Powders

[Beekeeper]

Well the Weddings over,Finally(Yappy-Dappy-Do).
Now it is time to pay for all of those Cars , Planes , Trains , Hotels and all the other junk required.Second time around for both but you would think they were 18 again and doing it for the first time.

My Gun budget is almost zero but SWMBO has given the OK to make one more Powder,primer purchase this year before having to put that money towards the payoff of the wedding (Grandma says we gotta help the kids and grandkids and I have to live with her)

I have IMR4895
H4198
Herco
red dot
unique
Would like to have some input from the forum members as to what are the best powder buys for cast boolits overall.


Jim

[RobS]

You have a good list there, actually really good for cast bullets...........the only two that are close are unique and herco. I use herco as it will give you a bit more velocity with a touch lower pressure vs unique. Herco though is not formulated to the "cleaner burning" processes that alliant does with their other powders. I really haven't see that it is too dirty though, but I clean my guns often too. Red dot is a good powder that is bulky, but you can get yourself some Alliant Promo for about $85 for 8lbs vs $105 or so of Red dot. The two powders are loaded the same regarding charge weight but Promo is not as bulky.

Knowing what you plan on loading for would help us recommend though.

[SciFiJim]

Looks like you have fast and slow covered. You might try something in the middle like 2400. Of course it depends on what you are loading for. 2400 will cover a lot of calibers though.

[Recluse]

Love W231 for anything handgun. Unique is probably THE most versatile out there. Bullseye is also pretty versatile.

On the long gun side, 2400 is versatile, but for my cast boolits, I like W748 or H335, and the IMR4895 fills the bill on a lot of loads.

:coffee:

[Le Loup Solitaire]

That's a good list and a lot of good shooting has been done with everyone of them. I've used all of them except Herco. There is no "slow" powder among them, and that does have its place in the spectrum. 4895 is kind of "medium" and is, as such, a good powder. Red Dot is the fastest on the list and with Unique will cover pistol. All are versatile and work well in several different calibers. You'll do well with any of them. LLS

[MtGun44]

2400 and Unique will cover almost any needs with boolits.

Bill

[Ed Barrett]

my vote is for 2400. I seem to end up with it for most cast loads.

[four eyes]

Very good list,but i use bullseye in 40s&w with very good results,as all ready said all listed work very good in cast boolits.

[winelover]

I burn mostly 2400, followed by Unique then Bullseye.

Winelover:Fire:

[adkpete]

I like 2400 for pistol and rifle, 4759 and 5744 would be good for boolits in rifles

[1Shirt]

Yep, like a lot of the others say, 2400, then Unique. Can't go wrong with either or both. I shoot a lot of Red Dot also.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[Maven]

Can't argue too much with the above advice, but 5744 is the most consistent (mean velocity & standard deviation) rifle powder I've used. It works in everything from the .243Win. to the .45-70 Gov't. It's sometimes hard to find, but the results make it worth searching for.

[oldhickory]

+1 on Unique and 2400, I also burn a lot of 4227 with cast boolits in rifles.

[RugerFan]

If you have any 30 cals (.308, 7.62x54R, 7.5 Swiss etc) that you plan on using for deer hunting, I would add IMR 3031. Works very well @ 2000 fps in these cartridges. One of my "go to" cast bullet powders.

[RBak]

I've gotta agree with Maven. Over the years I have turned almost exclusively to 5744 for everything from my .280 to 45-70.
It was Bass Ackwards and Felix that suggested 5744 for my .35 Whelen and the 358009 five or six years ago....I tried it, like it a whole lot and got a good deal on several pounds. And then, the next thing you know I was using it in almost all my rifles.
I'm glad I listen to them two fellers, they are pretty sharp folks and know a thing or two about powders.

IMR 4198 was my "go to powder" cast for rifles for a long time, and of course one almost has to have a can or two of Unique around somewhere.

[BruceB]

5744 is one of the powders I bought from Powder Valley a couple weeks back. They had it in stock, in both the 1# and 8# sizes, and the price was right at $20 per pound, as I recall.

It is indeed a very useful powder, and I use it in a wide spectrum of cartridges. It's the fuel for my cast-bullet hunting load in .416 Rigby (370-grain RCBS, 55.0 5744, 2050 fps) and also an accuracy load in the M1A (311466, 25.0 5744, 1800 fps...and SEMI-AUTO function!).

It's also used in quite a few other loads around here. My other main cast-bullet rifle powders are IMR 4198 and 2400, but many other types are called-upon from time to time. The .32 Specials, of all things, prefer IMR 4350 so far.....

[1Shirt]

Can't argue about 5744, because it does well in most rifle cases. That said, I didn't list it over 2400 and Unique simply because it takes a lot more of it (in most cases) to push lead down the tube than 2400 and Unique, So, burning more means to me costing more, and I am cheap. I do use it in 2 or three ctgs however.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[cajun shooter]

Well you could sell off all the others and only have one and at most 2 by coming over to the dark side. Buy as much 2 F as you can and then enjoy.

[Doc_Stihl]

5744 Gets used alot at my house. 2400 is handy to have.

For cast boolits and light loads you might want to try Trail Boss. Also works wonders as a reduced velocity load in just about anything.

If you're shooting any GC Pistol magnum loads, H110 is my go to powder for 357-41-44-454-500 Mag loads.