Trying to cut down my powder stockpiles

[Peter M. Eick]

I have 35 different powders on the shelf that are all partially used. Considering I only do about 20 calibers, this seems excessive. One it is hard to store them all and then I am constantly changing lots because I buy them a pound at time. I was thinking it makes more sense to store a few powders but buy them 8 lbs at a whack.

Would I think I should do is work down to maybe 10 powders at most. The problem is how do you do it?

Part of me is thinking just buy mostly Aliant for pistol (Bullseye, 2400, Unique and Power Pistol) and IMR for rifle (4227, 3031, 4985, 4831 and maybe 4350). The only oddball would be Trailboss from IMR.

My thoughts are to avoid (in general) ball powders for the problem of flame cutting and general abrasiveness. The problem with this approach is it misses out on the Extreme powders like Varget and H4895.

Anyone come up with a more logical approach to how you get your powder numbers down?

 

[lgbloader]

Well... if you want powders that should work well for pistol, Unique and 2400 should do all that you want.

Rifle... that's a hard one. If you can't go for optimum performance for your specific caliber & chamber for a specific bullet type and weight, what's the point of Handloading.

My favorite Handloader Bible verse goes something like this: Man cannot live on plinking alone, you know what I mean?!

LGB

 

[Walkalong]

Nope. I have the same problem. Is it a problem? I do buy 4 or 8 pounders once I settle on a powder for a given use.

10 powders....Hmmm, I don't know.

 

[JimKirk]

Add Shotgun powders to the mix, then you've got a problem!
Wait, 800X works good with the 357 SIG, 357 Mag, 44 mag and the 20 ga.! Win 540(HS6)works good with the 357 SIG, 357 Mag, 44mag and the 20 ga.!

I do have various(25+) 1 pd. cans(bottles) of setting around, but I found that a good thing when some of my regular powders went in hiding. I used some of it to shoot when I might not had powder other wise. What was really nice, was that the stickers had $4.95 or maybe $6.95 on them rather than $35.95!

But really, I try to find a "suitable" load and buy 4-5 or 8 lbs kegs. I could make do with less different powders, but that would be like fishing with one lure!

All that hazardous stuff(powder) you got that has to be disposed of, I have a small disposal company that for a small fee, could give it a proper disposal!

Jimmy K

 

[LiveLife]

For pistol, I have narrowed down my powders to (fast to medium burn):

Bullseye

W231/HP38

WSF

HS6

Kinda thinking about narrowing WSF/HS6 down to one powder.

That will leave you 6-7 powders for rifle.

 

[Walkalong]

I am a poor one to ask. Pistol Powders, plus a couple I used up.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

In my case, all I need is Unique for 40 S&W and IMR-4895 for .223 and .308.

 

[Floppy_D]

Unique, H4895. There; now you're down to two.

 

[LiveLife]

Walkalong:

I am a poor one to ask. Pistol Powders, plus a couple I used up.

Wow!

My wife would kick me to the dog house if that was my powder bench -

 

[Walkalong]

Shhhh......

Many folks here have lots on 1 lb cans of stuff they have tried.

And don't tell her about the rifle powders either. (Not nearly as many)

 

[rfwobbly]

Hey, Walkalong....

I can find a home for those unwanted funny purple label ones on the right !

 

[Walkalong]

I surely appreciate the offer, but they would be lonely without their buddies.

 

[FROGO207]

Good thing I don't pay any mind to those storage ideas in the powder books. Until the last year I always bought at least 4# size and up. I think my cabinet is waaaaay overloaded.

 

[earlthegoat2]

IMR 4895 for rifles
Unique for pistols and shotguns.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Peter M. Eick,
I know a few reloaders who use only a half dozen powders and reload dozens of calibers. Somehow they make it work but I don't know how. I have managed to keep the powder count under what some have but above others.

These are the powders I have and use most.
Rifle 8 Powders
IMR3031, IMR4064, IMR4198, H335, H4350, H4895, H4831 and Varget
Handgun 8 Powders
2400, W296/H110, Lil’Gun, HS-6, Longshot, Trail Boss, AA#5 and W231/HP-38

Granted, there are a few handgun powders I have that can replace the others I use like having 4 "magnum" powders but I really do like the results I get for different applications. I could actually get along with 4 handgun powders, W231, W296, HS-6 and Trailboss. I could also chop the rifle powders down to 5, IMR4198, H335, H4350, H4895 and H4831. I could get along with only 9 powders but I will keep using a few more because I like the results. (and as long as I can still get them)

 

[Steve C]

Anyone come up with a more logical approach to how you get your powder numbers down?

Quit using your favorites and use the ones you don't want to replace on practice ammo. When done with they're gone. Eventually you will get down to the ones you like the most and simply replace them as needed.

It requires some personal discipline and you may even find some powder that give you exceptional performance in loads that you haven't tried yet.

 

[Afy]

I know the feeling. I currently have N-120, N-130, N-133, N140, N150, N160, N320, N540, N550, N560, Tu 3000, Tu 5000, SP11, Varget, 4831 SC, and 4350 plus a few others. And I only reload for about a hlaf dozen calibers.

 

[redneck2]

If you look at a burn rate chart, you most likely have a number that are duplicates or close.

I'm not a good enough shot with a pistol to be able to tell extremely small differences. For 80%+ of my pistol shooting, I can get by with AA#5 or Universal Clays (much cleaner than Unique and just as universal).

For rifles, I think it depends on the caliber. Some (expecially more overbore ones) tend to be more finicky about powders. Varget seems to work in many.

 

[JimKirk]

The ART of reloading and for some of us, it is as about as close to being an artist as I'll ever get, having just a "few" powders would be very boring art to say the least! To me it would be like having everything in Black and White. Could I get by with just a few, you bet, but it would not be a very colorful art.

If there was no desire to experiment and explore, we would all still be shooting black powder or worse arrows or slinging rocks or throwing rocks.

Jimmy K

 

[oneounceload]

Either Unique or Universal Clays (much cleaner), will work for 20 gauge, 28 gauge, and 38/9mm/357.

IMR4350 for my large caliber rifles; either 4895 or 3031 for medium, and one for small bores

Gets you down to 4.......

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

unique and power pistol are actually very close, but one or the other is irreplaceable.
Bullseye or a similar (Red Dot for me) for cast slugs. AA9 is a good one for to-the-wall magnum pistol loads.
since I load the X39 1680 or 4198 is needed, 4895 for the '06 under 180gr.

 

[Clark]

I have most powders but only use regularly:
1) Power Pistol 25acp, 7.62x25, 32acp, 380, 9x19, 9x23, 357S, 45acp, 45Super, 460Rowland
2) 800X 40sw, 10mm
3) Blue Dot 223, 19 Badger
4) H110 32swLong, 32-20, 7.62x39, 38sp, 357mag, 44mag, 45Colt
5) IMR4895 222, 243, 257RAI, 260, 270, 7x57, 30-30, 300S, 308, 7.5S, 30-06, 303B 7.62x45R, 8x57, 45/70
6) H4350 243, 7mmRemMag, 300WM, 338WM
7) W748, 6mmBR
8) Unique 32s&w, 38s&w, old 45Colt revolvers
9) AA#5 overloading handguns
10) H335 overloading rifles

 

[Peter M. Eick]

The picture above is along the lines of what my open stock pile looks like.

I thought about it last night and at work, and figured a possible solution, but I like some of the ideas you guys presented.

Take a spreadsheet and list out all of the powders from the load manuals on the one side and every caliber I load for on the other axis. Now mark up how many times it is mentioned in the current load books I use and then color code ones that are the most accurate or similar comment.

Once this is done, I should be able to rank the "most versatile" and cut down the excess. At minimum I should be able to get to one powder per caliber loaded!

The real question, is things like do you avoid ball powders for revolver rounds to avoid flame cutting. Do you bias away from double based powders because they burn hotter, etc. etc.

 

[Cherokee]

I've been using ball powders in my rifles and pistols for many, many years. Never encounterred any flame cutting. I would not shy away from ball powders.

 

[jfh]

Peter, I think you should simply select two powders--one for rifle, one for handguns--and send the rest to me. The shipping is on you, but i will pay a hazmat fee if you can't sneak the carton under the 70-lb. USPS weight.

Jim H.