Powder choices: to seek diversity or simplicity.

[z7]

I currently load 308, 223, and 40sw.

Soon I will add .380 (glock 42) and 9mm.

When the stars align i plan on buying in bulk 8lbs of tight group or w231 for pistol. I plan on varget for 308/224 but considering 8208xbr as well. Would you all recommend trying to keep it simple and have a go to rifle powder and one pistol powder with known alternates?

Obviously in a perfect world I could walk into my LGS and pick up any powder for a decent price, but that seems like a fairy tale. Pistol is simpler because 8 lbs will last for over 10k rounds, a year or 2 of shooting.

To diversify (and need to stock more types) or simplify and load up on one powder type when the opportunity comes?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I keep it pretty simple. I could get by with nothing but Unique pistol powder and probably IMR4350 rifle powder.

 

[SlowFuse]

I think diversity is good for a new reloader, but is hard to do right now in regards to pistol powder. After you find what works best for you you can settle on a bulk purchase of single powders for each type of round.

On the other hand, if you know of proven loads and just want to stick with one from here out your plan seems just fine. The choices you listed are great powders. That may be why they are rare as hens teeth right now.

 

[jwrowland77]

I like to experiment, and then buy in bulk of whatever my firearm like.

 

[CarlMc]

What do you shoot for? Do hunt game or paper? Do you shoot long range or just at the range? The simpler your shooting requirements, the less variety of powder you need.

That said, recently many of us have been struggling with availability, but I still try and find available powders that are versatile enough to do most, if not all, of the calibers I reload for. It's definitely a good thing to pick a load and run with it all the time if you can, but I can't say that trying a new powder every now and then is a bad thing.

 

[Jim Watson]

I favor simplicity.

I load all non-magnum pistol ammo with W231/HP38 except .45 Minor for IDPA ESP. That gets Bullseye which is more consistent in very light loads.

I load target .223 and .308 with Varget. Reloder 15, 4895, and 4064 work as well, but no better so there is no point in flipflopping around. Unfortunately the Ball process powders that meter so well do not give quite as good accuracy as extruded. So I traded off my supply of 2520 and use the 748 on hand for short range stuff like 3 gun.

Fortunately, I had bought a good supply of HP38, Bullseye, and Varget shortly before The Panic.

 

[z7]

I will be

 

[z7]

I will be paper punching mostly with one goal to he building accurate hunting rounds for both rifles. No competition and no African safari followed by a trip to the tundra or $10,000 hunting trips. Just wanting to keep shooting affordable and make accurate hunting rounds to boot. Thanks for the opinions

 

[Slamfire]

I used to recommend for rifle powders, IMR 4895 and IMR 4350, which will cover about 95% of everything with a jacketed bullet. Now I think Varget is a better powder and equally flexible as IMR 4895. Varget works great in the 223 and 308 with all bullet weights. The current F Class Tactical load is a 185 Berger with Varget, people are winning matches with this load.

There are a lot of cartridges that I have developed excellent loads with IMR 4350. Off the top of my head, 257 Roberts, 6.5 Swede, 7.5 Swiss, 30-06, 270 Win. A number of my friends, including a recent Wimbleton Cup winner, use IMR/H/AA4350 in things like 6.5 Grendel. It shoots very well in every 6.5 cartridge I have heard of.

For rifle case bullets, AA5744. After excellent results in the 308, 30-06, 303, 45/70 with this powder, I am of the opinion that all those pistol powders and rifle powder receipes that require fillers, those should go on the ash heap of history.

For pistol, Bullseye, Unique, 2400. A person could get down to Unique and 2400 but I like Bullseye for the 45 ACP and 38 Special. I have shot kegs of 2400 in the 357 and 44 Mag. I prefer it over H110 because you can cut the loads.

 

[JO JO]

I too try to keep it simple I would be happy with just TAC and TRUE BLUE but can not
find either

 

[LiveLife]

for 380/9mm/40S&W, W231/HP-38 is coated flattened ball powder that flows/meters well within .1 gr and will particularly do well for 380 loads that require smaller charges down to 2.8-3.4 gr (depending on 100 vs 95 gr bullets used). If you plan to use mixed range brass with unknown reload history and condition of brass for 40S&W, mid-range W231/HP-38 loads will produce lower pressure target loads that are accurate without overly expanding/bulging the brass, particularly if your factory barrel has generous chamber.

Titegroup burns hot and violent with tendency to be spikey at higher charges with often narrow load range. I discourage the use of Titegroup with 40S&W with new reloaders as many case base failure/KaBooms have occurred with Titegroup and I do not use Titegroup with lead bullets. With that said, Titegroup has produced accurate jacketed/plated 9mm/40S&W/45ACP loads for me. For 380 loads needing 2.6-3.2 gr for 95/100 gr bullets, I found the textured surface of Titegroup to induce slight bridging at below 2.8 gr charges with modded Pro Auto Disk - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=9495391#post9495391

As to .223/.308, while you could use one powder to load both cartridges, I prefer to use 4895/Varget/RL15 for .308 and H335 for .223.

FWIW, these are favored powders used for .308 pet loads at The Rifleman's Journal, a dedicated website for long-range (1000 yards) match shooting for .308/.30-06 - http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2010/01/reloading-western-shooters-pet-loads.html

- Hodgdon Varget
- Hodgdon 4350
- IMR 4895
- Hodgdon 4895
- IMR 4320
- Vihtavuori N150

 

[z7]

BDS, thanks for the heads up. I have heard all of the horror stories of tight group but not a whole lot of seemingly intelligent explanations. I will be loading for glocks, with original barrels in 40sw. I've been using auto comp which meters well, but I am interested in lower velocity target loads and not so much full power loads. For SD I use factory ammo as I am in the beginning stages and will not bed anyone's well being on my loads.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

Both!!!

Buy 8lb'ers of stuff you know you like. Then, every now and then buy 1lb'ers of stuff to "play" around with. It'll keep things simplified but also allow you to be versatile if you ever get caught with low supplies during another panic.

 

[cfullgraf]

Both!!!

Buy 8lb'ers of stuff you know you like. Then, every now and then buy 1lb'ers of stuff to "play" around with. It'll keep things simplified but also allow you to be versatile if you ever get caught with low supplies during another panic.

I agree.

I have my favorite powders and try to keep the number to a minimum. But, i have loads with alternate powders for just about every cartridge that I load.

In times of shortages, it broadens what powders I can look for to keep shooting.

 

[gonoles_1980]

I've been forced into expensive diversity since I can only get 1lb at a time online, that hazmat fee sure drives up the cost. I would be happy sticking with HP-38/W-231. Right now I have AA#7 and Vihtavuori N320. I'm using the AA#7 for the wife's 9mm, and the N320 for my 38 and 357. I'm not good enough to notice much difference outside the lack of a fireball with the AA#7 when I tried it in my 357, and the smaller fireball with the N320 in the 357. Haven't tried the N320 in my 38 yet. If I could just go out and shoot in the backyard, building the ladder loads to figure the right load wouldn't be that bad. But now I just have to save them for range day.

 

[BullRunBear]

I don't hunt anymore, just shoot paper and steel. I only use cast bullets in reloads and seldom go for full power magnum or rifle loads. I've found that Bullseye and Unique can handle 90% of my needs, even for rifles. If I want more oomph in a rifle cartridge I use 4759 (now being discontinued but I have plenty). With decent loads for those powders, I made sure to stock up before the latest shortage began. That takes care of simplifying powders to deal with the shortages we have now. I like to try different powders to experiment but find it reassuring to have plenty of general use powders on hand.

I always look for Red Dot. It is probably more useful even than Unique for reduced cast bullet rifle loads.

Jeff

 

[MikeS.]

I try to keep it simple. Bullseye, Varget and 2400 for what I shoot except 10mm which gets Blue Dot. And that can replace 2400 in several loads.