[PONTIACDM]

Ok your opinion using these 3 guidelines. Cost-clean burn-accuracy. Calibers .380 up to 44 mag. I know you may have a favorite for each caliber but I'm talking about one powder over all. Being new to reloading I chose tight group because of cost. I was wanting to experiment a little with different powders and want your opinion on the best over all. Thanks

[Rodentman]

IMHO as an amatoor reloader:

I don't really care what the powder costs; they're all fairly close in cost and the differences are truly minor when spread across the # of rounds per can.

Clean burn is a natural outcome of the proper load for the proper caliber (at least some of the time.) I prefer to use different powders for different purposes.

The weakest link in my accuracy chain is me. i am frankly not good enough to determine which powder is more accurate.

I use Power Pistol, Bullseye, Unique, 2400, H110, Trail Boss. All for different reasons.

If I HAD to pick one powder it would be Unique.

[buck460XVR]

My opinion is there is no one "best" powder unless you always shoot the same caliber, use the same bullet and other components and shoot them at the same velocity.

[rcmodel]

You can load anything, and do a pretty good job of most of them, using nothing but Unique & 2400.

Picking a powder based only on cost per load is bad thinking, especially with the big-bores & Magnums.

Why own a Magnum if you are only able to load light plinking loads for it?

rc

[Marlin 45 carbine]

2 powders would be a better idea - one for cast slugs the other better suited to jacketed.

[The Bushmaster]

Check your manual. If you have a Sierra Vth edition or Lyman's 49th edition, they will tell you which powder they figured was the best...

[oneounceload]

I like Universal Clays or Unique because I also load shotshells with the same powder

[MikeS.]

My 3 favorites, Bullseye, 2400 & W296. These 3 will do a decent job with everything between .380 and full bore .44mag.

[hillbillydelux]

Tite group is a good clean powder and seems to be very accurate. Its good for light target loads. I use it in .45 colt .357 mag and 45acp target loads. But like everyone else said 2400 is my favorite.

[ohioshooter]

even though I'm new to reloading I use benchmark for my .223 and all my pistol I use Universal

[flipajig]

just to pick 3 pdrs thats a hard one right now im using W231 and 2400 for my pistols
(9mm/38spc/357mag/44mag)
IMR 4064 for my 06- IMR 3031 for my 30-30 and RL15 for my 7-30 waters.

[zxcvbob]

Alliant Promo will do it all, including rifle ctgs, but will not give top velocity in anything because it burns so fast. It costs about $10 per pound in 8# jugs. It really shines in .38 Special and 9mm target loads, and in .45 Colt.

[WV_Vizsla]

I like Winchester Super Field in 9mm and 45acp. Meters well and have run 500- 1000 shot strings between cleanings. Also seems to burn 100%, with minimal tumbling needed on the recycle to clean the brass.
American Select for 12g, minimal cleaning was the goal, good weight vs speed ratio.
4350 and R22 for the 243, 3006 and 300Wby. 4350 is cleaner.

During matches watch for smokey guns/shooters. Often at my club's clay or IDPA matches they are using Unique. Find what you like then buy the 8#ers.

[z28orshoot]

700x and 4227

[ArchAngelCD]

No matter how much you want to use only 1 powder for all handgun calibers it just can't be done well. If it were possible there wouldn't be so many powders on the market, all sell well too. Like said above, why bother owning and shooting a big-bore if you aren't going to load it correctly?

My 3 favorite powders are W231, HS-6 and W296. Back in the day the powder "trinity" was Bullseye, Unique and 2400. (BTW, W231=HP-38 and W296=H110) If you choose a 3 powder set consisting of a fairly fast, medium burn and slow burn powder you will be much happier than if you try to do everything with 1 powder.

To answer your original question, if I were forced to pick only 1 powder I think it would be W231 because I'm comfortable with using it although you won't get top velocities in the Magnum calibers. Unique would qualify too except it's a little dirty at times. Hodgdon Universal as well as Ramshot Zip will also do well in most calibers too.

[rick300]

This is a good thread, I'm learnin here thanks... rick

[smith52]

My powder choice changes with caliber, bullet weight, and intended use of the round, however, as listed above many, many powders to choose from that can accomplish what your looking for. Titegroup was a good choice, I think W231 or Unique. All three are quite versitile, to me W231 meters the easiest of the three, but Unique has always been a great GO-TO powder. Good luck and be safe!

[CTSigLover]

Unique is the most versatile... but you mentioned cleanliness... so IMHO:

Universal is 95% as versatile as Unique, 30% cleaner, but 105% the price here in Connecticut... overall then it gets the nod given your criteria.