ADI Benchmark 8208

Marketed in the USA as IMR 8208 XBR, this close-to ideal medium speed propellent has been extensively tested by Hodgdon USA’s  ballisticians and top handloading writers and the results have been excellent.

Burn rate – suitability. Benchmark 8208 has a burn rate that falls between ADI’s Benchmark 2 and AR 2206H, placing it square in the ballpark of competitive and sporting .223 and .308 users shooting light to medium weight bullets. Benchrest competitors using chamberings like 6mmBR and 6mmXC and sporting shooters loading .22-250 with light bullets, 6.8 SPC and .204 Ruger are well-catered for with this versatile propellent.

Metering.  BM 8208 is a fine-granulated propellent – reports to hand do not indicate whether it is single or double-base, but based on pressure and velocity reports, it is most likely single based. Metering tests have proved it to be ideally suited to very consistent thrown charges, so high volume handloaders are rewarded in time saved at the bench.

Load Density. Depending upon chambering and due to its fine granule size, loading densities would typically run from 70-90 percent.

Shooting results. Hodgdon’s testing until now has revealed that with minimal load development, sub-MoA five shot groups are the norm in good sporting rifles and better in specific target rifles across a wide range of projectile styles and weights in each chambering. One quoted example by Lane Pearce shooting a CZ 527 American yielded  .81-inch group average with 50gn Hornady V-Max’s and .61-inches for Sierra 52gn HPBT Match bullets, both delivering over 3,000fps MVs with mild loads.