Powder Samples

[adagna]

Do any powder manufacturers or retailers offer/sell samples of their powder, say 2-3 oz?

I would like to try out 3-4 different powders before I commit to a 1lb bottle of any of them.

 

[Gutpile Charlie]

That sounds like an excellent idea....however....I don't think there is a snowball's chance.

I do know that I could probably come to a conclusion in light pistol calibers with that amount, however when I work up loads for full bore rifles, I only get a little more than 100 rounds per pound. By the time you try a few different primers, cases and bullets, it would take a pound or so to really draw any conclusions.

To try to "speed up" this process, I always go out and seek all the information available before purchasing any components.

When I was shooting service rifle in .30-06 and .223 it was fairly easy to get a consensus of opinion on what "everybody is doing".

Now, over time, these consensus change and vary, but at the time you can at least narrow it down to a couple of propellants before you go lay your money down.

Hey, for some shooters, a pound of Bullseye or WW231 can be a half a lifetime's supply of powder!

 

[Rule3]

Do any powder manufacturers or retailers offer/sell samples of their powder, say 2-3 oz?

I would like to try out 3-4 different powders before I commit to a 1lb bottle of any of them.

If you are looking for a specific caliber, I am sure if you post that here, you will get lots of powder choices. It would possibly help to narrow down what kind to buy.

 

[adagna]

I have pretty much narrowed it down but I want to try at least a fast powder like bullseye, A2, Clays, and possibly a different slow powder like A7/9 and I already have Unique.

I am kind of leaning towards just picking up a pound of bullseye, but if I could have a perfect world and try a sample of a few that would be ideal.

 

[Skip Sackett]

There used to be such a thing. A long time ago I got a 20z bottle of 2400. I am trying to find the bottle so I can get a picture of it. I know Erich has seen it as he mentioned this awhile ago.


I'll keep looking.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Found it!

 

[Erich]

A year or so back, I brought this up as a topic for discussion. Jessie/NKJNut of Tennessee Valley Bullets explained why the powder companies aren't likely to go for it as a marketing idea. Oh well.

 

[adagna]

Now something like that would be perfect...

 

[perrazi]

several years ago, when it was alliant powder, they offered 8oz. plastic bottles of the reloader series powders then in current production. i believe it was just after they started making rl-22. they were shown at the shot show that year and were available for a relatively short time. they said it was so people could try the powders and not spend the money for a whole pound. by the time the little containers had gotten to the distributors, alliant cancelled the program.

 

[n4zov]

"To try to "speed up" this process, I always go out and seek all the information available before purchasing any components."


I agree with Charlie. If I am loading for an unfamiliar cartridge, I read everything I can about loading for it before buying components. It is fairly easy to narrow component choices down to a few bullet/powder combination that are most likely to prove best before loading a single round.

 

[Paul5388]

Actually, it doesn't hurt a whole lot to have pounds of powders for testing. You never can tell what they'll really work well in until you try them in your gun with your components. After all, it isn't like they'll go bad overnight, or even in a 1/4 of a century.

So, I have several to try on whatever I feel like trying them on. That's why my powder supply looks like this.

Some of them may even be over 1/2 century old and still perform just like they always did.

 

[adagna]

That is some serious powder... I think that would be enough to probably last me three lifetimes. Forget the manufacturer I need to get you to sell me some sample lol.

I swung by Dillon Precision's retail shop this afternoon and I decided on AA2, based mainly on the availability of load data, we couldn't find a book at the shop that had Clay's listed for pistol loads and they were out of bullseye unless I wanted to buy 4lbs, and I am not quite ready to commit to 4 lbs of something I dont even know if I like yet.

I loaded a couple of 158g jhp with 5.9g of AA2 which was the beginning load in the load book I bought

 

[Wee Hooker]

You might try bumming/trading a cup of powder with shooting buds/ club members. That said, some research for pet loads may narrow the field down even further. Been there -done that, myself. I have a locker full of odd powders and now settled on Clays for all my 9mm, 38 spl and 45 acp loads ( which is all i reload for in handgun anyway.)

 

[jed]

AA2 Powder

It has proven to be a good powder for most semi auto ammo. It also works well as a revolver powder. It is similar to Hodgdon HP 38 and
WW231. There are a lot of loads in a manual you can purchase from
the powder company.

jed

 

[John R]

AA-2 is a very clean burning powder, it's right there with Bullseye for burning speed.