Powders of choice? Or not?

[Guest]

Hi all,
In my musings, I noticed that there seem to be a few "default" powders I use or count on.
Seems like the Reloaders in a bunch of rifles, notably 19, 22, and 25. I have assumed if its 243 to 284 (a lot of my rifles) and it won't shoot with one of those, it may be a bigger problem.
Pistols seem to be Accurate 5 and 7, Power Pistol, maybe Unique.
Shotguns seem to be Green Dot, Blue Dot (boomers).
Not that there aren't a bunch of others in the cabinet(Hodgdon, IMR, VV , ordered some Norma) just those seem to be defaults or get used up the quickest.
This a problem or do you folks have "default powders"?
Just curious what everyone does or bases from.
Sorry if a silly question but curiosity, you know?
Thanks!
Dewey

 

[IdahoCTD]

I have a lot of bigger magnums so I shoot mostly slower powders. I do shoot R-22 and R-25 quite a bit, just started with R-33 too, but lately I probably shoot more H-1000 and Retumbo than anything else. I would say 90+% of the guns I actually shoot use 4350 or slower powders.

Here are the calibers I shoot the most at the moment:
.243AI: IMR4350 with 60gr for fireforming plus Retumbo with 105 Amax's.
6.5-300wm: Retumbo and R-33 with 140 Amax's
7-300wm: H1000 with 162 Amax's
.30-8mm: R-22 with 210gr Matrix VLD's
.338 Edge: H-1000 with 300gr SMK's
.416 Rem: H4895 with 300gr Barnes
.458 Lott: R-7 with 250-350gr bullets.

 

[RiverRider]

I tend to use Hodgdon powders for rifles mostly, but I like W231 and Alliant 2400 for most handgun loads. I have an excess of H4895 on hand and intend to hold on to it since it is extremely versatile. Other powders I use are X-Terminator and Trail Boss.

 

[Guest]

I have default powders, for sure. I like the H series of powders from Hodgdon (4895, 4350, 1000) and am slowly trying to convert some other loads over to those. I use a ton of 7828ssc, as well, since it is very good in my 'bees - though H1000 is now my powder of choice for the 300, and may be getting a serious trial in the 270'bee sometime soon. That would be a sea-change!

In some instances, I use a specific powder for a specific firearm, though, and can't imagine changing. For instance, W748 and my 30-30WCF will likely never part. And Universal Clays and my 40S&W are almost sure to stay together long term. Hodgdon Clays will always be on my shelf, as I have a stellar load for plinking loads in 38Spl cases. I shoot these out of my 357Mag, but they work fine in any 38Spl, too. Very light, very accurate, and cheap to build. Can't beat that.

 

[BeeTee]

I like W748 for 223 & 308 loads. It'll also work for many others. It's produced the smallest group size in both the 223 and 308 of any powders I've used. Being a ball type powder, it also measures well.

I prefer to shoot cast bullets in my 357 mag. For that, Aliant 2400 is best. It measures well and is cool enough to not melt the plain lead bases of the bullets, where faster powders result in leading of the forcing cone and barrel.

I've settled on RL powders for my 7RM. Both 19 & 22 work well. BT

 

[SJB358]

I run alot of Alliant, RL7 for the 444 and 45-70, RL15 for the Whelen, 7x57, and 308, RL19 300 WSM and 338 Win Mag, RL22 for the 270 WSM, 7mm WSM, 25-06, 300 Win Mag, 338 with heavier bullets, and RL25 for the 264, 25-06, and probably going to run it for the 7mm Rem Mag, 270 WSM and more than likely with the 7mm WSM with the 168 ABLRs.

Oh, and RL17 works SUPER for the 7x57 and 140 ABs. On the order of 2900FPS.

I figure if those powders won't get it done, then I will look at other powders, but Alliant has been very good to me. I would like to try some RL33 in the 270, 7 and 264 though. It looks danged good via the Quickload data I've seen.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I use IMR 3031, 4064, 4350 and 7828 SSC as default powders in rifles. In handguns: Hodgdon TiteGroup, LilGun and IMR 4756.

 

[Guest]

Wow!
The different selections and choices are amazing. Really interesting.
Thanks!
Dewey

 

[wildgene]

...RL-17 for the .25 WSSM, 6.5 Creedmoor, .300 & .325 WSM, along w/ a few others

...a range of IMR's (4064, 4350, 4831, 7828), RL's (19, 22, 25, ain't never seen a bottle of 33), Ramshot (TAC, Hunter, Big Game, Magnum)

...Unique & Lil'Shot for the .41