Powders you have given up on?

LIL-GUN by far


no accuracy to speak of in 357 carbines and SCARY pressure spikes that would render new cases unreloadable with one firing with the hodgdon data that allegedly generates less pressure than h110

Peter M. Eick said:

I have been on a campaign to use up powders that I played with and did not like for one reason or another.

Here is a partial list of powders that worked, but I just could not find a load I liked with them.



HP38 - same as 231. Why have both?


Powders that are currently on the potential cutting block:


231 - Bullseye always seems to have the edge on accuracy in the 45acp for me.

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HP-38 and 231 are the same, but HP-38 is cheaper.

I gave up on Unique. Don't like the way it meters, and it was dirty.

Blue dot is one I could not find a use for. Sucked in 45acp and with the warnings in 357 (and temp sensitivity) I finally just gave it to a fellow reloader.

Unique also got chopped, but only because out meters so poorly. Power pistol has filled uniques roll nicely.

IMR 3031 never lit my life on fire. Other powders worked better for me.

IMR 4895, well, i use it when I can't buy H4895. I like H4895 better.

2400 always left unburned, or partially burned, powder grains in my 357 Mag chamber, W296 worked better. I also use W296 in .410 bore. I would use H110 if W296 was not available. Same powder.

Clays. I bought it for some shotgun loads but am learning to not like it. Trying to use up what I have but it is difficult.

Bullseye is ok but i prefer slower powders. I have not bought any Bullseye in decades.

W231 is the same except it shoots the best in my M642. Oh, well. So, I use it my 148 wadcutter loads to keep it flowing through my inventory.

Lil Gun, not impressed with it. I have a brass cased .410 load that it works ok in but once my pound is gone, I will not replace it.

I dumped Unique years ago simply because it metered like corn flakes and none of my 5 powder measures would drop consistantly with it.

Hope this helps.

Fred

I might get banished for saying this, but I've never had good luck with 231 and I might have a half pound in the garage from 10 years ago.

Also the Clays series. Never found a place for 'em.

Blue Dot and Titegroup.

I did finally find one load that I liked using BD (.45 Colt +P) but I didn't like it enough to buy it again. I haven't found any good uses for TG.

I wasn't impressed my first few times using Herco but I may try again to use it up or trade it.

H335....haven't got a rifle to shoot well with it yet.

This is a good and useful topic.

* IMR-4756- I always had problems managing pressures with it, not enough and suddenly too much.
* H110/296- I love both for all of my magnum revolver loads, so I buy the one that's less expnsive or on sale
*Red Dot- I use it for shotshell when clay shooting, but it's too fast burning for my metalic loads.
*Blue Dot- It's one of my heavy shotshell powder's now, but I used to load 44 mag. with it many years ago.
*IMR-4350- I still like it for .270 win. if I'm unable to find RL19
*RL19-This is my go to powder for .270 Win.
*Longshot- It is one of my favorite powder's for 38 spcl., 9mm & .40 S&W. I also like this powder for my hutning shotshell loads where higher velocity is much needed, pheasant loads & turkey loads
*HS6-Also one of my favorite powder's for 38 spcl., 9mm, and .40
*H1000-This is a powder I wrote off a long time ago for .270 win. It was just too fast burning and spikey.
*Green Dot- I once loaded shotshells with it, but I'll never use it again since I tried Red Dot 25 yrs. ago
*Herco- This is still a powder I like for dove and quail loads
*RL22- This powder is a miracle powder for the 7mm RM because it delivers velocity and accuracy in one dose, very little work has been needed to get what I want.
I'm sure I missed some of the one's I no longer use.

Dropped Unique like a dirty shirt when I discovered Universal Clays. Same level of performance, much cleaner burning, meters much better, and doesn't glue itself to the inside of your powder measure.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

I find all the comments on Unique interesting as I've not had any real issues with it. I'm very happy using it in a number of handgun loads and in my 28ga shotguns.

Thats quite a list you have there Peter!

Giving up IMR4831 in favor of IMR4350. 4350 for me works from 150g to 200g. 4831 too slow for light bullets and I never shoot >200gr.

Getting ready to dump W748. Too position sensitive in big cases. A little dirty. A little weather sensitive. Needs mag primers. IMR4895 works better.

Was going to dump AA#9 due to consistent unburnt poweder mess in 357/44 mag. But after I started using a heavy crimp, its now a lot cleaner. But is a leaker in my Lee PPM.

Also working on an alternative to Power Pistol as the fireworks show is annoying.

Yes, try Universal Clays and you'll never buy Unique again.

Clays- I've experimented with it extensively in many different handgun calibers. It's waaay to spikey to use in anything except 38 Spl. and 45acp. In those low pressure calibers it performs very well.....but I won't buy anymore.

H110/296-It's good if you have plenty of magnum primers and want max loads 100% of the time, but I like a more versatile powder. My go to magnum handgun powder now is Accurate 4100, it's wonderful.

They can brag about em.....but they still haven't outperformed Bullseye.

oldfortyfiveauto said:

I find all the comments on Unique interesting as I've not had any real issues with it. I'm very happy using it in a number of handgun loads and in my 28ga shotguns.

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Me, too, but add 20 gauge as well.

Unique is, well, unique. Meters well for me.

I still have "most of" a pound of Red Dot, "most of" a pound of Unique and "about half of" a pound of Bullseye.

Not sure I have "given up" on any of them, but not sure I will ever buy any more of any of them, unless I find a load where they excell.

I load for .380, 9mm, .38/.357, 10mm, .41 Mag, .45acp, .45LC. I have not been able to find loads for any of those cartridges using Red Dot, Unique or Bullseye that offer any advantages over the other powders I use.

I have only used four powders for the past couple of decades, all Winchester.

W748 for the 30-30, .308 and 7.62 X 51.

W760 for the 30-06 and .300WSM.

W231 for the .32 ACP, .32 S&W Long, .38 Special (including +P), 9mm, 45 ACP and .45 Colt (light loads).

W296 for .357 Magnum, .45 Colt (flamethrowers) and .454 Casull.

No need for any other powder.

Dan

This is a good and useful topic.

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Definitely. I was looking into trying new powders for .38 +P and I like to see first hand real honest reviews.

Unique--Dirty, hot burning, dirty, poor metering, dirty powder. It also burns very hot, exacerbates leading, and did I mention it's dirty?
Bullseye--Too dense a powder, way too easily double chargeable. Made me ultra paranoid. Trail Boss works much, much better for me in .38 Spl with lead. And I can sleep at night after loading with it.
AA #9--Too much conflicting data; one manual's max is below another's min, some say magnum primers req'd, others say magnum primers are verboten, etc. 2400 works better for me.
Varget--Too slow burning for .223 (except 75+ grain), and meters rather poorly. Benchmark, Tac and H4895 work much better for me.

Interesting post to say the least! I can't say I've ever given up on any powder. When I buy powder, I know specifically the purpose/cartridge for which I'm buying it, so usually there's no disappointments.

But some observations from the previous posts:

H335....haven't got a rifle to shoot well with it yet.

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I seem to remember this as being a favorite in the benchrest community...?

2400 always left unburned, or partially burned, powder grains in my 357 Mag chamber

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Try a heavier crimp and/or a hotter primer.

I find all the comments on Unique interesting as I've not had any real issues with it.

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Same here. Been using it for ages in my 45 ACP and when I got into bullet casting for rifles, found it to be excellent in cartridges like the 303 Brit.

Getting ready to dump W748. Too position sensitive in big cases. A little dirty. A little weather sensitive. Needs mag primers. IMR4895 works better.

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It is indeed temperature sensitive. This because it's a double base powder. I found long ago that WW760 is temp sensitive too as are pretty much all spherical (read double-based) powders. If you want powder that's temp INsensitive, you have to stick with single-base powders such as Hodgdon's extreme line.

Unique--Dirty, hot burning, dirty, poor metering, dirty powder. It also burns very hot, exacerbates leading, and did I mention it's dirty?

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I don't see this. Maybe with the older Unique? Or maybe we have differing definitions of dirty.

Was going to dump AA#9 due to consistent unburnt poweder mess in 357/44 mag. But after I started using a heavy crimp, its now a lot cleaner. But is a leaker in my Lee PPM.

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Powder leaking out of a measure is not the powders fault! I use LOTS of AA#7 which is the consistence of very fine sand and it doesn't leak out of my old Lyman #55 measure or my RCBS Uniflow.

35W

Since we're doing powder reviews now, I'll add more.

HS-6: My favorite pistol powder. Accurate, easy shooting, and brings power. After trying it, the only reason I keep HP-38 is for .380.

HP-38: Works for .380 and light 9mm loads.

Varget: Like the way it shoots, but not how it meters. Won't buy more.

Wow, this is the only thread I have ever seen with any complaints about Varget. I love the stuff, it is great in my 22-250.

IMR 4198 didn't do much for me with my 45-70, IMR 3031 and Trail Boss seem to perform much better. Heck I can even use Varget for my 45-70, as long as I crimp heavily to get all the powder to burn.

If I had to choose only one powder for all my rifle loads, it would probably be IMR 3031. Or maybe Varget.

I don't see this. Maybe with the older Unique? Or maybe we have differing definitions of dirty.

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My use was only in .38 special with lead bullets, but it was at least 3x, maybe 4x or 5x dirtier than Trail Boss. As in, my revolver, after firing 50 rounds of unique, was much dirtier than it ever gets nowadays firing 150+ Trail Boss loads. Interior and exterior. When I started reloading, I poo-pooed the dirty comments and figured "I clean my guns," but it was just absurd; way dirtier than any factory ammo I've ever tried. (Even at 5.0 grains with a 158 lead, which is not 'lite')

One use for Unique that I found and consider it quite good at was loading some mild .44 magnums with jacketed bullets, loaded for the FIL. If I ever own a .44mag, It would probably be my go-to powder. (The full bore .44 mags are more than I care for.)

I've just started reloading this year and I'm done with RL22 in my 270Win already. Did great in summer, but once we dropped below freezing groups started to blow open. Now Using H4350 which is less temp sensitive.

I tried hard to like AA2520 for .308 and heavy bullet .223 because it metered so well and gave good velocity. But Varget and Re15 gave better accuracy.