Many Powders

Vince

Handloader
May 26, 2012
4,479
913
I tried various powders in my finicky 25-06, RL 22 and H4831 to name a couple and settled on IMR 4350.

The 25-06 was my first foray in to reloading rifle ammunition.
 
Not all rifles are so finicky. I've been able to find an accurate load for most of them pretty quickly.

Generally for a new rifle or cartridge, I'll go with one of the recommended "accuracy" powders first. This is often a great way to short-cut the load development process.

Am glad your .25-06 finally came around.

FWIW, Guy
 
Yeah, most of the time, you'll get it a little easier, sometimes certain rifles make you work for it though.

My 264 Win Mag was one such rifle. After having alot of ups and downs with Retumbo and RL22, it kinda came into itself with RL25. It was giving me headaches for awhile though..
 
I had a few that were terribly fussy. Some came around and some were "fired" from the household.
 
It happens. Just like horses, some are push-button, others are always a challenge.

My current challenge is my 257Roberts. I'm sorta happy with it now but not totally confident. It'll get more attention this spring. I have tried 5 powders and six bullets in various combos thru it and I'm still not satisfied.

I revisited my 25-06 this past fall also. I invested little effort on it when I first bought it 9 yrs ago and found 117gr Hornady's and 120gr NPs shot into an inch with IMR-4350. Done. Well, I finally ran out of those 40 bullets that I loaded back then and I decided to put my expanded reloading skills and knowledge into it. IMR-4350, IMR-7828, RL-22, H-4831, RL-19 and IMR-4064 have been used with 85, 100 and 115 gr BTs, 100, 115 and 120gr NPs, 110gr AB, and 117gr SSTs and Interlocks. Thank heavens for SPS... Anyways, I'm still toying with it. I'm looking for Retumbo but it cannot be found locally.

My point? I don't think I have one other than it can be a lengthy trail with some rifles.
 
Guy Miner":pq3eo6ts said:
Not all rifles are so finicky. I've been able to find an accurate load for most of them pretty quickly.

Generally for a new rifle or cartridge, I'll go with one of the recommended "accuracy" powders first. This is often a great way to short-cut the load development process.

+1

Excellent advice to look first to the recommended "accuracy" powders first.
 
My 7mm STW before its current overhaul would shoot the best with 160 TSX and H-1000, the 175 Partition with H-1000 and the 160 AB with RL-19.. After quite a while and expense in finding this out, I sent it off for a new barrel. Should have it back in March.
 
The two most accurate rifles I've owned both shot/shoot nearly anything well - not finicky at all. Some powders or bullets do a little better than others, but we're talking fractions of MOA. On the other hand, the finicky rifles I've owned never did anything consistently well. BT
 
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