Must have powders?

[JScott]

I know others may work just as well but I get mighty uncomfortable if there isn't a couple pounds of Win 231 around.

[JDFuchs]

Win 231
Trailboss
2400

[Ohio Rusty]

I have 4 powders I am fond of. My first favorite is Trail Boss. I have used that in many different loadings for my pistols, and it performs admirably for light and mid range loads, and burns very clean. Next is Unique. I like that in .38 and .357 for different boolit weights from 110 to 158. Next is 2400 for magnum loads in my .44. It has a wider range of powder loads for the .44 compared to 296/H110. lastly id VhitaVouri N310 for my .380. That is such a small capacity case that VV powders work well in that size boolit. I bet it would work well in anything from .25 up to 9MM loads.
Ohio Rusty ><>

[Beau Cassidy]

Trail boss, Winchester Super Target, and 5744.

[JIMinPHX]

Bullseye, Unique, 2400, H-110, RE7, RE15

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
PISTOLS= UNIQUE, 2400, WC820 ALSO FOR SQUIB RIFLE & SHOTGUN
RIFLES = IMR 4350, WC860,

[chuckbuster]

4895 4831 h110 unique

[Moonie]

If you have Unique and 4895 you can make an acceptable load for most rounds.

I was thinking the same thing, Unique and H4895 covers everything I load currently, .223, 30-06, 8x57, 400 corbon and 45acp and 12 gauge.

I do keep some Clays around as well.

[Dannix]

Bah! Double so. My browser ate two attempted posts. Here's a reduced version. Thanks for all the recommendations and particularly the comments with the recommendations!

• Why are faster-than-9mm-powders used for 45ACP when 45ACP is both launching a heavier bullet and has a lower maximum pressure level?
• I'm still clueless on the practical difference between 1680 and 5744, and if they even have separate niches. Thoughts?
• Reloader 7 and IMR3031 -- How do these compare to 4198? When would you use one, and not another? Cons of each?
• 2400, H110, Win296. So apparently H110 and Win296 are good for full power loads, and 2400 is flexible and good for less-than-max and reduced loads but has cons HeavyMetal described.
  
  So ideally there would be an alternative for 2400 without it's cons. Any potentials? BlueDot (though I've heard none of the dots meter well), Accurate #9, v-N110, SR4759?

aa-1680 is slower than h-110 it's not quite fast rifle range.
but in the big magnums it's awesome...5744 is a most recommended cast boolit powder in rifles, it was the trail boss of it's day.

Trail Boss is apparently WAY faster than 1680 / 5744. Am I missing something here?


There was a powder I read here a while back that apparently burned HOT and a few here posted they avoided it. It was...I forget. LittleGun, TightGroup, TrailBoss, some non-number powder like these. Thoughts?

[zxcvbob]

I avoid Titegroup because the tiny charge (it's both fast and dense) is hard to see in the case, and it burns really hot -- makes a lot of smoke from the bullet lube, and it scorches the brass. I have a few ounces left and am looking for a way to use it up. (it might be really good in 9mm...)

It measures well and it's cheap to use. A lot of people seem to like it, so maybe it's just me.

[leadman]

WC680, which is almost the same as 1680 was the original powder for the 7.62X39, which is very close to your 30-223. That said if you are going ro use cast in the 30-223 5744 would probably be more accurate.
Never have gotten good accuracy in a rifle cartridge larger than the 22K Hornet with WC680. It does work very well for heavy bullets in the 44mag, 445 superMag, 357Max.

[cattleskinner]

The powders I use the most are:

Varget-223 and 308 based cartridges
Unique-Everything pistol(380, 9mm, 45acp, 45 colt)

-I have also used Longshot, Bullseye, Red Dot, and 2400 which are all good for pistol. Can't help much on the rifle powder as I am pretty smitten with Varget.

[Dannix]

Thanks for all the input guys. I really appreciate it. I'll be putting in my order tomorrow. In some ways I'd rather be putting it to another firearm, or a progressive or turret press, but I figure stocking up on components is a better investment for the time being. Thanks again.

[SciFiJim]

So, What did you settle on for an order and what do you currently have on hand? I am going through the same process and trying to figure out an order.

[EOD3]

My "preferred" powders are:

I thought I'd whip-out a short list of powders BUT, I don't use a "short list" of powders so:

I use a lot of H110, 2400, TiteGroup, Power Pistol, and Blue Dot for revolver loads.

I use BLC-2, RL15, RL19, RL22, Varget, IMR4350 and H4198 for rifle loads.

There are at least another 2 dozen powders in the locker that are for sometimes loads and experiments.

[lylejb]

There was a powder I read here a while back that apparently burned HOT and a few here posted they avoided it. It was...I forget. LittleGun

Exactly.

Littlegun has had multiple posts of causing faster throat / forcing cone erosion. It's a slower powder, intended to get higher velocity out of the magnums, and some small rifles such as 22 hornet.

Data shows a max velocity 200- 300 fps faster than w296 / h110 in several mag pistols. Again, this is full tilt magnum loads.

I've never tried it, and won't be any time soon. The extra wear on the gun isn't worth the small gain in velocity. I can get all I want from win 296.

Trail Boss is apparently WAY faster than 1680 / 5744. Am I missing something here

Trail boss was made for reduced cast loads for cowboy action shooters. It's good for light to maybe medium loads.

It's big feature it that it's a very low density powder, it occupies about double the volume for equal weight of other fast burning powders. This fills the case much better than the typical tiny charge of other fast burners.

IMR also says a double charge won't fit in a case, and that a full case will not excede proof pressures in any caliber. This adds a margin of safety. DON'T TRY THAT WITH ANY OTHER FAST POWDER!

I don't think you can fit enough Trail boss in a case to get above a medium velocity, that's just not what it's for.

[watkibe]

SR 4759 is one powder I always keep on hand. All my rifle cast boolit loads use. I haven't tried it, but XMP 5744 from Accurate is supposed to be for cast bullets too.

The most versatile handgun/rifle/shotgun powder is Unique.
The most versatile rifle powder is H4895.

[Dannix]

watkibe, is SR 4759 the one that doesn't reduce well or does reduce well? SR 4756, SR 4759 -- I read here one reduces well and the other one not at all, but I can't remember which or find the original post.

I haven't put in the order yet simply because I have not taken the time to do so, and I'm still chewing cud on a few similar burn-rate choices. Here's my thinking at the moment. If I skip on anyone's favourites, sorry about that and feel free to enlighten my thinking on the given powder. SciFiJim, please refer to the first post for what I currently have on hand. I'm on a tight budget; indeed, this will be my biggest "non-need" expenditure for the next six months at least, so perhaps you'll elect to go for a longer "have a little of this on hand" powder list.

Primers
I decided to go for a little of everything, but mainly lean towards small pistol and use Winchester LRs for when I develop higher power 748 30-30 loads.
WOLF LARGE PISTOL PRIMERS (KVB45)- per 1000
WOLF LARGE RIFLE PRIMERS (KVB7)- per 1000
WOLF SMALL PISTOL PRIMERS (KVB9)- per 1000
WOLF 223 PRIMERS (KVB223M)- per 1000
- I thought about just going for the slightly more mild Wolf SRMs, but I figured why not go for the 223s.
Winchester LR primers

Powders
HODGDON H4198 - 1 LB. - 30-30 reduced loads (when's that 110gr soup can GB ready?!) and 30x.233.
BL-C(2) / 4895 / Varget. Just not sure. We'll see what happens when I order. The real fight is between 4895 or Varget. I've decided the budget can't handle both. I just read this This 7mm TCU post. Maybe 4895 would be better for 110grainers in a 30-.223? 4895 would be a safe investment considering it's versatility. I keep going back and forth on this. The 110grainer I'd used in the .30x223 is rather short, and therefore if Varget is a good slower-powder load for .223, then it should be good for a .223 with a heavier bullet, but probably unchanged or very similar case capacity. Edit: Hum, That Varget 120gr load on the castbullet.com article linked above looks a lot slower that the one 1680 load here. Bah. I'll just say 4895. Maybe you guys will convince me to add 1680 or 4227 to the list.
ACCURATE #7 - 1 LB.
Ramshot SILHOUETTE - 1 LB. - looking into it for low-flash reasons
WINCHESTER SUPER-FIELD (WSF) - 1 LB. ( 124-147gr 9mm)


What's skipped or put on the "try later" list:

• 4227. Looks like a good one. Will try some time, but trying to save schekels.
• IMR 3031. I haven't come across one reason why guys like it over similar burn rate powder.
• Reloader 7, 15, 19. Same as above. Haven't come across on comments about it such as how it meters, reduces, temperature sensitivity, burn temp, et al. Reloader 7 particularly caught my eye, but with my budget 4198 seemed like a safer expenditure.
• 2400. Skipping because of the cons HeavyMetal mentioned. Potential good substitutes of Accurate #9, v-N110, or SR4759?
• Solo 1000 - Maybe I'll play with it later for 9mm. Some lot to lot variables issues apparently.
• Bullseye. I figure why bother with potential kaboom issues when there are other choices. I may reform though, especially considering I'm planning on trying some supposed fraught-with-peril 8-10gr Unique 30-30 loads.
• A#2. I'll hold off until if/when I get a .45ACP and decided to play beyond my current stash of Unique or Universal.
• Unique. I already got a pound of it, but concerning future acquisition, my impression is anything Unique can do, Universal can do better. True?
• 1680. Apparently very intolerant of reduced loads, and ... I forget, but I read on the interweb somewhere it burns hot or something. I'll put it on my maybe-try-someday for my planned 30-.223 build.
• 5744. I figure why bother when 4198 seems to fit the bill so well here. Perhaps it burns cooler than 4198 or has a more gradual pressure peak making it more boolit friendly than 4198?
• Win 231/H110. Holding off until I want to load some magnum loads if/when I get a wheel gun.
• Trailboss. Will try someday.
• FFFg. Because I'm afraid I'll get hopelessly addicted. I'll put this on my don't-try-until-ready-to-start-a-subhobby list.
• LilGun/Tightgroup. Burn temp concerns. Lots of alternative to choose from anyway.
• 3N37. I've decided to hold off on VV for now. I would like a nonsupercrazypressure 124gn @ 1200fps 9mm load at some point though. May try 3N38 N320 at that time. (9mm Major: 124gr at 1378 fps, 9mm Minor: 124gr, so I think this is a rather achievable goal).
• H322. I don't think anyone on the thread recommended it, but I had a very helpful PMer recommend it. Looks like another good one to have on hand if the budget was bigger.

[runfiverun]

i like the 1680 it is super similar to sr 4759 but i use it in the super mags and love it there, i am also gonna try some in the 0-6 when i get some weather [they are loaded and ready to go]

5744 is closer to 2400

the unique universal is apples, it's just nice to grab some unique when doing something new in a handgun [iv'e never had any luck with it in a rifle]

rl-19 my go to rifle powder.
favorite in the 0-6 family of cases meters like ***** but shoots very good. i hold groups of 1-1/2" in the 25-06 at 300 yds with it in my ruger, it also does nicely in the 358 win with both types of boolits.
and is my powder of choice in the x57 guns too.
need more of this and less 4831 around here.

i also use aa-2230 for the 223 rem and jaxketed, 2400 and i-4895 in cast.
2230 is also a good powder in the 25-20& 30-30 with cast, i also use it in the 357 max with a heavy boolit but could use aa-1680.
if i had to really narrow things down for the shotguns handguns and rifles across the board my list would really look like this.
red dot. [shotgun target loads and handgun]
800-x. or steel [ handgun and steel shot loads] these don't meter either.
2400. [handgun and rifle loads]
1680. [ big supermag handguns and some rifle loads]
2230. [same thing but for j words too]
4895. [medium rifle for both cast and jacketed] heck i could fill a 44 mag case with this and it would work.
it's also my powder of choice in the military cartridges, even the garand.

rl-19. [ for the high vel cast loads and jacketed rounds from the x57 family up through some of the belted]
i haven't tried it in the 0-8 family yet but i bet it would work well there also.

[dromia]

I always have the following on hand, buy in 1/2 stone kegs, all Vhitavuori.

N320
N340
N110
N120
N140
N160

Given up on using the US powders due unreliability of supply and cost here in the UK. Converted to Vihtauori and have a had as good if not better results.

Currently loading for in smokeless:

22 Hornet
222 Remington
6MM Remington
6.5 Carcano
6.5 Mannlicher Schoenauer
6.5 Swede
7.62 Nato
30/30
303 British
30-06
310 Cadet
8mm Mauser
8 x 56R
8 x 58R
357 Mag
44 Mag
455 Webley