The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

I used to be a heavy reloader a few years back but I have been ill. Just come back into it and I see the EU had a shake up and some powder suppliers are no longer welcome in the EU.
I also see that has an effect on all the data I have as the mixture of components have changed.
Now whilst I can easily restock with a different set of powders which firm, brand or make do you think will pass the new EU rules and as such will stay available in the UK.

EU manufactured powders will or do comply.

I switched to Vihtavuori for everything years ago because of the paucity of supply of the yankee labelled powders.

It has been as good as or better than what I was using and has delivered on everything I've loaded since.

Good availability and cheaper than the yankee labelled powders.

+1 for Vit powders, great range and availability

Laurie has posted chapter and verse on this here, a search of his posts will be rewarding.

I actually load more black powder cartridge that smokeless and mainly use Swiss black powder.

Reloader Swiss range of powders??
JohnG

Ramshot powders could be another option

I believe that it's Alliant and certain IMR powders that are subject to the EU ruling.
I have switched to RS powders and they are delivering excellent performance.
ukrifleman

ukrifleman wrote:I believe that it's Alliant and certain IMR powders that are subject to the EU ruling.
I have switched to RS powders and they are delivering excellent performance.
ukrifleman

The Alliant rifle ('Reloder') powders that we see in the UK are manufactured under contract in the EU (by Bofors and Nitrochemie) and are Reach compliant, therefore unaffected.

Vihtavuori, Eurenco (Ramshot, SNPE Vectan), Nitrochemie (Reload Swiss and some Alliant Re grades) are all compliant and supplies are unaffected.

New 'Enduron' IMR grades of which the 5th rifle powder has just been announced are or will be OK and there are five new IMR pistol/revolver powders likewise.

Most Hodgdon grades are non-compliant and will disappear. Each and every extruded Hodgdon powder is 'out' and can no longer be imported into the EU from mid 2018, so no more H4198 through H50BMG including the very popular H4895, VarGet, H4350, and H4831.

Most but not all Hodgdon 'spherical' powders are non-compliant and will disappear. The popular H335, H414, and BL-C(2) are banned. The new fast burning CFE BLK (not a black powder substitute, the BLK = Blackout after the .300 AAC Blackout cartridge) and CFE223 should be compliant - still waiting confirmation last I heard. Hodgdon Li'l Gun is confirmed as being OK.

As far as I can tell, all IMR 'legacy' powders are non-compliant as currently formulated. So no IMR-4198 through to 7977. The new 'Enduron IMRs are all OK:

4166 (H4895 / VarGet equivalent)
4451 (4350 equivalent)
4955 (4831 equivalent)
7977 (H1000 equivalent)
8133 (H. Retumbo equivalent, a very slow burning magnum rifle powder)

4166, 4451, and 7977 are on sale now in the UK, 4955 should be shortly, and 8133 has only just been announced in the US.

So, there is plenty to use. As Dromia says, there is a huge Viht range and the importer has increased order sizes to cope with the loss of non-compliant grades from other manufacturers. Reload Swiss which has only been here a couple of years has already built up a big following, and if ball powders are what ring your bell then Ramshot are excellent products with six superb rifle propellants from Enforcer (magnum revolver and small / large-bore rifle cartridges) to Magnum.

What's the best VV alternative to H4831sc?
I've about a 10 year supply of Varget but only 1lb or so of 4831 & unless I can score some more at a decent price, I'll have to move on.

N160.