The Down Range Forum

Member Section => Reloading => Topic started by: CJS3 on August 08, 2010, 11:20:39 AM

Title: Favorite powders?
Post by: CJS3 on August 08, 2010, 11:20:39 AM
A lot of us that have been reloading for a while have developed favorite loads, using specific componets. What kind of powders do you stock on a regular basis and for what calibers?

Unique - My "goto" powder for 38 and 44 spc, and 45Colt. Also my back up for when my regular powder for other pistol calibers is hard to find.
Hodgdon HP-38 - primary use is for 45acp/ar and 380, although I've used it for 9mm also.
Hodgdon H110 - 44mag hunting rounds (19gr over 300gr XTP)
AA7 - My 9mm powder of choice. Yes, they're hot.
IMR4227 - 357mag and 44mag. I use the IMR because the Hodgdon equivolent was discontinued.
BL-C2 - This is the closest thing to an all round rifle powder that I've found. Not great for everything, but good enough for most.
Varget - This was the first powder I used to try precision rifle reloads. I've gotten good results with 30-06 and 7.65x54.
AA2520 - 223 heavy bullet target rounds and 30-30 FTX (leverevolution) bullets
Hodgdon H4895 - I haven't tried it out yet, but I bought it specifically for the FTX bullet. I'll let you know.
 
Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: kilopaparomeo on August 08, 2010, 11:47:20 AM
Those are all good choices.

Here's the ones I come back to time and again

WW231 -- great for 45 ACP
Unique -- all around pistol powder -- for my 9mm, 45 ACP, 45 Colts
2400 -- heavy loads on the 45. Colt
IMR4895 -- my "match" powder for .308, .30-06
Varget -- just started using this and I like it...very accurate in my bolt .308
IMR3031 -- I've found this useful in 5.56 plinking loads, light .45-70, 6.5x55 Swede
Red Dot -- pretty much the only shotgun powder I use

My time is so limited anymore that I don't get to enjoy finding new powder-component combinations.  I am more of a reloader than a handloader these days.
Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: alfsauve on August 08, 2010, 05:07:25 PM
Another set of choices:

Unique:   45ACP & .44Spl
H110:   .357Mag and .357Max
HS7:  .40S&W  OOOPS  they don't make that anymore.  Was a good powder
HS6:  .40S&W  --- too smokey so I went to....
Power Pistol:  .40S&W 
H335:  .223
RL15:  .338Fed

And of course the ever popular Bullseye for .38spl target wadcutter loads.

Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: kilopaparomeo on August 08, 2010, 08:39:07 PM
Bullseye!  Crap, how could I forget Bullseye?

I use that in nearly every pistol caliber.
Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: philw on August 09, 2010, 07:45:23 AM
I use ADI powders for the  2209 mostly  .303   

going to get some AP70  then try Unique for the 9mm 
Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: sledgemeister on August 09, 2010, 11:39:21 AM
Hmmm depends on what I am shooting and to the effect I am wanting ie, target, practice or hunting.

I think I have
in Alliant, blue dot, red dot, unique, 2400  (edit and Trail boss) - .357/.44 and .444marlin mostly)
in ADI (mulwex), AP50,AP70, AP90, AR2205 and AR2207 - 9mm, .357 and .44mag
Winchester: W231, 452aa, and W296 - 9mm, .357 and 44mag
Black I have f, ff, fff. PP and PPP - BP rifles, .44mag, home made crackers  ;D
oh and I still have a little bit of blasting powder shhhhhhhh  :o

But since I am only allowed to have 5 kilos total I only have really small ammounts of each  ;)  ;D


anyone wanna by some tassie swamp beach front property?

Edit
+  a "little bit of Pyrodex"   ;D
Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: TAB on August 09, 2010, 02:30:54 PM
unique and 231 will load just about any hand gun round  from mild to wild.
Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: JC5123 on August 09, 2010, 04:56:29 PM
Varget, Varget, did I mention Varget?

Granted I only reload for my rifle calibers. But this stuff is the cleanest burning I have ever seen. I don't have near the fowling in my AR's as I did with the IMR powders.
Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: CJS3 on August 09, 2010, 10:22:56 PM
Hmmm depends on what I am shooting and to the effect I am wanting ie, target, practice or hunting.

I think I have
in Alliant, blue dot, red dot, unique, 2400  (edit and Trail boss) - .357/.44 and .444marlin mostly)
in ADI (mulwex), AP50,AP70, AP90, AR2205 and AR2207 - 9mm, .357 and .44mag
Winchester: W231, 452aa, and W296 - 9mm, .357 and 44mag
Black I have f, ff, fff. PP and PPP - BP rifles, .44mag, home made crackers  ;D
oh and I still have a little bit of blasting powder shhhhhhhh  :o

But since I am only allowed to have 5 kilos total I only have really small ammounts of each  ;)  ;D


anyone wanna by some tassie swamp beach front property?


Completely forgot about my front loaders. I've got pyrodex by the pound and pyrodex pellets. 50gr pellets for my in lines and 20gr pellets for my revolvers. Loose powder for my side locks. I also have some 50gr Triple 7 pellets for my in lines.
Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: Blaidd on August 10, 2010, 10:24:30 PM
Lets see....
Unique, 2400, Red Dot, Varget, H414 (my 243 loves this), H4895, Hybrid100V, and few more that I can't think of here at work.
Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: sledgemeister on August 12, 2010, 09:51:17 AM

Completely forgot about my front loaders. I've got pyrodex by the pound and pyrodex pellets. 50gr pellets for my in lines and 20gr pellets for my revolvers. Loose powder for my side locks. I also have some 50gr Triple 7 pellets for my in lines.

oh yeah I forgot about the pyrodex I have as well  :-X  ;D
Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: huntnelk on August 12, 2010, 10:45:47 PM
Unique and Bullseye for all my pistols
H4831 for .338
Win 748 223
H 4895 for the rest of the rifles
Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: SpottHogg on October 12, 2010, 01:35:29 AM
I have alot of favorite powders that I stock, Im going broke keeping them in stock too !

Titegroup - 45 ACP & 38 spcl Light target(OVERALL MOST ACCURATE MID RANGE PISTOL POWDER IVE USED)
WW231/HP38 - .38 spcl. ICORE & Steel Challenge loads
WW296 - 357mag 158gr & 44mag 300gr Heavy Hunting loads
Lil' Gun - 44mag 240gr Heavy Hunting loads(5 shot 1" groups at 50yds with Hornady XTP)
Unique - 9mm Luger
H322 - 222rem (sub 1/4" 5 shot groups with 52gr Bergers)
H380 - 22-250 rem (sub 1/4" 5 shot groups with 52gr Bergers & 53gr Sierra's)
H4831 - 25-06rem & 7mm rem mag
IMR4350 - 270win
IMR4831 - 30-06spfd
IMR7828 - 300wby mag
Red Dot - 1 1/8oz 12ga target
Pyrodex P - 50cal patched round ball

As a bonus, Here are my least favorite powders

IMR4064 - 22-250rem.
2400 - 44mag






Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: m25operator on October 12, 2010, 08:25:01 PM
I too have a lot of faves.
Pistol.
ww231, 38 spl mostly, good for 9mm too, have used it in others to good effect, nearly identical to HP38.
ww 452AA, sadly no longer made, my fave .45acp powder, clean and accurate.
H110, .357 mag, .41 mag, and .44 mag. WW 296 still a good powder for all magnum pistol loads.
The new WW powders I am just experimenting with, and understand work well. I have 1lb of each. starting with ww supertarget.
Hi score 800x, 10mm, when you like it hot.
HI score 700x  9mm, compressed load.
2400 for .44 spl, and .45 Colt
n350 for .45 super
Bullseye, dirty but practical for many hand gun rounds, bulky and go's a long way in hard times.

Rifle in no particular order.
Varget for precision .308, .243 Ackley, 7mm/08
Imr 4350, 7/08, .338 win mag, .243 and or .243 Ackley, 7mm IHMSA.
for .223/5.56, it depends on the rifle and the bullet weight, aa2520, 2015, blc2, Varget, ww 748
748 works wonders in .222

When I find a powder that works, either with 1 gun, or multiple, I do buy 8 lb kegs, good for rainy days.

I know 1 sniper that is working with trail boss for suppressed rifles shooting very heavy bullets, and it shows great promise.


Title: Re: Favorite powders?
Post by: jframesmith on October 25, 2010, 07:44:55 PM
Clays anyone?

I use Clays, Unique & Bullseye for most pistols
except
W231 for 40 S & W

RL10x & H322 for 6.8SPC

Varget & Benchmark for 308