Ok, heres my questions. When your working up a load for a new gun, does it really matter what powder you are using as long as its a quality powder and listed as acceptable for reloading your caliber?
For example if you are loading a 243 win with 75 grain bullets you could use any numbers of powders but say you have varget and RL15 available. These powders have almost identical burn rates so could you make a load from either of these that would shoot about the same if you are using the same gun?
Another way to look at this question is, IF you have a gun that will shoot moa or better, could you make it shoot MOA with most of the powders that a good reloading manual lists for that caliber and bullet weight if you are willing to spend some time working up a load?
Perhaps a more complex question than you think....
It is true that for most bullets and cases, there are several powders that work well. Sometimes there will be several that will provide very satisfactory results.
You cannot reliably substitute on the basis of burning rate.
As you fire a cartridge, you will cause your barrel to vibrate. The vibration travels down the barrel faster than the bullet. If you can get the bullet to exit near one of the ends of the vibration arc, you will get better groups. Some powders will get you closer to that desireable point than others do.
Posts: 2281 | Location: Layton, UT USA | Registered: 09 February 2001
I think it's like a fishing lure. What you are most confident in... After playing around with several powders, I fell in love with RE-22 in my 25-06. Don't ask me how fast the bullets are flying, because I don't care. I can cover groups with a dime, which is good enough for me especially when you concider my shooting ability. Tried RE22 in the 270 and had the same results. I doubt if it's any better than any other powder, but it works for me so that's all that matters...
Posts: 96 | Location: Wyoming | Registered: 28 January 2004
couldnt that be controlled just as well by varying the amount of powder you use instead of switching to a different powder? I dont want to have to buy 5 different types of powder and Im not shooting competition. I just want to have a few types of powder that work well with various different calibers and bullet weights. I am currently loading for a 22-250, 243win and 7mm-08.
A 22-250 I once had would shoot 1/4" to 1/2" groups with a wide variety of bullets and Dupont4350 or H4831.With any bullet and many different charges of 4064 it seldom even would shoot an inch; had similar results with 4320???? roger
Posts: 10226 | Location: Temple City CA | Registered: 29 April 2003
The reason to handload is to taylor a load or loads for YOUR rifle. Powders of sim. burning rates can cause a wide diff. in accuracy. I load for my .338-06 & it will break 1MOA w/ the 210grNP o/ RL15. VV150. IMR4064, 4320 all have sim. burn rates but only RL15 consistantly gives me that sub 1MOA group I like. So in answer, yes diff. powders can make a diff.
Posts: 7752 | Location: kalif.,usa | Registered: 08 March 2001
You will get different results with different powders, simply put. Looking at the calibers you plan to load for, if I were going to keep my powder supply at a minumum, I would try IMR-4895 and H-414.
Posts: 231 | Location: West Virginia | Registered: 22 December 2003
I agree with SteveM70 as to the choices re. burning rate for your choice of cartridges. In my experience, H414 is a very dirty burning power, and IMR4895 is not much cleaner. I would substitute N140 or N540, and N150 or N550 (Vihtavhouri) respectively. They burn much cleaner, and are also less temperature sensitive. I have found that if you can hit the optimum barrel time for a given bullet, nearly any powder will give good groups, but the velocity deviations may not be the same between powders. Just my $0.02.
Posts: 46 | Location: Maple Valley, WA | Registered: 10 February 2003
Quote: couldnt that be controlled just as well by varying the amount of powder you use instead of switching to a different powder?
Not necessarily! Sometimes one type of powder will prove superior to similar ones in a particular rifle, and no amount of charge variation wwith the others will give as satisfactory a result! However, it is probbably NOT NECESSARY for you to have to buy "five different kinds of powder" to get good results with the calibers you listed.
I'll bet you could work up high-performance, good accurate loads for those three rifle calibers using just one, or at the most two different kinds. I think either H414 or one of the 4350's would do for all three! I've certainly gotten good results with IMR 4350 in both the .22/250 and .243 Win. I have never loaded for the 7mm/'06, but it needs somewhat slower powders than the .308 uses. I thing IMR 4350 would do for it as well, and H414 would give about the same results, but occupies less space in the case for an equal charge weight, thus reducing the need to compress the load.
Yes, it does matter. No 2 are identical in burn rate, even to some degree between lots.
More importantly, some are more consistent that others. Some change more with temperature, some vary more between lots, some meter better with powder measures, some change the oil and wash your car for you......you want fries with that?
That is part of the fun here, finding what works for your rifle!
Posts: 1780 | Location: South Texas, U. S. A. | Registered: 22 January 2004
roger
