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Thread: How many powders in your cupboard?

  1. #1
    Boolit Man
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    How many powders in your cupboard?

    I was reorganizing my powder storage today, and noticed that I have lots of variety. This is not by choice. I have 5 or 6 powders that I use regularly, or DESIRE to use regularly.

    Unfortunately, given the powder shortage of the past several years, I've had to buy what I can when I see it, regardless if it is my personal preference. Additionally, most stores only allow me to buy 1 or 2 lbs of each type, so even when I find what I like in stock, I still have to diversify.

    Here's a list of all the powders I ended up with so far:

    AA2495- bought when I wanted H4895 but none could be had.
    N340- I don't remember how I came to own this.
    CFE223- bought when I couldn't find Varget
    IMR 4198- bought when I couldn't find H4198
    Varget- my go to .308/168 gr load
    H4198- my go to 458 SOCOM/ 500 gr load
    RL22- my go to 30-06/180 gr load
    RL15- my go to 35 Whelen/ 310 gr load
    XBR8208- bought as a 308 experiment
    Benchmark- 308 155 gr load
    Win 760- 30-06/ 178 gr target load
    IMR 4064- bought for 308 experiment
    H335- only powder on the shelf when I needed 223 powder
    Win WST- great 45 ACP target load
    Unique- light 45 Colt loads
    H4895- my best 69gr 223 load
    Longshot- 460 Rowland experiment
    231/HP-38- high volume 45 ACP plinking load- it was available in quantity when I needed something
    Autocomp- 45 ACP load- available when I needed any kind of 45 ACP powder
    TrailBoss- variety of uses, 45 Colt, light rifle loads, etc
    LilGun- my best heavy 45 Colt load
    SR4759- only pistol powder I could find today- plan on experimenting with heavy 45 Colt
    Titegroup- could only get 1lb- good all around pistol powder
    AA#7- 10mm load, other random revolver loads (327 Fed, 357, etc)
    Fg Goex- for my cannon
    FFg Goex- for 45/70
    FFFg Goex- for my cap'n balls, and 45Colt.

    If I could consolidate I would, but up here, you gotta buy whatever powder you can when you see it. It sure is frustrating.

    So you guys have a similar experience?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    I think your collection is a general reflection of what we all had to do in this short supply situation.
    We probably all have a bunch of powders that we normally don't or would not consider using.
    I want the good old days back where we would just buy what we needed, and what we wanted to use.

    When I saw the shortage coming, the first thing I did, was to stock up on the powders that I normally use, and that would load a variety of calibers with loads that I was happy with.
    IMR 4064 seemed to cover almost all of the rifle calibers that I shoot, so I found an 8 lb jug of it when I could.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master trapper9260's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LAGS View Post
    I think your collection is a general reflection of what we all had to do in this short supply situation.
    We probably all have a bunch of powders that we normally don't or would not consider using.
    I want the good old days back where we would just buy what we needed, and what we wanted to use.

    When I saw the shortage coming, the first thing I did, was to stock up on the powders that I normally use, and that would load a variety of calibers with loads that I was happy with.
    IMR 4064 seemed to cover almost all of the rifle calibers that I shoot, so I found an 8 lb jug of it when I could.
    I did the same as you LAGS stock up on what i use and I saw it coming also.As for now I am set for some time on powders.
    Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA

  4. #4
    Banned Bullshop Junior's Avatar
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    I have a can of 2400, a couple pounds of OLD reddot, a can of bluedot, a half pound of H110 and about a half pound of titewad.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    i have been actively looking for shotgun/pistol powder for over 9 months now. Have yet to find something that looks like it would work in both 9mm and .45acp. On the plus side I'm starting to see powders like 4227 show up so it may not be long.

    When I first looked for rifle powder IMR 4350 was all I could get.
    Since then I have added IMR 4895 and 3031.

    There are a lot of powders out there I would LOVE to try.
    But they remain stubborn in the finding.

    Edit!
    Powder situation has eased considerably.
    Current inventory
    6 lbs of Red Dot (Ohhh happy day)
    2 lbs IMR 4227
    2 lbs IMR 4895
    1.5lbs IMR 3031
    2 lbs IMR 4350
    and a 14 oz can of Titewad which looks like it is going to go into .45acp loads.

    Overall, I have been the most happy with the Red Dot. I have shot it in almost every rifle I own, it seems to be clean, quiet, and effective. I do watch like a hawk for double charges.
    My biggest surprise was how effective 7 grains of RD in my 7.62x39 behind a 93 gr and 155 gr bullet. Both shot to point of aim, nice tight groups.
    Last edited by GhostHawk; 04-07-2015 at 05:49 PM. Reason: Changes

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    Bulls Eye
    Unique
    Red Dot
    700X
    AA2
    Goex FFFFG
    Goex FFFG
    Goex FFG
    Elephant FFG

  7. #7
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    In the past I worked to keep the different types of powders to a minimum. I like to keep logistics simple. Like the OP, I've been forced to expand the diversity of the types of powder on hand.
    On a positive note, I was in a LGS yesterday and they had a much larger supply of powders on the shelf. More than I've seen in over a year. It was a pretty good selection, rifle, shotgun/pistol. Mostly Hodgdon, some Alliant, IMR and even some Winchester Autocomp. That's a good sign.

    On a related note, has anyone noticed that Hodgdon seems to have more powders available? When I do find powder for sale it always seems like the bulk of it is made by Hodgdon. Did they ramp-up their production to meet the demand?

  8. #8
    Boolit Master Jack Stanley's Avatar
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    Like Petrol & Powder , I keep the different varieties to a minimum . What makes it different for me is I tend to load in large batches so I don't need to visit the powder suppliers real often . When I do normally I get the large containers . So far the shortage hasn't bothered me for any normal supplies I use .

    Jack
    Buy it cheap and stack it deep , you may need it !

    Black Rifles Matter

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Hi...

    Primarily a handgun reloader so...

    Unique
    Bullseye
    2400
    Blue Dot
    HP38
    W231
    H110
    W296
    Red Dot
    IMR4227
    Titegroup

    Have a couple of small containers (1-4oz) of AA7, AA9 and a couple other powders that I bought from a LGS that sold re-packaged powders for reloaders that wanted to try a powder. I bought these years ago and don't remember if I ever tried any of them.

    Have a couple of pounds of rifle powders squirreled away in the back of the powder magazine. I haven't gotten around to reloading any rifle cartridges(except for a friend some years ago), so I don't even remember what they are.
    I do have die sets and primers for the rifle calibers that my son and I shoot, so we will explore that facet of reloading this coming winter. That will probably necessitate acquiring a few more types of rifle powders, but that's OK...I have plenty of room for powders, bullets, primers and brass. Just need to be more organized and efficient time-wise.

  10. #10
    Banned

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    I see a lot of overlap.
    4064-varget same thing only different.
    I just went through my stuff and have been burning up all the old 1-3 pounds of whatever powders I had kicking around.
    I don't need 231 and 700-x and red-dot and clays and titegroup and bullseye.
    they all do the same thing at the same pressures with the same powder weights, I looked at what had the broadest applications to my needs.
    clays and 700-x work in my shot shell loads very well but I like red-dot better and it does everything they do in the handguns too.
    so I focus my efforts on getting red-dot and just burning up the others.

    now red-dot has it's limitations [such as the 20ga] and pressures out in many handgun loads at a certain point so I need another powder to start working where it quits, I'm not a big fan of unique sooo.....

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    I made the unknowing mistake of starting back into reloading heavily during the height of the shortage. Finding anything to use was bad news. New powders and older powders alike were just unavailable.
    I would just buy a pound of whatever I could find. I only have a few partials left that I haven't used up.
    Main stocks are
    For the handgun(38/357 and 9mm)
    CFE pistol
    WSH
    AA7
    Trail Boss
    Titewad
    partials are
    Herco
    Titegroup
    800X

    For the rifle(30-06)
    3031
    W760
    Trail Boss

    Not currently reloading for shotgun. I loaded up a bunch of hunting loads years ago and sealed them in large containers. I probably will never shoot them all.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master flyingmonkey35's Avatar
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    Shotgun - universal / reddot
    Handgun - tight group
    Trailboss
    Rifle - leverrelotion

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master
    rintinglen's Avatar
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    Posts
    6,492
    IMR Powders
    4227
    3031
    4895
    PB
    4350
    4759

    Alliant Powders
    Unique
    Bullseye
    Power Pistol
    Red Dot
    Herco
    2400
    RL-7

    Hogdon
    Varget
    HS-6
    414
    110
    4895

    Winchester
    231
    296
    748
    760
    Only 748, 231, 2400 and Unique amount to more than one pound. They represent the powders I used to keep stocked up--the others are either 10-20 year old remnants, or else what I could find over the last year and a half. I look forward to being able to buy another 8 pounder of 231 and have become a fan of Power Pistol in many applications where Unique has been my choice in the past. An 8 pounder of that would tickle my fancy as well. I could easily dispense with over half of these, since in many cases there is only an ounce or two left-- not enough to bother working up a load with.
    _________________________________________________It's not that I can't spell: it is that I can't type.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master waco's Avatar
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    3,186
    Unique
    2400
    Bullseye
    571
    Reddot
    h110
    296
    IMR4350
    Lilgun
    4227
    clays
    H335
    BLC-2
    2230
    3100
    2520
    231
    Titegroup
    4895
    SR4759
    4064
    3031
    and I probably forgot a few...
    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
    Proverbs 1:7

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master

    jonp's Avatar
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    Bullseye
    Universal
    w231
    Promo
    Unique
    Varget
    CFE 223
    IMR 3031
    IMR 4064
    AA 2230
    WC 870
    H110
    W296
    AR Comp
    2400
    IMR 4759
    Blue Dot

    A lot of some, 1lb of others. I've narrowed it down to a few that I use and the others were experiments and I went no further which explains some of the powders that do the same thing. I was looking for variances or a few extra fps but was not that impressed with accuracy so went back to the original. I gave some away of a couple I did not use at all.
    I Am Descended From Men Who Would Not Be Ruled

    Fiat Justitia, Ruat Caelum

  16. #16
    Boolit Master Jupiter7's Avatar
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    Bullseye
    AA5
    2400
    h110
    aa1680
    lil gun
    aa2200
    Tac
    h4895
    Varget

    would like some red dot/promo, unique & aa9. Nothing I can't load with what I got, still want more.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy
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    With the lack of reloading components since 2012 I've been buying any powders that are available, not necessarily the ones I would prefer. Lately I've ramped that up, buying something every pay period. Rifle powders are starting to have decent availability, but pistol/shotgun powders are nonexistent still. Although I was able to get some surplus HPC-18 (WW 231) through GiBrass and some CSB-1 (Universal) through HiTech Ammo.

    Current stock looks OK, but I don't want to get caught up again with no powder so I'll keep buying every couple weeks.

    IMR 4831 (20+ year old, < 1 lb remaining, 7 mm Mag that I no longer own)
    IMR 4350 (20+ year old, < 1 lb remaining, .243 Win)
    H 414 (1 lb, 20+ year old, unopened, .243 Win)
    AA 4064 (3 lbs picked up last fall, .30-06 and other milsurps)
    Alliant RL 15 (5 lbs in the last month, .30-06, 7.62x51, 5.56x45 69/77 gr loads)
    Alliant Varmint (3 lbs last fall, 5.56/.223 50ish grain loads
    IMR 4895 (1 lb, .30-06)
    IMR 4759 (16 lbs this summer, for cast bullets in milsurps)
    IMR 4227 (1 lb this summer, haven't decided what to use it in)
    H110 (1 lb, .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, traded some Bl-C(2) to a coworker for it)
    WW 296 (1 lb, .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum)
    AA 9 (1 lb unopened)
    2400 (20+ years old, < 1/4 pound remaining)
    AA 7 (.32 H&R Mag, <1/4 pound remaining)
    HS-6 (20+ years old, 1 lb unopened)
    Unique (20+ years old, < 1/4/ pound remaining)
    Universal Clays / CSB -1 (.44 Spc, < 1/4 lb of Universal, 5 lbs of CSB-1)
    WW 231 / HPC-18 (1.5 lbs WW 231, 6 lbs HPC-18)
    Red Dot (20+ years old, .45 Colt, < 3/4 lbs)
    Bullseye (20+ years old, < 14/ lb)
    Winchester Super Light (20+ years old, < 1/2 lb remaining, for .40 S&W, don't load for the caliber anymore)
    Winchester Super Target (20+ years old, 1.5 lbs, for 12 gauge trap loads)
    Winchester Super Field (20+ years old, 1 lb unopened, no idea why I bought it)
    Alliant Steel (1 lb, see if it can duplicate 2400 performance)

    Getting pretty close to the 50 lb onsite limit, might have to start storing some with siblings. Already have it split into < 20 lb batches in wooden storage cabinets. Headed down the CMP games in Phoenix this week, hopefully there will be some there or at Bruno shooters supply while I'm there.
    (edited to add a couple I had missed)

    Greg Shaw
    Last edited by goryshaw; 10-05-2014 at 09:30 PM.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    I have only a few that I use as I only own a couple of different calibers.
    Tac
    CFE 223
    Unquie
    PP 300-MP

    now I like everyone else it seems will be building on different powders, as some of these are not always in stock. I actually went through and made a list of all acceptable powders for my loads, and I keep it in my wallet so if I see something at the price point I want I just grab it.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master FLHTC's Avatar
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    I think i have a pound or two

  20. #20
    Boolit Master roverboy's Avatar
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    I've got Win. 748
    IMR 4350
    IMR 4895
    AA 2520
    WC 860
    Thunderbird T5070
    Alliant 2400
    Unique
    IMR 4227
    and probably one or two more.
    Mrs. Hogwallop up and R-U-N-N-O-F-T.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check