Hodgdon
Hodgdon H380
A spherical varmint-class rifle powder for medium-capacity cases.
An old varmint powder — named after the charge B.E. Hodgdon settled on in the wildcat that became the .22-250 — and still genuinely good in .22-250, .220 Swift, .243 Winchester and .257 Roberts. Ball metering means it throws consistently all day, which suits high-volume varmint loading. It carries no temperature-stability claim, and it has largely been outclassed for serious match work by the temperature-stable extruded powders. Supply is thin enough now that most people stumble onto it rather than seek it out.
- 22-250 Remington
- 220 Swift
- 243 Winchester varmint loads
- 257 Roberts
Who has Hodgdon H380 today
Checked October 10In stock at 3 stores — lowest in hand $44.65/lb (8 lb at Lohman Arms)
| Store | Size | Shelf | In hand /lb | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lohman ArmsHazmat charged, amount not published | 8 lb | $325.78 | $44.65 est. | In stock ↗ |
| Graf & Sons$23.50 hazmat per package | 8 lb | $337.99 | $46.93 | In stock ↗ |
| Hodgdon (direct)Terms not published | 8 lb | $352.99 | $48.05 est. | In stock ↗ |
| Lohman ArmsHazmat charged, amount not published | 1 lb | $44.80 | $76.24 est. | In stock ↗ |
| Hodgdon (direct)Terms not published | 1 lb | $49.99 | $81.43 est. | In stock ↗ |
| Graf & Sons$23.50 hazmat per package | 1 lb | $45.99 | $83.44 | In stock ↗ |
“In hand” is the shelf price plus that store’s hazmat fee and shipping, spread over one container. Stock is checked once a day — confirm on the store’s page before ordering. Compare all powders →
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Hodgdon |
|---|---|
| Product family | Hodgdon |
| Status | Currently produced |
| Application | rifle |
| Grain form | spherical |
| Lee VMD (bulk density) | 0.0691 cc per grain · 0.94 g/cc |
| Composition | double-base |
| Temperature stable | Not marketed as temperature-stable |
| Burn-rate position | 138 of 198 (fastest = 1) — what this means |
| Typical cartridges | 22-250 Remington, 220 Swift, 243 Winchester, 257 Roberts |
Grain shape
Spherical and degressive, so it meters accurately and gives up its energy early. Its relatively thick deterrent-coated grain is why it sits medium-slow, and why it wants a decent case fill — run light in a big case it becomes position sensitive and inconsistent.
Why geometry decides burn rate more than chemistry does: Shape Is the Product.
Named by B.E. Hodgdon after the load he worked up in the wildcat that became the 22-250. Spherical form meters well; not an Extreme-series powder.
Burn rate
Medium-slow rifle, just slower than LEVERevolution and faster than Ramshot Big Game.
Chart agreement: consistent across charts - listed in the same relative neighbourhood by every publisher that carries it Ranked by: Hodgdon, Vihtavuori, Shooters World, Wolfe/LoadData.
Powders charted near it — neighbours on the chart are not substitutes, and adjacency tells you nothing about what charge either one takes:
- Alliant Reloder TS 15.5 (position 135)
- Alliant Power Pro 2000-MR (position 136)
- Hodgdon LEVERevolution (position 137)
- Ramshot Big Game (position 139)
- Vihtavuori N150 (position 140)
- Shooters World Long Rifle (position 141)
Sources
The specifications above come from Hodgdon's own published documentation, linked below. The two “RCM's read” sections are ours, not theirs — our assessment of what this powder is like to load, drawn from its published characteristics and from what handloaders consistently report. No manufacturer endorses them and no source below backs them. If you think we have one wrong, tell us — we would rather fix it.