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View Poll Results: What is your favorite, go-to powder for handgun and reduced rifle loads?

Voters
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  • Trail Boss

    41 6.98%
  • Unique

    254 43.27%
  • Bullseye

    41 6.98%
  • Red Dot

    69 11.75%
  • 2400

    71 12.10%
  • Black Powder

    5 0.85%
  • Other

    106 18.06%
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Results 121 to 140 of 141

Thread: Favorite Go-To Powder for Handgun and Reduced Rifle Loads

  1. #121
    Boolit Master


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    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.

  2. #122
    Boolit Master
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    May 2013
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    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?
    Last edited by farmbif; 04-12-2022 at 02:26 PM.

  3. #123
    Boolit Master
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    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.

  4. #124
    Boolit Master

    Electrod47's Avatar
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    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.
    “You should tell someone what you know. There should be a history, so that men can learn from it.

    He smiled. “Men do not learn from history. Each generation believes itself brighter than the last, each believes it can survive the mistakes of the older ones. Each discovers each old thing and they throw up their hands and say ‘See! Look what I have found! Look upon what I know!’ And each believes it is something new.

    Louis L’Amour

    The Californios

  5. #125
    Boolit Master schutzen-jager's Avatar
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    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
    never pick a fight with an old man - if he is too old to fight he will just kill you -
    in this current crisis our government is not the solution , it is the problem ! -

    ILLEGITIMI NON CARBORUNDUM

    as they say in latin

  6. #126
    Boolit Buddy
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    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.

  7. #127
    Boolit Mold Old Two Wars's Avatar
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    Dec 2017
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    #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.
    .

  8. #128
    Boolit Bub Jungle Dave's Avatar
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    Mar 2023
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    UNIQUE 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....
    Last edited by Jungle Dave; 03-26-2023 at 08:27 AM.

  9. #129
    Boolit Master Baltimoreed's Avatar
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    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.

  10. #130
    Boolit Buddy

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    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.

  11. #131
    Boolit Master
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    Oct 2012
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    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.

    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
    Promo has the same burn speed as Red Dot, but is more dense, thus requiring a smaller bushing to obtain the same charge weight.

  12. #132
    Boolit Mold
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    Feb 2007
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    East Texas
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    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.

  13. #133
    Boolit Buddy Nick Adams's Avatar
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    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.

  14. #134
    Boolit Buddy Tall's Avatar
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    Tite Group gets too hot for me. Unique is the best stuff for what I do normally.

  15. #135
    Boolit Bub
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    Feb 2019
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    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.

  16. #136
    Boolit Grand Master

    jonp's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nick Adams View Post
    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.
    Been trying out both Promo and Trail boss in my 416 Ruger. Much more Promo on the shelf so more of that.
    I Am Descended From Men Who Would Not Be Ruled

    Fiat Justitia, Ruat Caelum

  17. #137
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    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!

  18. #138
    Boolit Buddy braddock's Avatar
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    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.

  19. #139
    Boolit Master Mark Daiute's Avatar
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  20. #140
    Boolit Mold
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    Feb 2015
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    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!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check