powder questions

[.357]

I'm not sure this is the right place but i figure what the hell. I'm currently working on trying to understand all I can about reloading. I've been reloading for about 6 years now but it's been extremely limited I've used only Unique and really only loaded three calibers (45 acp, 38 spc, and .357 mag). The reason being is that when i was a very poor kid with no internet access and no one to teach me how to reload i picked up the lyman accupress kit opened the manual and saw that of all the calibers i wanted to load Unique was listed for pretty much every bullet. Now that i am branching out into rifle, and casting. I am doing my best to understand the powders used in reloading especially as i need to make another selection or two for a rifle powder (and potentially a cleaner handgun powder or two)

Does any one have any good links concerning pressure, burn rates, things to take into consideration when making a powder selection. Currently i'm going to be loading for .223, 38-55, 300 savage (i'm hearing good things about 748 on this one), and i really want a guide gun.

any help at all advice or links to demystify this would be greatly appreciated.

[Shiloh]

I started the same way. WW 231 for 9mm and .38. When I started there was no internet. Start Googling your questions. There are countless website. Cross check the info. If it doesn't sound right or varies greatly from published info, don't use it.

http://www.reloadbench.com/burn.html

Shiloh

[Rocky Raab]

Some of us started reloading a half-century before anybody even thought of an "internet" -- or computers for that matter!

The way you settled on Unique will work just fine with your rifle loads. Study several manuals and see if there's a powder or three that gives good results in each cartridge. (W748 may well be one such, BTW). You can probably narrow the field to two or perhaps even one such powder, especially if you don't insist on maximum performance from each cartridge. One powder may be "best" in one, "pretty good" in one or more, and "passable" in yet another. If you luck out and those things line up with the cartridges you'll use most to least often, you're golden.

The problem with lists of burn rates and such is that no two are alike, because they are assembled using different criteria or assumptions. But published load data reflects actual results, making it much more valid a comparison method. There is still some variation, but at least the loads listed were actually shot and measured.

[Hardcast416taylor]

When I got into loading and casting, all the Lyman manuals were chisled onto slate pieces or carved on trees!Robert

[lylejb]

hodgdon H4895 is a versitile rifle powder that's usable in all 3, 223, 300, and 38-55. it's also good for many cartrides up to 30-06 class.

see http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp reloading data center

also go back to hodgdon's home page and look under the data tab, you will find a "youth load" tab. even if your not interested in light loads, it has an interesting tidbit of information about h4896. It says H4895 can be reduced to 60% of the max load as a starting point. " the 60% rule" they call it. They say that 60% of max load will make a 1500 fps to 2100fps load for any caliber that lists H4895, and they chose H4895 because it's the slowest powder that ignites uniformly at these reduced loads.

the 60% load sounds like that might be a good starting point for cast boolits, and the same powder would be good for jacketed loads up to max. :-D

i think it would be worth a try to pick up a pound and try it in your guns. As all guns are individual, you'll have to adjust the loads for best accuracy ect....

just a note, H4895 IS NOT THE SAME AS IMR4895, it's close, but make sure to look up correct data for it.

as for unique, it's the most versitile powder on the market. Not nessessarly "the best" powder, but you can make just about any caliber "go bang" with it.

Hodgdon universal is hodgdon's newer version of unique. IT'S NOT THE SAME, but it's close to unique for pistol use. Just be sure to look up correct data for it. It's alot cleaner than old unique, and would work in all 3 of your pistol calibers.

my .02 worth

LB

[Stick_man]

My advice would include starting out by picking up several good reloading manuals (Lyman, Speer, Sierra, etc) in addition to lots of "Googling". As has been mentioned already, all guns are different, just like people, and what one gun shoots really well, another of the exact same make and model might not be able to hit the broad side of a target with it. What might be safe in one gun may be dangerously over pressure limits in another.

With that being said, there are many great powders out there that will work well with the calibers you have mentioned. I have had great success with BLC(2) in my .223 and even some different bullet weights in the .308 and '06. H4895 is another good one that is quite versatile.

If you are going to be shooting cast boolits in your rifles, you might want to do a search on using Alliant's 2400. I have never used it yet, but have heard many good things about it.

Most importantly, find some good published data, cross check it with other published data, and never start with max loads. When building up your loads, watch for signs of excess pressures.

Last, but not least, have fun, be safe, and shoot straight.

[MtGun44]

Starting by using Unique for everything is a pretty darned good start.
It will work very well for moderate loads with cast boolits in most rifles, too.

For full power loads you need slower powders, your look at W748 is not bad at
all. It will work very well for a wide range of cartridges. Some of the
newer Hodgdon powders in the similar burning rate would be slightly less temp
sensitive, but this is not a huge deal.

For full power hunting type loads you would like a powder that fills the case pretty
well, say at least 3/4 full or more and makes the velocity that you want.
Too fast powders tend to peak the pressures and not make the velocity you need,
too slow powders will fill up the case and still not have enough to make the velocity
you want, but at safe low pressure and possibly not full combustion.

IMR 4895 or H4895 will work well in almost any of the normal rifle cartridges.
Reloader 15 is another excellent choice that cover a lot of calibers.

Hope this helps. Ask some more specific questions.

Bill

[Buckshot]

..............All 3 of those rifle calibers you mentioned will do very well with cast and 4198.

.............Buckshot

[vanf]

I need some info on what powders to use for the reloading 350gr cast bullets for a 416 rigby please

[SierraWhiskeyMC]

Hi Vanf,
It's much better if you start your own topic/thread than ask a new question in an existing thread. Otherwise, the thread can become confusing quite quickly - and confusion is DEFINITELY something to avoid when talking about propellants for firearms!

Welcome to the forums :)

[Heavy lead]

I need some info on what powders to use for the reloading 350gr cast bullets for a 416 rigby please

I like AA5744, but here is a good thread to check out.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=4427&highlight=rigby

Good Luck!

[swheeler]

"opened the manual and saw that of all the calibers i wanted to load"
If you will read the pages of information before the load data you will find a wealth of information on pressure, reading pressure, powder choices and burn speeds, primers, brass, bullets and on and on. Burn rate charts are derived from closed bomb tests, in actual reloading practice the numbers asigned to the powders can change many places on the chart by application.