IMR 8208 XBR Powder Now Available at Powder Valley Outdoors
IMR 8208 XBR powder is a great propellent that has shown superb consistency, delivering great accuracy and low ES/SD in our testing. We have used this powder with success in .308 Win and other cartridges. The burn rate is slightly slower than Vihtavuori N133 and a bit faster than Hodgdon H4895. IMR 8208 XBR is suitable for many cartridge types including .204 Ruger, 22 BR, .223 Rem, 6 PPC, 6BR (lighter bullets), and .308 Winchester. It works great for varmint hunting loads as well as benchrest competition.
IMR 8208 XBR has been exceedingly difficult to obtain in the last year or so, but that has changed. Currently Powder Valley Outdoors has IMR 8208 XBR one-pounders in stock at $54.99. Sorry, 8-pounders are not available at this time.
If Powder Valley sells out, Natchez Shooting & Outdoors also has some IMR 8208 XBR one-pounders in stock. Current price is $51.69 (one-pound). Also Brownell’s has 8208 XBR one-pounders in stock for $55.99. NOTE: Neither Natchez nor Brownells have the 8-lb jugs of IMR 8208 XBR.
Stellar Accuracy and Exceptional Temperature Insensitivity
Field testing has shown that IMR XBR 8208 is extremely stable across a very wide temperature range. At SHOT Show 2010, we interviewed Chris Hodgdon, who gave us the “inside story” on this IMR powder. Chris shared lab test results showing how load pressure varied with ambient temperature. The data was stunning. Basically 8208 XBR showed almost constant pressures from below freezing to well over 100° F. This editor has personally never seen a powder test that revealed “flat-line” results like 8208 XBR, with recorded pressures remaining virtually unchanged over a huge temperature range. And IMR 8208 XBR has been used with great success in benchrest competition by Lou Murdica and others. When you combine its temp stability with such proven accuracy, IMR 8208 XBR is indeed a very exceptional powder.
Credit our buddy Joe Friedrich for this simple yet effective accessory for your benchrest rifle. Joe shoots a .22 LR benchrest rig with a barrel tuner. When he added weights to his tuner, he found his rifle no longer balanced well. He wanted to add some weight in the rear without drilling holes in the stock. He also wanted the weight to be removable, and easily placed on another rifle in his stable. He wanted a weight that could be moved from gun to gun as needed.
