How many different powders do you keep?

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

rajb123

member
Joined
Dec 22, 2010
Messages
892
..so for small cases, I tried to keep the number of inventory choices of powder that I have on hand -low, but inventories at my LG stores are spotty and I cannot always find the single powder I prefer or the next best one I prefer. Unfiortunately, I am up to 4 different powders for small cases but I still only have two different powders for large cases.

I don't like hazmat fees, so when I can, I buy locally. Even with big-box stores from the Net, the choices are often limited and you end up buying what is available. Powder Valley was recently out of the 3 choices I have been working with and I had to buy a new and different choice that I have never used before.

Is this typical or have I gone mad with too many powders?
 
More than I should.

I have given up with local gun stores. They never have the powders I want at any price.

I figure a $200 or so order will spread the hazmat fee out enough. Frequently you can buy primers and powder on the same hazmat fee. Besides, delivered direct to your door. No time or gas expended running all over town.

Or I buy at gun shows. Vendors there usually have a good selection at acceptable prices.
 
I currently reload for only four calibers (10mm, .45 Auto, .223, and .308), and I have about 14 different powders.

Van Gogh had lots of paintbrushes. :)
 
I use 2 powders for two gauges in shotgun and 4 cartridges in handgun. Rifle powders, unfortunately, are more specific as I have a small bore, medium bore, and a magnum medium bore - so one for each
 
You've gone mad. :)

Once I find a powder that I'll use often, I'll purchase 8 or 4# jugs and re-stock before I get too low.

I can think of ~18 different powders that I have on hand. Most rarely get used.
 
I've got 3 powders on hand W231, and Alliant 2400 for .44 Mag, and IMR 4350 for .375 H&H. When the 231 is gone I'll just have 2400 and 4350.
 
I have about 15, four of which are much more frequently used than the others. The less frequently used powders are for cartridges I shoot less frequently or for occasional experimentation in cartridges I use a lot.

I see no advantage in having fewer powders. There's always some load I haven't tried, so when I order on line I almost always order a can of something I've never used before that has been touted as good for cartridges I load. That helps spread the hazmat fee and justify placing the on-line order in the first place.
 
I just bought four 8# jugs of 844 @ $85 each, with no hazmat. I generally keep 30-40# each, of AA#5 for my handgun reloading and the 844 or something similar for rifle reloading.

I currently have about 40k primers in stock.
 
I have heard the comment that it is economical to buy powder at gun shows. Unfortunately, this is definately NOT the case at the gun shows I attend. Two weeks ago, I went to the gun show at Orange County NY w/ >200 tables.

I saw ony 1 vendor at this show that was selling powder - Alliant at $25 per pound and primers for $38 per 1K! ....same deal at the Westchester County shows that are held twice per year..... I bought NOTHING.

I can usually buy Alliant powders for $20 at LGS.
 
I haven't been reloading all that long so I don't have a lot of powder around. (Yet.) I got a 1# jar of 231 from my local store last March which is about half gone. I use it in .44 magnum and .357 magnum and it seems to work fine in both so when that jar runs out I'll probably get another one.
 
I've been using Clay's for everything (9, 40 and 45); I currently have 2 8# jugs and am looking at adding a 2nd powder but I haven't decided on which one, primarily for my 40's
 
JSmith said:
......I got a 1# jar of 231 from my local store last March which is about half gone. I use it in .44 magnum and .357 magnum and it seems to work fine in both so when that jar runs out I'll probably get another one.
Click to expand...

And add a lb of 2400 or H110 to the shopping list too. 2400 should work w/ you're standard primers. You may not want to shoot it all the time, but I bet you'll like it. :)
 
Well beside 8 lbs of Black powder (4 brands 2 lbs each), 1 lb Pyrodex RS I keep a number of smokeless powders on hand. I load for 9mm, 45 ACP, 45 Colt (rifle/pistol) and 45-70 rifle.

Alliant - Unique 1 lb., Bullseye 1 lb., Reloader 7 1 lb.
Hodgdon BP-38 1 lb., TiteGroups 1 lb., Universal Clays 1 lbs.
IMR - Trailboss 5 lbs., 3031 1 lbs, 4198 1 lb.
Winchester - WAALite 1 lb.
Accurate - AA#2 1 lb., AA#5 1 lb.

Primers I have about 30K in SP, LP, LR using mostly Winchester or CCI though I have a couple hundred Wolf also and about the same in Remington both mostly LPP.
 
One powder for the 4 calibers I reload - Win 231/HP-38 - just about all are for mid range target ammo.
 
I keep bullseye, Power Pistol, 2400, AA#2, and AA#5 on hand for pistol. I also have H335 on hand for 223.

Edit: I guess I should add that I used to have partial containers of Unique, 700x, 800x, H110, AA#7, AA#9, W231, and IMR3031. I did a lot of testing with some of them and others I used to use on a regular basis but quit because I found better powders for me. I gave these to a relative that was just getting into reloading and didnt have a lot of cash.
 
Last edited:
Bullseye (38 special), Unique (38 special & 44 special), HP38 (40S&W), Power Pistol (40S&W), 2400 (357mag & 44 mag), H110 (357 mag & 44 mag) about covers it.
 
I keep 3 for my .380-45ACP loads. Plus H110 for my .357 loads. That makes 4 pistol powders for me.
 
W231 for the all pistol except magnums and heavyweight 9mm. Universal for the heavyweight 9mm. H110 for magnums. And W748 for rifle. I recently bought 2400 to play around with. So I have five. I could easily drop the 2400 and Universal. But Universal works to well for my SD rounds.


Brought to you by TapaTalk.
 
I have a bunch, but only if you count all those one pound containers that have just a couple of ounces left in the bottom from where Imloaded up some test rounds and then decided it wasn't a powder I ever needed to buy any more of.

In terms of real using quantities I keep:

Unique
2400
AA#9
IMR4831
Reloder22
BLC2
AA220 Data Powder

I'm down to the last of an 8lb jug of something called "Surplus powder for 30/06 M2 ball" that I bought from River Valley Ordinance about 20 years ago. It has been one of the best powders I have ever encountered. I would LOVE to find more of this stuff!
 
I simplified my on hand powder selection a few years ago. Before this it was a nightmare.

Now, here's how I've done it.

Power Pistol for .38 Spl, .44 Spl, 9mm, .45acp

2400 for .357, .44 mag

Varget for .223, .22-250, .30-30 and .308 Win.

IMR4350/RL19 for .25-06, 7mm RM, .300 H&H mag.

I'm looking at RL19 as a replacement for IMR4350. Just haven't made up my mind yet. Also experimenting with RL15 to replace Varget.

But the above powders cover what I load. I buy them in 8 lb or 4 lb containers. I have no 1 lb containers anymore other then the RL stuff that I'm looking at to replace other powders.

I got rid of a lot of other powders, some good, some bad. Unique is a powder I have no ambition to ever use again. It just doesn't flow through my powder measures well.
 
I spent years trying to find one powder for rifles and one for hand guns. Varget, IMR-4064, and Re-15 all shot okay in my rifles but one powder always performed best in each different caliber and, sometimes, in different guns of the same caliber. I've tried the "icecream" loads, pet loads, and universal loads and none of them work. Each gun is a study in ballistics in and of itself. I keep one "go to" powder for each rifle I own. I currently load for 10 rifles in 6 calibers and keep 8 powders on hand. I'm not that good a shot with a handgun so I get by with AA#2 and AA#7.
 
For pistols I have: Unique, Bullseye, W231, 2400 and H110. When the H110 runs out, I prolly won't buy any more.

For rifles: H380, H4895, Varget, H414, IMR3031 and IMR 4350. When the H414 runs out, I prolly won't buy any more of that either.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Jeff H
  • Locked
Powder Valley
Replies
18
Views
1K
Bowfishrp
B
P
  • Locked
Powder in bulk - local vs online
Replies
16
Views
1K
jfh
jfh
H
  • Locked
  • Poll
How many different kinds of powder do you have?
2 3
Replies
62
Views
2K
jgh4445
J
TomJ
  • Locked
Newbie Powder Question
2
Replies
28
Views
2K
Hardtarget
H
Telum Pisces
  • Locked
How many "Unique" powders?
2
Replies
43
Views
1K
Bfh_auto
B
Back
Top