If You Had To Pick ONE Rifle Powder...

.308 Norma said:
:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
I don't think I could get by with just one type of smokeless rifle powder. However, I could get by with just one brand of smokeless rifle powder - Hodgdon. In fact, I mostly DO "get by" with H4831 and H380. I burn H4831 in my 308 Norma Mag and 338 Win Mag, and I burn H380 in my 22-250. So, one brand of smokeless rifle powder for me. ;)
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I just bought another 8 pounder of H380 about a month ago! I love me some 22/250
 
Blue68f100 said:
If I only had 1 rifle I could pick 1 powder. But powder for a large Mag rifle (300 Win Mag) is not going to work in a small case 223R. You really need to have at least 3 speeds of powder to get it to work with different sized cases. Then it will may still not be optimum but would allow you to shoot.
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Yes, that's exactly what I said 😁
 
badkarmamib said:
I load .30-30, .30/06, and .223. I could do all 3 with H4895. Anybody seen any?!?
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These are the cartridges not including 30-30, that I shoot the most so H4895 would be my choice.

I do not load or shoot anything bigger than 30-06.

I do load and shoot 204 Ruger with CFE223, I'm not sure if there is loads for H4895.
I think I've done some loading of 17 Remington with stick powder and it is a bitch so 204 Ruger probably would have the same limitation.
 
Varget or 4895 would work if I had to make one powder work across everything I load. Incidentally, I don't use either of those powders very much because I'm not limited to one powder for everything.
 
IMR 4064 followed closely by Varget. Heard a lot of good things about 8208 XBR so am trying some of that in .204 and .22-250. Although it seems to have become unobtanium as of late.
 
I can do everything I ever want or need with my firearms using 6 powders:

HP-38/W231 - semiauto pistol and light revolver
H110/W296 - Magnum revolver
Varget - fast rifle
H4350 - slow rifle
Retumbo - magnum rifle
H50BMG - Super magnum rifle

I've used a lot of other powders, and have a lot of other powders in inventory, but when it comes down to it, I could load all of my ~40 current rifles, pistols, and revolvers with these 6 powders. Super Magnum is a toy for me, Magnum rifle is also still luxury of circumstance, I honestly would rather buy bulk pistol ammo than load it, light revolver is a luxury for me and largely pretty inexpensive to buy as factory ammo as well, so I could be happy if I just had H110, Varget, and H4350, and then I'd buy factory ammo for a few things which I don't buy currently, and just wouldn't get to compete in a couple things... There's nothing I'm doing with magnum revolvers which I can't do with factory ammo OR with a rifle as well, so if I were cornered into "what are the last powders I'd vote off of the island," H110 would go before the rifle powders, but I'm pretty evenly split in utilization for Varget and H4350, so those are two I need.
 
I would say TAC for me. I would have said Varget, but TAC is more readily available for me an cheaper.
 
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Blue68f100 said:
If I only had 1 rifle I could pick 1 powder. But powder for a large Mag rifle (300 Win Mag) is not going to work in a small case 223R. You really need to have at least 3 speeds of powder to get it to work with different sized cases. Then it will may still not be optimum but would allow you to shoot.
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My thinking also and while one powder may cover a wide range of cartridges it is not always the best choice for each. The same is true for handgun.

God, I love America and freedom of choice. :) Not being limited to one powder.

Ron
 
Reloadron said:
My thinking also and while one powder may cover a wide range of cartridges it is not always the best choice for each. The same is true for handgun.

God, I love America and freedom of choice. :) Not being limited to one powder.

Ron
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Normally that would be my attitude as well. I would probably refuse to answer just on principle. But times have changed and the likelihood is much higher that if I ever do have to buy more rifle powder it won’t be my first - or possibly second or third - choice. It’s probably going to be what no one wants except people like me who can make things that shouldn’t work really work.
 
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