8208 pull down powder

S

sambubba1

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Is this powder what is referred to as "Thunderbird"?
 
I got a jug of T32 from Walt. First 8 pounder I bought and thought I could buy it forever. Sadly, as I grew into benchrest, I learned that wasn't to be - among other things. I had a chance to learn this lesson earlier when I was buying H322 GI from a local shop. I was sending my wife to buy a pound, maybe two, as she drove to town...just enough to get me through the next match. The guy at the powder store doubled the price and I asked "what's up"? He didn't know any better than I did that the powder he was now buying was not GI 322 but regular H322. Took me weeks to figure that one out and I said stuff about the fellow that wasn't correct. The second time around, the jug from Walt, taught me to buy all I could of what I liked.....every chance I had.

Said right there on the label that it was surplus powder! Small, but it was right there.......
 
There were many large containers of the then IMR8208 and IMR8208M that was sold as virgin powder, IMR8208 lot 45710 being probably the best known. The reason I make the reference of "the then" IMR8208 is that the current marketed Hodgdon powder IMR8208XBR is a whole different animal. This current product is neither IMR nor is it 8208 in the classic sense.

I've shot many pounds of this XBR and it is a much usable powder for short range benchrest with the 6PPC, it somehow just didn't get generally accepted. One reason for this I believe is that the Hodgdon product was a release of 5 or 6 different lots of an ADI powder and while similar to each other there was enough variation to not make an exact fit as Wilbur learned about his "322" years ago.

The latest wannabe of "T", LT-32 hopefully will not make the mistake of selling widely differently performing lots. The manufacturer of this powder, the Canooks, have an outlet for the out-of-spec LT-32 and it is now sold as AA2015.
 
In around 1996 you could buy 8208, it was from pull down powder. The best lots were sold as thunderbird and the lesser was 8208. It came from southern Va. and sold as fertilizer and was in windshield washer jugs……. If i remember right, it was from 223 tracer rounds,and i still have the screens we would sift it through to get the dirt out. It shot better than VV133…… jim
 
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My friend has an 8 LB. jug that looks like and old Clorox bottle an it has a lot number of LCAO 68 but does not say Thunderbird anywhere on the bottle, he has been using it to fire form Dasher Brass, because of this thread he is rethinking whether he should be doing that or not. Since I'm not familiar with the powder I can't give him any advice. Perhaps someone with more knowledge of this powder could give him some direction.
 
One Hole said:
My friend has an 8 LB. jug that looks like and old Clorox bottle an it has a lot number of LCAO 68 but does not say Thunderbird anywhere on the bottle, he has been using it to fire form Dasher Brass, because of this thread he is rethinking whether he should be doing that or not. Since I'm not familiar with the powder I can't give him any advice. Perhaps someone with more knowledge of this powder could give him some direction.
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Its probably LC A068? What other writing is on the jug/label?
 
There were three lots of IMR 8208 sold to Thunderbird (each lot was about 21,000 pounds). One lot was selected by Walt Berger as a BR powder and he called it T-322 (Later changed to T-32). This was military surplus powder from the Vietnam era (1960's). These three lots were NOT pull down powder. The pull down powder comes from various 5.56 ammo and is not labeled Thunderbird. If this information is not what you think is correct, I will tell you that Walt Berger related this to me. Good shooting...James
 
James, You have it right three original lots were not pull down, the pull down came later and there were many lot numbers. funny when you checked volume to weight there where still only three different weight variations....hope to see you and Richard somewhere . George
 
What are your general thoughts on this latest so called 8208 pull down?

Label reads IMR 8208. I call it st Louis 8208. Bruno was selling this powder a couple years back, as was an outfit in st Louis. thus the reason I call it St Louis 8208. Lots of this powder going around here in my area for a while, so I bought plenty. Anyway I find it very useful in a ppc. Most complained about the graphite that was put into the powder. Most likely used in semi auto rifle, but I wouldn't know for sure. I don't mind the graphite, and I find it cleans up pretty easy.

I was told by one fella that this powder was a VV powder and probably VV 132. I have no idea about that. I like this powder, and it can be bought pretty cheap, when it comes up. Anyone else shooting this stuff? I know most will say it isn't anything like the original 8208, and I don't doubt that one bit, but personally I never shot any of the old t powder so I wouldn't know. Just curious what others think of it? Lee
 
Aac122910

skeetlee said:
What are your general thoughts on this latest so called 8208 pull down?

Label reads IMR 8208. I call it st Louis 8208. Bruno was selling this powder a couple years back, as was an outfit in st Louis. thus the reason I call it St Louis 8208. Lots of this powder going around here in my area for a while, so I bought plenty. Anyway I find it very useful in a ppc. Most complained about the graphite that was put into the powder. Most likely used in semi auto rifle, but I wouldn't know for sure. I don't mind the graphite, and I find it cleans up pretty easy.

I was told by one fella that this powder was a VV powder and probably VV 132. I have no idea about that. I like this powder, and it can be bought pretty cheap, when it comes up. Anyone else shooting this stuff? I know most will say it isn't anything like the original 8208, and I don't doubt that one bit, but personally I never shot any of the old t powder so I wouldn't know. Just curious what others think of it? Lee
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:) Yep.... This stuff ain't bad..;)
Another PM too ya Skeet...
cale
 
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