Powder substitutions

It takes a lot of time and comparisons but I think it is best to find load data for powders that are available and go from there. I just got started loading 12 ga. shotshells. I had quite a lot of a specific powder in stock but it is my go to 45 ACP powder. I had to do a lot of research to see what powders matched my chosen load data, offered many different types of loads, that used the smallest amounts of powder to match the loads I wanted, metered well and was available more than not. I found some Herco. There was a good amount of data using it with the components I have in stock.What I am saying is pick the load data you want and find the powder to match the data. In my mind substituting powders is a dangerous no no. Entirely to many variables involved. jmho. Be careful and be safe.

lckdnldd said:

It takes a lot of time and comparisons but I think it is best to find load data for powders that are available and go from there. I just got started loading 12 ga. shotshells. I had quite a lot of a specific powder in stock but it is my go to 45 ACP powder. I had to do a lot of research to see what powders matched my chosen load data, offered many different types of loads, that used the smallest amounts of powder to match the loads I wanted, metered well and was available more than not. I found some Herco. There was a good amount of data using it with the components I have in stock.What I am saying is pick the load data you want and find the powder to match the data. In my mind substituting powders is a dangerous no no. Entirely to many variables involved. jmho. Be careful and be safe.

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Very Well Said. I Like My Herco for 45ACP 230 Gr Bullets to Much to Use it in my Shotgun Loads LOL.

D.B. Cooper said:

That was how I learned to use that chart, here at THR; guess I was misinformed.

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I don't know what you read, but no matter, I've had to unlearn a few things over the years. That's just the way it is.

Burn rate charts are funny. No 2 I've seen are exactly the same. We know (from the powder manufacturers themselves, and maybe some experience) that smokeless powders burn rate increases with pressure. I think there was some reference data specific to a military canister powder posted here a long time ago, like 10-12 years back. But we don't know how any of the charts were created and compiled. Did someone go out and buy a pound each of over 100 different powders and test them in the exact same way, and test fixtures? Or were they compiled using manufacturers published burn rate charts and cross linked based on empirical data? i.e. these two taste about the same, so we'll put them next to each other on the chart?

So I see them as not terribly useful. Kind of like - these are for pistol, these are for rifle - about the same as - This is my rifle, this is my gun, this one's for fighting, this one's for fun.

sirtunes said:

I have the Lyman Shotshell handbook (5th edition) and had hoped to find a list of possible substitute powders in the gun powder section. Anyone know if there is such a list? With all the smokeless powders out there and all the various burn rates, it would seem some of those powders might be interchangeable (not mixed).
Any remarks?

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If you have to ask this question, you should not be contemplating substituting powders. Shotgun shell reloading isn't a good place to start substituting powders, (not that rifle or pistol reloading is) or any component unless you've been at it a while, and know how the various parameters of different primer, powder, and wad combinations affect the final product.

Fishingted said:

Very Well Said. I Like My Herco for 45ACP 230 Gr Bullets to Much to Use it in my Shotgun Loads LOL.

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I use SR7625 with good results but I will have to try the Herco. I might run out of the 7625 one day...