Does anyone use just one powder for different calibers?

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Pack_Wolf

New member
Looking at my menagerie of reloading powders, I have a bunch.
Recently I ran out of Varget and no one locally had any both times I searched.
Varget for the AR .223, Benchmark for the .204, H335 for the .223 bolt, 4895 for the .243, 4198 for the etc,etc...

Do any of you have just one powder for your needs similar to mine?
I'm about ready to just buy an 8lb can of something and just work up loads for one powder.
Which powder would be the best?
 
I haven't found one powder that all of my rifles like the best. Varget for my 22-250, H4895 for the 204, H335 for my 223. I just figure that if I want accurate loads in the upper 2/3 of each velocity range, I'm going to have several powders on hand. I can get what I consider accurate loads(.5inch 5 shot or better) with one powder, but one caliber or another always turns out to be close to minimum loads.
 
Kind of depends on the bullet weights for the 223's Varget seems to do better with heavy bullets 60gr or better, though I have had good luck with 55's too. Some guys on here like Benchmark in the 223's I have really not had such luck with it. I am going to start using some H322 another pretty good 223 powder.

I would find a powder that worked well in both the bolt gun and the AR wether its varget, benchmark, 335 etc. and see how it works for you, then buy the 8 pounder. If it wont work, you wont be the only one loading different powders for different rifles of the same caliber! I have on hand, H322, Varget, Benchmark, W748, AA2230 all could be used in the 223.

Powder Valley is a great place to order your powder and primers, if you order in quanity the shipping and hazmat isnt as bad as higer prices and sales tax.
 
Quote:
If the caliber I am going to buy doesn't load with Varget, I don't buy it. It just makes life simplier.



I use Varget in my .17 Remington, my .223 rifles, my .204, my 220 Swift and my .243 Win. It is the only powder that I buy by the 8lb jug, and I buy a lot of them. I would not mind if it metered a bit better but eh, I can handle a bit of studder from my powder dump every now and then.
 
For the last couple of years, I've used Winchester 748 for both my .204s and .223s (I don't have a .243 yet) and I'm in the process of switching over to the Ramshot powders since they seem to burn a little cleaner than the W-748.

When I first started reloading for my rifles, I tried a variety of powders, mostly borrowing out of some of my friend's powder stocks on their benches, and found that the extruded powders didn't work that well in my powder thrower and was causing more problems than they were worth for loading volume amounts ( I was feeding 5 ARs at the time).

Since W-748 was reportedly close to the original powder for the AR, that was my most logical choice since it metered pretty well and I was able to get very consistent charges from it.
 
Varget works decently across a wide spectrum of chamberings and bullet weights, though with the exception of the 8mm Mauser, it's not perfect for anything.

I have about a billion different powders on hand, but I've found that there I could really get by with just four while obtaining excellent results.....

Small chamberings......Ramshot XTerminator
Medium chamberings....Hodgdon H4350
Big stuff.......Alliant RL22

But, just to complicate life, I have a 30BR that shoots quarter inch groups on a bad day with RL7. At first glance, that seems an odd combination of boresize and burn rate, but that rifle/load has won slightly less than 50% of the matches it's been in. Hard to argue with success.

I guess the powders you keep on hand depends on your accuracy requirements. If MOPdog or MO'Yote is the standard, and the goal is reducing your powder inventory, Varget is certainly a good place to start.

Mike
 
Some of my more versatile powders are H4895 and H414, both meter very well in the 223 which is helpful. Varget is one of those bench musts, as well as RL15.
 
At least I am not the only one with this situation.

Varget seems to be a logical choice for multiple calibers. I just started using it last year when looking for a smokless powder for my 40/65 BPCR. Then good reports with the AR made me work up a load that was just a little better than H335 group wise. The 243 was worked up years before some of these other powders were even on the market. Benchark was used first for the .204 from recomendations, and my last three shots were touching ,and that is from a NEF/HR barrel on a Buffalo Classic reciever.
I use a Dillon 550 for my .223 and it does throw .2-.3gr + or -, and I have to trickledink with each round.

Thanks for your input, always get a great view from other folks here.

Pack
 
Varget or RL15 ~ roughly same burning rate would work for all your 223 loads, especially the heavier bullets and great in any of the 308 case calibers, 243, 7-08 etc.

TAC works great in the lighter realm like you 223 etc.
 
Kimber .204, Rem VSF .17 Fireball, AR15 .223, Ruger KM77VT 22-250, Rem VSSF II 22-250, Mini 14 Target Model .223, Ruger KM77RBZ .223, Rem SPS Varmint .17 Fireball. The only powder I use for all of these rifles is H322. I've gone threw Varget Benchmark H335 and others. H322 is the best for me.
 
Benchmark, Varget, H4350 and H4831SC cover 98% of my needs.

Years ago when Dad started this reloading thing, in the early 80's, I can only remember 2 powders on his bench. IMR 4064 and IMR 3031. He loaded .223, 25-06, 22-250, 308, 30-30, and 6mm Rem.

H4350 is probably my favorite powder but it fits nicely with my caliber selections.

Ramshot Hunter is all I shoot in my 243 Winny. Meters like water and is accurate as heck.

I'm loading for 223,243,6mm Rem,260,25-06,7-08,7WSM,300WM.

Clayman
 
Varget..So far it's worked well for me in 17 Rem,223,22/250,257 Robert's..Don't get me wrong specific powder's can & have worked really well with a specific rifle..Varget just work's pretty darn well in all of them /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
I've done the multiple powder thing too and decided it's much easier to go with H322 for all of my small calibers (19-223, 223, .204) and a can of 4064 for the Swift. I'm a much happier and less confused man this way. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
+1 on Varget
After many years of competitive high power silhouette shooting (7mm-08) I've found that Varget is the least temperature sensitive of all poweders I've tried. It's especially comforting when you begin your shooting sequence in the mornings and by mid-afternoon you've gone thru a 40-50 degree temperature swing. It's very much like coyote hunting.

I just recently came back from a short Tucson trip where the morning temps were in the low 30's and by the time I quit hunting the temps were in the mid 70's!

Now you may give up a bit in velocity between rounds when compared to other powders. But for me, whether I'm shooting in competition or hunting, I'm looking for consistency.

I'm currently using Varget exclusively in my .223 (yote gun),.243, 6mmBR, 6mmBRX and 7mm-08. Hope this helps.

Kevin
 
I load for:

.223
7-08
7.5X55
.308
30-06
8X57
30-30
7.62X54R
.303
45-70
.270

With the exception of the 45-70 and .270 i can create very good loads with H4895. It works in the 45-70 and .270 but not as well as one would like.

That said, I got all kinds of powders in the drawers and never stop experimenting. Wish I could!!!
 


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