Skor700X

M

Micro man

New member
Went to my LGS last week looking for some powder to try. The salesman there whose opinion I trust was raving about Hodgdon 700X with a 158 gr.cast bullet for target practice in his 38 sp revolver. I decided to give it a try so I picked up a lb and ordered Missouri 158 gr Hi Tek coated SWC FP bullets from Graf and a Sons. The guy at the gun store said something about putting a taper crimp on the bullets since they lack a cannula.
My question is has any of the forum members had experience with this powder and bullet combo or something similar.
Thanks Micro man
 
I can't comment on the bullet selection, but I have experience with light .38 loads and 700X powder.

It meters poorly though both my powder measures when trying to get small charges. I couldn't get it to throw charges to within +-.2 grains, which is not a big deal for plinking loads, but it is a problem for very light charges in target loads.
I finally used up the last of it this spring and I would only use it again if I was desperate....
 
they lack a cannula
Click to expand...
Try Pasta Primera, they have excellent cannula.
But you meant cannelure.
Buy a reading manual and read it. That is the best way to begin learning about reloading.
The worst way?
That guy at your LGS.

700-X is a good old-time shotgun powder made by IMR, which is currently distributed by Hodgdon, who also distributes Winchester brand powders as, well. It can be used for some pistol loads. But, there are much better suited pistol powders (that your LGS did not have in stock).
 
Well yes HiSkor 700X is a commonly used handgun powder, popular I would say for .45 ACPs. Have never had metering difficulties with 700X, it all depends on your metering system. The term used by the LGS person is "cannelure" which refers to an indention around the circumference of the bullet which provides a recess for the case mouth to sink into when applying a roll crimp. Lacking a cannelure, just apply a light taper crimp to remove any case mouth flare. Most handgun and many rifle jacketed bullets do not have cannelures. They are used primarily with bullets used with heavy duty cartridges that could require a heavy roll crimp to prevent bullet movement of the unfired rounds during recoil. With lead handgun and rifle bullets, this circular indentation is called a crimping groove rather than a cannelure.
 
Last edited:
I have used 700x with a LSWC 158g bullet with good success in my S&W Chief snubby. Loaded on my Dillon RL550b press. Metering wasn't bad but it could vary +/-.1 which for plinking is ok since I stayed in the low to mid range loads. I have also used it in some 9mm loads and it works just fine but there are better powders out there as stated prior. Now a days you have to take what you can get in powders. It's still tough finding decent powder supplies in SE Michigan. As stated by Condor just remove the flare on the case and you should be good.

Good Luck, Be Safe. Start low and work up.......
 
I haven't tried it. But 700X under 158gn bullets in 38 Special is a combination that is thoroughly tested tried n true.

As far as the crimp: Most 38 Special die sets have a roll crimp die. With a coated bullet, a taper crimp is preferred. But if you just give it a light roll crimp, it'll be just fine. The 158 bullet has a lot of contact with the brass case when seated properly, so the crimp need not be heavy.

As far as the cannelure goes, I don't know which specific bullet you got from MoBuCo, but I think it's this one: http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=227&category=5&secondary=9&keywords= Either way, all MoBuCo Hi-Tek bullets are from conventional molds, and thus, still have a crimp groove (as opposed to a cannelure). Like I said: Just use a light roll crimp. This is not a crimp sensitive assemblage you're doing.
 
When powders first got scarce a couple of years ago, I came across an old 12lb keg of 700x, since then I have loaded 380, 9, 45, 32 h&r, 38 spl and 44 mag with it. I find it meters decent in my lee perfect powder measure, and makes great plinking rounds. though I had no problems with it I didnt care for it in the 44 mag. however I will continue to use it till I run out.
 
I load a lot of .38spl with 700x for CAS. Meters well enough in my Square Deal press. Probably have loaded 10,000 rounds over the past year. I use a 125g Missouri Bullet Co. HI Tek coated RNFP or TCFP bullet. I give the rounds a standard roll crimp, but not usually in the cannelure. I seat the bullet out a tad and crimp between the cannelure and the (empty) lube groove.
 
Sorry for the confusion ie cannula vs cannelure. I work in a hospital we use cannulas frequently. I need to separate my work from my hobby!
Micro man
 
I use the uncoated version of that bullet from Missouri Bullet with 700X. They're great bullet a good price. I just wanted to note that max safe charge for that fairly hard cast bullet will be a little lower than it would be for a swaged bullet of the same weight. Look at what Hodgdon lists for the Meister Cast version of that bullet. Personally I have been using about 3 grains of 700X, which produces an accurate load of about 650' per a second in my 2" .38.
 
Hodgdon? 700x

I've had a can of Hi-Skor 700X for years with a DuPont brand and lot# P81?P29A, Made in Canada for EI du Pont...seal's still intact....Never opened. Have heard it referred to as an IMR product for the longest time, then dropped from production.. When did HODGDON start with their name on it?
 
Hodgdon? 700x

I cant help with when, but:
Hodgdon, IMR and Winchester powder BRANDS are distributed by the same company.
Likewise, Accurate, Ramshot and Norma are distributed by the same company, but different from the first group.
These are 6 Brand names. The actual products are made by St. Marks (most commercial powders), an Australian company (IMR and some others), a Canadian arsenal (now privatized) (some Accurate), and one or two European companies (the rest). One manufacturer may be supplying powders to several brands.
Any company with business sense can distribute an additional brand with very little added overhead.
 
Hodgdon slapped their label on 700X and the other powders made by IMR/Expro/General Dynamics of Canada only a few months ago. They are leaving the IMR brand on the actual Improved Military Rifle powders inherited from DuPont in the 1970s.

Hodgdon does not make any smokeless powder and do not own the powder mills serving them. I am not clear on how they get Pyrodex and 777, maybe they have production lines, maybe they have them toll manufactured. Oh, yeah, they also bought out Goex for the real black powder capacity.

I have a little different understanding of the rest of the situation than Marco.

St Marks (General Dynamics, was Olin-Winchester in Florida) makes all the Winchester Ball powders and Hodgdon Spherical powders. Also some of the Accurate Arms ball process powders.

IMR (General Dynamics, was Expro, in Canada, was DuPont in the US) makes most of the extruded powders under the IMR label and 700X, 800X flake powders now called Hodgdon. There are still some discontinued SR 4756, 4759, and 7625 and some PB-6 powders under the IMR label.

ADI (Thales Australia) makes the Hodgdon extruded powders and for some strange reason "IMR" Trail Boss. The situation with H and IMR 4227 and 4198 is confusing, I don't recall who makes what for whom but it is not necessarily what it looks like.

Accurate Arms and Ramshot (both now owned by Western Powder) import a good deal of their powder but get some of it from St Marks.

Alliant Powder (Hercules to us old timers) makes the shotgun and pistol powders from Red Dot to 2400 but imports the Reloder rifle powders from various sources in Europe.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top