Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 3 powders

So I want to buy maybe 3 8lb jugs of powder before things get crazy. I want 3 powders that are readily available, and cover a wide variety of applications. I shoot primary 260 rem, 7mm-08, 358 win, and 338-06. May get a 35 rem at some point, and maybe a 7mag or 7 prc for long range work. What 3 would you be looking at? I had initially thought Ramshot big game and hunter, but they seem to be out of stock most places. Thought Vihtavouri powders as well, but have zero experience with them. I am thinking of going H 4350, Maybe R 19, and Win 760? Of the guns I own I shoot the 260 by far the most, which really likes H4350 and R 19. But somehow it feels like I am going too similar in burn rates... I also know my 260 did ok with 4064 with lighter bullets. I have a few lbs of win 748 for my 358 win, and also 3 lbs of R 7 which I use in the 358 win with cast bullets. So what way would you go? I have a local store that has 8 lb jugs of quite a few of the standard rifle powders...

Gee, I'd look in my reloading manuals and see what powders worked for the cartridges I'd want to load.

I think I would go

IMR 4831
IMR 4895
W760/H414

Hip

In my experience with more than one rifle in all those chamberings, I'd go with two powders--well, actually four: Either IMR4350 or H4350 for the "high velocity" rounds, or IMR4895 or H4895 for the .358 Winchester and .35 Remington. All four of those powders are very flexible in a bunch of cartridges.

Of course, it will depend on what you can find. Have also had great luck with Ramshot TAC in the role of the 4895s.

That requires a guy to use his head for something other than a hat rack

It’s much easier to ask bozos on the innanet

😂

Just figured I'd throw some love to Accurate 4064 since I hadn't seen it mentioned yet. It is pretty readily available and very flexible in stuff all the way from 250Sav up to '06 case size. Velocities tend to run a wee bit low with it, but I've never had it shoot badly in any cartridge I've tried it in yet.

Before things get crazy? You're a bit late to the party.

So took the time this morning to peruse my load manuals. I looked primarily at the Lee, looked at various weights on the above mentioned chamberings, and wrote down the top 4 powders that produced the fastest loads. There were several that kept showing up, and no surprise, Mule Deer pretty much nailed it. H 4350, H 4895, and Varget were the ones that showed up in many different applications. I will be going to a LGS this morning and seeing what I can find

You’d likely save enough to cover shipping and HAZMAT by shopping online for such a purchase, and maybe get all of them from the same place. Might even get free shipping. By all means look locally; just don’t be surprised at the prices and lack of selection.

The more I use Vihtavouri powders the more pleased I am with the results. In the last two weeks bought a jug of N133 and one of N135. Next trip down the credit card trail will be a jug of N140.

Seriously though, why limit yourself to three? Part of the reason we reload is to experiment.

Did s gun store run, picked up a jug of H 4350 for 360, and a jug of BLC-2 for 290. Now to find a 8 lb jugs of TAC, which is proving difficult

I'll throw in with those recommending 4350 and 4895, if possible the Hodgdon version. When dinosaur tracks were new, I got by very well with surplus 4831 and 4895. In those days I was loading for a .222, 22-250 ( it was a wildcat then) a 257R, .270,7mm Remington Mag., and a 30.06.

Definitely get H4350. That stuff has been unobtanium at times, and guys use it so much, they were pretty desperate to find it when it couldn't be had. H4831 would be on the short list, as well as RL15, AR Comp, Big Game, Hunter, CFE223, and TAC. But that is a longer list than you wanted ("3 powders). For me, it would be:

1. H4350
2. AR Comp
3. H4831

With those, you can do quite a bit. From 223 up to 375 H&H. Hell, RL15 does that all by itself. There are a lot of good powders out there. I like the ones I listed more than some others because they are always very consistent and produce excellent accuracy in varrying temps. YMMV..

After Eileen and I were married 40 years ago, like a lot of younger couples we didn't have a lot of money. Back then I primarily handloaded to save money--but was also concerned about groups and velocity (had purchased my first chronograph in 1979, four years earlier, even as a poor college student).

We didn't have nearly as many hunting guns back then, but settled on H4831 (the old mil-surp powder), IMR4350, IMR4895 and Red Dot. These covered the guns we had then, a .30-06, .270 Winchester, .257 Roberts, 12 and 20-gauge shotguns, and a .38 Special S&W..... Looking back, I could have just used either H4831 or IMR4350, but even then was compulsive about the finding the smallest groups, and highest velocity. Could have saved some money by just using one or the other.

But we still managed to keep the freezer filled with Montana big game from bull elk and moose at various ranges, and deer and pronghorns out to 400+ yards, and birds from doves and Hungarian partridge to Canada geese and Merriam's turkeys. Oh, and we also shot hundreds (thousands?) of varmints from Richardson's ground squirrels to coyotes.....

Yup. 4895, 4350, and I include 4198 so I can reduce loads where 4895 isn't a great fit.

I use a fair amount of Varget where i used to use H4895 or R15. That and H4350 covers most of my rifle needs. And I still use some IMR4198

Even when powders were mostly plentiful and cheap I often had a hard time finding H4895

Yep, Varget is great, and since it's often more available than H4895 I keep a bunch on hand....

AR-Comp or WW748
I-4350
H414

AR2206H
AR2208
AR2209

Or what ever equivalents you have there. 08 is Varget.

+1



+1


Before you get too far into your decision making, check out
https://hodgdonreloading.com/rldc/

This is the Hodgdon data site. I use it almost exclusively for loading data.


I'm actually going in somewhat the other direction. I've been pretty well stuck on H4895 for rifles and Universal for pistols for the better part of 24 years. Now both are becoming unobtainium. It's forced me out of my box and I'm trying a pound of this and that when I can find it.

For powder, I've been ordering mostly from Powder Valley and Natchezss.com. The trick to ordering online is to monitor a few sites regularly, get their emails, and get in the rhythm of their sales. If you want it, wait for somebody to throw out a free shipping or free hazmat sale and then pounce.

Shaman-

Great advice on watching the specials. I just did this 2 days ago. Free hazmat shipping was the big factor.

RH

IMR 4064, IMR 4350, and IMR 3031 if you can find them. I would look at Big Game too.

This ^

Not in need right now but Precision Reloading has free Hazmat on powder and primers until 2 /29
$200 purchase required .

H4350
H4831SC
Big Game

CFE 223....< 270...probably for > 270 just have
Have never tried it other than 308.
Varget.......>,< 270
Titegroup..pistols

Next 3:
AA#9..................mag pistols
Unique...............shotguns
Leverevolution...levers

Covers about everything. Should any of these not be available (wont have that problem) :
Any of the 4350s, 4895s, IMR 4451, IMR 4064 and SB 6.5.
These based on my experience only...I'm sure there's more, especially in our current world which is about as versatile as its ever been.

We are fortunate to have so many smokeless rifle powder offerings; close to 100 in ball park numbers.


I find it helpful to segment powder burn rates, and keep a few pounds of each segment on hand. My segment names are arbitrary, and last powder in each segment is spherical (not a second rate citizen, just FYI).

Med-Fast: H-4895, IMR-4895, TAC
Medium: Varget, IMR-4064, RL-15, W748
Med-Slow: H-4350, RL-16, IMR-4350, BigGame

And if you get that 7mag or 7PRC:
Slow: RL-23, H-4831, RL-22, Hunter
xSlow: RL-26, Retumbo, IMR-7828, Magnum

We all get hung up on what is "the best", but I think you will find where one powder works well in an application, the other powders in that segment also work extremely well. There are other good powders not listed; this is my preference and what I try to keep on hand.

Given the cartridges you listed, get one from each of the first three segments. And if you get that fast 7, add a fourth powder from the slow/xSlow segments.

H335, RL-15, IMR4350, IMR4064, IMR4895 and Varget is what I keep bigger quantities of.
Lever, Retumbo, lil gun, H110, RL-17, 10x and others in less quantities for specific uses.

I mostly use IMR 4350 and H4895. They would work well in the cartridges you mentioned, plus a lot more. My third would be CFE 223 for the small stuff.

Could not function with 3 powders, but if that was the law....

3FG
Blue Dot
RX15

It's a shame H4895 isn't available. When something works in many different applications it seems to become unavailable. I use it in several different rifles plus reduced loads for my 450-400. It's almost gone

My first choice would be 4198, 4895, and 4350. But....aint there always.... a man could get by just fine with Exterminator, Big Game, and Magnum.

Sure wish I could find Big Game!

That doesn't really make for good conversation though, does it?

4350, definitely has a place. Following that, I'd take Varget. 3031 doesn't get a lot of love, but it has been stellar for me in everything that I have used it in.

Those are the 3 that I would choose.

H4350, H1000 and either Varget or TAC would take care of everything I have.

Maybe some of you have your wish right now but supply and availability makes the hypothesis impractical?

I have seen stores with only 3 powders in them. None were any good for my uses.

I’ll add vit 140 and 160 to that list

ADI 2206H = H4895,
ADI 2208 = Varget,
ADI 2209 = H4350

But I would skip the 2208/Varget and go with H335