Do all powder???

[superfast61821]

I am preparing to start reloading and am confused as to what type of powder to purchase. I am planning on buying a good amount of powder. But i want to make the right decision in my purchase.
I am looking for a powder that I can use in as many load applications as possible. I plan on reloading shotgun and pistol rounds with perhaps the occasional 7.62x54r rifle round. I would like to find a do all powder if there is one. Thanks for any ideas.

[mrawesome22]

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

[steve4102]

No, not really. There are powders that will work in pistols and some shotshell loads, but generally not all three, rifle ,shotshell, handgun.

Rifle cartridges like the 7.62x54R use powders that are much slower than shotshell and pistol powders. Here is a fairly good burn chart.
http://www.ramshot.com/powders/

Do you have a good reloading manual? If not, may I suggest picking one up and reading the first half that deals with the reloading process. The back half is cartridge specific load data. That will come later.

[kametc]

I suggest picking up the current edition of Speer reloading or Hornady or Nosler, and read intro how to part thoroughly. Especially the chapter on Powders. I don't think you will come up with one ideal powder. Your powder shelf will probably end up looking like: Small rifle= H380/H350 Large rifle=H4831or IMR4831 plus IMR4350 and IMR4064, Handgun=H110 or Win296 or 2400 or Lilgun plus Bluedot and Unique. Different powders are best suited to such a variety of bullet styles and weights. You will now begin the lifelong study as to exactly what fits what.

[gb_in_ga]

I am looking for a powder that I can use in as many load applications as possible. I plan on reloading shotgun and pistol rounds with perhaps the occasional 7.62x54r rifle round. I would like to find a do all powder if there is one. Thanks for any ideas.

Nope. No such thing. 7.62x54r takes a MUCH slower powder than you would use for any pistol or shotgun loading. That said, there are several powders that do double duty as pistol and shotgun powders, which one to select really depends on exactly which pistol and shotgun loads you are interested in. The various "Clays" and the various "Dots" are examples of such, but it isn't limited to just those. Get yourself a good reloading manual and have at it.

[Castaway]

You can get by with two. Hands down it's Unique for pistol and shotgun. Rifle is a little harder as no one powder is as nearly ideal as is Unique in pistol cartridges. My vote goes for either of the 4895's for rifle with a close second nomination to IMR 3031. Unique's very versatile in pistol calibers allowing you to load everything from 25 ACP to 44 Mag or 45 Colt. You won't get the high end performance in your 44 Mag's, 357's or other high pressure loads but it's still accurate and can get you enough umph to take deer at close range with the large bores.

[Jim Watson]

As said, many shotshell powders will do well in pistol loads, but full power military rifle ammunition calls for something much slower burning.

Read up. The ABCs of Handloading, a metallics manual, and a shotshell manual will be useful. The free literature from the powder companies shows both metallic and shotshell data and you can use it to pick a powder that will serve handgun and shotgun.

Don't buy a "good amount" of powder to start with. A pound will load a lot of non-magnum pistol ammo and a fair supply of shotshells.

[Mike Irwin]

It would be a lot more instructive if you told us EXACTLY what shotgun, handgun, and rifle rounds you're going to reload.

[mrawesome22]

If you are shooting a .410 shotgun, a 22Hornet, and a .44RemMag, LilGun would work.

[superfast61821]

I am loading 9, 38, 357, 40, 44, .380, 12Ga, 410 and 7.62x25.