If we suddenly became limited to one powder for all of our reloading needs what powder would you choose? Off the top of my head i'd say Unique. Now, Seafire, he'd probably say Bluedot. What say you?

This is difficult.

Can I pick the number 1 and it's runner up?

For my uses, #1 would be H4831SC. Second: IMR4350

Doc,

One powder for everything, including handgun and shotguns.

Black!!!!!

Bluedot for me.

rel-7 or benchmark..

quick enough to make a 45lc useful (the only true pistol round i "bother" to load) and with a filler, WILL run the big stuff..

nominally i use 7 for 45/70 and 458win, and benchmark for 376 steyr, but could for 500jeffe, 550 express, etc

jeffe

I have zero experiance using Bluedot or
Unique in a rifle cartridge,so on the conservative side Striaght walled pistol cartridges is my experiance with these.



FFFg Goex


When this post is thru bend my ear on the
unique/bluedot in the rifle scene.

Surprisingly.... old seafire, would probably go with
one of the following ( not in order of preference)
RL 7, RL 15, IMR 3031, IMR 4064, IMR 4895, H 380
W 748, H 414, H335, or SR 4759 before he would limit himself to Blue Dot as the one powder....

I am not much of a magnum guy so I don't need 4350 or above burn rate powders.....

but I could get by with any of the following, but thank the lord that we don't have to limit ourselves to one powder!

That would be a miserable as limiting ourselves to one rifle or one caliber...

cheers
seafire

quote:

Originally posted by Doc:
This is difficult.

Can I pick the number 1 and it's runner up?

For my uses, #1 would be H4831SC. Second: IMR4350

Agree!

For rifles, Reloader 15. For handguns, Unique.
For both? Tough one, I've never thought about it. There are some medium to fast burning rifle powders that might work but I don't know that preformance in either would be satisfactory. If you have a 45-70 and a 45 Colt its easy, black powder.

Is Ted Kennedy up to something?

Gentlemen

1# Norma MRP

2# Norma 204

3# Norma 203B or URP

Cheers
/JOHAN

Another vote for GOEX fffg

If we have been limited to 1 powder, then times must truly be tough all over...and the only powder that I could see being practical under such duress would be Black Powder.... made in my back yard.... with my vegetable garden.... and a biomass still.... a passive solar hot water heater.... and booby traps to keep the theives away!!!

I mean things would REALLY have to be hard for me to use only one powder.

Since that isn't a requirement,I don't worry about it.I choose the best powder for each gun reguardless of how many powders that I need to keep on hand.

A light hearted way to ask is what powder would you pick if it were free?

Back when 4831 was $.60 a pound I got a lot of it. That prompted me to buy a 7mm mag. It all worked out fine.

Today I might select a rate about like 4064. IMR's 4064 works quite well even in magnums.

Easy one, vhit N160

quote:

Originally posted by craigster:
Doc,

One powder for everything, including handgun and shotguns.

Alright, fine. Although I do not load for handgun anymore, and I've never loaded for shotgun. So, if I had to limit myself to just one it would be...(and by the way, I did specifically state in my first post, "for my uses", which is only centerfire rifle now)


SMOKELESS POWDER!

One powder (IMR 4064) and 2 cartridges: .308 Win. and .375 H&H. am I old or what!

Quote By Doc

quote:

for my uses

Can't argue with that

Off the top of my head I'd have to say IMR-4064 or Re7... But let me study up on that before I decide for certain!

Only One will do, Black Powder!
BB

while we"re on the subject, has anyone used reloader 22 in .308?
i have been using BLC2 for 243 and 308, but i wanted something with a higher case density for 243, so i bought a tub of reloader 22. i used/shot it for the first time yesterday, and so far it"s not as good as BLC2. could i use it in the 308? i occasionally use 150 gr bullets, but my rifle loves 130 gr. what about 308, with 150 gr bullets or heavier, over reloader 22? i"m asking because i can"t find any data listed anywhere else.
good shooting

I'd probably settle on Varget.

I seem to be using it in more & more applications.

Not sure how it would do in the pistols and shotguns, so to get around that, I'd just buy factory ammo for them. Shotgun ammo by the case isn't bad, and the way I shoot a pistol, it wouldn't make any difference!

AR2209 or 2208 but gee it would leave some rounds redundant.

AA 5744; end of story. Will shoot either cast or jacketed bullets in almost any caliber you can think of, from the .22 Hornet up to .45-70, and will give full velocities in any of the handgun calibers I deal with the most, those being the three magnums.
And I believe I could make it burn in the .380, the 9 and the 40, as well as the 45 ACP!
Shotguns might be a bit of a challenge, but I'll bet it would work there, too; at least in the 12...

Doubless has a good point. But, if you are looking at handguns only, we have a relatively new powder that will provide single digit standard deviation in everything from 9mm to .454 Casull. Not Unique, but a 21st century powder that will fill the role for many handgun cartridges, Ramshot True Blue and I hope to have 4lbs. delivered tomorrow. I will load up some 9mm, .357 Magnum and ,45 ACP immediately and others after that. I like rife powders based on their abilities for a specific caliber. Geez, if I had to settle on one.....
And, If I had to settle for a single powder for everything it would have to have capabilities like 5744 except that 5744 doesn't develop enough pressure to work for smaller autoloading cartridges and I have never seen anyone load it in .45 ACP. If we were faced with the single powder issue, it would also restrict our caliber choices a great deal also, but I could probaly get by with a lever action rifle and revolver chambered for the same caliber if we were ever faced with that scenario.
I am new here BTW, and this is post #2, but I think I found the site I have been looking for!

Welcome KLN 357!

Cheers
seafire

After over 25 years of reloading, there is no way I couild choose a single powder for both handguns and long guns. I could however opt for one for each, (but only if I had to). Since I no longer load for .22 centerfires, and my only long guns are chambered for .270WSM and 6.5x55, I could get by with just IMR-4350, although if someone else is paying for it I would opt for Vihtavuori N-165. For handguns for 9mm through .357 I would use Hodgdon Universal Clays. It would even suffice if I ever get around to getting another .44 Magnum. (I have managed to trade off all of my previous ones over the years, but I would kind of lke to find a pristine 4" Model 29 S&W in blue finish) And if I do add an additional centerfire rifle, it would probably be either a .270 Win. or another .270WSM, so either could use the selected rifle powder. Of course, I decided to get a .223 instead, I would probably have to opt for Varget or IMR-4895 instead or the IMR-4350, to accomodate the smaller capacity case.

Thanks seafire/B17G. I take it you are a big fan of WW II aircraft. That was one of my biggest interests growing up as well!

With about 25 years in myself , I would have to agree with 2ndtimer on 4350 for rifle if we get down to 2 rather than one, and the new Ramshot Hunter is similar except that it is a new ball powder development that doesn't have temperature sensitivity issues and with a bulk density of .950, or 950 grams per liter, it will meter exceptionally. I am thinking of adding a new rifle to work it out. Maybe the 6.5 X .284 or a CZ 550 in 6.5 X 55 and if need be later, it can be reamed to 6.5 X .284 NORMA. Might also be exceptional for 7mm-08, but it is a good choice for .270 or .280 as well.

I am working with my possible ONE handgun powder only in Ramshot True Blue. Bulk density is .935, it is very fine grained so metering is excellent, burns clean with low flash. It is slower than U/U and will develop higher velocity when pushed near max. pressure.

Standard velocity to magnum pressure loads show single digit Standard Deviations from the 9mm up to the .454 Casull. It is a very stable powder obviously and has a side benefit in that in the .45 ACP, it behaves like a slightly faster burner than it's burn rate reflects. I will be using it for JHP's and will try it with some cast loads standard velocity up to +P.

I suppose I could manage with a 223, 308 win, a 35 whelen and a can of Rlr-15. But why should I?

IMR-3031 for me great in the 30/06.

whichever one I had the most of, and then ditch the guns that wont take it.

Jamie

Blue Dot is my choice. It works well in pistols and shotguns, and is fairly decent for light rifle loadings. I could make it work in anything from a .32 ACP up to a .458 Win Mag if it's all I had around.

4759 roger

quote:

Originally posted by Papa Capp:
Is Ted Kennedy up to something?

ya should i buy 4 or 5 more lbs. of powder??