What was your first powder...

turtlehead · July 16, 2016, 10:43 PM

and what gun did you first load for?

jwrowland77 · July 16, 2016, 10:46 PM

After much research, I chose 4 different powders when I first ordered. I was reloading for 2 rifles (7mm and .223) and a 9mm.

I went with H4895 and IMR 4350 for the rifles and Unique and Titegroup for the pistol.

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FrankenMauser · July 16, 2016, 10:49 PM

Titegroup
9mm
Ruger P95

--If considering MY firearms.

Norma 201
.223 Remington
Colt SP1 AR-15

--If considering my first handloads.

Elkins45 · July 16, 2016, 10:56 PM

Unique

357 magnum

1981

jmorris · July 16, 2016, 11:20 PM

When my brother and I started reloading ammunition over 30 years ago we used 4.5 grains of 231 for 38/357, 45 and 9mm. Kept things simple.

Almost never use it now but it was really a jack of all trades back then.

Clark · July 16, 2016, 11:25 PM

IMR4895 308 168 gr Sierra Match king 1998 for an FAL I built.

Sevens · July 16, 2016, 11:29 PM

First powder ever would be Win473AA, used in 20ga skeet loads for a Browning Citori.

However, I truly became a handloader running Lee dipper charges of Green Dot under a swaged Speer 158gr LSWC in .38 Special, using Federal brass and CCI-500 small pistol primers, running in my 6-inch S&W 686-3.

Scorch · July 17, 2016, 12:06 AM

Hercules Unique powder for 357 Mag (in the metal can!!). Used a Lee Loader to reload. I was 15. Next was IMR3031 for my 30-30 when I was 17.

bigD01 · July 17, 2016, 12:31 AM

my first loads were for a Winchester model 43 .22 hornet. Used a cartridge cut down for a dipper. 8.5 gr of 2400, checked on a Redding beam scale. this was back in1957!

Hawg · July 17, 2016, 12:50 AM

Unique for a SS Ruger Super Blackhawk. I loaded 50 rounds out of it and tossed it in the trash and went to W 296 and never looked back.

**44 AMP** · July 17, 2016, 02:05 AM

IMR 4320

.308 Wnchester

Remington Model 600 carbine

1972

BrokenBottles · July 17, 2016, 02:09 AM

300-MP
357 MAG
Rossi R92

SHR970 · July 17, 2016, 02:51 AM

Unique AND W231 for 357 Mag. & 38 Spec. 1990. Ditched the Unique and stayed with the W231. Yes.. I bought both and tried them side by side.

Jimro · July 17, 2016, 03:16 AM

Varget, and unfortunate first powder for 308. Switched to 4064 after a couple bottles and never looked back.

Unique, for pretty much every pistol, but more 38 SPC and 357 Mag than anything else.

Jimro

dahermit · July 17, 2016, 05:59 AM

I can't remember which handgun was my first...either my Ruger Blackhawk Flat Top with 2400 or a P38 9MM with P-5066 powder. But I remember loading paper shells for a shot gun with fiber and card wads and Alcan 5 or 7 powders even earlier.

Wendyj · July 17, 2016, 06:06 AM

Benchmark Powder. Loading for a 308.

surveyor · July 17, 2016, 06:30 AM

First powder was

Bullseye for 38 special/9mm/45 acp

And I'm still using it.

First rifle powder was varget (77smk)

brasscollector · July 17, 2016, 06:52 AM

First powder was W231 for 45 auto. Ahh, those were the days..

geetarman · July 17, 2016, 07:05 AM

H4895
.225 Winchester
Model 70 Winchester heavy barrel.

mikejonestkd · July 17, 2016, 07:39 AM

I started with Bullseye, 38 specials, and the Lee Whack-a-mole kit about 15 years ago.

Still using Bullseye in 38 special, but the lee loader kit is gathering dust.

lonniemike · July 17, 2016, 07:46 AM

N 203 for the 7.62R. One level dipper. These are the good old days, while they last. BestAll

Reloadron · July 17, 2016, 08:03 AM

I was given a .22 as a gift in 1958 when I was 8 years old. I began hand loading in 1972 when I returned from Vietnam. Having trained with the M14, I developed a liking to the .308 Winchester cartridge. First powder was IMR 4895 followed by IMR 4064. Eventually I got a SA M1A and a Colt SP1 and was loading .308 Win and .223 Rem. Over the years the cartridges grew which I loaded for. Today, all the years later, IMR 4895 is still one of my favorite powders.

Ron

deerslayer303 · July 17, 2016, 08:07 AM

I started with a Lee Hand loader and IMR 3031 to reload for my No.4 Mk1 Sporter. That quickly moved into a single stage press which I still use.

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Retired45 · July 17, 2016, 08:46 AM

In 1983 started out with HP38 loading for 38 special. Don't Remember the load but shot a lot of them in a Ruger Security Six.

shootbrownelk · July 17, 2016, 09:24 AM

Started loading for a Winchester model 70 in 30.06...used IMR 4064 in 1969. Now I use the same powder in my .375 H&H model 70 and my .243 Remington model 600 carbine. Tried others...no reason to switch.

July 16, 2016, 10:43 PM	#1
turtlehead Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2015 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,203	What was your first powder... and what gun did you first load for?

July 16, 2016, 10:49 PM	#3
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	Titegroup 9mm Ruger P95 --If considering MY firearms. Norma 201 .223 Remington Colt SP1 AR-15 --If considering my first handloads. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

July 16, 2016, 11:25 PM	#6
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	IMR4895 308 168 gr Sierra Match king 1998 for an FAL I built. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

July 16, 2016, 11:29 PM	#7
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	First powder ever would be Win473AA, used in 20ga skeet loads for a Browning Citori. However, I truly became a handloader running Lee dipper charges of Green Dot under a swaged Speer 158gr LSWC in .38 Special, using Federal brass and CCI-500 small pistol primers, running in my 6-inch S&W 686-3. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

July 17, 2016, 12:06 AM	#8
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Hercules Unique powder for 357 Mag (in the metal can!!). Used a Lee Loader to reload. I was 15. Next was IMR3031 for my 30-30 when I was 17. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

July 16, 2016, 10:46 PM	#2
jwrowland77 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2012 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 1,398	After much research, I chose 4 different powders when I first ordered. I was reloading for 2 rifles (7mm and .223) and a 9mm. I went with H4895 and IMR 4350 for the rifles and Unique and Titegroup for the pistol. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

July 16, 2016, 10:56 PM	#4
Elkins45 Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2010 Posts: 498	Unique 357 magnum 1981

July 16, 2016, 11:20 PM	#5
jmorris Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 3,077	When my brother and I started reloading ammunition over 30 years ago we used 4.5 grains of 231 for 38/357, 45 and 9mm. Kept things simple. Almost never use it now but it was really a jack of all trades back then.

July 17, 2016, 12:31 AM	#9
bigD01 Member Join Date: March 9, 2010 Posts: 46	first loads my first loads were for a Winchester model 43 .22 hornet. Used a cartridge cut down for a dipper. 8.5 gr of 2400, checked on a Redding beam scale. this was back in1957!

July 17, 2016, 12:50 AM	#10
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	Unique for a SS Ruger Super Blackhawk. I loaded 50 rounds out of it and tossed it in the trash and went to W 296 and never looked back.

July 17, 2016, 02:05 AM	#11
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,839	IMR 4320 .308 Wnchester Remington Model 600 carbine 1972 __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

July 17, 2016, 02:09 AM	#12
BrokenBottles Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2010 Location: The worst Lancaster in the U.S. Posts: 119	300-MP 357 MAG Rossi R92 __________________ "Lube the hell out of your Llama. Run it wet and it should be a decent pistol."

July 17, 2016, 02:51 AM	#13
SHR970 Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2011 Posts: 1,427	Unique AND W231 for 357 Mag. & 38 Spec. 1990. Ditched the Unique and stayed with the W231. Yes.. I bought both and tried them side by side.

July 17, 2016, 03:16 AM	#14
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 7,097	Varget, and unfortunate first powder for 308. Switched to 4064 after a couple bottles and never looked back. Unique, for pretty much every pistol, but more 38 SPC and 357 Mag than anything else. Jimro __________________ Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one.

July 17, 2016, 05:59 AM	#15
dahermit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Location: South Central Michigan...near Posts: 6,501	I can't remember which handgun was my first...either my Ruger Blackhawk Flat Top with 2400 or a P38 9MM with P-5066 powder. But I remember loading paper shells for a shot gun with fiber and card wads and Alcan 5 or 7 powders even earlier.

July 17, 2016, 06:06 AM	#16
Wendyj Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2015 Location: North Georgia Posts: 1,372	Benchmark Powder. Loading for a 308. __________________ God is NOT dead!!!!

July 17, 2016, 06:30 AM	#17
surveyor Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2007 Posts: 770	First powder was Bullseye for 38 special/9mm/45 acp And I'm still using it. First rifle powder was varget (77smk) Last edited by surveyor; July 17, 2016 at 07:11 AM.

July 17, 2016, 06:52 AM	#18
brasscollector Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2015 Posts: 526	First powder was W231 for 45 auto. Ahh, those were the days.. __________________ He may look dumb, but that's just a disguise. -Charlie Daniels

July 17, 2016, 07:05 AM	#19
geetarman Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,157	H4895 .225 Winchester Model 70 Winchester heavy barrel. __________________ Geetarman Carpe Cerveza

July 17, 2016, 07:39 AM	#20
mikejonestkd Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Brockport, NY Posts: 3,717	I started with Bullseye, 38 specials, and the Lee Whack-a-mole kit about 15 years ago. Still using Bullseye in 38 special, but the lee loader kit is gathering dust. __________________ You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

July 17, 2016, 07:46 AM	#21
lonniemike Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2005 Posts: 138	N 203 for the 7.62R. One level dipper. These are the good old days, while they last. BestAll

July 17, 2016, 08:03 AM	#22
Reloadron Senior Member Join Date: June 8, 2016 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Suburbs Posts: 1,750	I was given a .22 as a gift in 1958 when I was 8 years old. I began hand loading in 1972 when I returned from Vietnam. Having trained with the M14, I developed a liking to the .308 Winchester cartridge. First powder was IMR 4895 followed by IMR 4064. Eventually I got a SA M1A and a Colt SP1 and was loading .308 Win and .223 Rem. Over the years the cartridges grew which I loaded for. Today, all the years later, IMR 4895 is still one of my favorite powders. Ron

July 17, 2016, 08:07 AM	#23
deerslayer303 Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2011 Location: Leesville SC Posts: 2,654	I started with a Lee Hand loader and IMR 3031 to reload for my No.4 Mk1 Sporter. That quickly moved into a single stage press which I still use. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

July 17, 2016, 08:46 AM	#24
Retired45 Member Join Date: June 1, 2009 Location: Tampa, Fla Posts: 19	In 1983 started out with HP38 loading for 38 special. Don't Remember the load but shot a lot of them in a Ruger Security Six.

July 17, 2016, 09:24 AM	#25
shootbrownelk Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 2013 Location: Wyoming Posts: 329	Started loading for a Winchester model 70 in 30.06...used IMR 4064 in 1969. Now I use the same powder in my .375 H&H model 70 and my .243 Remington model 600 carbine. Tried others...no reason to switch.