Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Your favorite 3 powders for.....

What are your favorite 3 powders for each of these?

6.5 Creedmoor -

260 Rem -

6.5x55 (modern rifles only) -

7mm-08 -

308 -

30-06 -

7mm-08 big game, varget, reloder 15

308 varget,

30.06 H414, H4350, H4831SC, IMR 4064

6.5 Creed. RL-17 , RL-26
7mm-08 RL-17 , Blue Dot
308 Win. Varget , RL-17 , BL-C2
30-06 RL-17

6.5 Creedmoor H4350
6.5x55 H4831SC
308 Varget
30-06 H4831SC H414

260 Rem-IMR 4350

7mm-08: Big Game, Big Game, and Big Game

30-06, 168 to 185 gr bullets: Hunter, Hunter, and Hunter.



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I’ve reloaded for .308, .30-06, and .260 Rem. I have a 6.5 CM, I just haven’t loaded for it yet. My best, it limited results for the .260 is RL-19, 6.5 StaBALL and H4350. .308, I’ve used IMR-4320, IMR 4064 and Varget. 30-06 RL22, IMR 4064 and your pick of 4350.

Pretty simple....

IMR 4895, IMR 4064, RL 15 and if able to make it 4 favorite powders, add IMR 3031...

H4350 - 6.5CM, 260, 6.5x55, 30/06
H4895 - 308

Maybe add Varget as the third powder.

260 - H4350, IMR 4895, IMR 4320
308 - Varget, RL 15, IMR4064

7-08----- Big Game, Varget, RL16, and a 4th H414

260: RL-19, H-4350, H-4831 (139 - 143 gr)
308: Varget, IMR-4064, CFE-223

i can make one powder work for all of those except the 308 and that is rl16...now if i could find some

6.5x55-4350 140

.260 - 4350 140

7-08-Varget 162

308- Varget 178

I think he wants 3 of your favorite powders for each cartridge. I'd vote for keeping it simple and finding one or 2 good powders that will work for all of them, or maybe 3 at most.
For example: H4350, Big game and RL15. A guy could do an awful lot with those powders. H4895, IMR4064 and AR Comp would also be great powders to look at.

I'd have two.

RL-15 and H4350. Sub RL-19 if you want Alliant

Varget and IMR 4451

4064 and IMR 4350 (sub I 4831)

No real need for three.

Imr-4064 will work in all of them.

Creedmoor.............H4350, Staball, and W760.

StaBall 6.5 seems like an interesting option that has crossed my mind to try in the 6.5.

So far for me these are what I have been using......

6.5 Creedmoor: RL16 (heavier bullets), Varget (light bullets)

260: H4350

6.5x55: RL22, H4350

7mm-08: Varget

30-06: H4350, IMR4064

With powder getting harder to find, I’m considering other options that may work.

I like your options...

DF

6.5 CM-- RL26, RL16, IMR 4451
260 Rem-- H4350, RL16
7mm08--Varget, IMR4451, RL15, Big Game
3006--IMR4350, H4350

The only one of those that I have is the 6.5 X 55 and I use RL-19 and IMR 4350.

I sold my 7/08 and wish I had it back.

I'll admit right off the bat that I like using powders that meter easily, which usually means ball powders, and that's one of my reasons for liking the Staball 6.5. However, it has given me some very good accuracy and speed in the loads I've tried.

I would highly recommend it.

.30-06
H4831
RL19
IMR4350

That is good to hear!

My all time favorite powders are I4350 and Varget. With the current shortage, I've been able to find and use W760

6.5 Creedmoor - N/A

260 Rem - N/A

6.5x55 (modern rifles only) - Varget

7mm-08 - W760

308 - Varget

30-06 - I4350, Varget, W760 for bullets from 130 (Barnes) to 180gr C&C. I have also used RL17 in place of I4350 when I couldn't find it. For me H4350 doesn't give as good of results.

IMR 4064 is very flexible as to application, I also like IMR 3031 and IMR 4350. I would be happy with those three powders in .257 Roberts, .30-06 and .35 Whelen which are the three calibers I currently load for. When I loaded .308 IMR 4895 was my favorite followed by IMR 3031 and WW 748.

BSA,

I know the OP was asking for the top three choices for each cartridge,

I don't load for a 308, but the other cartridges I do load for,

and each of my 4 choices would be the ones I mentioned for any of those cartridges...

however, you won't find me ever limiting myself to just those three or four powders..

I like playing at the reload bench as much or even more as I do shooting...

Heck, the last barrel I put on an action has been the 17 Fireball, it has 350 rounds down the barrel just playing with it, loading in 10 round batches, playing with different loads...and one 5 round test batch... I live 3 miles from our local range...

I picked up some 224 Valkyrie cases off the ground the last time at the range.. after I finish playing with the Fireball, that may be the next barrel I get for the Savage from EABCO....

When getting another barrel for a rifle, I can burn thru 1000 rounds just testing all the "What Ifs" my mind can come up with, getting to know the round...
can't do stuff like that, when you are only using 3 powders....

RL26 , RL17 , H4831 S.C.

Me too ... well that was before we had kids and my time and money is non-existent :-(

6.5 CM - 130 with big game, 140 with Hunter
30/06 165/8 big game. 180 Hunter

260 Remington - RL 19, RL 22, VV N-560

30-06- IMR 4350

I think a lot of us have been there. These days I like keeping things simple. Still focused on the best accuracy I can get and have found very accurate consistent shooting loads with H4350, RL15 and AR Comp, amongst many other powders for the cartridges in question. I'd be perfectly content with those 3 powders for those cartridges though.

30-30= Leverevolution, Varget, 3031, and I've just started using it and its no speed demon, but accurate is a good name, Accurate 4064.

7mm-08 Varget; CFE223; Big Game

6.5 CM RL16

6.5CM—— RL26
7-08—. Varget RL15
260—- Rl16. Varget

Usually depends on bullet weight for me but i've used these with good results .......

.308 - Varget, RL15, W748, IMR3031
.260 - H4350, IMR 4895, IMR4320
30.06 - IMR 4350, IMR 4064

Share your 748 308 loads please. I have wanted this powder to work well but it always seems to just give ok accuracy. 1.25-1.5 inches at best at 100 yards.

[/quote] Share your 748 308 loads please. I have wanted this powder to work well but it always seems to just give ok accuracy. 1.25-1.5 inches at best at 100 yards. [/quote

The only time I use W748 in the .308 is with the lighter bullets. Not saying it won't work with the heavy weights but I've never tried it with those. My Rem 700 LTR loves 50.4grs of 748 with the 125gr Ballistic tips and also shoots the Sierra 125gr PH's as well as the Hornady 130gr SP's under an inch consistently with the same load. 50.4grs is near max in this particular rifle and the groups begin to open up once I go any higher. I also use mag primers with the 748. IMR 3031 is also very good with the light weights in this same rifle but 748 gives a little better velocity and is more consistent with groups. I use Varget and RL15 with the 150gr and up. Mike

Varget, R17, and H4350

Since all those are between service rifle and fast mangum burn rates, I'd look at AR-COMP, H4895, Varget, RL-16 and H4350 depending on exact bullet weight. Those are roughly in order of burn rate, fast to slow.

IMR 4350 and varget

R26, R16 and H4350 would cover all with no loss of performance. Maybe add Varget as it is optimal in the 08 cases.

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I picked a tough time to get back into reloading for 6.5CM. Can't be helped....finally added a target rifle chambered in it.


Sourcing powder hasn't been very easy.

I picked up 16lbs of this stuff to get started with.....hoping there will be some carry-over use in .270Win.

Depending on bullet weight...

6.5 Creedmoor -RL15 (lightweights), H4350, RL26

6.5x55 (modern rifles only) - only shoot 140, 155, & 160s. any of the 4350s, RL19, RL22

7mm-08 - 4064 (150s)

308 - with 150 or 165s H4895 or RL15

30-06 3031 (125s), 4064 (150s), 4350

In the 308 win I like imr-4320, and imr-4895 the best. I have several others but usually only use these.

30-06 and H4350 was my match made in heaven