Pounds or Pounds

[.38 Special]

I have never noticed a performance difference between 1# and 8# containers, even after decades. I tend to transfer powder from the big jugs to the little jugs simply because filling a Lyman 55 from an eight pound keg is a task and a half. Otherwise, I just don't give it any thought anymore.

 

[Average Joe]

8 pounders are usually cheaper than 1 pounders. I always buy in bulk.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I buy powder I intend to try but hard to understand the logic of buying something you cant or wont use

I bought more w296, imr4227, and 2400 than I would use. But I had the spare cash, brothers and neighbors that use it.
I also have two boys that will be shooting soon enough. I remember what I did to my dad's powder supply.

 

[AJC1]

I bought more w296, imr4227, and 2400 than I would use. But I had the spare cash, brothers and neighbors that use it.
I also have two boys that will be shooting soon enough. I remember what I did to my dad's powder supply.

I could use all of those. I got the 4227 for 357 mag but it dosen't burn completely. In 308 its wonderful.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I could use all of those. I got the 4227 for 357 mag but it dosen't burn completely. In 308 its wonderful.

The 4227 is great with heavy 308 bullets for sure.
I have a 30-40 I'm waiting on time to work up a load for. I'm hoping it likes 2400 or 4227.

They're versatile enough I felt ok stockpiling.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I could use all of those. I got the 4227 for 357 mag but it dosen't burn completely. In 308 its wonderful.

Try it with a small rifle primer. See if you get a better result. Works for me.

 

[AJC1]

Try it with a small rifle primer. See if you get a better result. Works for me.

I intended to shoot it in a carbine but I left that home and my 4" pistol is just a pass. I think with 180s in the longer barrel with a mag primer i can get it dialed in.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

The 4227 is great with heavy 308 bullets for sure.
I have a 30-40 I'm waiting on time to work up a load for. I'm hoping it likes 2400 or 4227.

They're versatile enough I felt ok stockpiling.

Either one for cast - my wife likes a load I pulled straight from the Ideal books: 20gr of 4227 with a 155gr hard cast WFN. She bought herself a Bubbadup Krag a long while back and that’s become her load for it. Me, I like 3031 and a Core-Lokt 180gr but it’s not my rifle so I get no say.
In the Krag, use 4227 or 4198 for cast lead and 3031 for jacketed. Works good.

 

[Bassfishing54]

Everyone has a different idea when it comes to quantities, but the key to longevity is always storing powder in a cool dry place. I started out using the 1# jugs when I first started reloading, but now I primarily buy 8 # jugs. When testing a new powder, I still start out with the 1#s until I am sure the new powder does what I desire. I try to get at least 2 or more 8#s with the same lot number, especially for rifle rounds. With pistol rounds you can load about 1700 rounds of 9mm with 4.2 gr of Titegroup, with 1 lb of powder. It is nothing for my wife and I to shoot 250-300 rounds weekly, so using up an 8# jug doesn't take long. Someone that only shoots once a month or so, may not feel comfortable buying the 8# jugs.

 

[reloaded_in_pa]

There is a slight price benefit buying in larger amounts but if it's going to sit half empty for years I would go with the smaller containers. I buy Win 231 in 4 or 8 pound containers but I can empty a new container is a couple weeks, especially in the summer months. Most other powders I pick up in one pound bottles. As stated above, correct storage is key to keeping powder usable. I have some that's 20 years old and is still usable.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Reading the responses here and recalling previous threads concerning buying in bulk (or not) and storing powders and the like, it’s vividly clear the answer to OP’s question is...it depends. (Mostly on personal preference.)

We can and should read the mfrs admonitions to store in a cool, dry place and yet we also know folks on this and other forums who SAY they have kept powders in un-air conditioned garages and outdoor sheds since the last ice age. But do we know anyone who improperly stored powder and it went bad in a year, two? Ten?

I personally don’t buy large containers simply because they’re more cumbersome to load from, screw up my storage space, and I prefer to use an entire container once opened before opening another (fairly simple for 1#, but not 4 or 8).

 

[FROGO207]

It is all about the economy of scale. I also buy my motor oil by the case or 5 gallon bucket when cheaper. The same with dry beans, sugar, flour, toilet paper, and rice, among others. If you have the storage space, money to spare and time it is simply a hedge against inflation. Doing it when on sale is an added bonus. The last two component shortages have not stopped me at all as far as reloading and shooting. If stuff never comes back I will cut back or stop if needed but it'll take more time than an election cycle without being able to restock to enact this measure. Just sayi'n.

 

[AK Hunter]

I normally use 1# bottles but if I find a powder my guns & I like and I'm reloading something like the .308s that take a lot of power I do buy 8# jugs, if I can find them at the right price.

 

[CMV]

I'm of the mindset "If I need a pound of powder, I need 8". That's only roughly 11k pistol rounds anyway so not really excessive. For rifle roughly 2,200 .223 or 1200 308 so kind of a minimum qty there unless you're just doing a small batch of hunting ammo or something. I also use W231/HP38 for all things pistol (with very few exceptions) so it's not like I have 8 lb for this, 16 lb for that, another 8 for this other thing, etc.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I'm of the mindset "If I need a pound of powder, I need 8". That's only roughly 11k pistol rounds anyway so not really excessive. For rifle roughly 2,200 .223 or 1200 308 so kind of a minimum qty there unless you're just doing a small batch of hunting ammo or something. I also use W231/HP38 for all things pistol (with very few exceptions) so it's not like I have 8 lb for this, 16 lb for that, another 8 for this other thing, etc.

Exactly, different strokes - different folks. I bought a couple boxes of .223 when I got the Super 16 barrel for my Contender. I think they were $1.75/each plus tax for 20 Federal soft points. I can check when I get home. I still have one - it's half full.

 

[CQB45ACP]

It is all about the economy of scale. I also buy my motor oil by the case or 5 gallon bucket when cheaper. The same with dry beans, sugar, flour, toilet paper, and rice, among others. If you have the storage space, money to spare and time it is simply a hedge against inflation. Doing it when on sale is an added bonus. The last two component shortages have not stopped me at all as far as reloading and shooting. If stuff never comes back I will cut back or stop if needed but it'll take more time than an election cycle without being able to restock to enact this measure. Just sayi'n.

I have never been able to get dried beans to fit in any cases.

 

[FROGO207]

I have never been able to get dried beans to fit in any cases.

LOL!!! Then you will be well advised to stay away from cherry pits in shotgun loads.

 

[WeekendReloader]

I buy 1# bottles. At my usage in pistol and rifle, 1# lasts quite a while.
I found I like Win231, so halfway through that bottle I bought a couple more. Since then I bought some 1# bottles of a few other powders to try out.
Now I have more powder than I really need and quite a variety, but am having fun working up different loads for them all.
I have a few powders that are great, a few that are meh, and a few yet to be tried.