The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Choosing a single powder for multiple calibers. VV

Pond, James Pond · May 9, 2012, 04:53 AM

The ins and outs of reloading; powder and bullet choice, and how they affect the end product's characteristics are still a somewhat dark art to my eyes.

However, I'm learning and slowly bits are falling into place as far as my understanding is concerned.

I am trying to choose a powder to reload with. I am trying to use only one, mostly for cost reasons. Where I live, only one brand of powder is available: "Vihtavuori", so please confine any suggestions to this brand.

If it is unknown to you, then please use the relative burn rates I have provided as a guide.

I want to reload .44 Mag and .38 Spl.

For the time being these will be 240gr and 158gr bullets respectively. Rounds will be for range use mostly. For SD/HD I’d use factory loads. I may later load some 310gr lead bullets for woods duty in .44, if I can get hold of them…

For .44 Mag I have powders suggested by Vihtavuori (V) and Lyman's 49th (L):
N105 (V)
N110 (V) (L)
N320 (V)
N340 (V)
N350 (V)
3N37 (V)

For .38 Mag I have powders suggested by Vihtavuori (V) and Lyman's 49th (L):
N320 (V) (L)
N340 (V)
N350 (V) (L)
3N37 (V)

In my Lyman’s manual, here are the relative burn rates for each with the next relative brands as a position out of a hundred, 1st place being fastest burning:

16th International
17th N320
18th PB, IMR

32nd Power Pistol, Alliant
33rd N340
34th SR-4756, IMR
35th 800X IMR
36th 3N37
37th N105
38th No.7, Accurate
39th Longshot, Hodgdon
40th N350
41st True Blue, Ramshot

46th Enforcer, Ramshot
47th N110
48th 4100, Accurate

Sorry for the lengthy post.
However, I don’t yet understand how burn rate will manifest itself in felt recoil or accuracy and where the acceptable cross over for the needs of a light .38 and a heavy .429

You choice and why?

May 9, 2012, 04:53 AM	#1
Pond, James Pond Senior Member Join Date: July 12, 2011 Location: Top of the Baltic stack Posts: 6,079	Choosing a single powder for multiple calibers. VV The ins and outs of reloading; powder and bullet choice, and how they affect the end product's characteristics are still a somewhat dark art to my eyes. However, I'm learning and slowly bits are falling into place as far as my understanding is concerned. I am trying to choose a powder to reload with. I am trying to use only one, mostly for cost reasons. Where I live, only one brand of powder is available: "Vihtavuori", so please confine any suggestions to this brand. If it is unknown to you, then please use the relative burn rates I have provided as a guide. I want to reload .44 Mag and .38 Spl. For the time being these will be 240gr and 158gr bullets respectively. Rounds will be for range use mostly. For SD/HD I’d use factory loads. I may later load some 310gr lead bullets for woods duty in .44, if I can get hold of them… For .44 Mag I have powders suggested by Vihtavuori (V) and Lyman's 49th (L): N105 (V) N110 (V) (L) N320 (V) N340 (V) N350 (V) 3N37 (V) For .38 Mag I have powders suggested by Vihtavuori (V) and Lyman's 49th (L): N320 (V) (L) N340 (V) N350 (V) (L) 3N37 (V) In my Lyman’s manual, here are the relative burn rates for each with the next relative brands as a position out of a hundred, 1st place being fastest burning: 16th International 17th N320 18th PB, IMR 32nd Power Pistol, Alliant 33rd N340 34th SR-4756, IMR 35th 800X IMR 36th 3N37 37th N105 38th No.7, Accurate 39th Longshot, Hodgdon 40th N350 41st True Blue, Ramshot 46th Enforcer, Ramshot 47th N110 48th 4100, Accurate Sorry for the lengthy post. However, I don’t yet understand how burn rate will manifest itself in felt recoil or accuracy and where the acceptable cross over for the needs of a light .38 and a heavy .429 You choice and why? __________________ When the right to effective self-defence is denied, that right to self-defence which remains is essentially symbolic. Freedom: Please enjoy responsibly.