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View Poll Results: If you could only have one powder?

Voters
706. You may not vote on this poll
  • H4895

    39 5.52%
  • Bullseye

    33 4.67%
  • Unique

    359 50.85%
  • Varget

    22 3.12%
  • Benchmark

    4 0.57%
  • RL15

    3 0.42%
  • Red Dot

    63 8.92%
  • W 231

    21 2.97%
  • W748

    2 0.28%
  • H335

    6 0.85%
  • Lil'Gun

    3 0.42%
  • H4350

    7 0.99%
  • RL17

    1 0.14%
  • Other

    143 20.25%
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Results 41 to 60 of 245

Thread: If you could have only one powder?

  1. #41
    Boolit Master
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    Oct 2006
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    2400, hands down. If I could have a second powder, either Bullseye, Red Dot or 700x would suffice.

    Why 2400? Because I can load everything reasonably well with it. .357 and .44 Mag, .45 Colt, and it's the only powder I use in .45/70. I've loaded 12 guage with it, and it works well. 16 and 20, even better. For .410 it's perfect. Works well in .38 Special and .32 SWL; also .32/20. Very, very good in .30-30, reasonable in .308 and even .30-06. Very good in .223 too, and I can even tune an AR-15 to function with it.

  2. #42
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
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    I guess for only one powder Unique would be hard to beat, but for rifles only I like H4895.
    Just picked up another 8 pounder.
    I can use it in my .22 PPC or my .405 win.

  3. #43
    Boolit Master



    Kevin Rohrer's Avatar
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    Silly to mix rifle and pistols powders in one poll.
    Member: Orange Gunsite Family, NRA-Life, ARTCA, American Legion, & the South Cuyahoga Gun Club.

    Caveat Emptor: Do not trust Cavery Grips/American Gripz/Prestige Grips/Stealth Grips from Clayton, NC. He will rip you off.

  4. #44
    Boolit Master
    Bullwolf's Avatar
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    It would be a tough choice for me between Red Dot, and Unique.

    Maybe runfiverun is onto something using Green Dot and splitting the difference.

    I'm just more familiar with Red Dot & Unique in Shotgun and Pistol. Could likely download most Rifles using either powder.


    - Bullwolf

  5. #45
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kevin Rohrer View Post
    Silly to mix rifle and pistols powders in one poll.
    I chose H 4895 because for handguns I would choose the .22LR
    Last edited by Clay M; 04-15-2016 at 09:03 AM.

  6. #46
    Boolit Master
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    I voted other. For me it is BL-C2, (or it's surplus equivalent 844-846) with Unique second.
    When it's time to fight, you fight like you are the third monkey on the ramp to Noah's Ark.... and brother, it's STARTING TO RAIN!!

  7. #47
    Boolit Master
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    I voted for other... Give me piles and piles of Schutzen FFFg. Will work just fine in pistols, rifles, and shotguns. And it smells good!

  8. #48
    Boolit Buddy
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    Apr 2012
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    i stock two powders......goex 3f and unique. if i had to chose one......goex 3f. it will do all i require. irishtoo

  9. #49
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    Chill Wills's Avatar
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    I'd have to pick the most versatile one, FF Swiss.
    It could handle everything I need to do for the rest of my life.


    In fact, you said in unlimited amounts!

    Where do I sign up?

    Michael Rix
    Chill Wills

  10. #50
    Moderator Emeritus

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    These are always interesting questions, but hopefully, will remain just theoretical ones. I picked Unique because it's the best powder I could think of to load 12 ga., cast bullets in rifles and most any handgun available. This leaves out longer ranged j-bullet rifle loads, but if I could only have one powder, that kind'a implies that I'd also be dealing with closer in threats, and for that, cast in rifles will suffice pretty well, as it also would for hunting in most situations. I just shrugged, and picked Unique, but I'd be VERY unhappy if I couldn't get quite a few more.

  11. #51
    Boolit Buddy PaulG67's Avatar
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    Red Dot,
    Paul G


    I am Retired, I was tired yesterday and I am tired today!!!

  12. #52
    Boolit Grand Master

    jonp's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by runfiverun View Post
    the toss up between red-dot and unique many have teetered between is why I settled for green-dot.
    it's between red-dot and unique.
    it meters well in the Dillon and will load both 12 and 20 gauge.
    it works well at lower amounts for rifle loads without gas checks and fills the case enough to push gas checked boolits to 1800 fps without too much trouble.
    it also will push 44 mag and 45 colt loads to reasonable enough velocity's to be effective hunting tools, and still is fast enough to work in the smaller 9m type cases.
    When I first joined I'm pretty sure I posted a poll similar to this one due to the shortage and mentioned I ran across lb's and lb's of Green Dot at Green Top in Richmond, VA but had never used green dot. I was thinking of long term and the best all around powders to have on hand to handle the majority of shooting over a broad range of calibers and keep that in stock. Not the best in everything but would work in about everything in a pinch. I think most voted for unique. I know i settled on unique and promo and have, err..., some on hand. As for rifle I settled on 3031 or 4064. Best powders for all around to have on hand I thought.
    I Am Descended From Men Who Would Not Be Ruled

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  13. #53
    Boolit Master

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    One word: Herco. Since I "discovered" it's uses in pistol rounds, and shotshells, guess I'd have to say I like it and it will work for about everything I load. Just my.02.
    I firmly believe that you should only get treated by how you act, not by who or what you are!!

  14. #54
    Boolit Master
    Mal Paso's Avatar
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    I voted for Other. Unique meters like Drain Rock! Other works well in a lot more cartridges and is more consistent in powder measures. I use Other more than all the listed powders combined.
    Mal

    Mal Paso means Bad Pass, just so you know.

  15. #55
    Boolit Grand Master
    bangerjim's Avatar
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    Other.

    And ETR7 is it! I use it for everything pistol/subsonic these days.

  16. #56
    Boolit Bub
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    Other. Power Pistol to be precise. Power Pistol is very similar to Unique; just a touch slower. I do load it in everything I have in the 'handgun size' cartridge category. (Which includes .22 Hornet and .32-20.) I have no doubt it would serve in the rifles - mostly manually operated - at reduced velocities. (Probably not the .22-250 as much as the .308, but, we're compromising.)

    If allowed, my 'other' powder would be H-4895. That will do a fair - at least - job with most stuff from .22-250 to .35 Whelen. But it can't be the 'only' as I have too many handguns.

    Only one powder? I'm still not giggling.
    Go peacefully; teach the ignorant, comfort the distressed. Always be kind. Wear clean underwear and carry a gun.

  17. #57
    Boolit Master
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    Only one powder! I would go crazy.Sorry

  18. #58
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    I chose Varget for the levergun rifle calibers I load.

  19. #59
    Boolit Master OnHoPr's Avatar
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    These as the OP stated these are really Daaahhhh polls, but I guess it is typing fodder at the coffee shop. Basically, it really doesn't matter unless you are shooting paper or targets on one hand or game on the other. Then a finer point may arise. Generally most all of the shotgun powders will suffice in the tasks of pushing projectiles through barrels of hand or shoulder weapons. You will get more shots for paper or targets with the faster powders. On the other hand you will get more velocity and heavier payloads with the slower powders. So, if you are more into busting more clays, shooting paper, and cans the faster powder would be more economical. Titewad is going to the be the extreme fast powders. Not really a good choice if you sorta have to shoot a bigger game animal. Green Dot and faster for the fast powder. If you needed to fill the freezer for the next 10 or 15 years the slower powder will probably have an edge. Herco, 800x and slower would give you better payloads and velocity. Steel would be getting on the side of maybe to slow to bust a few clays and for the little auto handguns. I guess that is why Unique has always come into to play as the top choice for this question. I will say that I have more Green Dot than any other powder though. I did have a bunch of Steel as well, but the 30-30 and 12 ga kinda consume it.
    May you hands be warmed on a frosty day.

  20. #60
    Boolit Master
    Hick's Avatar
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    Anything fast! (Unique or Bullseye would be fine, although I use lots of 700X because I can get it for a good price). I can put a fast powder in my rifles and pistol, but its hard to put slow powders in my pistol.
    Hick: Iron sights!

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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