410 shotgun. With modification and careful planning it would be one of the most unique 410 shotguns I’ve ever seen.

But for now I’d like to use one of the other three and shoot a reduced 6.5 carcano load.

 

[Half-Cocked]

Morning HC, been occasionally seeing sites posting IMR4895, which some say is a tad slower than Hodgdon. Canadian exchange rate..

My local gun store has 8 pounds of IMR 4895. However, there is mixed information on the net about whether that powder can be safely reduced from minimum charges.

I have 8 pounds of Winchester 760 which I can use in full carcano loads and I have with the seven carcano Calvary carbines. However, the veterli is a different beast.

 

[Hausser1]

HC, I've got a pound for you. PM me.

 

[snapbang]

When I needed quiet rounds (reduced) I did some experimenting with light loads of shotgun powder. I would start low enough where I could hear the gas escape around the cartridge when I pulled the trigger. Increased powder in small increments until the sound of the gas escaping stopped. Meaning there was enough pressure in the cartridge case to seal the chamber. I killed many fox on moon lite nights within an a stones through of town.

 

[Half-Cocked]

HC, I've got a pound for you. PM me.

You are the man! Thank you brother. I will pm you.

 

[Half-Cocked]

When I needed quiet rounds (reduced) I did some experimenting with light loads of shotgun powder. I would start low enough where I could hear the gas escape around the cartridge when I pulled the trigger. Increased powder in small increments until the sound of the gas escaping stopped. Meaning there was enough pressure in the cartridge case to seal the chamber. I killed many fox on moon lite nights within an a stones through of town.

I am told trail boss is also an acceptable solution for the carcano. However, h4895 is preferred. How have you been btw my friend! I will text you later today and we can catch up. I think the last time we talked I was headed to North Carolina.

 

[Hausser1]

Here's a site I use very much for reloading info.
https://loaddata.com/Home.To join is only a few bucks for lifetime access.
Type in 6.5 Carcano in caliber box and hit Search Load Data .... lotza recipes!

 

[Half-Cocked]

Here's a site I use very much for reloading info.
https://loaddata.com/Home.To join is only a few bucks for lifetime access.
Type in 6.5 Carcano in caliber box and hit Search Load Data .... lotza recipes!

Ignore that first sentence I got to the site brother.

I got a 404 error on that link. I’ve got some load data I typically look it up first on Hodgdons website then cross reference with my Lee book, and finally looked to see if anything’s on the Hornady app.

The Winchester 760 works pretty well for the full load carcano round. I also have a small amount of H335. I believe that also works. The Winchester 760 also works in my 30 Ott six. I like powder to do multiple cartridges. Little gun is a godsend. From 350 legend to 450 bushmaster 50 Beowulf and some other chamberings i probably have probably forgotten. I ended up buying two 8 pound containers of that.

I’m happy to say that I have dyes and powder for all the different calibers that I shoot including 762 x 39 and 556. Of course sometimes it’s just cheaper to buy the cartridges.

I did recently just buy a mosin nagant I need to get brass and dies for that, but that’s gonna be down the road.

 

[Hausser1]

Here we go
https://loaddata.com/This works on my end.

 

[Half-Cocked]

Thank you sir looks like tons of load data available should be useful for the new mosin as well as other chamberings. I have some info for 7.62x54r but not much.

 

[BadgerRidge]

I'd consider switching to AA2495... there is carcano load data for it, and you will probably find it's as close as an "exact copy" you can find between two different powders made by different manufactures. (this is due to 4895 being used in 7.62 National Match ammo, and so many competitors trying to copy those loads: high demand, means you get nearly the same powder from different manufactures). My dad and I switched over 20yrs ago when we both shot a lot of Service Rifle... and have not gone back to H4895 as we found 2495 to give us the same accuracy at a lower cost.

All that said, follow standard safety practices when working up loads with new lots/manufacturers of powders...

and like I said you can find Carcano load data for AA2495 that will look ~nearly~ the same as that published for H4895...

 

[BadgerRidge]

Now reading all the details in your other post... you might want to try something like trail boss if you are going to experiment with low power loads...

ETA: interesting reading on the subject here: https://www.gunboards.com/threads/trailboss-reduced-6-5-carcano-loads.1177136/

https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/trail-boss-reduced-loads-2018.pdf

Also edit to add: remember to check the bore visually after each shot to ensure the projectile has cleared the bore when experimenting/working up a reduced load...

 

[Ninering62]

I'd consider switching to AA2495... there is carcano load data for it, and you will probably find it's as close as an "exact copy" you can find between two different powders made by different manufactures. (this is due to 4895 being used in 7.62 National Match ammo, and so many competitors trying to copy those loads: high demand, means you get nearly the same powder from different manufactures). My dad and I switched over 20yrs ago when we both shot a lot of Service Rifle... and have not gone back to H4895 as we found 2495 to give us the same accuracy at a lower cost.

All that said, follow standard safety practices when working up loads with new lots/manufacturers of powders...

and like I said you can find Carcano load data for AA2495 that will look ~nearly~ the same as that published for H4895...

I read up on both powders a while back when looking for powder for my .40 Omega. I have 3/4lb IMR4895 but the data on AA 2495 looked great & it was avail when 4895 wasn't & I couldn't complain about its cost either. So & got 4 lbs of it.

 

[Half-Cocked]

I was also in search of accurate at one point I ended up with a big container of 2230 lol. You folks are right it is another one that can be reduced safely. I chose the h4885 because I have reduced load data recipes for that powder specifically for the veterli.

I am loading up based on that and am definitely checking the bore for the first few shots to make sure there is nothing left in the bore. Thanks guys!

 

[MeatMachine]

My local gun store has 8 pounds of IMR 4895. However, there is mixed information on the net about whether that powder can be safely reduced from minimum charges.

I have 8 pounds of Winchester 760 which I can use in full carcano loads and I have with the seven carcano Calvary carbines. However, the veterli is a different beast.

You can safely reduce imr4895 by 60% just like h4895. I remember reading it in a old reloading manual and probably still have it somewhere.

 

[10acres]

I’ll leave this here.

https://www.handloadermagazine.com/reduced-rifle-loads
I use IMR4895 in the youth 130g 30-30 load for my grandson. I remember reading somewhere that Hodgdon was getting inconsistent pressure readings from IMR4895 when reducing loads by 60% and not with H4895.

 

[10acres]

I have about 8lbs of both 4895’s and would gladly sell you a pound if you lived close.