Hodgdon Extreme
Hodgdon H4831SC
Ballistically the same powder as H4831 in a short-cut kernel, for the same slow-burn big-game and long-range applications.
The same powder as H4831 with the kernels cut short, and the version to buy. Identical burn rate, identical applications — .270 Winchester, .25-06, .280 Remington, heavy bullets in the magnums — but it throws far more uniformly and settles denser in the case, which helps load density in the long-necked cartridges it serves. Extreme-series, so it holds up in heat and cold. Nothing to criticise here that is not also true of every slow extruded powder: it still wants a big case.
- 270 Winchester
- 25-06 Remington
- 280 Remington
- 300 Winchester Magnum hunting loads
Who has Hodgdon H4831SC today
Checked October 10In stock at 2 stores — lowest in hand $56.93/lb (8 lb at Graf & Sons)
| Store | Size | Shelf | In hand /lb | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graf & Sons$23.50 hazmat per package | 8 lb | $417.99 | $56.93 | In stock ↗ |
| Hodgdon (direct)Terms not published | 8 lb | $450.99 | $60.30 est. | In stock ↗ |
| Graf & Sons$23.50 hazmat per package | 1 lb | $58.99 | $96.44 | In stock ↗ |
| Hodgdon (direct)Terms not published | 1 lb | $66.99 | $98.43 est. | In stock ↗ |
| Bruno Shooters Supply$26.95 hazmat + $19.95 ship | 8 lb | $377.99 | $53.11 | Out |
| Lohman ArmsHazmat charged, amount not published | 8 lb | $405.95 | $54.67 est. | Out |
| Lohman ArmsHazmat charged, amount not published | 1 lb | $57.95 | $89.39 est. | Out |
| Bruno Shooters Supply$26.95 hazmat + $19.95 ship | 1 lb | $52.99 | $99.89 | Out |
“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 Extreme |
| Status | Currently produced |
| Application | rifle |
| Grain form | extruded |
| Lee VMD (bulk density) | 0.0725 cc per grain · 0.89 g/cc |
| Composition | single-base |
| Temperature stable | Yes — claimed by the manufacturer |
| Burn-rate position | 166 of 198 (fastest = 1) — what this means |
| Typical cartridges | 270 Winchester, 25-06 Remington, 280 Remington, 300 Winchester Magnum |
Grain shape
Same web thickness as H4831, so identical burn rate — only the kernel length changed. Short cut kernels stop bridging in the drop tube, take less shearing in a measure, and pack more compactly, which is a real gain in load density.
Why geometry decides burn rate more than chemistry does: Shape Is the Product.
'SC' means short cut. The shorter kernels flow more smoothly through a measure, reduce kernel cutting, give more uniform thrown charges, and pack more compactly for better loading density.
Burn rate
Slow rifle, charted at the same position as H4831.
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:
- Vihtavuori N555 (position 164)
- Hodgdon H4831 (position 166)
- Vihtavuori N560 (position 167)
- IMR Enduron 4955 (position 168)
- Norma MRP (position 169)
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.