need a good pistol / rifle powder

[beex215]

i load 9mm, 40sw, 45acp, 223, 308. i have used unique and all fired pretty well. the thing about that powder is the fact that it burns extremely smoky. i would like to find some powder i can use in rifles and pistols that can compare in performance but without the big puff of white smoke.

anyone know?

[Jimro]

Well I wouldn't use Unique in 223 or 308.

People have used Universal Clays and say that the performance is like Unique but cleaner.

Ramshot TAC would be a good choice for your 223 and 308. I only recommend it because it is a spherical powder so it meters better than my favorite, IMR 4064.

Jimro

[Doyle]

The problem with TAC is that it is so powdery that it gets everywhere. I think you'll have a hard time finding a good powder that works with both a .223 and .308. The case sizes are just too different.

[Unclenick]

Universal is much cleaner. Slightly faster (often, but not always, about 5% less charge weight). It will be fine in all those calibers if you aren't trying for maximum loads and if the rifle loads are very light performers (compared to what they are capable of with a correct burn rate rifle powder). A fast powder like Unique or Universal in a rifle case will produce much lower velocity than a larger quantity of a slower rifle powder does at the same peak pressure.

[Shane Tuttle]

Don't have a solid answer for your rifle cartridges. I'm going to start experimenting with Reloder 10x that's supposed to be specially made for .223 and .22-250.

For those pistol selections, my go-to powder is HP38 (same as Win231). Clean burning, meters VERY well, is relatively inexpensive, and fills the cases well.

[AlaskaMike]

Unique isn't my favorite in handgun loads, but I've never got significant amounts of white smoke from it like you describe. I'm curious if you were shooting cast bullets in the loads that gave you lots of smoke? I've found that bits of bullet lube stuck to the bases of cast bullets results in lots of smoke, but never the powder.

You won't find many people using Unique in rifle cartridges like .223 and .308. It certainly works, but the loads are low velocity because Unique is such a fast burning powder. A classic load for most of the .30 caliber rifle cartridges (.30-30, .30-40 Krag, .308, .30-06) is 10 grains with a 150 grain bullet. It should go without saying that if you try to create full-power, 2700+ fps loads in .223 or .308 using Unique, that you will destroy your rifle and probably put yourself in the hospital.

[Jim Watson]

One powder for a 18,000 psi pistol and a 50,000 psi rifle is carrying it too far.

R. Buckminster Fuller said "Simplify as much as possible BUT NO MORE."

I load non-magnum pistol ammo with HP38 (=W231) and both .223 and .308 with Varget.
A Ball process powder like 748, TAC, or 2520 is a great convenience in quantity reloading for routine military rifle shooting but did not give me as good accuracy for competitive target shooting.

[black mamba]

I will second Jim. W231 is a terrific all-around pistol powder, and Varget is the same for rifles. Just in case the other powders he mentioned are not available, H322 would work for the rifle as well.

If you have to have just a single powder for both, a fast rifle powder like A5744 or either IMR or Hodgdon 4198 could work, but would compromise both pistol and rifle loadings.

[William T. Watts]

I think your trying to do too much with one powder, it would be best to select two powders. As has been mentioned eariler W231 or HP38 (same powder) will work well with your pistols, either IMR or Hodgdon 4895 powder (similar but not the same) would be a good choice for the 223/308! William

[Scorch]

For the pistols, Universal or W231. For the rifles, Varget or W748.

[willr]

For pistols: W321, Bullseye, AA#5. I have had trouble with Unique not metering well in the powder measure. I have noticed also, that there is quite a cloud of black smoke with W321.

willr

[oldpapps]

An observation from a newbe.
There are so many good powders to pick from.
Get a new/newer loading book and look at the loading data listed for your chosen calibers with interest in bullet weights and listed velocities. Compare your interests in that book, then do the same in several other loading books. I think you will find a pattern. Go from there.
What do I use, you say.
For pistols, I use 231 for everything from 8MM Nambu to 45 ACP and lead out of a 44. I actually use the same 5.6* grains of 231 for all loadings in my 45s and for 240 grain lead in my 44. That said I use other powders for some uses, Tightgroup in 40 S&W and from a protected 8 pound keg of 630 for my pet 240 grain JHPs in my 44 Mag.
For rifles, I have standardized with 748 for 223 Rem, 308 and 06. And yes I do use other powders for some uses, 4895 with heavier bullets in the 223 and light bullets in the 308. As I feed 308s to a M1A and 30.06s to M1 Garands, I load somewhat soft for the well being of the weapons and have found that my bolt weapons digest these loads well. This doesn’t mean that I don’t use 3031, 4895 and others to a lesser amount in these same cartridges and several other.
The point is if you want to limit your supply requirements to only two powders, you will have to make your own determinations and there are lots of choices. If you are determined to use only one powder, well, get a Lyman book and go with cast slugs. They will work.
*Just because I haves uses this loading does not indicated that others can or should. Always refer to one or more respected loading manuals and always use caution. It is better to error on the side of safety.
OSOK

[beex215]

i forgot to say, i only shoot cast bullets and the rifles are light loads. seems like universal, w231 is the winner here. ill look deeper into them.

[AlaskaMike]

You still might want to consider multiple powders. I've had very good results with IMR4227 and 2400 with a 180 grain cast bullet in .30-06. 18 - 20 grains of 2400 or 22 - 24 grains of 4227, with the accuracy edge going to the 2400 load by just a bit. With your Unique being smokey in your handgun loads, you can always use it up in rifle loads and then try something else.

5744 is very highly regarded for cast rifle loads, although I've never tried it. I've also heard very good things about Blue Dot with cast rifle loads.

You might want to checkout the Castboolits forums. There are very few people these days shooting cast bullets in rifles, and it seems like most of them are over there. It's http://castboolits.gunloads.com

[JACK308]

VARGET =.308 and some 231 and uniqe