I am new to this site and fairly new to reloading altogether. I have had a lot of help from an uncle to get me started. I was wandering how everyone goes about choosing powder and primers for their load? I know that some of it is preference but just curious as to how you choose something if you don't have any prefereces yet. I don't know if that makes any sense.

Primers: pick one, any one, as long as its Federal. Just kidding, all the majors make good primers, pick one and stick with it. Powders: open your reloading manual to the cartridge you wish to load for. Choose a powder that has a good load density and velocity and you will have an efficient powder for the bullet weight you are selecting for. You will see that one powder may yield 3000fps with 80%load density and another with about the same velocity but closer to 95% density. The 80% density powder has a burn rate that is too fast for that bullet weight in that cartridge, while the 95% density powder uses almost all of the case and is more suited to that combo. That being said, there can be more to it than that. Barrel length can play a big roll in that the longer the barrel, the more powder can be burned in it. So a slow burning powder in a short barrel will leave a big muzzle blast, while it may be just what the doctor ordered in a long barrel.

I'd agree with pointblank on powders, but I'd second his joke on primers. FC (Federal) match primers are excellent. I like WW (Winchester) Large Rifle Primers and Large Magnum Rifle Primers next best. CCI bring up the rear for me in large rifle cases.

Strangely, the manufacturer of small rifle primers makes more difference than in large or large magnum primers in my experience. I have had good luck with CCI and Rem9 1/2 for accuracy. WW is ok, but not as good as the Rem or CCI.

In pistols, I don't think it makes any difference except use magnums in magnum cartridges because they are heavier metal and built to take magnum pressures. Kudude

PS: The "medium" powders for standard (30-06) type cases are 4350, Varget, RL15 and 748. You need one of these powders and I'd play with all of them if I were searching for max accuracy with a particular bullet. The slower powders would be 4831, RL 19, RL22, and 760. The faster powders would be 4895, 4064, AA2250, and 1680.

In a 30-06, you could use anything from 4895 to 4064, thru 4350 or Varget up 4831 depending upon the bullet weight that you were shooting.

Today, Hodgdon has purchased IMR and I think WW's powders also. k-d

The manuals normally list a powder or two they had good luck with in their testing. This is a good place to start. The recommenation to use powders with higher load density is also a good one. A place like this where people mention a powder in their loads often. These loads can be another source of a good choice, say like 4831 in the 270 Win or 4350 in the 30-06.
A good primer choice always is the one in the maual used by the lab to develope their data. I like WLR primers in `06 sized and larger cases as a place to start. CCI or Rem 9 1/2 are usually fine in 308 brass, and whatever I have on hand is used to start in 223, ect sized loads. I`ve settled for no real reason on Federal primers in my handgun loads. To be truthful I would not worry too much over the primer, and simply be sure to use the same one to work up your load and drop a grain or two and work back up if you change them.

I recommend that you stick to the "cook book" formulas until such time as you build confidence in your "product". A great start can be had from Lyman's Reloading Handbook. Starting with a review of hand loading history and progressing forward, it is indispensable IMHO.

JJ:
I too have to agree with what pointblank said. If I'm starting out with a caliber I have no previous experience with, I generally go to the Sierra manual and look at their most accurate load. I've found their bullets to be very accurate and their data a good place to start from scratch. I also agree about the comments regarding load density. Just start about 7-8% below max & work up.
Bear in Fairbanks

Stick with the recipes in a good reloading book, such as Lyman's. As others here have recommended, I prefer to stay with powders that mostly fill the case. I cannot agree with picking primers at random. Use the one tested in the load book. In rare instances, primer substitutions have drastically raised pressures. For popular cartridges, I prefer to stick with loads that have been tested in proper pressure barrels, preferably those with true psi sensors, not CUP. Lyman and Hodgdon print psi data if true psi sensors were used to test the loads. I also tend to stop short of the max loads shown.

To be quite honest my process for picking powders and components comes down to making a phone call to the bullet techs at Sierra. They will give you detailed information about what consistently worked well for them in about any chambering you can imagine.
This simple method has eliminated lots of expensive testing and wasted materials.

Thanks for all the great responses. I have one more question, What reloading books are some favorites? Which one's give all of these details? Thanks again for all the great responses and not making me feel like a stupid newbie!!!

My all time fav reloading manual is still the Lyman, followed by Speer, Hornaday, and Nosler. The Norma and Lapua books are interesting, but have limited and proprietary powder listings. I'd suggest Lyman for a newbie, then grow your library from there

I always grab my pig-eared copy of Metallic Cartridge Reloading, 3rd Edition. It is a compendium of most of the other load manuals. Sadly, it is more than 10 years out of date and lacks the newest cartridges and powders completely. I don't know why M. L. McPhereson has not come out with a 4th edition. I like the very new Speer 14th edition. Hodgdon's website gives free load data for Hodgdon, Winchester and IMR powder lines.

I always thought Hodgdon had a good idea with its variety packs...although I guess they weren't big sellers. 4 bottles of 4 different powders, totaling 1 pound. One quarter pound of powder should be enough to determine its usefulness...if not, you had three similar powders to try but only invested the $$$ for 1 pounds' worth.

I always look for those powders that propel my bullet weight the fastest and that fills the case. Then I work up a load looking for the best accuracy at highest speed which is rarely at the maximum pressure. Or perhaps I'm looking to duplicate a factory load, a reduced load using FMJ bullets on furbearers, or a low report or low recoil load. Different powders for different situations.

Thanks again for the responses, I will probably throw in the lyman book the next time a place an order.

I don't use any of my ~ 50 load books anymore.

I use Quickload software for a starting point.

If the gun is much stronger than the brass, I work up until the brass fails and then back of ~6% ala Vernon Speer 1956.

If the gun is not much stronger than the brass, I keep the pressure down to something the gun can survive.

Sierra has been mentioned, and has always been good data for me. Nosler's manuals also list "most accurate powder tested" as well as most accurate of the charge weights listed in the powders they show.

Just remember that bullets are different....for example, Nosler bullets tend to give a bit higher pressure and velocity than other jacket lead bullets due to their construction.

Work up till you find something that your gun likes or hit the book max, then chrono it to see where you really are.

Cheers,

Dan

I second the recommendation about the Nosler manual. It lists both the most accurate powder they found for each cartridge, as well as the load weight they found to be most accurate for each powder they list.

I also like the Lyman manual -- it too gives advice about what powder worked best for a given cartridge.

As you become more experienced in loading, you will begin to develop good intuitions about what is likely to work well. You are also likely to find that your particular rifles are laws unto themselves, at least partly -- i.e. each rifle is an individual, with individual characteristics.

quote:

Originally posted by tnekkcc:If the gun is much stronger than the brass, I work up until the brass fails and then back of ~6% ala Vernon Speer 1956.

If the gun is not much stronger than the brass, I keep the pressure down to something the gun can survive.

I don't think that is very useful information.

I suggest you get more than one manual and cross reference them. I had an incident where the Lyman manual was several grains over the other manuals---enough so that it was a compressed load. Lyman also listed the pressure and it was very low. Looked like a situation where an over charge was impossible. It locked up my rifle. My method for picking the powder is finding one that seems to reach close to max velocity throughout the range of bullet weights available. I have no idea why I do that as I usually settle on one bullet and dont go switching around to various weight bullets.

I choose Powder by the Manual I use….
As I primarily load for Bolt Action Rifles (with some exceptions) I do tend to use slower powders which fill up the case without causing compressed loads… also I will try the Powder which the Manual recommends for that round & Bullet weight…

I will use Fed Match Grade Primers…

sooo I will start near the Min. Load and increase to the spot where I am pleased with Accuracy and Velocity… but remain under the published max for that round… AND have no signs of Pressure.

Simple, Safe & Effective