Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Your suggestions for most versatile/ efficient powder choices

I'm in the process of using up a bunch of odd rifle powders than I have accumulated over 30 years of reloading. ( almost 20 different types!) I'd like to consolidate and simplify my powder choices in the future. When I get the old stuff used up, and need to replace it, I'd like to get a few 8 lb kegs of versatile and efficient powders that can serve all my needs. I'm deliberately leaving out shotgun / pistol powders in my question, that's another story.

I am currently shooting the following rifle cartridges, put in categories likely to use the same powder:

.22 Hornet, .357 magnum full power, .44 magnum full power ( current favourite W296)

.222 Rem 40-50 gr., 45-70 medium power cast loads ( current favourite IMR 4198)

7x57 160-175gr., .308 / 165 gr., .35 Whelen 250 gr., 9.3x62 250-286 gr., .375H&H 270-300gr. ( current favourites Varget or H4350)

25-06 / 100-120gr., 7x64 / 160gr., 30-06 180-200 gr. ( current favourite IMR 4831)

There are many new temperature stable powders and CFE powders on the market that I haven't ever tried, double base vs single base, etc. Also note that I may hunt and shoot in extremes of heat and cold. So what do you recommend?

2400, 3031, 4895, 4350 and 4831

thanks saddlesore, I have used and like all those powders, and I agree that they are all good choices for my purposes, but they are half century old technology.

I was wondering about the newer powders that have come out recently. They must have something good to offer or why are they on the market?

H4350, RL15, RL26, RL22 and H4831 and maybe even good ol H4895

Lil Gun, RL7, RL15/Varget or 17, and RL26 would be my picks if I had to condense it to 4..

I streamlined/simplified a few years ago.

Reloader 15, H4350, H4831sc, H1000 are my rifle standards.

H110, Unique, and Bullseye are the only pistol powders I keep.

I think H1000 is the newest powder there! A guy can waste a lot of time/money chasing newest/greatest.

It is called marketing.All these newer powders are about like all the new chamberings offered. Same thing in a different package.An answer looking for a problem. If the mfgr's didn't offer some thing new continually,they would be back sliding..That is why they are on the market.

Look at all the,.260 cartridges.Nothing new,just called some thing different.The.280 is a 7x 57 in disguise.The7mm mag is a7mmExpress,only renamed.

Powders like 4831 have been around for 75+years, 4895,the same.The biggest thing that has been added in recent years is temperature sensitive powders, H4831 and several others have it.

I've played around with a few of the newer powders in old standby calibers and my conclusion is that the old standbys work as well or better. All I need is RL-15, IMR4320, IMR4350, IMR4831 and H4895 and H335. If you throw in the pistol calibers Unique and 296 cover that. There is even a fair amount in overlap in those powders and I could probably get rid of a few.

In rifle calibers I've found IMR 4064, IMR 4350, RL-15 & Varget serve me well, in handguns Bullseye, Unique and WW 296.

RL16 and RL26

I use Titegroup for 9mm, 40, and 45's

Longshot for 12 gauge

IMR 4350, For 7 Rem mags, 30-06, 270, 25-06, 264 Win mag's, 6.5 creeds, 257 Weatherby, 220 Swift, 8 Mauser, 300H&H, 7mm-08 270 WSM



Varget for 223, 308

H4895 for grandkid reduced loads, Garand-30-06

Reloader 22 for 300 Weatherby, 300 Win, 270 Weatherby

Reloader 25 for 7mm ultra

869 for 26 Nosler

I want to try H 4350, I want to try the Reloader 22 in some of the other magnums

Ain't much that cannot be done with Varget and RL26.

So, I've had several suggestions here for RL 26. For my cartridges: 25-06 / 100-120gr., 7x64 / 160gr., 30-06 180-200 gr.
and I'm wondering how RL 16 would be applied to the .22 Hornet or the .357 magnum.

Does that seem appropriate to you? Both RL 16 and RL 26 look way too slow burning to be appropriate to me. Or is this just one more example of asking advice about your requirements on the internet and getting advice about somebody else's preferences?

I think RL16 would be a great powder in many of the cartridges you have. But, I haven't been able to find any so I can try it out. I want it for my 30/06 and my 270 with 130 grain bullets. I'm using RL26 with 140 grain bullets in my 270 and it works better than anything I've ever tried. But yeah, I think it may be a little too slow for your uses. Except maybe the 25/06?

I may have to try some 26 too

I don't load the same chamberings you've mentioned, but my consistent powders for my rifles seem to be Re-15, 4350, 4831 and H1000 with maybe a Re-7 or H322 for things like cast loads in my Guide Gun.

If I was starting to re-stock I would select only the extreme and other temperature stable powders. I would also try to find two that would cover all bases but with the pistol and 45-70 thrown in it might take up to four types. Get them in 1 lb lots then stock up on kegs once you find something your firearms like.

+1 on R26 as very versatile for the 08 to 06 size cases up to 270 WSM. Varget or R15 for the Hornet, 375 and others although R16 may be more stable I haven't tried it. Not sure for the pistols but unique and 2400 have been good to me for magnum loads. I don't know if there is a temperature stable version of those two.

I ran 26 in my 30.06 with 210s and got really good velocities. It's fast in my 270 and 260ai too.

Well, as a guy who has hand loaded for some 59 yrs., I can easily understand your ideas. For instance, buying 8 lb. kegs, removes any chance of lot to lot variation. Particularly with the slow burning powders.
Temperature insensitivity is another consideration. For that, I'd suggest Ramshot, Hodgdon, and the latest from IMR.
How about ease of metering ? Ball powders are wonderful for this. The Ramshot stuff all seems to burn as clean as the stick varieties.
Then there are those that include anti fouling properties. for those that shoot alot, this is worth having too. Ramshot's TAC shines here and I understand the latest IMR powders do as well.
Then there is versitility in accuracy with both high and low pressure loads. I've found that Ramshot's True Blue for handgun loads, and Hodgdon's H4895 for rifle loads really do shoot very accurately with reduced loads. I haven't tried AA's 5744 yet, but I plan to.
So, what do I like ? I haven't loaded for the Hornet in a long time. But I do load for the .357 and .44 Magnums. For mild loads, I like ZIP in the .357 and True Blue in the .44. For maximum loads in the .44, I like 2400. Yes, I've used 296/H110. Too much blast and recoil for me. I can get very close with the above choices w/o all of that.
I've loaded for the 7X57 and still load for the .308 and the 7-08. I use TAC in the .308 and H4895 w/ 110-120 gr. TTSX bullets in the 7-08.
My new favorite in the .280 is IMR 4451. In the '06' with 130-150 gr. TTSX's I like IMR 4166. E