do you prefer a single or double base powder and why

Hey Vines, I use bof'um as we say in the Lowcountry.

I prefer Single base for Loads which have a good chance of being used during the Twilight periods of each day. Less muzzle flash.

But, I do not avoid a Load that is exceptionally good because of muzzle flash. Double Base in the 350RemMag I have will light up things considerably. Same in the 7mm-08, but it is not quite as bad. They do cause my eyes to readjust.

So, the Single Base Powders get a lot of use in the various 308Wins as they do in the Mags to abate the flash.

If a specific Powder gives the best performance(guesstimated Velocity + measured Accuracy) then it normally becomes the prefered Powder for that rifle regardless.

Good Hunting and clean 1-shot Kills.

I assume you're speaking of rifle cartridges here?

Single base (nitrocellulose) powders tend to have more linear pressure and velocity progressions, making them a bit more predictable. That's not to say that you can't assemble loads that exhibit great performance from double base (nitrocellulose/nitroglycerine) powders.

I'm most comfortable with single-base powders in most rifle shooting, but use some limited amount of double based powder as well.

Most handgun and shotgun powders are double-based. Getting that burning speed usually requires juicing them up with a little higher nitroglycerine content. So far as I am aware, virtually everything I use in handgun and shotgun is DB.

thanks: i was just wondering because i use alot of RL-15 in my .260, 7MM-08 & 308. i didnt know if it was an advantage or disadvantage. over others, say 4064, i use it to. i get my best groups with the 15 in all 3

I consider myself to be very proud (anal )a/b my reloads. I like small groups and good terminal performance. In all my years of reloading, I've never really thought about it. Never really cared. Couldn't tell you if Imr or H 4350, 4831 are sb or db and have bought ALOT of it.
I study the manuals and all the other info I can get and pick a powder for each cartridge(w/ some overlap of course) and load them up. Range test them for accuracy and then bullet test them for performance. For shits and grins I'll then chrono them--sometimes. I've only had one curve ball in 30+ years and that FINALLY turned out to be a seating depth issue. I'm not going to change what works based on whether it's a sb or db powder.

I never used any Double Based powder until I tried some in my 7STW.I now use it in three rifles that I own.I get some of the best groups and velocities with it,but I see more variation between lots than I see with the Single Based powder.

No such thing as a free lunch. The addition of the nitroglycerine adds energy, potentialy velocity and definately heat to the equation. Double base powders are the gunsmiths best friend as they increase throat wear.

Not much of a problem in a factory M700 potentially so in an expensive custom.

I use double base in my factories and single base in my customs. Some powders are a perfect match for a barrel/bullet/cartridge combination and buck the trend that double base gives more velocity.

Ball powders are reputed to be considerably more temperature sensitive. Not all double base powders are ball but all ball powders are double base.

Me I'm waiting for triple base powders- always wanted to shoot bird shit - after all the bull shit in reloading seems pretty ineffectual!

I like IMR for rifles. Alliant for handguns. Alliant is all double based from 2 % up in there old loading data. BUT i see they now have NEW powders, ball? Powder Info here The Manufacture of Smokeless Powders and their Forensic Analysis: A Brief Review