What can I substitute for Retumbo?

Substitutes listed for Retumbo: AR 2218, IMR 8133, Reloader 26, N170. Always start at published minimum charges and work up — substitution is a starting point, not a 1:1 swap.

Is Retumbo good for .300 Winchester Magnum?

Retumbo is commonly listed for .300 Winchester Magnum (burn-rate rank #78). Other powders reloaders use for .300 Winchester Magnum include Superperformance, N560, Norma 204. Verify charges against a published load manual.

Is Retumbo good for .338 Lapua Magnum?

Retumbo is commonly listed for .338 Lapua Magnum (burn-rate rank #78). Other powders reloaders use for .338 Lapua Magnum include MRP2, S365, AR 2217. Verify charges against a published load manual.

Is Retumbo good for .300 Remington Ultra Magnum?

Retumbo is commonly listed for .300 Remington Ultra Magnum (burn-rate rank #78). Other powders reloaders use for .300 Remington Ultra Magnum include AR 2218, Reloader 25, Reloader 26. Verify charges against a published load manual.

Hodgdon Powder Company · Extruded

Retumbo

Ultra-slow extruded powder for large magnum rifle cases.

Manufacturer: Hodgdon
Grain shape: Extruded
Burn rank: #78
Category: Magnum Rifle
Temp sensitivity: Moderate
Application: Magnum Rifle
Origin: USA
Status: Active

Burn-rate position

FastestSlowest

Rank #78 on the burn-rate scale · Magnum Rifle

Typical cartridges

.300 Winchester Magnum .338 Lapua Magnum .300 Remington Ultra Magnum .30-378 Weatherby Magnum 7mm Remington Magnum

Substitutes

Listed substitutions with charge guidance. Always start at published minimums and work up.

AR 2218 · ADIManufacturer

Identical formulation — use same charge weights.

IMR 8133 · IMRPublished

ADI-based; similar burn rate to Retumbo for ultra-magnum cartridges. Start low.

Reloader 26 · AlliantCommunity

Similar burn rate; reduce 3–5% when substituting.

N170 · VihtavuoriCommunity

Similar burn rate for ultra-magnums; reduce 4–6% when substituting.

By cartridge

.300 Winchester Magnumalso used: Superperformance, N560, Norma 204

.338 Lapua Magnumalso used: MRP2, S365, AR 2217

.300 Remington Ultra Magnumalso used: AR 2218, Reloader 25, Reloader 26

.30-378 Weatherby Magnumalso used: N570, 780, H1000

7mm Remington Magnumalso used: Superperformance, D072.5, IMR 4320

Similar burn rate

#78AR 2218ADI #78N170Vihtavuori #78Reloader 25Alliant #79IMR 5010IMR #79Reloader 26Alliant

Supply & handling

Availability (US): Common
Shortage-prone: No
Suppressor-friendly: Yes
Flash-suppressed: No

About this powder

Retumbo (the name is "Retumbo" — a portmanteau of "return to magnums" or simply an invented name) is the slowest of the Hodgdon Extreme series, designed for the .338 Lapua, .300 Ultra Mag, .30-378 Wby, and similarly large cases. Its temperature stability makes it a staple for ELR (extreme long range) competitors who need consistency from 20°F to 100°F.

Head-to-headRetumbo vs AR 2218 Head-to-headRetumbo vs IMR 8133 Head-to-headRetumbo vs Reloader 26 Head-to-headRetumbo vs N170 ChartSee it on the burn-rate spectrum BrowseEvery powder, ranked by burn rate

Sources & provenance

ManufacturerHodgdon — Hodgdon — published load/burn-rate data