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October 29, 2011
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Hi–anyone loading H4895? for 45-90 need a starting load–Thanks Bill
January 20, 2023
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Hey, Bill. As close as I can get with 4895 so far is a page out of the 1957 edition of the NRA book, Handloading, a copy of which I picked up at Half Price Books on Sunday.
It doesn’t have a section on 45-90 but does have one on 45-70. I’ve attached a copy.
Note that the loads are for Dupont, not Hodgdon. In a minute I’ll check Lyman’s Cast Bullet volume and two of Venturino’s books. If I find anything more, I’ll send it. 
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
January 20, 2023
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Nope, nothing else.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
January 20, 2023
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CAUTION – some of the numbered loads in the NRA chart are too hot for vintage arms. I’ve attached the text that classifies them. The first category is for trapdoors, the second for 1886s in good condition, and the third for intrepid owners of the Ruger #1 etc. 
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
June 4, 2017
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I’ve always used 3031 in 45-90 1886’s. I’m sure there are other powders that will work but I would not use 4895. I use it in modern guns like 270, 06, and 300HH. It is a lot of bang for an old black powder gun. T/R
April 15, 2005
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TR said
I’ve always used 3031 in 45-90 1886’s. I’m sure there are other powders that will work but I would not use 4895. I use it in modern guns like 270, 06, and 300HH. It is a lot of bang for an old black powder gun. T/R
Hodgdon specifically states that H4895 is ideal for “reduced” power loads. They state the “60% rule”.
Microsoft Word – Hodgdon H4895 reduced rifle load.docx (hodgdonpowderco.com)
For something like the 45-90, I would not be afraid to give it a whirl.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 7, 2015
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The only manual in my library that lists H4895 for the 45-90 is Waters’ Pet Loads. They seem reasonable enough but I’d rather not post them on an open forum. Have sent my findings to the OP in an e-mail. H4895 seems like a great powder for the 45-90 so was surprised to see so few manuals listing a load for this cartridge using this powder.
Mike
January 20, 2023
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The next time I see a good copy of Pet Loads at HPB, it’s coming home with me. I had one in my hands a couple of years ago but passed on it because I’d found a Franklin leather volume I had really wanted for a long time, Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men. Haven’t seen a decent Pet Loads since.
From Waters’ obituary, he really was a man for all seasons.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
November 7, 2015
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Zebulon said
The next time I see a good copy of Pet Loads at HPB, it’s coming home with me. I had one in my hands a couple of years ago but passed on it because I’d found a Franklin leather volume I had really wanted for a long time, Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men. Haven’t seen a decent Pet Loads since.
From Waters’ obituary, he really was a man for all seasons.
Zeb-
My copy is a bit more recent but this particular article was written over 40 years ago. As usual his loading tables are very concise but the article puts those results in context. Waters agrees with TR on his preference for the IMR3031 powder but H4895 powder was quite acceptable in Waters’ testing.
Mike
June 4, 2017
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In the book “Winchester Lever Legacy” by Snooky Williamson he lists a 45-90 load for a 1886 with 50.5grs of 4895 with tp as a filler and 300grs cast bullet at 1556fps 7″ group. His loads were always hot so I tried going lighter and the recoil seemed extreme, 38grs of 3031 with corn meal as a filler gave me accuracy at 1450 fps without the kick. Without the filler my velocity varied and accuracy suffered. For JHP 300grs I use 2 grs more with the same accurate results. I have no reason to try anything else. T/R
March 20, 2010
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Here is some Lyman data (Catalogue 41/42). Sorry for the image size, tried to resize with not great results. The thumbnail feature appears to no longer working.
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
April 15, 2005
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Bill,
Why not load your 45-90 with 4198? I would start with 36 grains and work it up slowly to find your accuracy load.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
June 4, 2017
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Bert H. said
Bill,
Why not load your 45-90 with 4198? I would start with 36 grains and work it up slowly to find your accuracy load.
Bert
I like Bert’s idea. I use 4198 in 45-75 and 50-95 in 1876s and 50-110 in 1886s, it’s very manageable and consistent, great powder in big cases. T/R
March 31, 2009
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IMR 4198 is one of the 3 powders I use in the 45-90-300. I get 1,550 fps. with 31 grains. Like TR, I use it for my 45-75 and 50-95 EX too.
I did a study and found that the majority of the old Winchester large calibers can use 4198.
April 15, 2005
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I use IMR 4198 for a fair number of the older Winchester cartridges, e.g. 25-20 S.S., 32-40, 38-55, 40-70 Ballard, 40-70 Sharps Str., 40-90 Sharps Str., and 50-95 WCF. When I decide to start reloading 33 WCF again, I will give it a try and work up a load.
I also very recently began reloading my 222 Remington Magnum with it (24.2 grains under a 40 gr. V-Max bullet). It is the only “modern” cartridge I reload using 4198. I recently bought 2 lbs of the H4198 that I intend to use for the 222 Rem Mag.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
March 31, 2009
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Bert H. said
I use IMR 4198 for a fair number of the older Winchester cartridges, e.g. 25-20 S.S., 32-40, 38-55, 40-70 Ballard, 40-70 Sharps Str., 40-90 Sharps Str., and 50-95 WCF. When I decide to start reloading 33 WCF again, I will give it a try and work up a load.
I also very recently began reloading my 222 Remington Magnum with it (24.2 grains under a 40 gr. V-Max bullet). It is the only “modern” cartridge I reload using 4198. I recently bought 2 lbs of the H4198 that I intend to use for the 222 Rem Mag.
Bert
I went through my loading manuals and researched over 40 Winchester calibers for our early guns. I found loading data using 4198 for at least 30 of these calibers. I did not find 4198 info on the 44, 38, 32-20, the 2 Military loads for the Hotchkiss, 40-72, 7.62 Russian, 303 Brit, 30-03, 30-40, 22 WCF, 405 and 35.
Again, these are just my manuals. In addition to 4198 you should have some 2400, 3031, 4064, 4227, 4895 and maybe 4759.
April 15, 2005
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Chuck said
Bert H. said
I use IMR 4198 for a fair number of the older Winchester cartridges, e.g. 25-20 S.S., 32-40, 38-55, 40-70 Ballard, 40-70 Sharps Str., 40-90 Sharps Str., and 50-95 WCF. When I decide to start reloading 33 WCF again, I will give it a try and work up a load.
I also very recently began reloading my 222 Remington Magnum with it (24.2 grains under a 40 gr. V-Max bullet). It is the only “modern” cartridge I reload using 4198. I recently bought 2 lbs of the H4198 that I intend to use for the 222 Rem Mag.
Bert
I went through my loading manuals and researched over 40 Winchester calibers for our early guns. I found loading data using 4198 for at least 30 of these calibers. I did not find 4198 info on the 44, 38, 32-20, the 2 Military loads for the Hotchkiss, 40-72, 7.62 Russian, 303 Brit, 30-03, 30-40, 22 WCF, 405 and 35.
Again, these are just my manuals. In addition to 4198 you should have some 2400, 3031, 4064, 4227, 4895 and maybe 4759.
I have IMR 4198, IMR 3031, IMR 4064, IMR 4227, and IMR 4350. I also have A2400, Bullseye, Unique, A8700, H110, H4198, Lil-Gun, and W296 on hand. Essentially, I have the necessary powder to reload almost any cartridge you can think of.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
January 20, 2023
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I still find it hard to believe they shanked 4759. It produced some 250-3000 turkey loads for me so accurate I can’t risk my reputation by telling you the group sizes. It was useful for so many things and non-finicky to boot.
If I had to do with only five powders, give me 4759, Unique, 3031, 4350, and H110/296.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
April 15, 2005
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Zebulon said
If I had to do with only five powders, give me 4759, Unique, 3031, 4350, and H110/296.
Interesting… my five powders would be 4198, Bullseye, 2400, 4064, and 4350.
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
January 20, 2023
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Bert H. said
Zebulon said
If I had to do with only five powders, give me 4759, Unique, 3031, 4350, and H110/296.
Interesting… my five powders would be 4198, Bullseye, 2400, 4064, and 4350.
I’d try to squeeze 4064 in, somehow. And, since 4759 is no longer going to be made, I’d substitute RL-7 (or 5744 if AA ever makes it again.)
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
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