I see all these neat powders y'all talk about, but I'd like to try them before committing to a 1 lb. canister that I may never use again.

Does anyone make a powder sampler kit? You know, like a salsa sampler?

Hogdon does, they have three of them with 4, 4oz bottles. one they call the hunter and the other is the magnum.

quote:

Originally posted by martinbns:
Hogdon does, they have three of them with 4, 4oz bottles. one they call the hunter and the other is the magnum.

Thanks a ton. I'm scouring the Net trying to find a supplier. Know a handy one?

I looked into it, and it seems these packs are only for rifle.

I'm a handgun reloader.

quote:

Originally posted by Smoking357:
I looked into it, and it seems these packs are only for rifle.

I'm a handgun reloader.

It's not too late to convert.....

Any powder I'm interested in I usually buy in 8-10
pound canisters or 4 pounders at the minimum....I always thought the 1 pound cans were, in effect, the samplers. My shotgun pounders I get in 12-16 pounder caddies or kegs.,

I'm with Gila Jorge. When I try a new powder, I always buy at least 16 pounds of it. If it is a powder that is not common, I buy either four or six 8-lb'ers, depending on price and what the supplier will ship under one hazmat fee.

That way if I really like it, I'll have an adequate supply in case it turns out to be available for only a short while. Have a good cache of RP-3 & RP-4 (powders formerly used at the Gevelot ammo factory in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), Tu-2000, Tu-5000, and Tu-7000, AA-2200, Re-11 & Re-15, W-785, even TBCI-5050, and several others I got that way. All of those are now virtually "unobtanium", but my rifles keep getting fed with them anyway.

And, if I find I don't like a powder, it goes up in price often enough (as does that Hazmat fraud), that I can always sell any I don't want at the local gun club for enough to at least break even. If I were greedy, could even turn a profit on it, but the tax, FFL,and other potential implications of selling for profit are enough I don't want to get into it for profit. I'd rather give it away first.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
I'm with Gila Jorge. When I try a new powder, I always buy at least 16 pounds of it.

Thanks, guys, but that's not helpful.

At 2.5 grains per .38 load, that buying strategy would require me to shoot 44,800 rounds before I could move on to the next powder.

quote:

Originally posted by Smoking357:

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
I'm with Gila Jorge. When I try a new powder, I always buy at least 16 pounds of it.

Thanks, guys, but that's not helpful.

At 2.5 grains per .38 load, that buying strategy would require me to shoot 44,800 rounds before I could move on to the next powder.

Sorry, but guess we all mistook you for a rifle shooter, since you did not originally say you are a pistol shooter.... But it's never too late to change [Big Grin].

If you only need relatively small amounts to try, maybe you could just borrow some from your fellow pistol shooters, or offer to buy samples from them in whatever weight you desire.

If you let us know what pistol rounds you load for, you'll get lots of advise as to what powder usually works best for the calibers you're loading.

ok I am still laughing at jorges comment,
I thought the 8Lbs ers were samplers too

Hodgdon branched out last year selling a Varmint, Magnum and Hunter sample pack. The Varmint packs went pretty well but who wants to sample a magnum load with 1/4 lb of powder when you are using 70 grains.
I do believe pistol sample packs would be more successful. But, the sample packs Hodgdon tried were such a collosal failure I don't foresee anyone else trying.

In reality, most people who want to try a few different powders aren't searching for 4 powders of one brand. Most want to compare several manufacturers. They will try a lb. of Alliant, a lb. of Hodgdon, maybe some Viht or Accurate or throw in a lb of Ramshot, IMR and Winchester.
If powder companies would allow a distributor to branch out and do sample packs of different manufacturer powder that may be successful. But, why would the powder companies want to take on that liability. Who in their right mind as a distributor would want that liability.

All I can say is shooting is not a cheap sport. At $15/lb you better be able to afford to try 4 or 5 different powders. Otherwise, take up chess.

quote:

Originally posted by Smoking357:

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
I'm with Gila Jorge. When I try a new powder, I always buy at least 16 pounds of it.

Thanks, guys, but that's not helpful.

At 2.5 grains per .38 load, that buying strategy would require me to shoot 44,800 rounds before I could move on to the next powder.

That's just a couple of weekends worth aint it?


Smedley

Ok try this: Ask if someone that you trust that reloads has a little something something for ya ta try. Best if you can get a can from someone that did buy a pound and didn't like the results. (BE CAREFUL AND CAUTIOUS)

hey bud read your book and find out the powder that fits your calb. i my self use h4895 its a good over all podwer for all my cal guns h380 is at the top of the line but iam very happy with the h 4895 i have only bought them in 1 lb containers latergood luck