Trial size powders...

[lead-1]

The Powder Container thread got me thinking,
Who remembers when, going by my memory, Dupont/IMR sold what I believe to be 1 ounce bottles of powder to try without buying a whole pound. Or, do you think this was something that dealer did on his own because I can't find anything on the net about them.
I remember these as small brown bottles with screw on lids similar to Aspirin bottles, there was a shop I used to go to that had a glass display case on the counter that had several rows of the trial size powders.
I never bought any because at that time I knew I wanted 4064 for the only round I reloaded.

[abunaitoo]

Never heard of that, but it sounds like a great idea.
With the price of powders, it would probably help them sell more powders.

[Gregorious]

Hodgdon did that, I bought several bottles of RETUMBO and H1000 to try out from Fin, Feather and Fur at their Ashland, Ohio store. I don't think it went over well, since the costs associated with getting the smaller containers, SKU's, etc. probably gave the bean counters fits.

Around the Hubbard, Ohio, Hermitage, PA, Mercer, PA and Leavittsburg, OH areas were a few reloading stores the would pour out whatever powder you wanted to try out in a smaller amount.

[375supermag]

Hi...
Local gun shop here in Southcentral Pennsylvania used to sell small bottles of various gunpowders. Don't remember what they were but I tried a few of those when I first started reloading about 40 years ago.
The shop is still in business but no longer sells reloading equipment or components since they started catering to the tactical cool crowd and mall ninjas.
They don't even sell hunting licenses any longer.
Nice shop with a great indoor range but if you don't shoot an AR or a Glock it's hard to find a reason to go there. They rarely even have any guns on the used gun rack anymore.
Most of there ammunition shelves are now relegated to AR caliber rounds and 9mm pistol ammunition. Rarely even have much hunting rifle ammuntion on the shelves. I have pretty much stopped shopping there...probably haven't been there in a year.

[Thumbcocker]

IIRC they also offer a 4 small bottle sample pack that would contain 4 common powders for rifle calibers.

[Three44s]

For folks that it would work for it sounds like a good idea , however it would not help me much because most of my testing involves more powder than that.

If I am wringing out a rifle and it is giving me trouble a pound will get burnt just testing different combos. If the powder turns out be a winner, I want more of the same lot number so I will not be sucking wind and searching for another pound of the same and can not find it.

I usually buy two or three pounds at a time.

In a very small case things change but I have several different cartridges I load for that are small capacity and there I find somewhere that a powder that is a “square peg” so to speak still fills in a round hole one way or the other.

Three44s

[Traffer]

That would be the greatest thing for me. Experimenting with loads for rimfire, I could sorely use an ounce of about 10 different kinds of powder for load development... been thinking about trying to find some local reloaders who would sell me something like that. Restrictions on shipping gunpowder sure has curtailed a lot of stuff.
I so hate restrictions.

[reddog81]

Great idea for reloaders but it’d be a PITA for manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers...

I wonder if someone like Powder Valley or the other large retailers could do some ting with the idea.

[country gent]

Fir a few years AA gave out 1/4lb samples of powders suitable for 308,223, and some others during the nationals for competitors to test. The one I remember was AA2520

[osteodoc08]

A one pound container for rifle cartridges is about the right size trial for me. By the time I do load development, fine tune and confirm; that pound is gone.

[Minerat]

We had a place here in Denver called Wards Shootin Shop, they sold shotgun powders out of large barrels by the pound like ya bought beans. You ask for 3 pound red dot and they weight it on a balance scale and double bag it in paper lunch bags. They would sell you a cup too. I'ed go in there and buy a dollars worth back in the early 70's because I didn't have $3.00 for a whole pound.

[LUBEDUDE]

When Hodgdons released Traiboss they gave out small trial bottles at the World championships. I never saw any of those bottles for sale anywhere.

[dbosman]

I've seen the four pack that IMR sales folks gave out at one time and the Winchester samples from trap shoots.

[Traffer]

We had a place here in Denver called Wards Shootin Shop, they sold shotgun powders out of large barrels by the pound like ya bought beans. You ask for 3 pound red dot and they weight it on a balance scale and double bag it in paper lunch bags. They would sell you a cup too. I'ed go in there and buy a dollars worth back in the early 70's because I didn't have $3.00 for a whole pound.

Now that would be my kind of store!!!

[country gent]

The one local shop years ago had surplus 4895 and 4831 in kegs that was sold by the pound also. this was way back. Lunch bags were supplied or you could bring in your own container. Owner bought surplus and sold as customers desired. Scope and scales sat between the 2 drums.

[Rick Hodges]

I remember buying 700x in a paper lunch sack...1/2 pound poured from a keg at a local gun shop. I don't remember the sample size bottles of powder.

[Bazoo]

Bout 5 years ago, I was at a semi local store and they would sell you a 1/4 pound for testing. They were also splitting up 8 pound jugs into 1 pound containers during the drought. I ain't been back because they are about 100 miles off in a direction I don't get very often.

[abunaitoo]

With the way younger people think these days, i don't think any shop would sell out of the factory bottle.
It would be good to get a small amount, to just try.
Lots of new powder out these days.

[Bazoo]

I guess I'm the odd duck. Being young, and fairly new to loading, I ain't got no interest in the new powders. My interest is more in those old faithful powders.

[dbosman]

All the still existing "old" powders still work. Some have been and more will be, reformulated for less toxic wastes.

[10x]

The one pound powder can is a trial size container.
Most new powders do pretty much the same as old powders. Mostly you have to burn a significant amount of powder working up loads to match what your preferred powder does, then burn more to see if there is any improvement.
Sometimes a reduction in group size with a new powder is a result of practice and personal improvement coupled with care and attention to shooting technique when working up a load.
Sometimes when one does a side by side comparison of the best load you were using in the past with your newly discovered "most accurate load", the old load is just as accurate.

[Hickory]

The Powder Container thread got me thinking,
Who remembers when, going by my memory, Dupont/IMR sold what I believe to be 1 ounce bottles of powder to try without buying a whole pound. Or, do you think this was something that dealer did on his own because I can't find anything on the net about them.
I remember these as small brown bottles with screw on lids similar to Aspirin bottles, there was a shop I used to go to that had a glass display case on the counter that had several rows of the trial size powders.
I never bought any because at that time I knew I wanted 4064 for the only round I reloaded.

Boy, what a collectors item!

[toallmy]

In the 90s I would stop off in Delaware just before getting to the Jersey Turnpike and buy loose Red Dot + cheap sacks of shot . I put up a nice supply of powder and shot that lasted for years under 20 bucks a sack , so imagine my surprise when I started searching for more and shot was at almost 50 bucks a sack and powder was 160+ for 8lb .

[BamaNapper]

Maybe ask around at the range/gun club? Someone may have a bottle on the bench and would be willing to pour you out a sample. If there are 10 reloaders at the club, there's probably 50 different powders on their benches. Maybe start a FaceBook or email group for the reloaders in the club to keep in touch. I see threads where folks are asking about sample packs of bullets for test loads as well. It would be nice to have a small group in the area willing to swap powders, bullets, lube, etc.

[RogerDat]

It would be nice if a manufacturer would sell a combo pack of popular powders they sell for specific uses. Say 1/4 or 1/2 pound of 3 or 4 powders they have for certain uses. Revolver, Magnum Revolver, Auto Loader Pistols, Auto Loader Rifle (.223 - .308) Long Range Rifle etc.

I'm sure there would be some overlap but would be a nice way to get a sample pack to try before buying in larger quantities. I have some pound or pounds of powder I'm not likely to use often. The other powders would work, and may even work well but if I already have a "standard" recipe and set up for a different powder for that caliber and bullet I'm not likely to get the others out. If I have a 2400 load for 357 magnum that I like it means that bottle or two of H110 might sit for a good long while.

Would have been nice if I could have gotten a sample pack to try so I just went out and bought 4# of the "right" one. Rather than 2# of each to try. I should mention 44 mag was also a load under consideration. I figured to have a couple pounds of whichever I decided "worked". The couple pounds that I liked less will just sit.

BL-C2 & Varget and one of the other powders like them maybe 4895 or 4198 plus a couple other powders before I bought 8# of Varget for .223 and never looked back.

On the other hand one could say I bought the 1 pound samples of the 8 pound jugs :-) Not like the less liked pounds will spoil in proper storage during my lifetime.

[Walks]

I do remember the 4oz bottles of powder from Hodgdon; Titegroup and Trailboss at End of Trail more then 20yrs ago.

Anyone remember buying Primers by the 100's ?

[country gent]

One thing manufacturers see and realize is that the containers are usually more cost wise than whats in them. So a small 1/4lb container is less profits than a 1lb container is. The soup cans cost Campbells more to make than the soup in them did. So a 1lb trial pack of 4 powders would have 4 containers instead of just the one. Another issue for manufacturers would be the needed "fillers" and tooling for the smaller containers. The extra cost of the containers equipment and manpower is always considered. This would be more a customer service than a high volume sales endeavor.
I would like to see smaller containers of powder for testing and also for my low use rounds (a full lb of bullseye loads a lot of 38 spls at 2.7 grns)
Some shops have split one pounders into smaller amounts and that's a added expense for them again containers scales labels man power. What containers do you use that can be bought cheaply and in semi bulk? Larger pill bottle, bags, 1 pint bottles. Have the customer bring in their own containers? Then printed adhesive labels for the containers for each powder. A person to weigh them and label them. either in batches for on the shelf or as needed. A scales of some sort.
Back when the local shop had the kegs of powder for sale the customers would weigh it out, seal it, and label it. Then a person could be expected to "do it right" Now most would add a smidge more just because. It became a bigger hassle than it was worth. Plus most fire codes frown on open kegs of powder in stores and public places

[megasupermagnum]

I could see it for some pistol use, otherwise, a pound of powder does not go that far in a shotgun or bottleneck rifle. 300 win mag will eat a whole pound of powder in a single range trip.