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Old February 15, 2009, 07:09 PM   #1
UticaRifleman
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Picking Powders?

I am new to hand loading. I am a bench rifle shooter that wants to make my own rounds and save buck to shoot more often.

I have loaded about 300 rounds now and I am thinking about other combinations. I load on a RCBS Rock Chucker. I am using the Speer reloading manual #14 that came with my kit.

My question is how do you pick the powder you want to use. After I select a bullet for the distance and gun I am shooting there are at least 15 powders to choose from. How do you all select your powder.

If the bullet/powder comb is not listed in my manual is there anywhere else to look for what amount to load.

I always go by the book, but I am trying to keep from getting a new powder for ever bullet I want to shoot.

Thanks
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Old February 15, 2009, 07:58 PM   #2
jamaica
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I like to see which of the listed powders gives the highest velocity. This usually is a good powder for the round. Not that I ever go for maximum velocity, but that powder will give good results without going over pressure.

The Hornady manual will tell you which powder they found to deliver the best accuracy in their test barrel. Of course no manual will list every possible powder for a cartridge.

You can get loading data online from the powder manufacturers.


http://www.imrpowder.com/

Last edited by jamaica; February 15, 2009 at 08:03 PM. Reason: add a link
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Old February 15, 2009, 09:58 PM   #3
firewrench044
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If your rifle is a semi automatic you will be limited to a small range of burning speeds of the powder, for instance an M1 Garand would be limited to
burning seeds between IMR 4895 and IMR 4064
In a bolt gun you are not as limited, but there will be a powder that works better than the others in that rifle with that case, primer, and bullet combination
When I work up a load for a gun I read the forums, talk to others useing the same cartage, I then take all that information and make test loads with
the diferant powders and amouts of powder to find the best combination
and that best combination could be diferant with diferant weight bullets
example, my Garands work best with IMR4895 for 146 to 155gr bullets,
Hodgdon Varget for 168gr bullets and IMR4064 for 175gr bullets and it took quite a while to find these combinations

Give all the specifics when asking for information on a forum or from other
reloaders

model of gun, barrel length, twist rate, caliber, bullet brand and weight
and also the distance you will be shooting at, blasting ammo or accuracy ammo
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Old February 15, 2009, 10:21 PM   #4
T. O'Heir
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I've always started with whatever powder is given in my Lyman manual for the accuracy load for the bullet weight I'm working on.
Your Speer manual is ok, but only gives data for Speer bullets. (Speer's site has no data.) The Lyman manual has more loads for more bullet weights using more powders than any bullet or powder maker's book. (Lyman's site has no data either, but they don't make bullets or powder.) Neither does Sierra's site.
Nosler's site has some data for their bullets. As does Barnes' site. Barnes bullets are expensive solid copper bullets.
"...If the bullet/powder comb is not listed in my manual..." The specific bullet make doesn't matter. The weight does. There are sites with data. Hodgdon for one. They own the IMR brand name. Asking here will get you data too. Especially if you ever buy a rifle chambered in an obsolete cartridge.
There's handloads.com and reloadersnest.com too. They're both sites with loads from shooters, so you have to be careful using the data. Always check a manual.
"...select a bullet for the distance..." Select a bullet for a purpose. IE a match bullet, a varmint bullet, etc.
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Old February 16, 2009, 01:55 AM   #5
A_Gamehog
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Start

What is your gun? that determines your next moves, for example a 22 ca. Hornet is not capable of 600 yard accuracy

Surf the web to Youtube for some loading videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWA4n...eature=related

Sierra has an "Accuracy load" listed and a "Hunting load" in their load books.

Nosler has a "Most accurate Powder" in their books. e.g. the 223 40 grain loads in reload book #6 is W748 from a choice of 10 powders listed.

Use Caution with Data from Barnes' Load data as that is for thier bullets only. They have a special design in the "shank" with bands to allow hotter loads than any other bullet makers loads for the same weight bullets. It is wrong to assume a Barnes .308 150 TSX can be loaded
the same as a Sierra .308 150.

Load by the book to start and you can't go wrong. The free "hot" loads from internet strangers don't do you any good when your are in the hospital with one eye gone.

The website for every powder maker:

http://www.reloadammo.com/rel-powd.htm all of them in one place.

Barnes Data http://www.barnesbullets.com/information/load-data/

Nosler data http://www.nosler.com/?p=15&b=22cal



1). Just so you know, more world records have been set using H322 in the 22's PPC 6mm and 22 class cartridges than ALL the other powders put together.

2). More world records have been made with Sierra's Matchkings than all other bullet makers added together. (non hunting)


I have over 15 load books from the years old Dupont paper books to the new Nosler #6. Each book is produced from bullet makers and powder makers.

One good bit of info for you about loads are the loadbooks that are spiral bound and sold at sportsman's warehouse for 7.99$ The 223 load book for example and the book loads from every bullet maker and powder maker for that one calibur only. Invaluable infomation at your finger tips for 7.99$. Why waste money for all those "wildcat" load books.

Last edited by A_Gamehog; February 16, 2009 at 05:15 PM.
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