Alliant powder

[nitis]

Would it be at all wise as a greenhorn to maybe try to stick with one brand of powder? I can readily get alliant reloader in all forms and it covers what I need.

People say everygun is different so you have to try different things but to me correct me if I am wrong how much difference does the propeelent make on accuracy if the velocity is the same?

I was thinking I could get some reloader 17 and some 25 and really cover most of my needs.

I need to load for

243
25.06
270wsm
7mm mag
7mm-08
300 RUM

Also what is the deal with the new power pro ball powder?

 

[Guest]

I can't see where it would help, but it may not hurt, either. I've used just about every brand out there (including some that aren't available in this country anymore), and sometimes, I have to try stuff I've never tried before, so having other powders onhand helps. Maybe I could make do with only one brand, but then I'd have to give up either MagPro, H4831, IMR7828ssc, or RL19, and I'm not sure I'd want to give up even one of them, much less all but one of them.

 

[normo]

You can always try to limit the number and brands, but you might find it quite a challenge.
Given the supply and demand right now and over the past several months talk to your local dealers and see what they can typically keep in stock. It seems Accurate Arms powder is tough to get, but the Hodgden and Allient powders are a little more available.
You might need to also add RL 15 and 22 to you list, based on the calibers you listed.

Good luck, most of the fun will be in trying to see if it really works for your rifles and the shooting/hunting you do.

 

[nitis]

I guess I just got excited to see so much powder available my shop had all the reloader minus 22 so I grabbed some 19 and 25 then got home and did some reading about 17

I really wanted to try some retumbo but the 17 should be fairly versatile who knows I may need to add all of them or maybe others

but back to my theory of wich is mor important to your accuracy
velocity or how u achieve it ie which powder you use

providing the bullet is the same if I can achieve a certain velocity with powder A and it shoots well if I can get the same velocity with powder B shouldn't it shoot the same?

 

[MattC]

That is exactly what I did (starting last year). All of my powder comes from ADI and for each cartridge I have a choice of three or four powders (depending on availability). That is enough choice when starting out and figured that there was little point in complicating load development with different brands.

I also worked initially with a single calibre (308Win), cases from the same batch (bought in bulk) and a small selection of quality bullets (150gn & 165gn BT/AB) in an effort to minimise the variables.

There is so much more to handloading than basic case prep, primer, powder, bullet. The real difference between a good load and an excellent load is all of the finnicky little details. As I learned more, my techniques improved and so did the end result.

Cheers

 

[nitis]

Also what is the deal with the new power pro ball powder?

I dont see any data anywhere

 

[Richracer1]

Also what is the deal with the new power pro ball powder?

I dont see any data anywhere

You answered your own question, "the NEW Power Pro powder". It just came out late last year or early this year. E-mail Alliant and ask if they have any data for that powder. When RL-17 came out I asked and received.

 

[nitis]

thanks rich have you used RL 17 much yet? I will probably start another thread asking this

 

[Richracer1]

thanks rich have you used RL 17 much yet? I will probably start another thread asking this

I haven't used it and don't plan on it. I have pretty much gone with Hodgdon and IMR for my powder. I do have some RL-19 and RL-22 that I use to test with though.

 

[Divernhunter]

I use all different powders and run them over my chrono. For your 25-06 with 100gr bullets I would suggest 56gr of IMR 4831 and a mag primer for a fast accurate load.
The 7mag with 140gr bullets RL19 or 22 works great for me over the chrono and accuracy.
Do not load for your other but will soon for the 7mm-08.

 

[Guest]

but back to my theory of wich is mor important to your accuracy
velocity or how u achieve it ie which powder you use

providing the bullet is the same if I can achieve a certain velocity with powder A and it shoots well if I can get the same velocity with powder B shouldn't it shoot the same?

The short answer is, No, it doesn't always work that way. Accuracy is a function of how well the rifle is put together, which doesn't change from one to the next powder, but also of the harmonics of the barrel with a given load. Because that changes from load to load, it can affect accuracy, and sometimes by a very large margin. The reason it matters is that two loads, with two different powders, can have the same velocity but vastly different harmonics. For instance, I can achieve the same velocity with many different powders, of many different burn rates, depending on the charge weight. The harmonics change, because a slower burning powder will leave the bullet in the barrel longer than a faster burning powder. Obviously, the time difference is measured in small fractions of a second, but it does matter. Additionally, each load exerts forces on the action and barrel that create the vibrations, and unless the forces are the same the vibrations are not the same, and thus the accuracy is not the same.

 

[JD338]

In theory, limited powders is great but reality is that you end up with several cans of different powders.
It really boils down what you are wanting to accomplish with your reloading efforts. If you are striving for best performance and/or accuracy, you will have to sometimes go with specific powders. Even by doing this, you will learn a lot, have fun, and still save money over store bought ammunition.

JD338

 

[nitis]

thanks dubyam the harmonics aspect makes sense

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

I try to stick to one brand for a given number. As an example, I only use H4831, never IMR 4831. In addition I typically choose the slower of the powders. It help me stay safe. That if I'm looking at my loading book crosseyed....which I've done more then once, chances are I won't blow anything up. Using IMR 4831 when H4831 could be a bad day, but the other way around won't hurt a thing.

 

[RiverRider]

For rifles loads, I have gravitated toward those powders that perform more consistently in varying temperatures. The Hodgdon extruded powders (their "Extreme" line), the Ramshot powders, and Reloader 15 and 17 are the ones I try to stick with. In a situation where one of these won't perform in terms of accuracy as well as---if not better---than something else, then I would go with something else. But that just does not seem to happen.

What I like about the Ramshot powders is they meter like W296. Between Hunter and Magnum, however, I have yet to get the kind of results I get with H4831 or H1000. This probably is not true in all calibers though.

The bottom line is that I will try the temperature-tolerant powders first.

 

[jtoews80]

Up here in Canada, depending on how things are finding there way across the border sometimes all I have to work with is IMR & hodgdon stuff. Other times, I can get IMR, alliant, ramshot, viht etc.

I find some powders really work in certain case sizes and others only do moderately well.

For big volumes like 30-378 & 264 win, Retumbo really works almost everytime,
IMR 7828 is great in 300 wby, win and 257 wby,
IMR 4831 in 7mm rem, 270 win & 243 ant IMR 4350 for 30-06.
IMR 4064 for 308,
IMR3031 is pretty fast, but will work for 55 grn NBT's in 243 or 223 rem loads.

This doesn't mean that you can't use IMR 4350 in 257 wby with a 120 grn or whatever, but as was mentioned, it is the places I start to work loads up from. That or whatever the load manual suggests is a good powder. I haven't had many problems with powders suggested by any manuals editor's.

JT.

 

[Bob in TX]

Being from Texas, where I hunt in temperatures ranging from 15 degrees to 115 degrees, I have gone the same route as RiverRider.

I use a lot of Ramshot Big Game and TAC along with Alliant RL-15 in my rifles.

I am currently loading for .223 (AR), 22-220, 7mm-08, 7mm STW, 375 H&H.

Bob

 

[jtoews80]

That Ramshot powder is a joy to work with, for certain. Unfortunately, I really can't seem to get a steady supply of it.

JT.

 

[blacktailhunter]

All great advice so far. It makes sense to develop loads with what powder(s) are available. I have had great luck with Aliant powders, but not in each caliber or rifle I tried. Just make sure that you develop loads with one bullet and one powder at a time per cartridge, and try that load from start charge to maximum in .5gr increments. You will just confuse yourself if you have 3 different bullets, 3 different powders, and 4 different charges of each and trying to figure out what your rifle likes to digest. The object is to get results, good or bad, that can be used to improve further load development. Sometimes, certain bullets and/or powders just don't work in some rifles. An example of this is the Hodgdon line of powders. I have one load that I use Hodgdon powder, Varget and a 70gr TNT in the .243 Win. I have worked H4831sc to death in so many cartridges it's unreal. Hodgdon has just not worked for me even though it is a great powder that many shooters use. Be diligent and consistent and let us know how things work out.

 

[DrMike]

I use essentially the full spectrum of Alliant powders, and I like them. I have nothing against any other powders, and use them also. I am more concerned about accuracy with a given given recipe in any particular rifle. I do consider efficiency and velocity, but subtle changes in charge with different powders produce on occasion exception changes in accuracy. Having said that, work with what you have and are able to rely on is always good advice.