Do you load more older powders or new?

ColColt · #51 04-14-2012, 08:18 PM

Probably my go to powder for the 44 Mag, 357 and 45 ACP is HS-6. Great groups, burns clean and meters great. My other "Unique" like powder is Universal. Couple that with 2400 and that rounds out all I need.

rck281 · #52 04-14-2012, 08:20 PM

I think one can make a case for using Trail Boss for mild loads in large cases. It's very bulky which should help achieve consistent velocities but I have never chronographed it.
I do not like Blue Dot. IMHO whey you get to a near top load it goes over pressure with just a small increase in charge.
Several have mentioned Power Pistol and I have been using quite a bit of it in my 9mm's and 40 S&W's.

Rockets · #53 04-14-2012, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 125JHP

I try a lot of different powders but AA-5, AA-7, Unique & Bullseye are constantly found on my bench.

A friend suggested NO5 because is cleaner and meters netter than Unique. True ?

Peter M. Eick · #54 04-15-2012, 10:11 AM

Yes AA5 is cleaner and yes it meters well (it is like fine sand) but I find that it has a wider variation in SD's and tends not to be as accurate with lead as Unique. Hence aa5 is off the bench now for good.

dla · #55 04-15-2012, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter M. Eick

I was working on the bench yesterday and noticed that most of my powders that I am using are older. You know the "classics". Bullseye, Unique, 2400 etc. The ones I am burning off and not replacing are the newer powders. Lil-gun, Longshot, etc.

I was seeing that my newest powder I really like is Powder Pistol but it gives some wild flame balls when fired in overcast conditions or early evening. That is behavior that is making me rethink its use.

So I am loading the classics. Bullseye, unique, 2400, the dot powders (Blue, Red and Green), SR4756, and IMR 4227 for revolver, shotgun and most pistol with lead bullets. I am using a bit of Powder Pistol for 9mm, 40 and 10mm.

I have now basically given up on most of the newer "niche" powders like Lil-gun, Longshot, accucomp etc. I just don't see they do that much better than the older ones.

What are you guys doing? "Classics" vs. "Modern"???

Also what is your justification? I am just curious if I am becoming a curmudgeon.

Newer is much better. The old saying "if aint broke, don't fix it" is a bunch of hooey. Continuous improvement requires change, and change is good. There are much better powders than the 1st 3 you mentioned. If you choose to use them, fine. But never claim they are "better", because they're not. Times have changed.

MWK1975 · #56 04-19-2012, 09:15 PM

I only use Unique and Bullseye. Of course this could be because I only load .45lc, .44spcl, and .38/.357.

Curt Blunt · #57 04-20-2012, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dla

Newer is much better. The old saying "if aint broke, don't fix it" is a bunch of hooey. Continuous improvement requires change, and change is good. There are much better powders than the 1st 3 you mentioned. If you choose to use them, fine. But never claim they are "better", because they're not. Times have changed.

I don't why "newer is much better". The Alliant line continues the Hercules line and the powders have been tweaked over time. There are many powders that were contemporaries of "The Holy Trinity",i.e., Bullseye, Unique and 2400 that are no longer around. The fact that these are is a testament to their usefulness and popularity.

We're lucky to be living in what might someday be considered the Golden Age of Handloading with all the choices we have.

jwh32 · #58 04-20-2012, 04:38 PM

Bullseye for 32ACP & 38 special, tite group for 380, Power pistol for 9x19, unique for 44 spec and 45 ACP

john

wheelgun28 · #59 04-20-2012, 05:02 PM

I happen to like first three. I might agree that there is better powder to be had but "much better" I dont know if I'd agree. What would you consider much better?
Lets define it
38spl hbwc 3.0 of BE
38 spl standard load 4.0 to 5 G of Unique
44 plinking (Id have to look what I make havent made'em in a while) Unique
44mag load? (again need to look it up) but 2400 powder

I also used Red Dot in 38 and 45 acp

I am using red dot to load 12gauge shot shells.

I was using unique to load 28 gauge shot shells, just bought some 20/28 to try out. I supposed to be better, time will tell.

I am always willing to listen and learn, I am not trying to be a jerk.

Discussion is fun for everyone!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by dla

Newer is much better. The old saying "if aint broke, don't fix it" is a bunch of hooey. Continuous improvement requires change, and change is good. There are much better powders than the 1st 3 you mentioned. If you choose to use them, fine. But never claim they are "better", because they're not. Times have changed.

CGM · #60 04-20-2012, 05:56 PM

I have never had a reloading need that Alliant cant solve. In fact, I can probably narrow that to Bullseye. It's my go to powder for all pistols. It's all I buy nowadays.

Occasionally, I can see a need for Unique. When I reloaded shotshells I used red dot.

Sure , there are other good powders (w231, comes to mind) but.... Why switch? I'm happy

wheelgun28 · #61 04-20-2012, 06:03 PM

I would agree

231 is a good powder, no doubt. I have used it with out trouble. To me its versatile and in between Bulls eye and Unique. However, I am just as happy with the BE and Unique so its a why bother to me. I certainly wouldn't say its bad and not to use it. Its the classic Ford vs Chevy argument...

Quote:

Originally Posted by CGM

I have never had a reloading need that Alliant cant solve. In fact, I can probably narrow that to Bullseye. It's my go to powder for all pistols. It's all I buy nowadays.

Occasionally, I can see a need for Unique. When I reloaded shotshells I used red dot.

Sure , there are other good powders (w231, comes to mind) but.... Why switch? I'm happy

Cocked & Locked · #62 04-20-2012, 06:45 PM

I'm satisfied with Unique and 2400 in handguns. 3031 and 4064 in rifles. FFG black powder in muzzle loading rifles.

I'll just stick with what I know and have used almost five decades. Those work fine and I'm not interested in trying or learning anything else.

I'm just an old goat stuck in my ways.

watergun1929 · #63 04-20-2012, 07:58 PM

I have been loading for my .270 Winchester for 62 years. My pet load for deer, antelope, black bear is Nosler 130 partition and H4831 at 3200fps. When I go for elk I load 150 gr partitions at 3000. These loads are all chronographed and safe in my rifle. Have killed elk to 350 yards and antelope to 400. In earlier years I used the surplus 4831 in 50-lb kegs but have used H4831 for many years now.

LOBO · #64 04-20-2012, 11:52 PM

Handguns,

W 231, 2400, Univ. Clays, AA 5, AA 9, Unique

Rifles,

RL 15, H 4350, Hybrid 100V

jlynch34 · #65 04-21-2012, 09:09 AM

IMR 4831, 4895 and Win 231.

Smith357 · #66 04-21-2012, 09:33 AM

I use the old reliable powders with years worth of data, heck I'm still using Black. My main pistol powder is Bullseye, I use it for .38 .45 and 9mm. My rifle powder is 4895 for my 06s and Goex FFg.

I have tried some of the new powders like 777, Benchmark, and Varget, but they really don't yield any better accuracy than the old ones.

Peter M. Eick · #67 04-21-2012, 08:59 PM

I don't really see this as a new is better or worse. I think from my experience with mostly lead bullets some of the older powder just work better.

To me the classic example of this is Universal vs. Unique. My experience with both is Universal is "generally" better with jacketed, Unique is "generally" better with lead bullets.

Another example is say titegroup vs. bullseye for 45 230 grn lead. Bullseye and titegroup are neck in neck for accuracy. Titegroup for me leaves a "stain" on the gun that is harder to clean than bullseye.

Newer is not always better and it is not always worse. I use AA9 in the 357 SIG. Works great and I have found nothing better with jacketed. You just have to try and see.

olskool · #68 04-25-2012, 10:47 AM

just like the wheel i think the old timmers got it right the first time. i use unique the most 2400 and bullseye and 4227 in my rifle loads 4895 and 4350 and blc2 i do use some newer stuff. varget is great but it is almost the same as 4064. i need nothing more.......

Frank46 · #69 04-26-2012, 01:32 AM

I use 4350 for my '06 sako, 4895 in my garand, winchester wst in my 45, for cast bullets in various rifles I use IMR4759, 38 special titegroup, M! carbine cannot remember. So basically I'm using powders that I have used since I started reloading, which is over 40 years ago. So you could say that I'm using the older powders for the bulk of my reloading.I shoot cast bullets out of my Finnish M27 moisin nagant and my 30-40 krag. And hopefully so will be doing that with either black powder or triail boss. Thats for my 140+ year old peabody 50 caliber single shot. Thanks, Frank

Ron H. · #70 04-27-2012, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter M. Eick

I was working on the bench yesterday and noticed that most of my powders that I am using are older. You know the "classics". Bullseye, Unique, 2400 etc. The ones I am burning off and not replacing are the newer powders. Lil-gun, Longshot, etc.

I was seeing that my newest powder I really like is Powder Pistol but it gives some wild flame balls when fired in overcast conditions or early evening. That is behavior that is making me rethink its use.

So I am loading the classics. Bullseye, unique, 2400, the dot powders (Blue, Red and Green), SR4756, and IMR 4227 for revolver, shotgun and most pistol with lead bullets. I am using a bit of Powder Pistol for 9mm, 40 and 10mm.

I have now basically given up on most of the newer "niche" powders like Lil-gun, Longshot, accucomp etc. I just don't see they do that much better than the older ones.

What are you guys doing? "Classics" vs. "Modern"???

Also what is your justification? I am just curious if I am becoming a curmudgeon.

Sir, I think the newest powder in my cabinet is HS-6, and I only got that as an experiment. FWIW, the powders I use most are IMR 4895, Unique, and W231. Of course, the few cartridges I currently load are all old, too: .45 Colt, .45 ACP, .30-'06, and .308.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.