If you could only have ONE powder...

[Tracy]

OK, we did the 3 powders exercise. How about if you could only have one powder? Now, I don't mean if all you have is a .38 Special and a 12 gauge; that's too easy. I'm excluding BP too, for a couple of reasons; for one, because I can make my own BP.
Assume you want to feed one or more typical centerfire pistols and/or revolvers, shotgun(s), and full-power rifle(s).

There are several powders I could make due with, but my choice would be good old 2400. .38 Special can be loaded as well with it as any other powder. 9mm and .45 ACP also do quite well with it, and it is one of, if not THE best powder for .357 and .44 Mag, as well as .44 Special and .45 Colt. Works wonderfully in .410 and very well in the larger gauges (I've loaded quite a few rounds of 12 gauge 2 3/4" loads using heavy shot loads at moderate velocity, which are my favorite hunting loads. It is my favorite powder for .30/30 and .45/70, works well enough in .223 to achieve very workable velocities and cycle the action of an AR-15 or Mini-14, and even a .30/06 can be loaded to levels that are useful for big-game hunting out to at least 200 yards; I'm talking 150 grain bullets at ~2300 fps. Also 220 grain bullets at ~1850 fps.
So there you have it; if I had to use one powder for all my reloading uses, it would be 2400.

[armyrat1970]

Probably would be Unique.

[Edubya]

Tracy, I'll agree with you on the 2400 is pretty good on a broad spectrum of weapons but if we're talking only handguns, there are several that will do fine from the .380 through the .500, i.e., HS6, Universal, AA#5, etc....
I think that any powder that can throw a projectile at least 700 fps will do the the part that I'm most interested in, SD!
EW

[Heavy lead]

If I could have only two, or only three, Unique would be one of them, but not just one. If I could only have one it would be AA5744.

[OutHuntn84]

I agree 2400 would probably be the # 1 pick for me. I don't know of anyother powder that is as versitle. from shooting bullets or boolits pistol or rifle it seems like I can look in my reloading books and find a charge for 2400 for almost any cartrige.

[Loudenboomer]

One powder fits all..... the concept doesn't work well if hand guns and magnum rifles are in the mix. FFG black in the old cal's would work. For smokless I think we need to devide into groups. An example would be, 3031 powder will give good velocity and decent accuracy to nearly all old long action lever guns ect. Just my 2 cents.
Kevin

[Shiloh]

One powder fits all..... the concept doesn't work well if hand guns and magnum rifles are in the mix. FFG black in the old cal's would work. For smokless I think we need to devide into groups. An example would be, 3031 powder will give good velocity and decent accuracy to nearly all old long action lever guns ect. Just my 2 cents.
Kevin

Correct.

There is no "One size fits all" powder.

Shiloh

[Three44s]

Do you have just one food in your house?

Powder is the food for guns.

I like many foods for me and my guns ........... not being snarky ........ just the facts.

Regards

Three 44s

[Trey45]

If I was only able to have 1 powder, Unique wins it. I was going to say Bullseye, but I can at least use Unique in rifle cartridges for low(er) fps loads.

[Lead Fred]

Id have to go with IMR 4895, it will work for everything I have, not as good as IMR4350 on heavys, and not as good as Ball C lot 2 on FTX, but I can hit stuff with it on every boolit I use.

[Papa smurf]

Unique !!!!!

[tactikel]

unique will load my:
20 ga
12 ga
.38-.357
.45acp
.30-06

the only other powders that come close are red dot and green dot!

[mpmarty]

+1 for 2400 as a compromise "do it all" powder.

[fivegunner]

Only One ? it would have to be Unique!!!!:lovebooli[smilie=b:

[runfiverun]

steel.

[stephen perry]

My choice and probably some others would be Unique. Unique the old war horse from back in the 1920's is probably the most popular shotgun reloading powder, for cast pistol Unique is in every manual I have. And the same for cast rifle loads.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR :brokenima

[35remington]

If shotguns of reasonably popular gauges are included (like 12 gauge) then I'm afraid just 2400 alone is out. For my cold weather hunting, pressures are just too low and risk bloopers and misfires in the cold weather. It's really not suited to most 12 gauge hunting loads.

Given shotgun, rifle and pistol, I'd pick Unique. And I'd have to subject myself to severe compromises in performance in rifles in so doing.

Same with 2400. It's better than Unique as a rifle powder, but much worse as a small case pistol powder. As an autoloading pistol powder to acheive standard velocities of, say, 820 fps with a 230 grain bullet in a 45 ACP it's not so hot....these comments are from a guy who's used a 625-3 to shoot a lot of 2400 in the 45 ACP/Auto Rim. The problem with 2400 in small cased autoloading pistol cartridges is that a caseful gets very little, if any, better velocity than a faster powder (oftentimes much less velocity is obtained) and it takes much more powder to do the same thing, being horribly dirty burning to boot.

To answer your question, I couldn't get by with one powder in a manner I'd deem satisfactory for my use.

I could get by with two, but not particularly well if you included the small cased rifle calibers. Then it would likely be Unique and 4064 while giving short shrift to the small cases.

[Ben]

As much as I enjoy shooting 2400, if I was down to only 1 powder, Unique would be the winner. It is so very versatile ! 12 ga. shotgun, small cal. and large cal. pistol, cast bullets in bottleneck cases in C/F rifle. You can do an awful lot of things with Unique.

Ben

[BoolitBill]

I too would choose Unique. I have loads for all my pistols, all my shotguns, and most of my rifles using Unique. However, mankind went for almost 500 years using just one powder----Black

[MtGun44]

Unique is unique.

Most product names are BS, not this one.

Bill

[warf73]

Very interesting answers just for the fact that I've been reloading for over 10 years for metallic and well over 20 years for shotgun and I just bought my first 1 lbs can of Unique last year and still haven’t opened it up yet.

But to the original poster I couldn’t go to just 1 powder there is no 1 powder that can load pistol 9mm~45lc and rifle 204~460. But I do find it very interesting about the unique.

[geargnasher]

If I had only one choice of powder it would limit my guns to just a few as well. That means I'd have to stick with my model 70 .30-'06, .270, my Karlina, and IMR 4350 to load all three. Pistols are handy, but while I can use a bolt-action sporter rifle to excellent effect at a range of three feet it's kinda hard to shoot your supper at 300 yards with a .45 acp.

Gear

[armyrat1970]

Very interesting answers just for the fact that I've been reloading for over 10 years for metallic and well over 20 years for shotgun and I just bought my first 1 lbs can of Unique last year and still haven’t opened it up yet.

But to the original poster I couldn’t go to just 1 powder there is no 1 powder that can load pistol 9mm~45lc and rifle 204~460. But I do find it very interesting about the unique.

I would be willing to bet with a little experiment, you can fit your bill with either, with Unique. Not saying it will be the best performer over other powders but the question was asked as to one powder to do all. I still think Unique is best. I look at a lot of loading data for cast boolits in my Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook and the one powder that comes up more often for all calibers from pistol to rifle is Unique.

[RollerCam]

http://www.imrpowder.com/images/trailboss-group.jpg

[MT Gianni]

AA5744 as a black substitute.

[rbuck351]

There is no one powder that will do it all. I hunt rabbits to grizzly. A powder that works in a big bear rifle doesn't work well for rabbits that you want to eat. Some say BP. Ok, which one, 4f, 3f,2f,1f. Even there, one isn't enough. If BP is one, then I choose smokeless as my one choice. Although unique and 2400 are both very versitle powders, I would not feel good hunting large bears with anything loaded with those. 4350 is a very good powder, but doesn't work well in a 38spl. Two powders are minimum, and then, duplex loads would be needed to make only two work very well. There are a hundred powders for a good reason.

[1Shirt]

2400!
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[softpoint]

Since if we are only allowed one, that would indicate limiting choices of guns too, so I'd have to leave my handguns out.
The one I could get by with in everything from leverguns to AR15's to my bolt guns would be 3031.

[Gerry N.]

Not ever being one to allow perfect to be the enemy of good enough, I'll have to opt for Unique. It'll do more than any other powder I can think of and use less of it to do the job. I use it in everything from .38 Spec and 7.62 Nagant Revolver to .22 Hornet, 8x57mm and 30-06.

Gerry N.

[waco]

what can i say that has not been said......UNIQUE WINS FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!

[peter nap]

i too would choose unique. I have loads for all my pistols, all my shotguns, and most of my rifles using unique. However, mankind went for almost 500 years using just one powder----black

+1..............................

[Muddy Creek Sam]

3F

Sam :D

[SCIBUL]

For me that would be Vihta N110. Good for revolvers cartridges and for rifle with cast boolits. But I give up ! I couldn't use my .45 1911 anymore.

[jonk]

If just one, it would be Red Dot. Fast enough for my smallest pistol case (32 acp) but also accurate in cast rifle cartridges. Not ideal but acceptable.

[fredj338]

For ALL handguns rounds from 380 to heavy 45colts, Unique or WSF. IMO, 2400 is just too slow for the 45acp or even 9mm to get decent results. Unique is a bit fast for the magnums, but yo ucan still get some very usefull vel. in the 44mag or heavy 45colt.

[Bucks Owin]

SR 4759...Can use it in shotgun, rifle and handgun....(with good results too)

[skeet1]

I'm with JONK, Red Dot in everything but I would not want this problem. I've been spoiled.

Skeet1

[DLCTEX]

If only one, it would be SR4759, but I wouldn't be happy.

[unique]

Gee I am not sure...

[GrizzLeeBear]

Man, not another "If you could have only one......" thread. :groner::takinWiz:[smilie=l:

[evan price]

Titegroup for pistol, H335 for rifle.

Using one powder for everything- .38 spl to .44 mag, .223 to .30-06, is asinine.

Might as well ask- if you had to use only one kind of tool to build a house, which would it be?

[armyrat1970]

Titegroup for pistol, H335 for rifle.

Using one powder for everything- .38 spl to .44 mag, .223 to .30-06, is asinine.

Might as well ask- if you had to use only one kind of tool to build a house, which would it be?

If time allowed a hatchet with a hammer head? But then of course you would need other tools also. Sometimes we get off on the wrong tract after a post. I believe we would all rather have two or three choices of different powders if nothing else but the question was asked, if only one. Interesting to read what others choose.

[JohnH]

I have always assumed that this question centered around a concept of low or no availability. I have thought on it for over 30 years and my answer depending on when I was asked ranged anything from Unique/Green Dot to 2400 to 3031. I have also assumed that the question itself assumes a lower level of performance than what is normally expected from a cartridge not suited to a given powder.

All that said, these days I'd rather have as large a collection of reloading data as possible, especially data that is focused on boolit shootzen as data is more important than powder, and boolit data is the most "liberal" meaning beyond the normal envelopes. Data give me the ability to be more flexible with whatever is available.

In the end I simply don't buy into the "only one powder" thing. It is very like asking "If you could only have one boolit what would it be"..... I assume again, that if I am in the position of only being able to have one powder, I'm most likely in the position of only having one gun as well. And in that case the one powder would be the one best suited to the one gun.

Looking at it from that stand point, my choice would be a 30-30 the boolit would be any gas checked design, and the powder would be 5744. 5744 will at safe pressures drive 180 grain boolits to 1900-2000 fps, that's standard max velocity performance, and it will at the same time make nice small game loads. Nothing to complain about there, other than I'd hate to be limited to just one gun and if that choice were forced on me, I'm not sure I wouldn't choose a 357 magnum revolver. I can conceal it, defend myself with it, and it'll feed me too. For that, 2400 would definately be the choice.

It's a fun question.

[John Guedry]

I like Unique.

[mpmarty]

I just opened the powder magazine and counted. 37 different powders and I still don't have some that I should have such as RL7 and 5744.

[wilddog45]

+1 on the Unique for the most versatile powder for both rifle and pistol.

[BoolitBill]

As I said in post #19 I felt Unique to be the most versatile powder for all my guns. But I would not want to use just one powder. After last Nov. when powder, primers and every other component disappeared off the shelves I realized the value of having several loads using several powders. If Unique was not to be had, I just used my Win231 loads for my pistols. No IMR4198? Here is my can of Reloader 7. This kept me shooting until the supplies started to show up in the Gun stores. I am sure all of us could find one powder that would fill most of their needs but who really wants to. I am just glad I live in a country that has all these choices of powders and the access to them.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

To answer the man's question... I'm assuming the worst case and I have no choice, I can reload boolits for my long and short guns with Red Dot, and make do. And I keep a bit on hand at all times. Lets hope it never gets this bad.....

[stephen perry]

boolit bill and others

Another all around powder for Cast is Red Dot. A great shotgun powder popular in 8 lb kegs. The 8ld keg will load many Cast bullets what else could you ask for. Unique, Red Dot, PB, Green Dot are powers that serve the shotgun and Cast world admirably.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR :brokenima

[Alferd Packer]

unique followed by 700X

[Ledhead]

4064 for rifle powder. I don't shoot many small calibers, mainly .30/06 and 7mm-08.

HS-6 for handgun. Produces good enough velocity in my magnums (very accurate loads though) and is perfectly suited in my 9mm and 40 S&W. Not so good in my .45 ACP, usable but very dirty.

[onelight]

I shoot twice a week with a guy that only uses 1 powder but he only shoots handguns and carbines for pistol ammo he uses BE-86 in 9mm , 38/357 40S&W 44mag and 45 auto it's a fine grained powder similar to Unique he and another buddy that recently passed away (he would sit there on oxygen in a wheel chair and shoot one hole) :) both excellent shots rarely have more than 1 hole in the target at 7 yards off hand. DA or SA with hand guns from pocket pistols to duty gun size.

[scattershot]

Put me down for Unique, too. You can load anything with it.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Unique

[megasupermagnum]

In all my years loading shotgun, I think I've seen two loads with 2400 in 12 gauge. Never in 20, 16, or 10 gauge. It is a good choice for .410, but that's such an odd duck. As far as I'm concerned, only two powders work well in nearly all rifles, handguns, and shotguns. Those are Unique and Bluedot.

[Targa]

Universal for me.

[Cattleman406]

Gotta be unique...although I hardly ever use it, the utility of it can't be denied.

[mattri]

Trail Boss.

Not the best but it would work.

[megasupermagnum]

Trail Boss.

Not the best but it would work.

I have never seen anybody use Trail Boss in any shotgun. I would not recommend it either, never seen a single published load.

[hickfu]

I looked through all of my load books and there is just no way I could use just 1 powder for everything :roll:
I have 19 different powders now and was thinking of a few more....

[megasupermagnum]

I looked through all of my load books and there is just no way I could use just 1 powder for everything :roll:
I have 19 different powders now and was thinking of a few more....

You are certainly limited with Bluedot in large bottleneck rifle cartriges, but you can get about 75% of the potential of that caliber with it. For example, in 223 remington with a 55gr, you can get up to about 2900 fps with bluedot, compared to 3100-3200 fps with slower rifle powders. As cases get bigger, the discrepancy gets bigger. In 30-06 and a 180 gr, bluedot gets you to a touch over 2000 fps, compared to 2700-2800 fps with slow powders.