Most versatile powder for cast bullet loads

[Random 8]

Alliant has kind of s the bed in my opinion. What you land on depends a lot on your uses.

If you're talking handgun loads, all of the fast St Marks powders will work. H38, W244, titegroup. Universal if you need slower.

If you are also talking rifle cast, it gets very hard to swear off Unique to do both. It just fits, and I haven't experienced a hodgedon powder that fits both as well. Wsf or H6 might, but data is spotty and they like a little higher pressure than you'll be happy with in aging 38s and 45s. Super Handicap might, but you'll be through the looking glass with zero metallic data.

 

[BBarn]

The practice .38 Special mentions on the previous page using Trail Boss is still valid for cartridges where no specific Trail Boss loads are provided. Details of that method are available on Hodgdon's website.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

If you are also talking rifle cast, it gets very hard to swear off Unique to do both. It just fits, and I haven't experienced a hodgedon powder that fits both as well.

Hodgdon Universal. It burns cleaner and measures better.

Anytime I see an application for Unique I use Universal instead. I even use the same data, at least until the very top end.
Universal is slightly faster than Unique, so DO NOT USE TOP END UNIQUE DATA.

I have never found an application for Unique that Universal didn't work in instead. And, I have never had a problem.

And, Universal can be found.

 

[.38 Special]

Although I don't doubt what you are saying... and I've heard that before, too... but if you look at the current published data at Hodgdon, it gives actual charge weights. I understand TB is a special powder, not only it's general purpose, but how it behaves... I got it. My Hodgdon #26 actually predates TB, so I can't see for meself, but all of my more up-to-date manuals have load data for TB, where appropriate.

I suspect that as Hodgdon got around to testing more cartridges, the need for the "formula" diminished. Their lawyers may have then decided that it would be wiser to give explicit instructions, rather than allow people to screw up on their own. Regardless, I have no reason to believe that the formula no longer is valid, as I have used it for many years with no issues.

Of course, it's all moot at this point. We should start a gunpowder museum, filled mostly with Alliant bottles, but with a special wing dedicated to Trail Boss.

 

[hdbiker]

Bullseye, HP38/Win 231

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I suspect that as Hodgdon got around to testing more cartridges, the need for the "formula" diminished. Their lawyers may have then decided that it would be wiser to give explicit instructions, rather than allow people to screw up on their own. Regardless, I have no reason to believe that the formula no longer is valid, as I have used it for many years with no issues.

Of course, it's all moot at this point. We should start a gunpowder museum, filled mostly with Alliant bottles, but with a special wing dedicated to Trail Boss.

Hodgdon doesn't "make" powder, they buy in bulk, repackage and distribute. Trail Boss is made by ADI in Australia. Australia - the country, not the continent - is having some serious problems and is not able to produce a lot of goods for export, including smokeless powders. As I read it when ADI sent out their announcement in 2021, they weren't going to produce TB for domestic or export. At all. There are higher priorities. They'll catch up eventually and go back into production, then start exporting again after a while, but it may take some time.
As for the advice to fill-n-blast, etc. it was probably removed because it's bad advice, in general, for smokeless powders and there are consequences to giving bad advice if you're a publicly-traded corporation. For individuals chatting on a network forum there are no consequences for giving bad advice. Whether or not somebody chooses to follow that advice is up to them. At some point, common sense and survival instinct kicks in and the really bad advice gets ignored - like, mixing your own custom blends of fast powders for pistols, for example. Bad advice I hope most people have learned ought to be ignored. Just as an example. Not implying anybody here would suggest it...

 

[bullseye308]

I’m glad I asked! I hadn’t considered Unique. I was thinking along the lines of IMR 4198 or 4227. I have at least a one pound container of most common powders but had never considered an 8 pound purchase until now.

But, then again, these are most curious times!

I don't buy powder anymore unless I can get an 8#er, or I just can't get anything besides a 1# can.

The last time I bought powder I got a 4# jug of bullseye for my 38 loads(2.7 grains with a 148 wc), an 8# jug of bullseye for my 357 loads(5.0 grains with a 158 LSWC), and another 8# jug of be-86 for my 9’s. I haven’t bought one pound bottles in years, and since I pick mine up at Midsouth there is no shipping or hazmat and that helps.

Curious times indeed, how many foresaw a time when you wouldn’t find unique available anywhere? Many of us have seen shortages over the decades, but this one takes the cake, cake pan, and the dang oven too. Until last week I have never spent more than 22.00/lb on powder and just got a pound of Ramshot Tac for 35.99 at Sportsmans Warehouse and was kinda happy. I haven’t seen it in years and they only had one I haven’t seen much powder locally and no unique in probably 18 months.

 

[Palladan44]

For me, W-231 does all my target velocity loads from 9mm up through 44 magnum.
If back in 2008, I wound up stumbling on 2- 8lb jugs
of Unique at a garage sale, then I'd be telling you that Unique was my powder..... (They were WW-231 at that garage sale that day) The rest is history.

2400 is also a great powder for magnum loads with a great deal of versatility *(when compared to other slow burning magnum pistol powders) and forgiveness in the load ranges, and don't need a magnum primer.

In summary, Unique is the best all purpose powder.
It can be loaded up to low end 2400 magnum loads (who really needs more anyways), it can do mouse fart loads in all calibers accurately, it provides good case fill for a tad more safety margin when loading, and it smells good when it burns. I've been out of Unique since....a long time ago. I have not seen any available for purchase since...... a long time ago.

 

[Palladan44]

I used a lot of Unique and 700-X, BUT, reading the header, the absolute best for ANY cartridge, using a cast bullets is .........









TRAIL BOSS

No matter the cartridge, fill the case just shy of bullet base, load bullet and have fun.

Where is that data published?!? JK

So light weight bullets with shallow seating depth, in a big case like 357 or 44?

 

[Charlie98]

There was a Unique drought during the First Dark Age of Reloading... when I ran out of Unique and had to buy what was on the shelf... namely RedDot, TiteGroup, and IMR4227 (not knowing it was a powder for heavy loads, similar to 2400.) About the time I spent all the money on that, Unique came available, again, and I ordered 4# from BassPro. Once I put out the fire with that, as soon as I found one, I got another 8# jug of it... so I'm fixed with Unique for some time.

I have tried Unique out on some cast rifle rounds, namely .45-70 and .30-30, but I prefer IMR4198 for rifle, all things considered. Just me.

Oddly enough, I used to use a LOT of Unique in my .41MAG loads, but since I'm loading more for my 1894, I'm using IMR4227 instead... between the .41 and some rifle loads, I've nearly blown through 8# of it.

 

[nettlle]

Bullseye

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

There was a Unique drought during the First Dark Age of Reloading... when I ran out of Unique and had to buy what was on the shelf... namely RedDot, TiteGroup, and IMR4227 (not knowing it was a powder for heavy loads, similar to 2400.) About the time I spent all the money on that, Unique came available, again, and I ordered 4# from BassPro. Once I put out the fire with that, as soon as I found one, I got another 8# jug of it... so I'm fixed with Unique for some time.

I have tried Unique out on some cast rifle rounds, namely .45-70 and .30-30, but I prefer IMR4198 for rifle, all things considered. Just me.

Oddly enough, I used to use a LOT of Unique in my .41MAG loads, but since I'm loading more for my 1894, I'm using IMR4227 instead... between the .41 and some rifle loads, I've nearly blown through 8# of it.

The first real Dark Age of Reloading I recall was in ‘85 after Reagan signed the FOPA. Before that was the mini-ice age of reloading when the truckers went on strike and Carters inflation misery index caused shortages of everything that moves by truck - which is everything. The uncle who taught me reloading told me it was bad right after the GCA and of course during the war everything was rationed. The great shortages of ‘46-55 are what put Bruce Hodgdon in business.
Every shortage since Reagan has been progressively worse and more talked about. Hardly anybody noticed the Clinton-era shortage who was around for the FOPA hoopla.

 

[Seedy Character]

Where is that data published?!? JK

So light weight bullets with shallow seating depth, in a big case like 357 or 44?

On the Hodgdon web site.


I have used TB in .357, .41, .44, .45C, .30-30, .30-06, and .45-70

Light bullets
95 gr bullet in .357
115 gr bullet in .30-30 and .30-06

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

On the Hodgdon web site.


I have used TB in .357, .41, .44, .45C, .30-30, .30-06, and .45-70

Light bullets
95 gr bullet in .357
115 gr bullet in .30-30 and .30-06

The OP wants an 8lb jug. Where is that available as of right now?
Preaching ad nausea about the virtues of unobtainium is counterproductive. JMHO.

 

[Seedy Character]

The OP wants an 8lb jug. Where is that available as of right now?
Preaching ad nausea about the virtues of unobtainium is counterproductive. JMHO.

Response to others remarks.

Everything is unobtanium, until you find it.

I had used basically 6 powders for 30 years. Then first shortage and a couple favorites discontinued. i was forced to purchase what could be found. Those "preaching virtues" helped when finding unfamiliar powders.

I will remove myself the conversation, now. Evidently what I might add to it is irrelevant.

 

[orpington]

I was thinking originally of IMR 4198 or IMR 4227 as those can be found from time to time in 8 pound containers as can other IMR powders, from time to time.

 

[Mostly Lead]

As I reload for a variety of revolvers and rifles, all of which pre date WWII, and use cast bullets, with the high price and scarcity of smokeless powder, there is the temptation to purchase in bulk —e.g., an 8 lb container of powder. If you elected to do this, and purchase ONE 8 lb container of powder, given my needs, what powder would that be?

While the category of "revolver" is probably narrow enough to recommend one powder, the category of "rifle" is a bit more broad. Am surprised to see so many recommendations for loading both with what I'd thought were just pistol powders.

Will have to do a bit more reading in my load manuals...

 

[Charlie98]

I was thinking originally of IMR 4198 or IMR 4227 as those can be found from time to time in 8 pound containers as can other IMR powders, from time to time.

For rifle, you can't go wrong with IMR4198, or, for that matter, H4198. Neither 4198 or 4227 will work in pistol for what I think you have in mind, however. Again, given your purpose, I think 2 different powders would be a better path to success.

 

[AzShooter1]

I have two favorites Unique and Trail Boss. Both will help you work up safe loads with lower pressure than most other powders.

 

[.45Coltguy]

To the OP, Unique; IF you can find it. I haven't been able to find Unique or Universal around here in a long while. Glad I have enough to get me thru. Did find some Red Dot and that helps with some .45 acp and .45 Colt loads I'll be trying. I feel for anyone wanting to enter the handloading world right now. It's tough out there. Keep digging.

 

[orpington]

I am set for a good while, various powders, most of which I have 1 to 3 lbs of EACH, including Unique. This question arose because should I see an 8 pound container for sale, and have a few choices, what is the most versatile. If I have to ride this out until a new administration in 2024 or even 2028, I’m okay until then. But if something 8 lbs comes up now in bulk at close to pre pandemic prices of what it would have been per pound then and Hazmat fees are waived, I might be tempted.