If you had to choose goto powders what would they be?

[9w1911]

So just for conversation sake, you can have 4 8# kegs, whats your powder? and why?

[mdi]

W231 (for .38, 357 light), Unique (357, .44 Sp., .44 Mag. .45 ACP), 2400 (heavy .44 Mag., some cast lead loads in rifle calibers), and Varget (30-30, 30-06, 7.64x54r).

[jmort]

I like Alliant powders. I would be just fine with Unique for moderate handgun and light shotgun and light rifle, Blue Dot for higher end hand gun and all shotgun, RL 7 for cast rifle and RL 15 for jacketed rifle.

[fouronesix]

Only one powder- tough call! Four powders maybe.

1) Trailboss
2) 5744
3) Varget
4) 4350 or Rel 19

[DxieLandMan]

Unique because it is very versatile.

[9w1911]

I would call it your Mt Rushmore of powders on your bench

[3leggedturtle]

Red Dot, Unique, 2400 and H335

[MT Gianni]

Red Dot, 2400, WC860/872 and IMR 4198. I have covered 32 long to 45 Colt and 223 to 35 Whelen with 45-70 thrown in for kicks.

[9w1911]

Im surprised RedDot is making more of a wave than say: Tightgroup, W231, or AA2 or 5

[jonas302]

I was just thinking on this too I come up with h4895 and reddot

[Ben]

You can have 4 ea. 8# kegs, whats your powder? and why?

B'Eye
Unique
2400
IMR 4895

There would be few things that those 4 powders would not do pretty well in a wide variety of cartridges from .22 Hornet - the 458 Winchester Mag.

Keep in mind that my choices above reflect my interest in shooting cast bullets exclusively.

Ben

[btroj]

Red dot, 2400, 2400, and 4895

Two of 2400 because I would use it that much

[str8shot426]

I am with btroj, 2400, 2400, green dot and 4895.

Going green....but not like a hippee.

[9w1911]

I really want a keg of 4227 :)

[waco]

Red dot, 2400, 2400, and 4895

Two of 2400 because I would use it that much
Brad never learned how to play nice with others.

[mpbarry1]

W231 (for .38, 357 light), Unique (357, .44 Sp., .44 Mag. .45 ACP), 2400 (heavy .44 Mag., some cast lead loads in rifle calibers), and Varget (30-30, 30-06, 7.64x54r).

+1 pretty much my list!

[DCM]

Unique, W748 & blackpowder as they would cover everything.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Red Dot , Unique , 2400 , RL-7

[smokeywolf]

You can have 4 ea. 8# kegs, whats your powder? and why?

B'Eye
Unique
2400
IMR 4895

There would be few things that those 4 powders would not do pretty well in a wide variety of cartridges from .22 Hornet - the 458 Winchester Mag.

Keep in mind that my choices above reflect my interest in shooting cast bullets exclusively.

Ben

Gotta go with Ben on this one. Those powders can do everything from 218 bee all the way up to 45-70. IMR 4895 will even do cast and jwords well in 30-06

smokeywolf

[Lead Fred]

Right after 9/11 I bought ten eight pounders of IMR4895.
It happens to work in every rifle I have, except the rimfire & flintlock.

So I guess Ive already choose

[6bg6ga]

1.) WW231

2.) Unique

3.) 2400

In that order

[shdwlkr]

unique
blc 2
blk powder

[snowwolfe]

N310 or N320
WW296
RL17
H4831

[Japlmg]

Red Dot (about 20 pounds on hand) and 4895 (about 30 pounds on hand) will cover most handgun and rifle loads.
Add in H110 (about 10 pounds on hand) and WC860 (about 40 pounds on hand) and you have almost everything covered.
Yes I have and use other powders (Blue Dot, Bulls Eye, Unique, 3031, BLC-2, and 5744), but the above four could cover just about everything I load, and I do load a lot of different cartridges.
Gregg

[CGT80]

Red Dot
H-335
Trail Boss
2400

I like hp38 for pistol cartridges, but I have a lot of red dot that my grandfather gave me. It works good in 45 colt, 30 cal rifles, 45 acp, etc. I haven't tried it for 9 and 40. Red dot seems more popular but I don't know if hp38 will work as well for rifles and pb cast boolits like red dot.

h-335 is my favorite for 223. I tried ar comp, varget, and 4895 and hate all of them on my dillon 550, and especially with such a small case. I did use it for 30-06 loads and it was a bit better, but I have been shooting lighter loads with cast, so it is not necessary. 335 may also work for 30-06 to go hotter for J words.

Trail Boss is great for light 460 mag loads. It will work for light loads in any cartridge, but is a little pricey.

I have only used 2400 for 30 carbine in an M1, but it is doing well with gc cast boolits. I don't know if my other powder choices would do.

I have lots of 4895 and can use that instead of 335, but just don't want to. I loaded some plinking ammo with it for my mini 14 target model, tonight. I was cussing up a storm.

Win 296 might have been a better choice than 2400 as it gives top end loads in the 460 and is known to work in the 30 carbine. I don't shoot many hot 460 loads and I haven't tried it in the 30 carbine, so I listed 2400. I have heard that 2400 is very versatile for cast boolits as well.

5744 is the only powder I found to have good data and capability for mid power 460 loads. It seems to have a good range. It is listed for light rifle loads as well. I have downloaded 4895 for 30-06 and liked it for that, so it is a one-gun powder at the moment.

I forgot Herco. I hate setting up my powder thrower for it, but one it is set, it does just fine for 30 cal rifle and cast boolits and works in 44/45 revolvers. I have a bunch of it, but will go back to red dot if I use it all up, as red dot seems to meter better.

I like to buy powder by the 8 pound jugs and try to use powders that work in many cartridges.

[9w1911]

I am loving this thread btw guys thanks !

[Ed1]

IMR 4350. I get very good grouping in all my rifles.

[fecmech]

I'm primarily a handgun and pistol caliber rifle shooter.
1.Bullseye
2.231
3. Unique
4. 296
That will get me from mild to wild with excellent accuracy in that arena.

[perotter]

Unique - Will work for almost any cartridge and can't be mistaken for 2400 or 4895
2400 - Will work for almost any cartridge and .410. Plus it can't be mistaken for Unique or 4895.
IMR 4895 - Will work for almost any cartridge 7.62x39 and up. This won't be mistaken for Unique or 2400.
???? - Any #8 that is currently available and should work well in a couple of things I own. I've recently had to break my 3 powders only rule.

[Patrick L]

Bullseye, Green Dot, 2400, and IMR 4895. There are lots of IMR possibilities, but the M1 Garand makes it have to be 4895.

[Dave C.]

Bullseye, bullseye, bullseye and bullseye.
I am a pistol shooter.

Dave C.

[LeftyDon]

Red Dot, Leverevolution, SR7625 and Unique. Mostly because that's what I'm using for my weird mix of rifles and shotguns. Second guessing, a I could live with backup powder plan if powder availability doesn't improve over the next few years: Bullseye, 3031, Green Dot, and 2400

[zomby woof]

WST-45acp
296-30 Carbine
Varget-30.06, .223, 6.5X55, 7.5X55
Red Dot-.38 Spl, .357, 9mm

[frankenfab]

Because I have them right now, so I wouldn't have to buy any:

WC 820
Titegroup
Blue Dot
RE 25

[Shiloh]

Bullseye, Unique, 4227, 4895.

Shiloh

[Doc.Holliday]

Red Dot
Power Pistol
800X
3031

[whelenshooter]

Unique
AA#5
3031
IMR 4064
And given another couple of weeks of 'playing' and testing probably IMR 7383.

[dg31872]

Unique and 4759. They would cover anything I would need.

[jimwill48]

Red Dot , Unique , 2400 , 4350

[357mags]

Any Alliant powders will do! Bullseye, 2400, Red Dot, Unique.

[AlaskanGuy]

I think I would get 2 jugs of 2400, and 2 jugs of unique..... I can make my own black powder, but if i couldnt make black powder, it would be 2 jugs of 2400, and 2 jugs of pyrodex....

I can load all of the guns that I NEED to shoot with 2400, but for shotgun slugs, buckshot, and waterfowl, blackpowder is the stuff to have... You can load all muzzle loader BP rifles and ALL cal shotguns either in shotshells, or by just using the brass part of a high brass shot shell, you can turn any single shot shotgun into a muzzle loading long gun....

AG

[canyon-ghost]

Unique, 2400, Bullseye, 4227.

[9w1911]

Unique, 2400, Bullseye, 4227. this is a great list

[GP100man]

Clays= light handgun loads
Universal clays=mid handgun loads
2400=low end cast rifle loads
IMR4895=for upper cast rifle to jacketed loads

Maybe not ideal , but I feel I could do with these, besides I already have 4#jugs of 2 of em !

[marshall623]

1 IMR 4064
2 IMR 4198
3 SR 4759 ( maybe RL7 ) when I get a pound to try
4 BlueDot

[Cherokee]

231 - I have a good supply of rifle powders and shoot much more pistol.

[BaconStrips]

1. IMR 3031 or H-335
2. SR 4759
3. Unique
4. 2400 or 296

[LUCKYDAWG13]

bullseye 2400 CFE223 IMR4198

[Fishman]

Assuming not a zombie apocalypse scenario and just an exercise:

Bullseye
Unique
2400
4350

That leaves me without a good powder for my 300blk.

[9w1911]

yes just an exercise

[badbob454]

ok
1. wc820 or aa#9
2. 1680 or 4227
3. imr 3031

[.30/30 Guy]

2400, 2400, 4895, 4895

[10mmShooter]

WW231, AA #5, Green Dot, IMR 4895

[9w1911]

i really like AA #5 :)

[hpdrifter]

unique, 4985, 748, 3F black.

[6bg6ga]

My favorite is 231 followed by Unique and then Red Dot, Green Dot, and Blue Dot followed by anything I can get my hands on.

[DGNY]

231, 2400, Varget, 4350

Regards,

Dyson

[dragon813gt]

Pistol - W231/HP-38
Magnum - W296/H110
Rifle - W748

I might be changing my rifle preference to IMR 4895 depending on accuracy tests.

[Rick R]

Unique
2400
Varget
Varget

I actually don't use much more in real life. I have one rifle that prefers H414 and occasionally use W296/H110 in a couple revolvers, other than those and some ffg and fffg for play that's all I need.

[Bzcraig]

Acc#2
4198
2400
Unique

[jdgabbard]

Unique, Bullseye, 2400, and WC-844/H335

[avogunner]

Bullseye - .38spl, 9mm, .40S&W, .45acp,
Unique - .45Colt, 12, 20, 28ga Shotgun
2400 - .357 Mag Pistol, M1 Carbine, all Cast Rifle
IMR-4895 - GARAND!!!

[Clay M]

2400,Unique, Rel 7, Rel 15,and IMR 4350 I have to have five.