Standardizing, If you could only buy 4 powders........

While H110 / Win296 is a great powder for the magnums, it isn't very versatile -- you can't download it so you have a small working window with that powder. Seems like a niche powder to me and waste of a powder if you're focusing on versatility.

If you want something in that burning rate range, I'd look at AA #9, IMR or H4227, or Lil Gun. I like 2400 too but it is a bit faster than these, and won't get you the higher velocities that the others will.

For the faster pistol powder, I like HP-38. Similar burning rate powders are Unique, Universal, and Power Pistol. Maybe Be-86 too, but this is a new powder I have not used much yet, but it has a flash suppressant and you'll need to dig a bit for load data.

For the faster rifle powder, I like 4895 and H335.

For the slower rifle power, you can go with Varget if your limit is 30-06. If you had a more overbore rifle cartridge (e.g. 270 win, 7mm mag, etc), then I'd have something slower like 4350 or 4831.

It's not the powder that's been keeping me up at night lately, it's the primers.

Why on gods green earth can't Federal make us some 210M primers?

I just do not understand the appeal of "standardizing." All you are doing is making your "supply chain" more dependent on particular components.

A more sensible question would be, "I have $X to spend on powder. These are the calibers I load. Here's how much I shoot each of them: [per month/year estimate of rounds]. What powders should I buy?" Standardization has nothing to do with it.

I could get by just fine with Unique and H110 to cover all my handgun bases, as well as the m1carbine, and then IMR4198 and IMR4895 to keep the rifles fed.

jwrowland77 said:

If I could standardize, I'd probably break it down into categories. Slow pistol, fast pistol, slow rifle, fast rifle.

Fast Pistol: either Bullseye or Unique (as compared to 296)

Slow Pistol: Win 296/H110

Fast rifle: H4895 or IMR 4895

Slow(er) rifle: IMR 4350 or H 4350

You can reload ALMOST any round with a combo of 4 of the above. Even 30-30, which I reload for. I currently use LeveRevolution.

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If I had to choose only four or so powders, these would be my choices as well.

But as others said, you essentially wind up with a powder stash that are jacks of all trades, masters of none. Nonetheless, if I had to narrow the bulk of my powders to a select few for whatever reason, jwrowland77's list covers it pretty well IMO.

With the versatility of HS-6 and h4895 buy a jug of each and load up on projos just sayin'.

jwrowland77 said:

If I could standardize, I'd probably break it down into categories. Slow pistol, fast pistol, slow rifle, fast rifle.

Fast Pistol: either Bullseye or Unique (as compared to 296)

Slow Pistol: Win 296/H110

Fast rifle: H4895 or IMR 4895

Slow(er) rifle: IMR 4350 or H 4350

You can reload ALMOST any round with a combo of 4 of the above. Even 30-30, which I reload for. I currently use LeveRevolution.

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I second this, at least breaking it down like this.

Fast pistol: CFE Pistol or TiteGroup
Slow pistol: H110/W296
Fast Rifle: IMR 8208 XBR or H4895
Slow rifle: H/I4350
Other rifle: Varget or IMR 4320 or H4198

One thing I keep in mind for my powders is how well they meter. As I use a progressive press to load 9mm, 45 ACP, 223 and 300 BO, I need to have powders that meter easily. If you trickle everything up, then you can use anything.

Unique, pistol and reduced lead bullet rifle loads.

W296, full magnum pistol and 30 carbine. If I want reduced magnum loads I use Unique.

A2230, 5.56 to 7.62 NATO.

A4064, overlap with 2230, 30-30 to 30-06. I don't reload anything bigger than a 30-06.

I think I would have to sell some guns to get down to just 4 powders. Like said earlier a lot will work but not necessary the best. Now if I did not count my shotgun powders that I use for pistol, I could get by but would loose some of my most accurate loads.

I only load 55gr bullets for a 30" .223 w/12' twist but so far I've gotten the best results with BL-(C)2 and H4895. Unlike a lot of other members I've had poor results using Varget. I haven't used H335 yet but it's next on my list (and with my luck it'll be the one I should have used a long time ago lol).

My tightest groups so far have been with BL-(C)2 at around 3330 fps, but again this is with 55 grainers. This propellant seems to be somewhat forgiving, possibly due to the mag primers: I would not hesitate to try it with your heavier bullets.

H4895 packs a powerful punch with 55's in my rifle, and although I've managed 1/2 moa with it I have to use less than the recommended starting load to keep them under 3384 fps (cases still clean up nicely, though). I tried 64's with this propellant and was rewarded with pierced primers: I would not recommend using H4895 with anything heavier than 55's with a long bbl. Maybe with a shorter barrel you can hew more closely to the data. Hope this helps.

Unlike a lot of other members I've had poor results using Varget

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That's probably a good thing. You don't spend as much time as we do chasing it.

CFE pistol is significantly slower than Titegroup. CFE-P is similar to AA #7, True-Blue, ect.

CFE-P is a#44 on this chart, Titegroup is at #14

https://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Burn Rates - 2015-2016.pdf

Simple. Or maybe not so simple.

1. Standard handgun powder.
.380 100g
9mm 124g lead
.38spcl 125g jacketed, 158g jacketed, 148g lead

Your favorite flavor of medium burn rate powder (Unique, Universal, 231, whatever). Loading for 3 calibers, it's worth the 8# jug. Approximately 12,000 rounds.

2. Performance Handgun Powder
.357 158g
44mag 240gr

I would be tempted to use 2400 because it does not need a mag primer. This way you can consolidate to just standard small pistol primers, without having to deal with H110 and mag primers. This may give up a little performance in 44 mag, but we're consolidating, aren't we? Approximately 3,000 cartridges from an 8#

3. Small rifle powder.
.223 60-77gr

Your favorite, doesn't matter - too many to list, but it ought to be ball powder for your own sanity. You will probably use a lot of it. I would consider buying 16#.

4. Large rifle powder.
.243 95gr
30-06 165gr

You can get a 4350 class powder to work in either of these and get an acceptable load. Over 1,000 cartridges from a 8#, depending on the percentage of 243 and 30-06.

5. The Oddball
30-30 165g lead

If it was a jacketed bullet, you could make your favorite small rifle powder work, but because it's lead, it needs something that is between 2400 and your favorite small rifle powder. It depends on how much you shoot this. You may consider one of the faster small rifle powders, like a 4198 and choose to dual purpose with some light 223 bullets. OTOH, you could go the 4895 route for more optimal performance here, and have a backup powder of sorts for 243/30-06. At least they all use standard rifle primers. A third option is to go 4# with the optimal powder for this and 4# with the optimal powder for something else.

Consolidating in never easy as there are always concessions to be made. What happens when one of the compromise powders just doesn't work in your combo for whatever reason? Then it's back to buying more of a powder from a previous load workup.

Aa 2, 5, imr 3031, 4064

Unique. AA#5. BL-C(2). IMR 4064.

I only put Unique in there because some light rifle loads can be made with it. I actually prefer Bullseye. 700X is an honorable mention. After I stopped loading shotgun shells, it took me many years to use up the rest of the 8 lb'er of 700X in .38 loads.

231!!! bullseye! AA7? 4350!!! 4835? CFE223? 3031? Black?

Here is my simple list of powders:

Handguns- Red Dot ( .380, 9mm , .38 spl, .357 mag )

Rifle- BL-C ( .223 and .308)

I don't load 44mag (although buying a 44mag pistol is on my short list)

But I do load 380, 9mm, 38spl, 357mag. Like others, I would break that down into two groups - regular and magnum.

For the regular group (380, 9mm, 38spl) I really like BE86. Titegroup is good for slightly lower velocity and is good for plinking, but in 38spl you will really have to watch your powder drops as it is possible to triple charge and not fill the case. BE86 is better at filling the case. There are a LOT of other good powders, though. Unique is one of the more versatile powders, but does not meter as well as others. Bullseye is good but leaves a lot of soot. AA#2 and #5 are very good powders. And, of course, W231/HP38 is a good all-around powder.

For 357mag, I have used 2400, H110, H4227, and N110 (among others). I really like the N110 the best, and it works very well with standard primers, but it does cost more. I like 2400 second best, and it also works with standard primers. But I will also say that BE86 also works very well in 357mag. It falls short of full mag velocity by about 100fps, but it is still a stout load and gives good accuracy.

So, 2 powders for handguns. If cost not a factor, then I say BE86 and N110. But, if cost is a factor, then BE86 and 2400.

FWIW, I was getting into reloading as the supplies were drying up. I started going to all the gun shows and would buy a pound of whatever I could find, and started working loads up to see what worked well for me. I am over 30 handgun powders. Some I liked, some I did not. Some worked ok, and I would use them again if I had to. I am in the process now of using up some of the powders, and plan to stock only a few - eventually. But, it will take me a few years to get to that point.

I'm pretty sure I could get by on just Unique, though I do use Tite-Group and W231 sometimes. I load .380, 9mm Mak, .38, and .45ACP.

I would contend that H4895 is more versatile than Varget for rifle usage.
H4895 does full power and reduced loads very well.

rodregier said:

I would contend that H4895 is more versatile than Varget for rifle usage.
H4895 does full power and reduced loads very well.

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Good to hear. I bought a pound to try out, with the intention of downloading 30/30 enough for plated bullets that I can shoot at the indoor range.

Nature Boy said:

That's probably a good thing. You don't spend as much time as we do chasing it.

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lol...man if you live near Polk County FL I've got almost a full can of it left, lot/batch# 1090215/5444, kept cool and dry

I'll trade for BL-(C)2, H335 or H4895 or maybe some CCI #400's...

I could likely get by with 4.

Unique and W231 for handgun stuff.
IMR4350 and Varget for rifle stuff.

H4895 reduced loadings:

https://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895%20Reduced%20Rifle%20Loads.pdf

http://www.wwpowder.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdf