Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 3 or 4 powders

I know most reloaders have their "favorite" powders that they like to use so I was wondering what everyone else's powder choices are. If you were limited to 4 powders on your bench to reload everything (handguns, rifles, shotguns) what would your choices be? I think a major criterion would ability to find data for a large # of different calibers. I personally have a jug of H380, IMR4350, and several pounds of Unique. I also keep a pound or 2 of 7828 on hand as well. Curiosity killed the cat but they have enough lives to waste one once in a while.

RL15
IMR4895
RL19
IMR4350

I do not reload for handguns so I'm only listing rifle powders.

RH

For my personal loading, I would have to say RL-15, WW 231, 2400, and IMR 4350. This covers .357 magnum, .22-250, .243, .260, .25-06, 7mm-08, .308, .30-06.

Will

H4831
H4895
4064
Universal Clays

If knocked down to two,I'd say H4831 and Universal Clays

WW231
2400
Re-7
Re-15

Boy, that's a tough question!

Unique
WW 748 (could use Varget or RL-15)
H 4350 sc (could use WW 760)
RL-22

I use a lot of the WW powders. They are listed because I started using them quite some time ago. Since they have always worked, I have just kept using them. I have never really tried much of the newer stuff, which I grant might be "better".

HP38
800X
4064
4831SC,
then of course, there is 296, Unique, 3031, 5744, RL22, Goex2F & 4F, Pyrodex RS.........

Unique
2400
RL 15
RL 22

These 3 and a couple pounds of Tite Group for 44 Mag plinking loads.

H110
7828
Tac
H4350

Dober

N133
N540
IMR 4064
H4350

Those powders cover everything I shoot from 223 to 300 WSM very well.

PaPa260....Seasons Greetings To All At The Fire!

IMR4227
Varget
H4350


I'm not much of a belted magnummanic.

Like your selection Sam. Mine are: H-4350, H-4831sc, Ramshot Hunter and RL#15. I don't load for handguns. Merry Christmas . Tom

Unique
H'335
R'15
R'22

I'd hate to be limited to 4 though. Kind of like the "one rifle" threads.

R22
H4350
Benchmark/H4895
PowerPistol

It would be rough way to go though.....

H4350, RL15, RL19 (but this may be changing to RL17), H4831SC..sorry I think Sam already said this...

Unique
H110
H4895
H4350
H4831

OK that's five, but.....

The best way to pare down powders is to first concentrate on your favorite cartridges, and then select powders that are optimum in those.

I seldom firewall any of my handgun rounds, so I could be optimized with Unique or Universal Clays. Because it measures better and shoots cleaner, I'll take the latter.

I shoot a lot of Hornet, Fireball and Bee. In those, I'd definitely take LilGun, hands down.

For the .223 and up through my 308, Ramshot TAC simply shines.

That's only three, and I have almost everything covered. For my final choice, I'd pick a rifle powder that is as near universal as possible. It'd be hard to select anything but 4895, although RL-15 would finish only a nostril behind.

I prolly use more 4895 than any other.
IMR4350
IMR4895
IMR4064
H4831

No hand guns or shotguns to load for any more...
Varget
H-4831SC
AA 2015
AA 2520
Works in about everthing I load for, but I'd hate to give up the
RL-15
RL-17
RL-19
IMR-4831
H100V
Retumbo
Benchmark
H-335
Imr 4064
H1000
But abount any of the first 4 will work in their place in the rifles I load for. I just don't find the RL powders as consistent from lot to lot even tho I really really like them.
We will load for just a few calibers in any given year.
.222,.223,.243,.270,.708,7MM RUM,30-30,.308,300WSM,30-06,and what ever else comes along...Hard to hold to 4 powders but Varget or H-4831SC has worked to some degree in one or the other and I try to keep plenty of Varget on hand but find it a little slow for the lighter bullets in the .224 class and why I like the AA-2015 for that.