Powder Choices

R

richard50

New member
So I got to thinking(probably dangerous)about my reloading powders that I choose, I got to looking at what I have in stock and I have found that I have migrated to mostly Hodgdon, As I look at load data in my manuals for what I have as far as calibers I try to find the most accurate load(tested)and experiment from there. I actually have a couple other brands of powder but very little quantities, So How do you choose your powder for your different calibers and why? how many different brands do you keep on hand? If I really think about it I could go broke buying powder and bullets to try and find the holy grail of a load.
 
I am like you...I use Hodgdon. I have no doubt that other brands offer very good powders, but I know that I like Hodgdon, and I see no need for me to change. An added plus is that Hodgdon seems to be easier to locate.
 
Hodgdon doesn't actually make any powder. Someone else's powder with their name on the jar.

I have spent a buck or 2 on powder/ bullets. I usually have a fair to middlin' supply on hand.....
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I like the Western powder choices in my 22cals, but theres nothing wrong with the Hodgdon line either! I load for manly small calibers like the 221FB, the 20VT, the 223, and 22/250 and it seems like the Accurate (western) powders work so well that they are my go to powders lately! Give 'em a try, you might like them also!?

Steve
 
Unfortunately, no one locally carries anything other than Hodgdon, IMR, Winchester, or Alliant powders. I refuse to order powder online, so I am stuck with what I can get locally.
 
I generally will look at the manual and try a couple of the top end powders. Lyman and Sierra mix it up pretty well so I have a bit more insight. I too find the Hodgdon powders easier to find but a good IMR does the truck in some. I really like Western and Accuracy Arms and load lots of it in my smaller cased rounds.

Greg
 
I choose powder based on accuracy, velocity, meterability, cleanliness, temp sensitivity. In about that order, but nothing written in stone, the importance of those factors varies by application - except accuracy and velocity are always most important.

I have and use pretty much all of them, might be a few types I don't have on hand, but not many. But over the years, VV has always been a strong contender and in more recent years Ramshot has ended up as the working load fairly often too. But, depending on the rifle, there's a pretty good representation of all of them in my working loads, with Hogdon being another common choice for my rifles, after VV and Ramshot.

- DAA
 
I pretty much do like 2muchgun. I don't mind buying a pound of powder if my research points to a particular powder/bullet combination for a specific caliber. Research this and other forums and you'll find someone who has your particular combination and judge for yourself from there. I found reloadersnest is a pretty good source for data. I combine that with the mfg. suggestions and usually come up with what works for me.
 
I've used a lot of different powders. For me powder choice depends on the cartridge and specific use. For instance, I have no problem using coarse stick powders in larger cases that don't get shot as much or as many rounds. But anything used for pdogs or plinking use fine-grained powders so that they meter well.

Currently I have 8lb'ers of A4350, A4064, A2495, WC844, WC846, H335, A2230, and 1 lb'ers of many more. One that is moving up the charts fast for me is IMR 8208. Combines the best of all worlds in small cases. Meters great, and is insensitive to temp afaik. Gives great accuracy in my 6x45. If I can find a keg of it I will try it in others as well.

Summer pdog guns use the more temp sensitive powders. Work your loads up in summer and it's not a problem. H335 (and wc844-same thing pretty much) give outstanding accuracy in 204 and 223. But long range rifles/cartridges need more stable powders if you are counting on knowing where that first round will hit way out there.

In the end testing will show which powders to use in a specific rifle. Accuracy is king, everything else is secondary.
 
TMG, that is quite the collection you've got there (reload much?)LOL I used to do a lot of shotshell reloading and I"ve got a couple pounds of REX 1 that I am going to try in my 357mag, I've also got some IMR powders but they are almost all used up, in fact that is the brand that I started reloading with back in the day. It is good powder don't really know why I"ve migrated away from it? TAC is definitely one that is on the tryout list. I would go back to buying in the 1lb containers but a lot of powders are so hard to get locally I have to buy online and I am not paying 50 plus dollars for a pound of powder so I tend to buy the 8lbers.
 
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Looking at the 14 different powders I use, there are more Hodgdon powders on my shelf than the other brands. I have access to all the brands at our local Scheels here in Fargo ND, if they just had them all in-stock.
 
Choosing powder is like a woman who colors her hair, once they find the color in a manufactures type they never change. Just like in powder. Oh, we'll try something else but generally gravitate back to the powder that has served you best.
 
Originally Posted By: Yukon21Choosing powder is like a woman who colors her hair, once they find the color in a manufactures type they never change. Just like in powder. Oh, we'll try something else but generally gravitate back to the powder that has served you best.

This is absolutely true. Even if there are newer, better powders out there, I always seem to come back to what I know. This, for me, is especially true with pistol powder. I know there are better, cleaner powders than HP38/Win231 and H110/Win296...but I always come back to these standards. They work for me, and I buy them by the 8lb cans.
 
When I start out with a new cartridge, lets say my 204, I search several sites and see if I notice a powder that seems to come up quite often for that cartridge. For instance, H4895 just seem to be a powder that alot of guys were having good success with in the 204. And even if it wasnt the powder they ultimately didn't end up using, the results they got were still pretty good. Also, it was a powder that provided velocity and temp stability so I tried it. Got lucky I guess, only powder Ive ever used in it. If I care to tinker some more I may try RL 10X as it was another powder that kept coming to the top.

 
I find more Hodgdon powder on my bench than others but it's because it's available local more often. I prefer Ramshot powders but not many places around me carry it and hazmat fees make it cost prohibitive to purchase a few lbs at a time.


I much prefer TAC in my .223 and .444 Marlin ammo but it's almost impossible to find locally so I tend to go with Varget instead. Some Hodgdon powders work better for example my .22-250 loves H380 and my .44 mag loves Lil' Gun....so many powders perform so closely to each other it's easy to settle for whatever the local shop carries and still get decent performance.
 
Hey Dixiedog1, What charge of TAC are you using in your 444 Marlin load? And what bullet? I am using H-4198 in my 444 load, with a Hornady 265gr Inter-lock(#4300).
 
I have not tried TAC in the 444. But it sounds interesting.

H322 and 270 gr. Speers have been exceptional in accuracy, and on deer/black bear.....
 
It seems to me that load data is just easier to find for Hogdon powders. Hogdon powders
are the most stocked in my area in good times and bad. I use mostly Hogdon with a couple
of trusted Winchester powders mixed in. I'd like to buy several pounds of Winchester powders
if they hit the shelves again(hint hint Hogdon).

I did recently add a couple of Alliant powders to load pistol. I have never used Red Dot and
Bullseye before but I had a couple of pounds follow me home last night and I'll try them. Bass
Pro had a pretty good supply of Green Dot, Red Dot and Bullseye. I think I'll load a few hunnert
rounds with Bullseye and give my TiteGroup and WSF a break until I can find more
 
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