Is 8208 XBR now a unicorn?

[RockAndSage]

Read my post above

It's an interesting post. Benchmark is available in large quantity now, so hopefully those timelines have been moved up for 8208 as well. Where did you get your info? I'd like to know more about what's going on with all that.

 

[esoreny]

Haven't seen it on the shelves in a long while

 

[Castle Rock]

It's an interesting post. Benchmark is available in large quantity now, so hopefully those timelines have been moved up for 8208 as well. Where did you get your info? I'd like to know more about what's going on with all that.

I was speaking to the Thales distributor recently

 

[BREAKCONTACT]

I have a good supply of varget but I wanted to try some 155's with 8208 to see if can get a little more velocity in my CTR 20". I have TAC also, but 8208 is more like varget in temp stability. But I'm not gonna work up a load for it and can't get any more of it.

308? Looking around, cfe223, reloader 15 and n550 all look like they'll get you potentially more speed than even 8208

 

[sdupontjr]

308? Looking around, cfe223, reloader 15 and n550 all look like they'll get you potentially more speed than even 8208

Its not just the speed, 8208 XBR is not temp sensitive and is similar to varget. I wanted to try them in my 155 scenars because at 47.5g of varget I get 2840 out of my 20" CTR and 47g gets me 2862 out my T3, but very compressed loads. Read a few threads on it and saw very similar velocities but not in compressed load. I've also read about CFE223, but I thought I read it very temp sensitive to big swings in velocity.

 

[FLS]

TAC is an excellent powder for 223 heavies. I shoot it year round and have not found it to be overly temp sensitive. 24-24.5 Grains under a 77 SMK in LC brass works in my bolt guns and gas guns. I’ve shot thousands of round of this combo. Best thing is it’s usually available. 8208 has alway been hit or miss when it come to availability.

 

[204_ruger]

8208 is in stock at Midsouth.

 

[Telford29]

It appears Midsouth may have one pounders in stock.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I’m trying 8208xbr with 70 grain bullets in my 223 and can’t get any speed out of it. It’s about 200 fps slower than listed velocity.

 

[Juan_ID]

I’m trying 8208xbr with 70 grain bullets in my 223 and can’t get any speed out of it. It’s about 200 fps slower than listed velocity.

What is the barrel length and load info/speed? My 16.5” 223 shoots 73elds at about 2750fps with 23.5gr of xbr.

 

[wind gypsy]

I’m trying 8208xbr with 70 grain bullets in my 223 and can’t get any speed out of it. It’s about 200 fps slower than listed velocity.

What bullet and listed data are you using?

Hodgdon data shows 21.8 max with a 70 spr sp (Speer soft point?). That bullet must build pressure fast, Hodgdon lists a 23.2 max for 77 smk. Hodgdons data for xbr just seems kind of funky in general though. Lots of people use max charges in the 23s for 75//77s.

 

[N2TRKYS]

What bullet and listed data are you using?

Hodgdon data shows 21.8 max with a 70 spr sp (Speer soft point?). That bullet must build pressure fast, Hodgdon lists a 23.2 max for 77 smk. Hodgdons data for xbr just seems kind of funky in general though. Lots of people use max charges in the 23s for 75//77s.

I was at 22.0 grains using a 70 grain Accubond and around 2600 fps is as good as I got. Something just didn’t seem right to me.

 

[N2TRKYS]

What is the barrel length and load info/speed? My 16.5” 223 shoots 73elds at about 2750fps with 23.5gr of xbr.

Tikka t3x lite barrel length(22” I think). I’m thinking that it does better with the heavies and not so much with the lighter bullets.

 

[Castle Rock]

I was at 22.0 grains using a 70 grain Accubond and around 2600 fps is as good as I got. Something just didn’t seem right to me.

That’s really tame, I’m using a fair bit more than that with 80s

 

[JF_Idaho]

Their load data for that bullet has OAL at 2.140" I run 23.4 for 75/77 grain and 23.6 for 69 smk. 2.250-2.260".

 

[N2TRKYS]

Their load data for that bullet has OAL at 2.140" I run 23.4 for 75/77 grain and 23.6 for 69 smk. 2.250-2.260".

What speed are you getting?

 

[JF_Idaho]

What speed are you getting?

2750-2800 with the 77/75. 18" barrel.

Don't have chronograph data for the 69smk but if I had to guess in the low 2800s. In my data book they were lazers with the accuracy. 20" barrel.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Loaded some more rounds today. I worked up to 24.0 grains.

 

[RockAndSage]

OP, your post was timed pretty well. I sent that email a few days back, and was told they didn't have any idea when 8208 would be available, right? Well, it starts appearing in a few places the last couple of days, and just this morning I got a "product back in stock" alert from Hodgdon for the 1lb cannisters:

IMR 8208 XBR®

Buy IMR 8208 XBR, an accurate-metering, super short-grained extruded rifle powder was designed expressly for match, varmint, and AR sniper cartridges. Learn more.

shop.hodgdon.com

 

[sdupontjr]

Ah, I'll wait on the local shop. I went by there today and they may be getting some in. Midsouth want to charge me $52 to ship. I'd like some XBR but I'm not desperate enough to pay $122 for 1 lb of powder. Ridiculous.