Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Do you have a Pet Powder?

The $20 a lb one

H4895, I4350, Re22, Unique 😁

IMR-4350
H335

Or I could go for.

RL-22
TAC

Either pair would serve me well for the rest of my reloading days!

Elk Country

Norma MRP and RL26 Plus RL17

I use a lot of powders, but Varget is the rifle powder that I find works well for me in the largest number of applications.

H4895 - I always keep a stash on hand. It works well, not necessarily best, in any caliber I reload. Plus it has the versatility of using it for reduced loads if one wants.

drover

Varget and 4831

IMR 4330

I always seem to get good results with
IMR4350
TAC
IMR3031

+1

Another H4895 fan. Works across a broad spectrum. I'll add IMR 4350, IMR 4198, H4831, 700X, Unique and 2400 as some of my other favorites.

Jeff, I use it in my 7-08. I haven't found a 120gr or 140gr bullet yet that doesn't love it.

I bought 200 pounds of surplus H380 once...

But I have to many differing rounds to have a single powder. Tried to get there once and just could not.

If I had to suffer, I'd probably suffer with Varget. And hope I could fuel the few mags I have...That said I dont' use varget for all that much, but tend to keep it on hand as it is not sensitive and very versatile.

Varget and H4831.

Varget:
223 and 75 grainers at 2950 fps
6BR and 105 grainers at 2900 fps for a silhouette load
260 Rem: 107/108s and 36 grains for 2770 fps for CPT in silhouette
260 Rem: 139/140s and 36 grains for 2650 fps for rams in silhouette
9.3X62: 250 grainers at 2650 fps (JB load)

H4831:
243AI and 105 grainers for 3100+ fps
260 Rem: 139/140 grainers at 2800+ fps for long range play and occasional F Class
280 Rem: 140s and 150 grainers

But I burn an 8 pound keg of Varget for every pound of H4831.

I've used Varget in everything from the .223 to the .475 Turnbull.

I like to use powders that work well in several different cartridges, so I can justify buying the 8lb kegs

After Varget, probably Rel22 & Big Game, Rel 26 looks very promising.

The ones I use the most are definitely AA2495 and IMR 7828 SSC. AA2495 covers all sorts of medium burn rate stuff, and is particularly excellent for straight wall lever gun cartridges with heavy bullets (producing top velocities in .45-70, .45-90 and .50-110). It also does well for light bullets in .375 H&H. 7828SSC is great for various small bore magnums and heavy .375 H&H

Me too!

H4895 too.

I experiment too much, with too many rifles and cartridges, to have one favorite. Plus, there are so damn many new powders to test, and quite a few turn out to be really good! Right now I have 91 different smokeless powders on hand, and while some are for handguns and shotguns, probably 80% are primarily rifle powders.

Right now the top ones on my list of loads for our various rifles are Varget, TAC, H4895, Big Game, Accurate 5744 and IMR4451. H4350 used to be right up there, but since it became scarce I started using 4451 in the same loads and rifles, and so far it's done as well or better in every one, and even in some I hadn't loaded for before, like the 6XC. But Reloder 23 and 26 are also starting to find their way onto the "short" list....

I have read all 4 pages so far....

I don't intend or mean to be critical at all.

Some yrs back I contemplated the powder situation. Multiple kinds or limiting it to 1 - 2 if possible? I came to this conclusion.

I'm going to burn X no. of pounds of powder so what does it matter if I have 2 or 8 different powders ? Also by using the commonly used powders it's easier to find even if I have to go to different sources.

BTW, in my earlier post I listed H 450, that's not a misprint. I use H 450 in my 6mm Rem at MID pressure levels. During a few years I scrounged around and bought every lb. I found. I have several lbs. left, I'd have to go count.


Jerry