REACH conundrum.

[TinTentTourist]

I'm brand new to realoading, and I've just got all the necessary hardware to make a start.
So, a couple of days ago, I made the 2 hour round trip to my RFD to get powder, bullets and primers and that was fine. I was after a tub of Viht N140 or similar, but the main chap was away on holiday and his stand in was not up on modern powders. He found me a tub of Hodgdon Benchmark Extreme that looked suitable for my .308
While I was looking for load data on the interweb, one site popped up that it was not REACH complaint.
So my conundrum is this...
Do I use it knowing that all my load workups will be of no future use as I cannot get the powder again - therefore just for the practice.
Or... Do I wait another week and make another round trip for a different powder.
The powder was not discounted, and I'm using Sierra Gameking heads, so expensive if I just count it as practice.
Also, my nearest 100yard range is a 3 hour round trip - so as much as I enjoy shooting...
I thought I would take some advice off you folk.
Cheers
Martin

 

[oxfordshirestalker]

If I were you, I’d wait and get the right powder. The reach compliance stuff came in just after I’d developed my current loads and I’ve now run out of powder so I’m going to have to do it all over again which I’m now seeing as a hassle with little free time!

 

[Sonicdmb73]

Personally I would take it back and get Vihtavuori or another REACH compliant powder.
You will only get 160 loads or so out of the tub. You will use a number of them in your development and subsequent zeroing.
It does depend on what you intend to do with the remainder. If they are likely to last you six months or more it might be worth using the powder.

 

[Ratwhiskers]

"Not up on modern powders"..... Hmm....... Was there N140 in stock?! or was he bungin' you a dud to clear his shelf??!!

As you've found out, you're in a "Once it's gone, it's gone!!" situation if you pop the seal on the can. l would suggest, and l know it's not one you wish to hear but l would take the stuff back and get your self sorted as per your original idea.
Now, if you're chompin' at the bit and stuck for time, l'm supposed to be down around Urswick tomorrow morning (taking the LHG and her nag to an event) and could bung you a third of a can of N140 the get you going if you desire.
....

 

[TinTentTourist]

"Not up on modern powders"..... Hmm....... Was there N140 in stock?! or was he bungin' you a dud to clear his shelf??!!
As you've found out, you're in a "Once it's gone, it's gone!!" situation if you pop the seal on the can. l would suggest, and l know it's not one you wish to hear but l would take the stuff back and get your self sorted as per your original idea.
Now, if you're chompin' at the bit and stuck for time, l'm supposed to be down around Urswick tomorrow morning (taking the LHG and her nag to an event) and could bung you a third of a can of N140 the get you going if you desire.
....

No, I think he was quite a genuine chap, and he had no stock of Vhit or much of anything else - I don't think he knew it was non REACH, it was just the only one that was in the cabinet that he found suited .308.

Thanks for the offer, I really appreciate that. But I think the concensus it what I believed anyway... that I should swap it over. One more week will not hurt me, but you know what it's like when you have new toys to play with! I've not opened it, so exchange/refund will not be a problem.

Thanks all

Martin

 

[enfieldspares]

Do I use it knowing that all my load workups will be of no future use as I cannot get the powder again

Unless they guy has been living on the Moon he'll know that its in on the list of non-compliant powders. If you'd been using it previously and therefore decided you liked it and bought five or so canisters of it OF THE SAME BATCH NUMBER I'd not worry. I've done that with H414. But as a newcomer to reloading I think you've started by painting yourself into a corner. But as to buying N140 as everything you do is infinitely repeatable I'd slightly differ. If you use powder of the same identical sort as before but of a different batch number good reloading practice says you should work up again if you are loading maximum loads. But as I'm both lazy and never use maximum loads I personally never bother. Even so best practice says certainly do work up if changing power batches if using maximum loads. However if shooting those one hundred plus loads will take on deer maybe fourteen months plus or, say forty stalks whichever is longer then I'd not fret the issue.

 

[jb1]

Sounds to me like he was dumping the odd stuff.
The problem will arise when you sort out a decent load with your newly acquired powder only to start all over again with one that "is" REACH compliant.
The cost and time traveling now will be saved later.

 

[Ratwhiskers]

TTT

No worries chap.
Yes. l too know what it's like to have toys and a missing component when you'd really like to take it out and play, hence the offer as l was near your doorstep.
l hope they've got what you want next time you're down their way on a trade in.

 

[Miki]

Take it back and get a compliant/available in the future powder. Here is the Vhit loading info Vhit .308 weblink The N135 seems to cover a greater spread of bullet weights but N140 is good for many too.

 

[TinTentTourist]

Thanks guys...
I did appreciate the offer Ratwhiskers, but I knew it was going to be one of "those" weekends!
Miki - useful link thanks. Interesting permutations available there as I have a box of Sierra Gameking 150 SBTs and I was given a box of Sierra 168 HPBT to play with. It will be interesting to see how they work out with N140. I'll try N135 with lighter heads later.
When I finally get started!
Cheers