Versatile Rifle Powders

2000Z-71 · #1 03-17-2009, 01:12 PM

Although I've been handloading for over 15 years, I'm relatively new to handloading for my rifles. I've had the dies, powder, cases and bullets for years thinking that someday I would start.

I'm just curious as to what everybody keeps around on their bench for fairly versatile rifle powders. I know for pistol it seems that everybody has at least 1 can of Unique, W231, W296 (or H110 or 2400), etc. on their bench for at least their first attempt at putting some loads together. How about rifles?

So far I'm using RL22, H4831SC, and RL15.

2000Z-71 · #2 03-17-2009, 01:12 PM

Although I've been handloading for over 15 years, I'm relatively new to handloading for my rifles. I've had the dies, powder, cases and bullets for years thinking that someday I would start.

I'm just curious as to what everybody keeps around on their bench for fairly versatile rifle powders. I know for pistol it seems that everybody has at least 1 can of Unique, W231, W296 (or H110 or 2400), etc. on their bench for at least their first attempt at putting some loads together. How about rifles?

So far I'm using RL22, H4831SC, and RL15.

canoe on the yukon · #3 03-17-2009, 01:16 PM

2000Z-71,

It depends on what you'll be loading.Cartridges and bullets will have everything to do with it.Need more info.

Skip Sackett · #4 03-17-2009, 01:29 PM

All I can tell you is that for the most part I am in the same crowd as you are!

I will tell you what I was told though. H4895 will meet all of your needs in any of the military high power rifles. .223, 30/06 or 308. It may not be optimum but there are loads for all bullet weights in those calibers.

I didn't take that advice YET as I had already purchased something else and that in a quantity to last a while.

For the 30/06 loads I had purchased AA #2700, for the .223 I use two powders. It depends on what kind of load I am doing, range fodder or MOA rounds for show.

If I am loading 55gr .223 for range fodder I use BL-C (2), which was designed for military cartridges before there was a .223 and for the 69gr HPBT I use Varget.

Both powders meter well and are very consistent. I like them.

You know 2000z, this is like asking which car is better!

Hope this helps!

2000Z-71 · #5 03-17-2009, 01:40 PM

What I'm loading so far; .25-06, .270, 7mm Rem Magnum, .340 Weatherby Magnum, and .375 H&H Magnum. Typically I'm loading the heaviest practical bullet weight per cartridge; 120gr. for the .25, 150gr. for the .270, 175gr. for the 7mm, 250gr. for the .340 and 300gr. for the .375. Game I hunt is pronghorn, mule deer, elk, and hopefully one day making the trip to Africa.

I was mainly interested in what 3 or 4 powders handloaders usually keep on their bench for rifle cartridges. They may not be the best for a specific purpose but provide enough versatility to at least get started loading in different cartridges.

john traveler · #6 03-17-2009, 01:42 PM

IMR 4895 was newly manufactured to sustain the demand for WWII surplus powder that kept a couple generations of handloaders going. It was THE .30-06 service rifle powder alongside IMR 4831 which was available as surplus .50 BMG powder. You can't go wrong with 4895 for standard .30/7.62mm caliber needs. In the .25-06, .270, and the 7mm and .30 magnums, 4831 gets the nod. In ball powders, WW 748 wins hands down, as well as BLC-2 for .222/.223 rifles. There are a few other slow powders that shine in the necked down cases like .22-250, 6mm, and .243 Win, but having 4895 on hand will cover all of them well.

canoe on the yukon · #7 03-17-2009, 02:01 PM

There are so many powders available today that to list them would only be confusing.With different powder companies selling to the same market,it's inevitable that there will be a lot of duplication of performance.

But,to keep things basic and simple,I can recommend a couple of old standbys that are hard to beat.

I've often said that if I only had 4895 and 4350,I could do pretty well.It would not be optimum for everything but it would perform reasonably with most rounds.

The 25/06 is only a slightly necked down version of the 270 win which is also a necked down version of the 30/06 (same case).It stands to reason that similar powders would do the job.4350 comes to mind as well as IMR4831,which is only slightly slower.A word of warning:H-4831 (the original 4831)is much slower burning than the IMR version.You should NEVER use H4831 data with IMR4831.

H-4831 is good in the 270 with heavy bullets as well as being good with the 7 rem mag.H-870 is very good in the 7 rem mag.I have no experience with the 340 Weatherby but it is simply a necked up 300 Weatherby which is simply a 300 Holland and Holland without the taper.The 340 WBY should do decently with 4350 or 4831 although maybe not optimally.

The 375 Holland and Holland is near and dear to my heart.I have loaded for and used this round a lot over many years.4350 is normally excellent and gives very good groups with consistant velocities with the 375 H&H.

This is only addressing the five rounds you mentioned.

Noah Zark · #8 03-17-2009, 02:24 PM

I agree with Canoe, IMR 4350 and IMR 4831 (or H-4831 with the respective load data) are useful in the range of cartridges which you mention. For the smaller non-magnum cartridges a "newer" powder that has a large following is Varget, a very popular powder for 25-06 and 270 in these parts.

Noah

John R · #9 03-17-2009, 02:37 PM

I always have a jug of H-4895 on hand, it will work in just about any rifle caliber.

dennis40x · #10 03-17-2009, 02:56 PM

For what I reload in rifle Reloader 15 and IMR4350 meet my requirements.

shovelwrench · #11 03-17-2009, 05:02 PM

+1 for 4895

VAdoublegunner · #12 03-17-2009, 05:05 PM

I seem to have settled on Varget, RL19, and 4198 as the ones I use most often in my attempt to pare powder proliferation down a bit. I also have a bunch of AA2495 for what I cannot remember (45-70, I think) except that it was really cheap and seemed like a good idea at the time

.

pownal55 · #13 03-17-2009, 05:58 PM

varget is an excellent powder. i use it in .204 and 7mm-08. i also use a lot of imr4350 and h4831. these four cover a broad spectrum of calibers.

R Cubed · #14 03-17-2009, 08:55 PM

I use IMR3031 in .30-30 & .30-06 while Varget has the nod for .223 cartridges.

bmcgilvray · #15 03-18-2009, 08:10 PM

I've used more IMR 4895 than any other. So good in the M1 rifle with 150-180 grain bullets. A favorite for other .30 cartridges I load such as .300 Savage and .30-40 Krag. Makes a good stand-in for decent performance in lots of cartridges.

whelenshooter · #16 03-19-2009, 01:10 AM

If you have Reloader 15 for the .375, and Reloader 22 for the other cartridges, you will do very well. I like the Reloader series powders because when the manuals say you will get "X" feet per second with "Y" load, they are usually very close. With IMR series powders I've found large differences between published velocities and chronographed velocities.

If you ever decide to get a .308 Win., Reloader 15 is one of the best powders I've ever used for it! Reloader 15 is absolute magic in the 35 Whelen; it gives amazing velocities with 250 grain bullets using data right out of the Alliant brochure without signs of excessive pressure. (No stupid overloads not found in any manual. People who do that are morons.)

n4zov · #17 03-19-2009, 10:19 AM

+1 for 4895. 4831 also works well in a wide variety of magnums. H-335 and the very similar WW-748 are great in smaller capacity cases like .223, 7.62x39, .222.

John R · #18 03-19-2009, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by R Cubed:
I use IMR3031 in .30-30 & .30-06 while Varget has the nod for .223 cartridges.

I used IMR 3031 in 30-30 loads years ago, with good results
Never tried it the 30-06, does it work well?
I hunt with 150 grain Remington Core-Locks
I have a Remington 30-06 auto loader?