One Powder

[lizziedog1]

You just won a contest. The grand prize is a lifetime supply of smokeless powder. But, it has to be one particular powder. What powder would you pick?

I would pick Varget. I can use it for most of my rifle reloading. I realize that it is useless for handguns, but I don't reload for handguns that much. Besides, handgun loads don't use that much powder.

A close second choice would be one of the 4350's. It would be almost as versatile as Varget, but not quite.

So, if you won a lifetime supply of one powder, what would you pick?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I'm on board with you. I've been using 4350 for 20 years and Varget for over 10. My pet load for my .30-06 is with 4350. I'm sure I could work up just as good of a load with Varget, but have never tried.

For handguns, if I could only have one powder, it would be Unique.

 

[cfullgraf]

Unique. Besides handguns, I use it in 20 and 28 gauge shotshell loads.

 

[db_tanker]

hmm...

I would waffle between Bullseye and Trailboss.

D

 

[lizziedog1]

I lean towards Varget because I reload for a .45-70. It works well, but uses a lot of powder. I have a New England Handi Rifle in this caliber. I once called Hodgdon and talked to one of their technicians about the safety of using Varget in this rifle. He said, "Don't Worry." You run out of case capacity before you have any pressure problems.

 

[68wj]

I shoot more ammo that uses H322, but the rounds that take H4831 are more hungry. Either one of those and I would be happy. Now if I could just win the free primer contest too.

 

[Walkalong]

Pistol: N320 or N340 (It's free, right)

Rifle: IMR 4895

 

[243winxb]

Unique by Alliant Works in all, even rifle with cast bullets.

 

[Pete D.]

powder

For me - though I use all the powders mentioned (except Varget, haven't tried that yet.), the choice would be SR 7625. I use it for a variety of shotshell loads - Trap, Skeet, Hunting - and it works well for .45 ACP and other pistol cartridges.
Pete

 

[mbopp]

Another old school vote for Unique. But then again most of my shooting is with handguns and cast bullets.

 

[Slamfire]

Not easy.

I have had such success with IMR 4895/H4895/AA2495 in so many different rifle cartridges, it probably would be one of these.

For Pistol, it would be Unique.

 

[Walkalong]

The OP doesn't say we can only use that one powder, we just get a lifetime free supply of it. We can still buy other powders to fill the gaps. I voted for powders that would be used a lot.

 

[DM~]

Probably IMR4350, as that powder fits more of my rifles than any other...

DM

 

[oneounceload]

Unique. Besides handguns, I use it in 20 and 28 gauge shotshell loads.

If you like Unique for those applications, you'll also like Universal Clays - and it is cleaner burning

Since I shoot more shotgun than anything else, one of the powders, like Universal or Red Dot that would allow me to reload 38/9mm as well would work

 

[nplaggie07]

Unique. I use it for all my handguns.

 

[Funshooter45]

Probably it would be H4831. Although I have several batches of test loads made up for the newish Hybrid 100V. I have high hopes based on other locals' experiences with it. If I wasn't allowed to pick a Hodgdon powder, it might be RL-22 or Hunter. They have worked pretty well also.

I didn't pick a pistol powder because I can get 700 loads/lb of those. But the H-4831 typically only gives me about 105-115 loads per pound.

 

[Bula]

Another one for Unique. Cast bullets and Unique-extremely versatile, for pistol and rifle.

 

[buck460XVR]

I'd go H110/W296. I load much more handgun ammo than I do rifle. I load for 7 magnum handguns and 5 magnum handgun caliber carbines. Out of these 12 firearms I shoot approximately 500 rounds a month.....if powder was free I'd shoot a lot more!

I also use Unique, but for those loads I use much smaller amounts than when using H110/W296.

Besides, handgun loads don't use that much powder.

Loading .460 S&W generally uses between 40 and 48 grains of H110/W296 per case. Might not be much to you, but it adds up for me.

 

[cheygriz]

H335, no question. THE most versatile powder for 90 percentv of my sdhooting.

 

[dagger dog]

You know how to select the correct powder? UNIQUE UP ON IT! baddaboom!

 

[EHCRain10]

Trail Boss for me

 

[Kernel]

A lifetime supply of N140/N540 would be sweet. Besides working great in so many cartridges, it's expensive and hard to find.

 

[Ateam-3]

Unique

 

[ranger335v]

"You just won a contest. The grand prize is a lifetime supply of smokeless powder."

Unfortunately I haven't won and won't win such a contest so there is no need to wonder what I might choose. I'll just continue to buy the best choice for each cartridge I actually load for so there is no need to compromise for anything. ??

 

[onebigelf]

Another Varget. It's my accuracy load in both 5.56 and .308

John