In previous studies, submerged-arc welds with a range of compositions were irradiated in test reactors over a range of dose and dose-rates. The effect of irradiation was measured by Charpy V-notch and hardness tests, and an irradiation response model was developed. In this paper we report the results of a combined electron m icroscopy and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) study on material from some of the Charpy specimens. The results have been interpreted in terms of the Russell and Brown modulus hardening model. In general they have confirmed the predictions of the irradiation response model, and shown that the copper precipitation contribution to the observed macroscopic hardening is strongly dependent on nickel, dose and dose-rate.