There are many folks who do not care for ball powders. They are respectfully exempted from this question.

But some of us are lazy and really like how ball powders flow through powder measures and allow us not to weigh rifle powder charges.

For those who do use ball powders...

Are there any rifle calibers that you have found that there is just no suitable ball powder load and therefore you still use extruded powders ?

Hammer

Ball powder works in every rifle cartridge. There is a suitable burn rate available in 22 Hornet to .50BMG

Major Caliber,

What ball powder do you recommend for the magnums such as the 264 Win Mag, the 7mm STW, and the 30/378 Wby ?

Rumors are that Hodgdon's H450 and H870 are not available anymore.

Hammer

I like H-450 and you still find it on the shelves, but Hodgdon did discontinue it. I remember 8 or 9 years ago Hodgdon was giving away H-450 for free! If you sent in 2 labels from powder cans, they would ship you a pound for free. There are still surplus ball powders in this burn rate. I think Nobel Vectan has a ball powder in this range, I need to look at this option.

The current Hodgdon rifle ball powders being distributed are H-335, BL-C(2), H-380 and H-414.

H-380 is useful in 818 loadings for .177 to .458, but I found it best only in 28 loadings for .224 to .366.

H-414 is useful in 698 loadings for .177 to .458, but I found it best only in 83 loadings for .177 to .458.

H-335 is useful in 608 loadings for .177 to .458, but I found it best in only 40 loadings from .177 to .458.

BL-C(2) is useful in 685 loadings for .177 to .458, but I found it best in only 57 loadings from .177 to .458.

Basically, I guess it depends on what YOU consider "suitable"...

Ricciardellli,

Thanks for the informative response.

How about other sources of ball powders like Winchester, etc. ?

Suitable means nothing given up in velocity or accuracy.

Hammer

For the .264W and 7mmSTW I am using surplus WC 872 with excellent results. At three to four dollars a pound, the price is right, too.

Okay, I took a quick look at my data on Winchester powders...

W-748 is useful in calibers .177 to .458 in 511 different loadings, but it is only the best in 36 loadings between .224 and .458.

W-760 is useful in calibers .177 to .458 in 545 different loadings, but it is only the best in 22 loadings between .224 and .338.

WMR is useful in calibers .243 to .416 in 211 different loadings, but it is only the best in 3 loadings between .264 and .284.

You boys need to join the 21st century. While Ramshot's website is under reconstruction, contact http://www.westernpowders.com/ and get a copy of their latest data.

Blackhawk44,



We are only allowed to use powders that can be proven to have existed during World War II or before.



This also goes for technology.



Next thing you know people will want us to use scopes with internal adjustments.



Hammer