what are the best powders to stock up on

[MT Gianni]

Pistols you should have three classes of burn speed, slow medium and fast. How much you shoot of what determines.
Rifles you should log what you shoot and stock your hunting and target loads. If I could live the early 90's again I would get a Lyman manual and make a list of every powder common in all I shot. There are a few powders that just work in many rifles and back then I only had 7 or 8.
Shotguns? I bought a reloading set up in 78. I sold it in the 80's and last bought shotgun shells in a hundred pack of trap loads 5 or 6 years ago. I know I have more than 50 left.
What works for you will not work for me and vice-versa.

[rancher1913]

forget about stocking powder, instead stock primers. most yard sales that have reloading stuff usually have powder but I have never found primers, they are the achiles heel of reloading.

[Conditor22]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...s-test-results

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...rtage-solution

[Atakawow]

I'm always on the look out to stock up the handful of rifle powders that I use. As for handgun powders, I find that it's so much easier to find alternative powders so I just buy bulk of whatever is the cheapest (still working through some Vectan that I bought from the last shortage).

It's the opposite with primers. Stock up on pistol.

[aap2]

Good advice to stock up on primers. As far as powders go, IMHO stock up on what you actually use if you can find it. Example: I happen to like N320 for most of my handgun loads, for rifles with boolits SR4759 (discontinued) was my favorite. I keep a jug of Red Dot, Unique,and 2400 a and 4895 in stock just in case my "favorite" powders become unavailable in the near future. A few pounds of Red Dot or Unique will keep my handguns shooting for a long time...I actually prefer N320 for most handgun applications, but Red Dot, Unique will fill my needs just fine...especially if there is a powder shortage. My cast boolit rifle needs are pretty well covered with 4895 and Trailboss for vintage or antique guns. I seem to load a lot of 223/556 jacketed ammo for friends and family and a jug of h335 or it's surplus equivilent will last a long time. For my own 223/5.56 bolt gun shooting with cast boolits, 2400 keeps me happy. If a real powder shortage developed, I would be happy with a jug of Red Dot, Unique and surplus 4895.......

[cp1969]

I think all I would need would be Red Dot, Unique and either brand of 4895.

[BamaNapper]

My back-shelf has a couple mil surplus powders and a jug of TiteGroup. I keep WC-844 (kinda H335) for rifles, and BR-5 (kinda Unique) for large bore pistols and straight rifle cases. The Titegroup is my normal for small pistol loads and a little goes a long way. I like the mil surplus obviously because sometimes you find a good deal and can afford to just put a couple jugs aside. I don't stockpile for a zombie apocalypse, just to keep shooting when supplies get scarce. The rest of the time I use whatever my flavor of the month is.

Regardless of the powders you choose, the advice to stock up on primers can't be stressed enough. With a .223 you get about 2,500 rds to a jug of powder. For a 9mm (3.5gr Titegroup), that's 8,000 rnds to a small jug. A Unique load might be 10gr on average, or about 5,000 rounds from a jug.

Bottom line: With just 3 jugs of powder stashed you end up needing 15,000 primers to load it. Of course your mileage will vary with what you're loading and your back shelf budget.

[roysha]

700X, Unique, BL-C2, H4831

[Shiloh]

Stock up on the ones you uses.
When there are primer and powder shortages as there are after every political incident, you'll still be shooting.

Right now, firearms sales are at an all time high. Good luck finding factory ammo.

Shiloh

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I think all I would need would be Red Dot, Unique and either brand of 4895.

This would work for me too