Must have powders

[grry10]

I'm interested in hearing what powders are considered "must have" on your shelf for working up loads. Also, what cartridges you would consider them useful for. We know that there is no such thing as a universal powder but some tend to be our go-to choices to at least try. For me four powders are H-4831SC, IMR-4350, IMR-4895, and BL-C(2). With these four choices I feel like I could get a test load for a wide range of cartridges. Although, they may not end up being my optimum choice. That said my shelf has a range of others, but these I always make sure that I try to keep on-hand.

 

[FOTIS]

With over 5 dozen hunting rifles alone, to reload for, the list is too long. Luckily I can get them/ have them all on hand.

 

[Idaho53]

H1000 for any magnum type caliber...

 

[JD338]

There's too many to list for my needs.
Fortunately I have more than enough to keep me going. These include IMR/H4350, 4831, RL15,22, and Retumbo.

JD338

 

[bkordon]

I also have too many to list out, but H380, H4350, H4831, Retumbo and on the short list. I got very comfortable with the Reloader powders (15, 22) but since they have become unavailable, I am branching out. I do keep everything in a spreadsheet for reference.

 

[bdbrown66]

I reload mostly for medium calibers, so IMR 4064 is a mainstay. And can add Varget, as well.

 

[George Foster]

IMR 4064 and IMR 4831 covers in a pinch what I load.

 

[clearwater]

IMR 4350, IMR 4895, IMR 4227, Unique would do it

as alternates
RX17 or Staball 6.5 for the 4350
Varget for the 4895
2400 for the 4227
Trailboss for the Unique

 

[highoctane]

I need Varget, IMR-4895, IMR-7828, IMR-4831 and Big Game, of which I have plenty to fuel my rifles.

 

[salmonchaser]

I have a load everything up to the 375HH using H4350, that being said I would love to have an 8lb of rl17 for the 257 and 275; rl 22 for the 7mag and the 06 and rl 26 for the 338 Jarrett. I have a couple pounds of each but it’s finite. Of the Rl series if I could gain reasonable access to only one I’d take a couple big jugs of rl 26.

 

[TackDriver284]

Varget, H4350, H4831 and SC version, H1000 , H4895, IMR 4064, IMR 4831, IMR 4350, RL22, RL26.
I mostly like the Hodgdon powders more than any other due to temp stability.

 

[AFG270]

IMR4350, Varget and RL26 as I still have several pounds of it. I've been trying the VihtaVuori powder N550 and so for it's working well.

 

[RL338]

Most of my loads at the moment revolve around RL10X, RL12 , BL-C2 , RL17 , RL26.

If there came a time for either price or supply issue. BL-C-2 would cover anything 204 Ruger thru 30-06 based cartridges. H4350 would cover most magnum cartridges based on the 375 H&H case thru 460 Wby.
Granted those 2 wouldn’t be ideal in all situations , but you could still hunt.

 

[Guy Miner]

For decades I relied on Bullseye, Unique and 2400 for my handgun loads. Those covered it all, and very well. These days, they're hard to come by. I have quite a stash of Unique, but no 2400 and precious little Bullseye remaining, so I've branched out.

Today's handgun loads center around TiteGroup and H110 although Silhouette and Longshot have also been impressive.

Guy

 

[Guy Miner]

Re rifles...

Varget
H4350
Retumbo or some other rather slow burning powder for the magnums.

So many other good ones I like to use. Grand is awesome, but so new, and I've already used up all I had for testing. Grrr...

I'm completely over the Alliant Reloader rifle powders because they've become unavailable a bit at a time over the years. Now it's hard to get any of them.

Am hoping the IMR Enduron series returns. Those things showed great promise.

Guy

 

[Blkram]

Powders I use most for various cartridges I handload for (or have handloaded for) will be listed and then see where we land for most common used:
204 Ruger: CFE 223, H4895, and IMR XBR 8208
218 Bee: H110
25-35: Leverevolution
250 Savage: Big Game and Hunter
250AI: H4350 and CFE 223
257 Roberts: Re-22
6.5 Creedmoor: Re-26
6.5x55: IMR4350 and H4350
6.5 PRC: Re-26, Staball HD, and MagPro
270 Win: Re-19
270 WSM: Re-19 and MagPro
7mm-08: IMR4350
280 Rem: IMR4350
7mm Rem Mag: MagPro
7MM PRC: yet to be determined once I start handloading for this new rifle
7MM STW: while I am not currently handloading for this cartridge, the load data I have that is closest to the factory ammo I'm using is Magnum
300 WSM: WXR and VN165
338 ME: Leverevolution
338 Federal: Re-17 and CFE 223
338-06: H414
338 Win Mag: Re-19 and IMR4350
35 Rem: H322
356 Win: IMR XBR 8208
358 Win: Win 748 and IMR4895
9.3x62: IMR4064 and Re-15
375 Win: IMR4198 and Re-7
376 Steyr: H335
416 Taylor: Re-15
41 Rem Mag: Win 296 and H110

Luckily I have a good supply of these powders on hand and will last me a while, even with some becoming scarce or impossible to find.

And to answer the question, the most common is: IMR4350
Next in line for 3 cartridges each that I am handloading for: CFE 223, Re-19, and MagPro
Next in line for 2 cartridges each that I am handloading for: H4350, Re-26, and Re-15

I was somewhat surprised as I thought that I used IMR4831 more often than it turns out!

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

For decades I relied on Bullseye, Unique and 2400 for my handgun loads. Those covered it all, and very well. These days, they're hard to come by. I have quite a stash of Unique, but no 2400 and precious little Bullseye remaining, so I've branched out.

Today's handgun loads center around TiteGroup and H110 although Silhouette and Longshot have also been impressive.

Guy

Ramshot Enforcer is basically the same thing as 2400. I use it in my .25-20 and .357 Magnums. Very accurate and shoots cleaner than 2400 ever did. Plus since it’s Ramshot, it goes for like $25-30 a pound instead of $65-70 like everything else is these days.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Re: Powders

I could easily get by with Varget, IMR4350 and H4831(sc) in rifles, and Ramshot Enforcer and Silhouette in handguns.

I do use many others but those three have my bases covered.

 

[FOTIS]

For decades I relied on Bullseye, Unique and 2400 for my handgun loads. Those covered it all, and very well. These days, they're hard to come by. I have quite a stash of Unique, but no 2400 and precious little Bullseye remaining, so I've branched out.

Today's handgun loads center around TiteGroup and H110 although Silhouette and Longshot have also been impressive.

Guy

Guy,
I have found Ramshot Enforcer to be almost a twin to 2400. Additionally it is available everywhere.

 

[diverdown]

Re rifles...

Varget
H4350
Retumbo or some other rather slow burning powder for the magnums.

So many other good ones I like to use. Grand is awesome, but so new, and I've already used up all I had for testing. Grrr...

I'm completely over the Alliant Reloader rifle powders because they've become unavailable a bit at a time over the years. Now it's hard to get any of them.

Am hoping the IMR Enduron series returns. Those things showed great promise.

Guy

I use mostly H1000 or Retumbo for Mags. IMR 4350 for my 7-08, 06 and other such rifle calibers. I used to use Bullseye and Tite Group for handguns but found Winchester 244 is excellent, it burns very clean, you use little of it (lasts a bit longer) and accuracy wise it is excellent. Unique used to be like burning charcoal but it's gotten better. 296 or 110 works well for the magnum loads.