I just got two 7# jugs of BR-5 from GIBrass. I have loaded some .45 acp and 30-30 cast loads. I will get back to you when I have done more work.
Printable View
I just got two 7# jugs of BR-5 from GIBrass. I have loaded some .45 acp and 30-30 cast loads. I will get back to you when I have done more work.
with all the crazy new web sites that can't be trusted if I was needing powder I'd stick to either, powder valley , mid south, Grafs or midway and all of them have some pretty useful powders in stock now. I dont think prices will ever come down to what they once were but these days you have get what you can when you can.
never know what might happen tomorrow that could effect supply availability.
back to original question, I really like be-86 for a lot of handgun rounds but bullseye works great in a lot of stuff too and the more silhouette I use the more I like it very versatile stuff. and 4198 is primarily what I use in cast rifle rounds
can be86 be used in place of unique? or is there something else that can be used in place of unique?
I answered Unique in the survey but I use Red Dot a lot too. Also WW231 in 45 Colt. I don't load reduced loads hardly ever in rifles except the 32-20 but in it I've used Unique almost exclusively.
Red Dot does it all. I have on hand about 25-27 different powders, all in 1 to 4lb increments. Red Dot, current inventory 17lbs. Yeah, Red Dot.
red dot - .32acp, .32 S&W short + long, 9mm, .38S&W, .38 spec, .38 super, .45acp, 12gauge, lead bullet loads 30/30, .308, 30/06, + .30 carbine
I voted for Trail Boss, primarily for J-words in rifles, but have turned to Bullseye for everything cast. Some years ago a friend gave me two unopened one pound tins of HiVel No. 2 and darned if it didn’t prove excellent for 3/4 power 235 grain loads in my .375 H&H.
#1 Reddot #2 Titegroup #3 BE-86 flash suppressed pistol and rifle kinda like unique you can find data on multiple forums with good data as usual be careful and safe.
.
UNIQUE :Fire: It smokes good and is a lil dirty and that's just two of its wonderful qualities. I don't care much for powders that don't do powder things....
Not really reduced loads but for light lead loads I've been using Vihtavuori Tin Star N32C in my Krags, ‘03s and now my Swedes.
Unique is probably my favorite. 2400 isn't bad but always leaves unburned powder in the barrel. Plus I was able to buy Unique at $5 a pound several years ago so I bought about 18 pounds. They used Unique in the 45-70 cartridges specifically supplied with rail punch tools. When laying small gauge rail in mines the web of the rails was punched for the splice plates that bolted the rails together. So many of the 45-70 cartridges were discarded as mines shut down. I was able to acquire the cartridges and empty them. The 45-70 cases were a prize but discovered the propellant was Unique. Still shooting it in 38 Colt Automatic, 32-20, 38-40, 44-40, 44 Special, 44 Mag, 52 Spencer. Unique is bulkier than Red Dot or Bullseye; it's easier to detect a double charge.
My jug of Promo is about 10% bulkier than Unique. So even though you need more of the slower burning Unique, the case fill is a wash in most of my pistol calibers. I use the same powder throw for either powder in several of my pistol rounds.Quote:
Unique is bulkier than Red Dot or Bullseye; it's easier to detect a double charge.
Promo's density isn't calibrated tightly across entire lots like most canister powders, but it's supposed to be denser than Red Dot.
https://www.alliantpowder.com/produc...der/promo.aspx
Quote:
Promo has the same burn speed as Red Dot, but is more dense, thus requiring a smaller bushing to obtain the same charge weight.
I use clay’s in my cowboy loads, 38 special and 12 gauge, which is most of my reloading anymore. Plus I use trailboss in 45-70 and 500 s&w for light loads.
For those members here who like to play with their Big Bore rifles using reduced loads, what powders do you prefer?
And by “Big Bore” rifles I mean the kind chambered for African-type cartridges, e.g., 458 Win Mag, 416 Rigby/Ruger, .404 Jeff, … maybe .375 H&H if you’re a little fella. :lol:
Tite Group gets too hot for me. Unique is the best stuff for what I do normally.
Trail Boss for all revolver and rifle cartridges. As much for the ease of reloading it as any other reason. Using either one of the Lee powder dippers or a homemade one makes the process as fast as it gets with no worry of double charging. They say to stay above 60% of case capacity but not to compress it, so you could literally just dump in the powder staying below the base of the bullet in a SHTF scenario without using a measure or scale. Unfortunately, it hasn't been available for some time now, so if you didn't buy in bulk, you're out of luck. Looks like more powders are slowly becoming available, so hopefully this one will return soon.
My vote was Red Dot . . . . but I often use Bulls Ryr as well - depending on the pistol/rifle I'm loading for and what seems to work best lf the two powders in it/
An interesting poll to see what others use!
I've been using 2400 for 357 full loads, 223 and 30/30 loads but my supplies are dwindling, I've discovered Lovex D036 which performs similarly to Acc #5 and Unique, for me its only major flaw is it's extremely dense and under 6 grns for 38 sp light loads doesn't take up very much space.
It seems very stable and also it's clean burning and to date with over 700 38/357 and about 100 30/30 rounds of very light loads I've yet to see unburned powder.
FWIW my 38/357 loads feed a rossi carbine so perhaps that's the reason.
It can also be stoked up in 357 cases to rival 2400 with the added benefit that it's much cheaper and it's available here in the UK.
2400
Trail Boss. its idiot proof. a little dirty, but it works for me.. unfortunately its not available right now and word on teh street is it may never be again, but I have 4 bottles of it and i'm keepin it!