IMR Classic
IMR Red
IMR described Red as an efficient, clean-burning 12-gauge target powder that also suits lead-bullet handgun target loads, including competition and reduced cowboy-action loads.
Discontinued after a short catalogue life. Red was IMR's 12 gauge target flake, also listed for light lead-bullet handgun and cowboy loads in .38 Special and .45 Colt. Clean-burning by reputation, but too short-lived to have accumulated much independent handling experience. Archived data only.
- 12 gauge target loads
- cowboy .45 Colt
- .38 Special lead target
Who has IMR Red today
Checked October 10Out of stock at every store we track
| Store | Size | Shelf | In hand /lb | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lohman ArmsHazmat charged, amount not published | 8 lb | $199.99 | $28.93 est. | Out |
| Lohman ArmsHazmat charged, amount not published | 4 lb | $104.99 | $34.11 est. | 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 →
Discontinued. Canisters still circulate, but the maker no longer produces it — and load data for it may be withdrawn or archived.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | IMR |
|---|---|
| Product family | IMR Classic |
| Status | Discontinued |
| Application | shotshell, pistol |
| Grain form | flake |
| Lee VMD (bulk density) | 0.1423 cc per grain · 0.46 g/cc |
| Typical cartridges | 12 Gauge, 38 Special, 45 Colt |
Grain shape
Flake: degressive burning, energy out early, so it suits light target loads and punishes an overcharge harder than a tube powder would. Small flakes meter consistently through both shotshell bushings and pistol measures.
Why geometry decides burn rate more than chemistry does: Shape Is the Product.
Introduced by IMR in late 2016 as part of a five-powder family (Target, Red, Green, Unequal and Blue) marketed as REACH-compliant 'green technology' propellants. Discontinued. Hodgdon no longer lists this powder among current IMR products and it does not appear on Hodgdon's current relative burn rate chart.
This powder is obscure enough in the US that its practical character is thinly documented. The note above is deliberately short rather than padded.
Data confidence
We flag entries we could not fully verify rather than presenting them as solid:
- Discontinued — no live manufacturer product page; details drawn from archived or secondary manufacturer material.
Sources
The specifications above come from IMR'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.