2400 Was Briefly Available

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Glenn R. Latham posted this 23 September 2025

It was available...

Glenn

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Shuz posted this 23 September 2025

Operative verb is "was"!

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lotech posted this 24 September 2025

Apparently these companies don't know what they will receive, when they will receive it, or how much they will get. Check websites daily if you are looking for something hard to find like #2400. This is how I got a keg of #2400 from Powder Valley several months ago. It was gone quickly. Same for a couple of kegs of H4895 from Brownells a couple of week ago. Again, gone fast. The 1 pounders are, of course, easier to find, but most of us prefer the larger containers. Good luck-

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9.3X62AL posted this 26 September 2025

Would a recent buyer of these uber-scarce 8# caddies of Alliant 2400 show the price paid for the powder? TIA.

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lotech posted this 26 September 2025

My receipt isn't handy, but I don't recall the price being out of line for today.

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Idahocaster posted this 26 September 2025

If the cost here is similar to the cost there then 8lbs of 2400 is going to run around $500. Powder prices here are outrageous! With very few exceptions powder is $65 to $70 for one pound cans.

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Wm Cook posted this 26 September 2025

I think it was $436 and change if I remember right.

If you believe the gossip, 5744 isn’t coming back any time soon. And the last price I paid for 5744 was north of $550. That’s stupid expensive.

My guess is that there’s a few cast shooters out there beating the bushes trying to find rifle powders that work with our venue. I’m dating N110 right now but it’s too early to tell. She was available for $280, $300 last year but now it’s up to $325, $350. At least it’s available and if I heard a whiff of a rumor that it was being discontinued, I’d pick up a couple more jugs. It’s solid in 30cals 190 to 220 grain, 1600 - 1850 fps.

Is anyone else scratching in the corners trying to find alternatives to 4759, 2400, 5744 as general purpose cast powders?

If you’d like to share your wins and loses I’m certain you’d have a listening audience. Bill C.

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Lucky1 posted this 26 September 2025

Working with VV N110 through 133. Shooters World heavy Pistol for 2400. They seem to be the best deal right now.

Scott Ingle

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Wm Cook posted this 26 September 2025

Lucky1, could you share what cartridges, bullet weights are you using with the N110 - 130? Thanks, Bill C.

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delmarskid posted this 26 September 2025

Accurate Arms no.7 has worked as well or better than 2400 in my thirty caliber rifles. Eighteen grains shot well. At twenty two the cases came out clean.

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Lucky1 posted this 26 September 2025

Bill, I'm at crazy extremes here for starters. 223- 10 grs N110 and 79 gr .225 NOE- 1900 fps- Rem or CCI primer 45-70 is 19 of N110, topped with a pinch of Kapok and a 500 grain bullet from RCBS or Saeco. 1150 fps- about the same as 22 grs of 5744. WWLRM primer I'll check my 30 cal stuff for you later.

Scott Ingle

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John Alexander posted this 27 September 2025

Lucky 1, let you dislocated shoulder or detached retina give you the answer.

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Lucky1 posted this 27 September 2025

Haha John! 45-70 trapdoor in Big Bore is a pussycat compared to my 50-90 Sharps or even my 577-450 Martini Henry. Farming and getting older have taught me, 'pain is my friend; it tells me I'm still alive." After slinging 12 pounds of lead downrange at the Military Nationals you know it's been a weekend.

Scott Ingle

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Eutectic posted this 28 September 2025

Powder comes and goes here. Mostly 1 pound cans but a few powders for 223 are in kegs. I saw a 4 pounder of WW 231 but when I got the cash together and went back it was gone. The clerks answer was "we have all the popular powders on order, when we get them in they go on the shelf"

My 30-30 liked 4895 which I have not seen in the H-4895 version. However Varget works nicely in reduced loads and has been available. 24 grains Varget and the RCBS 150 flat point 30 shoots great in the Model 94.

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Bud Hyett posted this 28 September 2025

This is the reply I received VihtaVuori when I requested their recommendation for a 2400 replacement. I requested loads that filled the case at 50%. So far the N340 at 17.1 load has shown promise.

If I can get past the current cancer problems, I'll also try the N110 loadings. I've had good results from N110 in the past for several calibers.

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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Wm Cook posted this 28 September 2025

For some reason Bud's image disappeared. At least on my browser it did. Here's what came through on E mail.

I think internal ballistics is critical to shooting cast accurately**(see disclaimer below). Duplicating the results of powders like 2400, 4759 that has the correct burn rate to shoot cast accurately at velocities in the 1600 to 1900fps range is a challenge for powder makers to come up with a formula that can be sold in the quantities they have to sell to make a profit.

Developing a powder that fits our needs requires a unique burning rate. And burning rate is effected by a number of factors:

Chemical composition such as single- base (nitrocellulose only) or double base (nitrocellulose plus nitroglycerin)
Grain shape or size: Small grains burn faster, large grains burn slower. Shapes such as spherical, flake, tubular, flattened etc. Flat powders double based burn quickly, tubular grains tend to burn slower.
Surface coatings;Manufacturers apply coatings to modify burn rates. Graphite coating can help control burn rate and prevent static electricity buildup. Retardants can be added to slow down the the burn rate to control the pressure curves. Or catalyst can be added to accelerate burning.
Porosity: The porosity of the grains determines how much gas permeates and ignites the interior of the grain. Higher porosity can lead to a faster burn rate.
Moisture Content. Higher moisture levels can slow down the burn rate while dry powders can burn faster.
Finally there's loading density: The way the power is packed within a cartridge affects how efficiently it burns.

In addition to all of the above you have to consider ambient temperature, pressure (bullet weight, spitzer v bore rider, bullet to bore fit as examples) and whatever additives are added to the coatings. Its a complex challenge for powder makers.

Taking the 5 powders proposed by VihtaVuori to replace 2400 in the 30.06 it looks like this:

N340: Energy content J/g 4100, tubular shape 1.0mm x .8mm. Originally designed for 9mm and shot shell loads its sold as compatible for .357 and .44
3N37: Energy content J/g 4100, fine grain .6mm x .6mm. Originally designed for .22 rimfire but now sold as a powder for 9mm.
N350: Energy content J/g 4100, tubular shape 1.0mm x .8mm. Sold as the slowest of the handgun powders as a heavy magnum handgun powder but flexible enough to be use in calibers that run from the 9mm to the .45.
3N38: Energy content J/g 4000, fine grain .6mm x .6mm. Sold as a high velocity 9mm and .40 powder.
N110: Energy content J/g, no data available, tubular shape 1.1mm x .8mm. This is a dual purpose powder that has rifle load data that runs from the 22 Hornet to to the 444 Marlin.

I believe balancing burn rate with the case capacity we're using to get our 1600 - 1900 fps is the Achilles's heel for cast accuracy.

Attached is what VihtaVuori sent me regarding a request on .308 load data and the 200 grain Lyman 311299.

Once I get caught up I'll fill in results I had with the 308 using N110, 130 and 135. What worked and what did not work.

And hats off to VihtaVuori. They're keeping powder on our shelves and taking the time to answer our questions. Regarding the latter. It seems that those requests are passed off to a third party called Capstone Precision. Great marketing, customer focused approach. Again, hats off to them.

** Requires the use of match grade casting, reloading and bench equipment and match grade casting, hand-loading and bench practices.

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Lucky1 posted this 28 September 2025

I'm back and sorry for the delay. On 30 cal stuff I've been playing more with SW Heavy Pistol, AA9 and some Vectan I have laying around now. For N110 I have a couple. This may not help anyone much but for 30-20TC (32-20 with 308 bore) I use 8gr with a 165 gr RCBS. Note!!! This is pretty hot and only for a TC and NOT for less stout firearms. It does really smack down the Big Bore silhouettes quite nicely and even more than a typical .357. More useful will be7.7 Jap. 18 grs of N110 and either a NoE version of 316299 or Brooks 316 at 205 grs are both at 1580 fps. Case wise it will give you an idea of 308, 30-06, 8mm etc performance. The VV charts they sent out are definitely churning out more velocity than I'm looking for in Military competition.

Scott Ingle

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oscarflytyer posted this 29 September 2025

Ballistics Products has 1 and 8 lbs 2400 in stock, and Unique 1 lb (at least at 0130 9/29 - IF you believe their website!)

Prices are another matter altogether...

ps: "If you believe the gossip, 5744 isn’t coming back any time soon. And the last price I paid for 5744 was north of $550. That’s stupid expensive."

^^yes. Unobtanium from what I've seen. Guy was closing out his stash and I snagged 8 lbs of it for what was cheap. I was thrilled.

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Urny posted this 29 September 2025

Accurate Arms no.7 has worked as well or better than 2400 in my thirty caliber rifles. Eighteen grains shot well. At twenty two the cases came out clean.

Thank you for that. A recent inventory of my powder supply revealed a 4# cannister of #7 that I have no memory of how, when, or why I acquired it, and I had no idea of what to do with it. Now, thank you, if the Hercules 2400 ever runs out that can be tried in .30-30, .308, and .30-06. Maybe in the fat 30s as well.