How do you choose your powder?

[Hondo 60]

I started with 38` Spl using the loads in the Lyman manuals.
(the ones in bold type.)
And it depended on what powder I could get.

From there it's been a free-for-all.
Wondering what X powder and X charge would do.
Again, depending on the powder I could get.

I load all manner of handgun calibers, but mostly the standard revolver calibers.
38 Spl, 357 Mag, 45 Colt,
And several mouse fart 32s.

Probably have about 6 different powder/charges loaded for each now

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Thanks. Probably 38spl (125gr or 158gr) and 45acp (200gr lead). I would also try it in 45C (250gr Lead) if that is a decent application for it. Being an old powder, I don't expect data for very many calibers.

I may try it in 9mm without data. Pretty tough to overload 9mm with the lighter bullets.

OK, I found some data for W450 LS is Speer #8 from 1970. I looked at several others like older Lyman manuals and found nothing. I might have missed some but the Speer data is more than I expected.

.38 Special using a CCI -550 magnum primer tested in a 6" barrel.
Using a 148gr BBWC
3.1gr for 698 fps
3.6gr for 812 fps
4.1gr for 910 fps

Using a 148gr HBWC
2.7gr for 690 fps
3.0gr for 780 fps
3.4gr for 870 fps

Using a 158gr SWC or RN
4.0gr for 822 fps
4.5gr for 938 fps

The 45 ACP using a CCI-300 primer tested in a 5" barrel.
Using a 200gr LSWC
4.5gr for 726 fps
4.7gr for 759 fps
5.0gr for 796 fps

There was no data for the 9mm or the 45 Colt.
I didn't find data for W450 LS anywhere else.
***WARNING*** Speer #8 is known to have some hot load data. I highly suggest you start with the low end of the data and work up if you feel the need.
Always check the data you find on the NET because mistakes can and will happen when writing numbers.
I try my best to be accurate but like I said, mistakes do happen.

I hope this helps you somewhat, good luck and have fun...

 

[BJung]

Norma 203b and rl15 are supposed to be real close I've read. The shooters world powders are supposed to match varget but I havent found any to test.

Thanks. Ken Waters' Petloads listed 203B for a good load and I used R15 for that reason.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I tend to use the old stand byes.
Unique and W231 for standard handgun stuff.
2400 or H110 for magnum handgun.
IMR4350 for most rifle stuff.

If my stock runs out before the supply comes back I'll have to deal with what's available. Hopefully my stock holds out.

 

[Slamfire]

One of the basic problems with choosing a new or unknown gun powder is that you have nothing but blaring labels and gonzo burn rate charts to provide guidance. And you cannot trust either. If pressure curve data was released, then we would have a much better basis to make a decision. But it is as the man said, the purpose of advertising is to create ill informed consumers who make irrational choices.

I think the best way to choose a gunpowder is by asking the good shooters what they use. And for me, it came down to Bullseye, Unique, and 2400 for the magnum pistol calibers. For rifle, hard to beat 4350, 4064, and 4895 for standard rifle cartridges. An old staple was W231 in pistol cartridges.

Unique is one of the most flexible pistol powders around. Absolutely top notch in 44 Special and 45 Long Colt. It is excellent in the 38 Special but I prefer Bullseye in the 38 Special and 45 ACP.

Sometimes powder makers shoot themselves in the foot, when Bullseye powder became hard to find a bunch of 2700 Bullseye Pistol competitors walked over to Titegroup. When I ask the users about their charges, they tell me "use your Bullseye data plus or minus".

I used to chase the powder du jour, and there probably are some great new powders. But the niches are so small, they are getting to be infinitesimal. Is a half grain difference in charge weight all that significant? I tried the Accurate Ball Powder AA#5, and it works well in the 45 ACP. Tried AA#9 in 357 and 44 Mag, shot well, but the #9 powder balls are so tiny, like a grit, that they will clog up my Dillion powder bar. Even though ball powders throw better, I did not see tighter standard deviations or extreme velocity spreads. I am of the opinion that what I see on target and over the chronograph is more important than low variances in throw weights. Sure the ball powders toss well, does not mean anything on target. I have gotten so tired of reading in magazines about the latest powder being the end of history. Claims are being made that I cannot verify without pressure equipment, and I am going to say, you will blow a primer just as fast with an extreme powder as with an old standard.

And things go round and round. It used to be that Varget was the end of history for 308 Win cartridges. Now my F class buds are telling me H4895 is the popular 308 tactical powder. I think H4895 came out in the 80's. IMR 4895 is a WW2, maybe pre WW2 powder. Reloading is just a big circle and things just come back to where they started.

 

[GaryL]

OK, I found some data for W450 LS is Speer #8 from 1970. I looked at several others like older Lyman manuals and found nothing. I might have missed some but the Speer data is more than I expected.

***WARNING*** Speer #8 is known to have some hot load data. I highly suggest you start with the low end of the data and work up if you feel the need.
I try my best to be accurate but like I said, mistakes do happen.

I hope this helps you somewhat, good luck and have fun...

That is awesome dude. And way more than I expected. Thank You!

No worries about the data. It is right in line with the faster burning powders, which provides a lot of information. Looks a lot like Red Dot in 38spl, and Bullseye in 45acp. Also, knowing it works in 38spl, and 45acp tells me a lot.
The 38spl numbers for 148gr & 158gr lead seem a bit backwards, but I will compare those to the other powders where there is data and see if that occurs anywhere else. If it doesn't, I will assume the higher numbers are suspect. I would like to burn it up in 38spl, and as long as I can keep it above squib loads, I can chrono it, get an idea of how it's behaving, and find a sweet spot.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

That is awesome dude. And way more than I expected. Thank You!

No worries about the data. It is right in line with the faster burning powders, which provides a lot of information. Looks a lot like Red Dot in 38spl, and Bullseye in 45acp. Also, knowing it works in 38spl, and 45acp tells me a lot.
The 38spl numbers for 148gr & 158gr lead seem a bit backwards, but I will compare those to the other powders where there is data and see if that occurs anywhere else. If it doesn't, I will assume the higher numbers are suspect. I would like to burn it up in 38spl, and as long as I can keep it above squib loads, I can chrono it, get an idea of how it's behaving, and find a sweet spot.

Speer No. 8 is available from Cornell Publications as a bound reprint.
https://www.cornellpubs.com/old-guns/item_desc.php?item_id=3549

 

[Thomasss]

It's at toss between what I want and what is available. Right now I'm using Red Dot, PB and Bullseye for .38 special, .357 Mag and 9mm.

 

[jebova2301]

During the good times, I hit up the local bass pro or Cabela's and buy several different one pound jars. From there, I do testing to find out what works best. After that, I buy several 8# jugs of whatever gave me the best results so I can be prepared for the bad times. If it is just for pure blasting ammo, I buy surplus powder and work up a "good enough" load with it.

 

[RashQuestion]

but most of all I like accuracy, it comes first.

Must be accurate, Meters well, Burns clean and complete, Has a great deal of data to research and compare for different bullets. Did I say accurate?

I need all the help I can get!!!

 

[Riomouse911]

Load books showing powder versatility and powder availability are my two biggest factors when selecting powder to buy. It’s a rare day that I get a “one off” that’s only used for something really specific… unless it’s really good like H-110 and top-end magnum revolver loads.

Stay safe.

 

[AJC1]

Load books showing powder versatility and powder availability are my two biggest factors when selecting powder to buy. It’s a rare day that I get a “one off” that’s only used for something really specific… unless it’s really good like H-110 and top-end magnum revolver loads.

Stay safe.

Published data may be a little misleading to the actual usefulness of a powder. I've got reloader 7 book loads for 357 magnum, and missing loads for powders that I consider way more appropriate. Older powders have the advantage of time, and being around when there were far fewer choices. Unique has a load for everything and universal not near as much data. Thankfully some writers test unpublished loads and provide data.

 

[sugarmaker]

I choose what I think will work well for the current project of interest. I think I have 38?? kinds of powder down there, maybe 130 pounds total. I keep telling myself “I should use what I have” but then that little voice gets pounded flat by the “Powder Acquisition Syndrome” demon and another hazmat shipment arrives.