Hodgdon Powder Company
Encyclopedia
The Hodgdon Powder Company began in 1952 as B.E. Hodgdon, Inc., and has become a major distributor of smokeless powder
for the ammunition
industry, as well as for individuals who load their own ammunition by hand
. The company's corporate office and manufacturing facilities are located in Kansas
, USA.
Hodgdon's product line includes Pyrodex and Triple Seven, which are modern substitutes for blackpowder and intended for use in muzzleloader
s and certain antique firearms. In addition since March 2006, Winchester® branded reloading powders would be licensed to Hodgdon. Prior to this, in 2003, Hodgdon acquired IMR Powder Company
. Together these product lines make Hodgdon one of the largest distributors of gunpowder
in the world.
, a chemist friend of Bruce E. Hodgdon was casually reminiscing about World War I
. He mentioned the quantities of surplus smokeless powder the military had dumped at sea after the war; and speculated how useful that would have been to handloaders struggling through the Great Depression
. He anticipated a similar surplus powder situation might occur after World War II. Hodgdon began investigating availability of surplus powder when the war ended; and sales to handloaders began in 1946. One of the first powders he found was 4895 used for loading .30-06 Springfield
service ammunition. In 1947, he began acquisition of 80 tons of spherical powder salvaged from disassembled .303 British
military rifle cartridges manufactured in the United States. By 1949, he was marketing the powder as BL type C. The C was to indicate the powder burned "cooler" than traditional Improved Military Rifle (IMR)
powders. In 1949, he began acquisition of powder salvaged from disassembled Oerlikon 20mm cannon cartridges. This powder resembled IMR 4350 in appearance, and with a slower burning rate, was initially marketed as "4350 Data", and later as 4831.
United States
powder manufacturers had discontinued production of sporting ammunition during World War II; and after the war attempted to exercise greater product safety control by emphasizing sales of loaded ammunition rather than resuming production of handloading components. A common approach to product safety involved offering ammunition safe for use in the oldest or weakest firearm chambered for that cartridge. Owners of stronger firearms found and experimented with Hodgdon's previously unknown powders to achieve ballistics superior to available factory ammunition for older cartridges like the 7.92x57mm Mauser
. Long-range shooters found 4831 was superior to previously available powders for high-capacity bottle-necked cases.
resumed retail distribution of their pre-war nitrocellulose
Improved Military Rifle (IMR)
series; and Hercules Powder Company
resumed production of six of their pre-war double-base powders. Hodgdon Powder Company began using an H-prefix to differentiate powders distributed by Hodgdon from competitors. Surplus Vulcan cannon spherical powder was distributed as H870 beginning in 1959.
All of the surplus BL type C had been sold by 1961. Olin Corporation had manufactured the powder as 846, and continued production for loading 7.62x51mm NATO cartridges. Hodgdon began marketing post-war production as spherical BL-C lot no. 2, or BL-C(2). Olin began retail distribution of Winchester-Western ball powders for pistol and shotgun loading in 1960; and Winchester-Western rifle ball powders followed in 1968. Hodgdon distributed spherical powders HS-5 and HS-6 for shotguns and H110, H335, H380, H414, and H450 for rifles.
DuPont added IMR 4895 to their retail distribution line in 1962, and added IMR 4831 in 1973 when supplies of surplus H4831 were exhausted. Hodgdon then acquired newly manufactured H4831 from Nobel Enterprises
in Scotland
. The Nobel formulations offer similar ballistic performance, but substitute centralite
deterrent coatings for dinitrotoluene
used in United States formulations. Handloaders were advised H-prefix powders were not the same as IMR-prefix powders of the same number. Hodgdon distributed H4198 and H4227 similar to IMR powders distributed by DuPont.
Consequences of black powder's easy ignition by sparks or static electricity
make manufacture and storage hazardous. The sole factory of the United States' largest 20th century black powder manufacturer was closed by an accidental explosion as 1970 legislation established new regulations discouraging merchants from stocking black powder for sale. Future historical re-enactments with replica firearms appeared doubtful until Hodgdon introduced black powder substitute
Pyrodex in 1975 with black powder combustion characteristics and smokeless powder safety.
Smokeless powder
Smokeless powder is the name given to a number of propellants used in firearms and artillery which produce negligible smoke when fired, unlike the older gunpowder which they replaced...
for the ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
industry, as well as for individuals who load their own ammunition by hand
Handloading
Handloading or reloading is the process of loading firearm cartridges or shotgun shells by assembling the individual components , rather than purchasing completely assembled, factory-loaded cartridges...
. The company's corporate office and manufacturing facilities are located in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, USA.
Hodgdon's product line includes Pyrodex and Triple Seven, which are modern substitutes for blackpowder and intended for use in muzzleloader
Muzzleloader
A muzzleloader is any firearm into which the projectile and usually the propellant charge is loaded from the muzzle of the gun . This is distinct from the more popular modern designs of breech-loading firearms...
s and certain antique firearms. In addition since March 2006, Winchester® branded reloading powders would be licensed to Hodgdon. Prior to this, in 2003, Hodgdon acquired IMR Powder Company
Improved Military Rifle (IMR)
Improved Military Rifle describes a series of tubular nitrocellulose smokeless powders evolved from World War I through World War II for loading military and commercial ammunition and sold to private citizens for reloading rifle ammunition for hunting and target shooting...
. Together these product lines make Hodgdon one of the largest distributors of gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
in the world.
Background
In the opening days of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a chemist friend of Bruce E. Hodgdon was casually reminiscing about World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He mentioned the quantities of surplus smokeless powder the military had dumped at sea after the war; and speculated how useful that would have been to handloaders struggling through the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. He anticipated a similar surplus powder situation might occur after World War II. Hodgdon began investigating availability of surplus powder when the war ended; and sales to handloaders began in 1946. One of the first powders he found was 4895 used for loading .30-06 Springfield
.30-06 Springfield
The .30-06 Springfield cartridge or 7.62×63mm in metric notation, was introduced to the United States Army in 1906 and standardized, and was in use until the 1960s and early 1970s. It replaced the .30-03, 6 mm Lee Navy, and .30 US Army...
service ammunition. In 1947, he began acquisition of 80 tons of spherical powder salvaged from disassembled .303 British
.303 British
.303 British, or 7.7x56mmR, is a .311 inch calibre rifle and machine gun cartridge first developed in Britain as a blackpowder round put into service in December 1888 for the Lee-Metford rifle, later adapted to use smokeless powders...
military rifle cartridges manufactured in the United States. By 1949, he was marketing the powder as BL type C. The C was to indicate the powder burned "cooler" than traditional Improved Military Rifle (IMR)
Improved Military Rifle (IMR)
Improved Military Rifle describes a series of tubular nitrocellulose smokeless powders evolved from World War I through World War II for loading military and commercial ammunition and sold to private citizens for reloading rifle ammunition for hunting and target shooting...
powders. In 1949, he began acquisition of powder salvaged from disassembled Oerlikon 20mm cannon cartridges. This powder resembled IMR 4350 in appearance, and with a slower burning rate, was initially marketed as "4350 Data", and later as 4831.
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
powder manufacturers had discontinued production of sporting ammunition during World War II; and after the war attempted to exercise greater product safety control by emphasizing sales of loaded ammunition rather than resuming production of handloading components. A common approach to product safety involved offering ammunition safe for use in the oldest or weakest firearm chambered for that cartridge. Owners of stronger firearms found and experimented with Hodgdon's previously unknown powders to achieve ballistics superior to available factory ammunition for older cartridges like the 7.92x57mm Mauser
7.92x57mm Mauser
The 8×57mm IS is a rimless bottlenecked rifle cartridge. The 8×57mm IS was adopted by the German Empire in 1905, and was the German service cartridge in both World Wars...
. Long-range shooters found 4831 was superior to previously available powders for high-capacity bottle-necked cases.
History
United States powder manufacturers resumed powder sales of one-pound (454 gram) canisters after observing Hodgdon's successful sales to handloaders. DuPontDuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
resumed retail distribution of their pre-war nitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton...
Improved Military Rifle (IMR)
Improved Military Rifle (IMR)
Improved Military Rifle describes a series of tubular nitrocellulose smokeless powders evolved from World War I through World War II for loading military and commercial ammunition and sold to private citizens for reloading rifle ammunition for hunting and target shooting...
series; and Hercules Powder Company
Hercules Inc.
Hercules, Inc., was a chemical and munitions manufacturing company based in Wilmington, Delaware, which was formed in 1912 as the Hercules Powder Company. Hercules was spun-off from the DuPont Corporation as a result of U.S. federal government actions in the field of antitrusts...
resumed production of six of their pre-war double-base powders. Hodgdon Powder Company began using an H-prefix to differentiate powders distributed by Hodgdon from competitors. Surplus Vulcan cannon spherical powder was distributed as H870 beginning in 1959.
All of the surplus BL type C had been sold by 1961. Olin Corporation had manufactured the powder as 846, and continued production for loading 7.62x51mm NATO cartridges. Hodgdon began marketing post-war production as spherical BL-C lot no. 2, or BL-C(2). Olin began retail distribution of Winchester-Western ball powders for pistol and shotgun loading in 1960; and Winchester-Western rifle ball powders followed in 1968. Hodgdon distributed spherical powders HS-5 and HS-6 for shotguns and H110, H335, H380, H414, and H450 for rifles.
DuPont added IMR 4895 to their retail distribution line in 1962, and added IMR 4831 in 1973 when supplies of surplus H4831 were exhausted. Hodgdon then acquired newly manufactured H4831 from Nobel Enterprises
Nobel Enterprises
Nobel Enterprises is a chemicals business based at Ardeer, near to the North Ayrshire town of Stevenston in Scotland. It specialises in nitrogen-based propellants and explosives and nitrocellulose-based products such as varnishes and inks...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The Nobel formulations offer similar ballistic performance, but substitute centralite
Centralite
Centralite is a gunshot residue also known as ethyl centralite. Its IUPAC name is 1,3-diethyl-1,3-diphenylurea. Ethyl centralite is insoluble in water, but is soluble in acetone, ethanol and benzene...
deterrent coatings for dinitrotoluene
Dinitrotoluene
2,4-Dinitrotoluene or Dinitro is an organic compound with the formula C6H32. This pale yellow crystalline solid is well known as a precursor to trinitrotoluene but is mainly used in the polymer industry....
used in United States formulations. Handloaders were advised H-prefix powders were not the same as IMR-prefix powders of the same number. Hodgdon distributed H4198 and H4227 similar to IMR powders distributed by DuPont.
Consequences of black powder's easy ignition by sparks or static electricity
Static electricity
Static electricity refers to the build-up of electric charge on the surface of objects. The static charges remain on an object until they either bleed off to ground or are quickly neutralized by a discharge. Static electricity can be contrasted with current electricity, which can be delivered...
make manufacture and storage hazardous. The sole factory of the United States' largest 20th century black powder manufacturer was closed by an accidental explosion as 1970 legislation established new regulations discouraging merchants from stocking black powder for sale. Future historical re-enactments with replica firearms appeared doubtful until Hodgdon introduced black powder substitute
Black powder substitute
thumb|300px|Pyrodex, a modern black powder substitute for [[muzzleloader|muzzleloading]] rifles, in FFG sizeA black powder substitute is a replacement for black powder used in muzzleloading and cartridge firearms...
Pyrodex in 1975 with black powder combustion characteristics and smokeless powder safety.