Your most versatile powder(s) is....

[Olon]

Unique
.357, .45colt,.45acp, .30-30, .410, 28ga.....
I generally use red dot(promo) in my 12ga mill.


....but my most versatile powder by far is my Goex 3f!
Revolver, rifles, shotguns, even an occasional pan

Good call with the Goex... I forgot to mention that one.

 

[Dunross]

Most versatile? Unique, hands down.

I'm trialling Universal and Trail Boss for different applications so they may steal some of Unique's thunder in the future, but for now it's Unique, hands down.

 

[irishlad]

W231 for pistol
IMR 4064 for large caliber rifle
Benchmark for small caliber rifle

 

[Ironicaintit]

Unique for pistol. I'd rather include H110 for magnums, and Bullseye for 380acp and 38spcl, but Unique works in all of them.
For rifle, I could cover all my bases pretty easy with 3031. from 221 Fireball, all the way up to 45-70, I can find a nice load using it. 300WM being the only odd man out

 

[Nature Boy]

H4895 for rifle
HP-38 for pistol

 

[Dudedog]

Probably HP38 or Universal
both work in .380, 9mm, .38, 357 and .45.
(and meter decent)

HP38 is my favorite for .45, I prefer something else for the others, but HP38 works.


If for some reason I could only have 1 pistol powder I would take HP38 then flip a coin for my second choice, Universal or BE86.

 

[Charlie98]

Hmmm... I'll have to think on that a bit.

For rifles... for what I shoot... IMR3031 could, in a pinch, substitute for every rifle powder on the bench, although you could say that about IMR4895, too.

 

[Toprudder]

For pistol, BE86. I’ve used it with great success in 380, 9, 40, 45acp, 38spl, 357mag, 44mag, 10mm, and there is even load data for 460mag (on my list to try). It meters better than Unique.

For rifle, that is a bit tougher, but I would have to say H4895. Varget is good in several of the calibers I load, but H4895 has the advantage that it can be downloaded 40% from max, good for reduced recoil or velocity loads.

 

[bluetopper]

BLC2 or IMR 4320, both are wonderful in so many calibers.

 

[Riomouse911]

Unique: It works in all pistols I load for (.38, .357, 41, .44 Spl, .44 Mag, .45 Colt, .454, .45 ACP, .45 Super)
IMR 3031 and 4198: Many rifles I load for (.30-30, .35 Rem, .257 Roberts, .243, .45/70)
Reloader 22 Other rifles I load for (6.5x55, .270, .7mm Rem Mag,. .300 Weatherby)

These aren't always the best powder for the application, but they seem to always work when called upon.

Stay safe.

 

[PO2Hammer]

W231 gets used the most in my handgun calibers.

N340 would be if I could buy it locally.

 

[Crazy Horse]

When I started reloading I looked for the most versatile powder to keep my powder brands to a minimum. Bullseye fit the bill for me. I have used it on 38 spl & +p, 357 magnum, 44 special, 9mm, and 45 acp. I will caution that Bullseye isn't the cleanest powder, but it has been around a very long time.

Now that I've been reloading for some time, I tend to use CFE for 9mm and 45acp, mainly because its easy to find (as easy as Titegroup) and it meters well. CFE however while cleaner is not as versatile as Bullseye. I always keep a pound handy though. There's no powder like your first.

 

[Poper]

For handgun loads, mine is Bullseye.
Rifle loads are IMR 4350 and IMR 4831. In .270 Winchester, IMR 4831 is awesome with 130 gr. & 140 gr. bullets. IMR 4350 almost equally awesome in 180 gr. .30-06 loads.

Shotgun: Clays works for me in 12 ga. & 16 ga. Red Dot is a close second. VERY close.

 

[Catpop]

Unique

 

[Lennyjoe]

Unique and HP-38

 

[gudaki]

Unique is it for me.

 

[George P]

Used a lot of Unique - used to buy it in big cardboard drums; that said Universal is just as good and close in application and a lot cleaner. Most shotgun powders also work well for most mid-level handguns, so there can be some economy of scale in that regard.
For the cartridges in rifles I used to shoot and load on a regular basis, 4350, 4831, 3031, 4064 - in that order as far as being applicable for my rifles: 7mm mag, 6.5x55. 243, 7-08

 

[12Bravo20]

Most versatile? Unique, hands down.

I'm trialling Universal and Trail Boss for different applications so they may steal some of Unique's thunder in the future, but for now it's Unique, hands down.

I use Universal for .380, 9mm, 9mm Largo, 40S&W, and 45ACP. It works well for my range ammo. I did find that a light crimp with a Lee FCD helps alleviate unburnt powder. I've been considering using Universal for 38 Special when I get around to reloading it.

I would like to find a good powder that also meters well with my Lee auto disk for 223 and 308. I want to shoot 69Gr in the 223 and 168Gr (or close that shoots well) in 308. I've been considering Hodgdon Benchmark for that.

 

[AJC1]

Unique works in everything

2400 works in larger pistols and tons of rifle

Trail boss seems to work in a lot of the same places 2400 works.

H4895 works in a ton of rifle and downloads for a lot of fun plinking loads.

 

[Toprudder]

Shotgun: Clays works for me in 12 ga. & 16 ga. Red Dot is a close second. VERY close.

Clays is also a good powder in several handgun rounds, like 45acp and 38spl.

 

[Charlie98]

One of the big complaints against not only Unique, but other flake powders as well is metering. I've found that, with a good measure that's been seasoned, I don't have any problems. Yes, there may be some charge variation, but with a powder like Unique it doesn't make that big of a difference in the final product... but much of that depends on what you expect from your loaded ammunition.

I use Unique in every handgun cartridge I load for... .380 all the way through .41MAG and heavy .45 Colt loads, you can get velocities approaching full Magnum powders like 2400 or H110, this makes Unique a little more flexible than a powder like W231 and some of the faster powders that can't get the velocity out of bigger cartridges like .41, .44, and .45 Colt. Further, when you start talking about pistol cartridges in rifle barrels, Unique would completely eclipse W231. Unique can also be used for low-velocity loads in rifle cartridges like the .30-30... and even the .45-70.

 

[Patocazador]

They call it UNIQUE for a reason.

 

[Random 8]

For Rifle it is hands down IMR4064 for me. I can load everything from .223 55 grain to 30-06M1Garand or mid weight hunting power to .280 Rem. I do stock IMR 4350 for a couple of niche applications (6.5x55 and the .280) but in reality I could, and probably will going forward, get by with 4064 here. I also shoot a niche powder in 5.56 heavy match as that was what was recommended when I got into this caliber, but have since tested 4064 in this application and found it suitable so will also probably be using here when my R15 is exhausted.

For handgun, I shoot 9mm, .38 cast, .357 mid power cast and full power jacketed, and .41 mag mid power cast and full power jacketed. There is simply not one powder suitable for this full range. I do stock Unique for misc mid-power uses. It works in all above pistol applications, but is not ideal for all. I also keep HP-38 and use that for pretty much all 9mm and all the light cast loads. H110 feeds the full power handgun loads.

 

[Targa]

They call it UNIQUE for a reason.

Same could be said for Universal..

 

[Charlie98]

Same could be said for Universal..

But.... it’s not very unique. Only Unique is uniquely unique. Universal is just... well... another powder.