Which Powders? [Archive]

alamogunr

01-20-2009, 12:21 PM

I'm convinced that the next 4 to 8 years are going to be difficult for those of us who cast, reload and shoot. With that in mind, which powder would you make sure that you didn't run out of. I can't afford to buy 8# jugs of everything that I use, so which handgun powder and which rifle powder would you stock up on? I don't have any sooper dooper coke bottle sized cartridges that I reload, so everything else is a candidate. My favorites are .30-30, .308, and the common milsurp cartridges in rifles(7.62x54R, 7.5-55, 6.5-55 Swedish Mauser). In handguns, it would have to be .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .38 Spec. and 9mm loaded for practice.None of these would be hot loads. If I needed concealed carry loads, I would use factory ammo, which I plan to have a small stash. Almost all loading would be mid level or less.

Any suggestions?

John
W.TN

EDK

01-20-2009, 12:38 PM

For pistol; TITEGROUP, HP38 (231,) UNIQUE, HERCO....357/44/45ACP

For rifle; IMR RELOADER 7, AA 5744, 2400, ?...I need to review loading charts...30/30 and 45/70

I've got a couple of 8 pound kegs of pistol...need some rifle powder, but prefer something like 5744 or 2400 that can also be used in pistol/pistol caliber MARLIN lever guns. Needless to say, almost everything is with a cast boolit.

Another 5 or 10 thousand in each size of pistol primers and 5 thousand large rifles is on the list too.

:cbpour::redneck::Fire:

Recluse

01-20-2009, 12:46 PM

For handgun, W231/HP-38 and Bullseye can cover most of what I shoot. I'd definitely have a keg of 2400 along with AA#5 and AA#2 on hand. I'm a big fan of AA powders for handgun loads.

For long guns, I can't keep enough IMR 4350 and 4395, plus H335 and W748. I haven't done a lot of casting for long guns. Mainly handguns. Have and keep a good stash of jacketed bullets for the long guns, but am budgeting and planning to enter the long-boolit casting world.

Equally as important as powder is primers. I prefer Winchester small pistol and small rifle primers, CCI large pistol primers, and CCI large rifle, and I like keeping several thousand Winchester and CCI magnum primers on hand.

Cherokee

01-20-2009, 01:25 PM

WW231 & H335. Not the best for all cartridges but they work fine. Or, you could go with WST and H4895. They work for me too.

Boerrancher

01-20-2009, 01:47 PM

Handguns it would be Unique as it will also work well with cast rifle boolits. If I couldn't get Unique it would be AA#5 or #7 five would be preferable over seven. Rifles I would have to say with those that you listed I would keep no less than 8 lbs of IMR4064 on hand. It will work quiet well in your guns, and will work in just about every gun.

Now for me, I have been stocking up on Unique for my Handguns rounds, IMR3031 for my big bore rounds and some of the smaller rounds, IMR4064 for my 300sav and 30-30, AA2230 for my 308 and 5.56, AA3100 for my 243, 6mm06, 6mm284, and 300 win mag. Last but not least is the Holy Black. I have almost as much of it as I do any other powder. In a pinch it will work in any of my hand gun rounds and most all of my rifle rounds. Is it as good as smokeless in them? In some it is probably better. I can cover everything I shoot with those powders and do it quite well.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

Heavy lead

01-20-2009, 01:49 PM

If I was going skinny, it would be Unique (would cover all handgun and shotgun needs for me) 4895 or aa2495 (would cover the 223 and 22-250 as well as cast boolit loads in bigger centerfire) and R-22 (would cover the mags, wouldn't be so worried about having this except that my most accurate rifle is a 338 Ultra in a 700 Sendero and if the jello hits the squirrel cage it's my go to hit at 1000yard gun).

jhrosier

01-20-2009, 06:27 PM

I would stock up on Unique and 4895.
If there is any money left, 4198 is the third choice.
And primers, lots and lots of large and small rifle and pistol.
I try to buy enough powder and primers to load 4000-5000 rounds every three months.
No matter how large the pile gets, it just doesn't feel like enough.

Jack

Jbar4Ranch

01-21-2009, 11:03 AM

IMR4895 or 4350 and then something that can be used in handgun & shotgun both, like Clays maybe.

mike in co

01-21-2009, 11:31 AM

RugerFan

01-21-2009, 12:51 PM

My top 3 would be Unique, 2400 & 4895. These cover a very wide range of applications pistol to rifle to shotgun.

alamogunr

01-21-2009, 01:24 PM

i'm an AA fan, but have not shot any new since the ownership change, aa5 for most pistol, and aa2520 for rifle. add aa2 for 45acp, add 4064 for rifle, add 4350 for rifle, add aa9 for 44mag(not on your list)
imr 4227 for cast in rifle

i have been buying powder for over a year, primers too......i aint short of much.

mike in co

I'm seriously considering AA#5. I've used most of a 1# canister in .45ACP and like it. I bought two 8#'ers of AA2520 from Powder Valley when they had a special at somewhere around $85/jug. I forgot about that when I asked the question. A lot of good powders recommended. Hard to choose.

I guess for now I will get another jug of Unique and one of AA#5 plus a couple of cases of small pistol primers to add to what I already have. If the world as we know it doesn't come to an end in the next year, maybe I will add to the list. For some of you, this wouldn't be enough but for me it is serious outlay.

Old Ironsights

01-21-2009, 01:37 PM

Everything I shoot shoots reasonably well with 2400 &/or LilGun.

I have 16lbs of 2400 & 4 lbs of LilGun.

felix

01-21-2009, 02:41 PM

Unique and AA5 are too close in speed to get both, unless you are doing fine tuning for some reason not indicated. Just get one of them. ... felix

Lloyd Smale

01-21-2009, 03:00 PM

bullseye, unique, 2400 should take care of any handgun loads. I like some others but those are must haves. For rifles i could get by with 1680 (which also can be used in mag pistol) 335 and 4350.

cajun shooter

01-21-2009, 03:55 PM

Lots and Lots of 2F or if not that then some 2F

alamogunr

01-21-2009, 04:31 PM

Unique and AA5 are too close in speed to get both, unless you are doing fine tuning for some reason not indicated. Just get one of them. ... felix

I didn't realize that. I just confirmed it (not that I didn't believe you) by looking at a burn chart. It seems that only Unique is ever mentioned for both reduced rifle and handgun cartridges. So it is back to analyzing the responses to the question. Thanks.

John

alamogunr

01-28-2009, 09:49 PM

Well, I finally decided which powders to get in addition to another 10K primers. It seems that I waited too long to pull the trigger. Powder Valley is stock out of Unique, Bullseye, 3031 and 2400 plus some others. I was going to combine the powder order with 10K of Wolf small pistol primers but they are out of those too. Guess I'll just have to keep checking to see when they replenish stock.

If I was willing to split the order and pay more, I could probably find what I am looking for, but I figure if I'm patient, I will get it eventually.

RugerFan

01-28-2009, 10:51 PM

Suo Gan

01-29-2009, 03:37 AM

IMR 3031, I just bought some more, this is getting rediculous.

unstableryan

01-29-2009, 04:15 AM

The way I shoot I can make about 170 shells a pound from all the major rifle powders (3031, 4198, re-7, h335, etc) but I can make about 450 if I use Unique, and if shtf, it will be number of cartridges I can make, not an extra 300fps on each one that will matter. So a few cans of unique will round it out nicely.

Ryan

NoDakJak

01-29-2009, 07:35 AM

My oh my this makes things tough but lets make it even tougher. I have better than two dozen different powders in the vault and dies for almost eighty different cartridges but I stop short of the belted magnums. I already have more than enough IMR 4350 and 4831 to last me the rest of my life but if I could only have three other powders to cover all bases for what I shoot just what would they be? 231, 2400 and 4895 would do it all, both boolits and bullets. Bullseye, Lil Gun and 335 would serve just as well. I could still do it all with ZIP, Enforcer and 3031. I would sorely miss 4198SC and 1680 though! I sure don't want to have to make the choice. Neil

gon2shoot

01-30-2009, 09:08 PM

Went through the "simplifing" exercise several years ago.
I can build decent loads for everything I shoot with 2400 and 4198, would'nt want too, but I could.

Chunky Monkey

01-30-2009, 10:13 PM

I have almost 8# of HS 6 that I use for 45 acp on hand . I was wanting to get some powder for loading 223. So I checked Powder Valley and Wideners every day as they had the best prices but every day they were "out of stock". Then on 1/19/09 Powder Valley had what I wanted so ordered 8# of Ramshot TAC and H4895. Haven't received it yet and who knows when I will.

alamogunr

01-31-2009, 12:25 AM

Their web site says they are shipping orders received on 1/16/09 , so yours shouldn't be too far behind. Wish I had been checking more often.
John

Chunky Monkey

01-31-2009, 09:28 AM

Their web site says they are shipping orders received on 1/16/09 , so yours shouldn't be too far behind. Wish I had been checking more often.
John

I just got an email from them this morning with a copy of my invoice dated 1/30/09 even though I ordered 1/19/09. Maybe they are getting ready to ship it. [smilie=1:

supv26

01-31-2009, 10:34 AM

I ordered 6 different kinds of powder last Wednesday for my .308 and 22-250. The gal told me it would ship on Tuesday of this next week. I am sitting on 3 different pistol powders right now but I think I will order some more next month.

My loading shop is climate controlled so I do not have to worry about my stock pile getting in the elements. I also have another safe out in the shop that I only keep ammo and reloading supplies in.

Ya naver know what is going to happen!! This might be a long bumpy road for the gun owners!!