Author Topic: One rifle powder?  (Read 1667 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline mechanic

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (32)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5112
  • Gender: Male
One rifle powder?
« on: November 13, 2008, 04:22:00 PM »
If you could only have one powder for rifle reloading, large and small caliber, which would you choose? I will load from a 243 to a 45-70, loading for accuracy, no max. loads.

Ben
Molon Labe, (King Leonidas of the Spartan Army)

Offline Swampman

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (44)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 16518
  • Gender: Male
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2008, 04:31:51 PM »
Varget
"Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the Book?" Sogoyewapha, "Red Jacket" - Senaca

1st Special Operations Wing 1975-1983
919th Special Operations Wing  1983-1985 1993-1994

"Manus haec inimica tyrannis / Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" ~Algernon Sidney~

Offline james

  • Trade Count: (7)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 798
  • Gender: Male
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2008, 04:44:44 PM »
Ya beat me to it Swampman.....I just bought another 8 lb. jug of Varget as that is what I use the most.  I use it in .223, 6.5x55, 7mm08, and 308.   It is not supposed to be temperature sensitive.  I work up loads and reload a lot in the summer and shoot more when the weather is cool.  So far it has worked very well for me and I can't tell much difference when it is hot and humid or cool and dry.  4895 works better in my 06 and 4350 is more accurate in my .270 so I don't use Varget in everything.  It should work nicely in your .243 but you can probably find a better powder for large calibers like the 45-70.
good luck
james

Offline Swampman

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (44)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 16518
  • Gender: Male
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2008, 04:49:53 PM »
"Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the Book?" Sogoyewapha, "Red Jacket" - Senaca

1st Special Operations Wing 1975-1983
919th Special Operations Wing  1983-1985 1993-1994

"Manus haec inimica tyrannis / Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" ~Algernon Sidney~

Offline rifleman

  • Trade Count: (11)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 244
  • Gender: Male
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2008, 07:57:24 PM »
Varget

Offline Tom W.

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1294
  • Gender: Male
  • Warning... Does not play well with others!
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2008, 10:29:18 PM »
Yup. Varget will work in just about everything. I have.
Tom
Alabama Hunter and firearms safety instructor

I really like my handguns!

Offline R.W.Dale

  • Trade Count: (22)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2170
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2008, 11:23:39 PM »
For once I agree with swamp. Varget is usually one of the most accurate powders I've tried, from 223 and 243 to 35 whelen and rem and everything without a belt in between

Offline spinafish

  • Trade Count: (24)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1161
  • Gender: Male
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2008, 11:54:12 AM »
DITTO!  I use for everything from 45-70 to 6.5 TCU
the most heartwreching words any man will ever hear
"depart from me, I never knew you"  Jesus
We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito.” C.S. Lewis

Offline mechanic

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (32)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5112
  • Gender: Male
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2008, 01:57:51 PM »
Thanks fellas.

I'm cleaning up the old reloading equipment my Dad had 20 years ago due to the price of ammo.  I figured I would get the right info here rather than from the guy who sells me gear.

I don't reload pistol ammo.  I remember we used Bullseye for most of the pistol cartridges we loaded, but Dad had 20 or more types of rifle powder.  I want to keep it simple.  I also remember hating the Bullseye because it was so crucial to weight each charge and check yourself several times.  Just a little of that went a long way, just a few grains was a double charge.

I picked up a large load of his old reloading equip. from my brother who was not using it anyway, and found most of it perfectly usable after all these years.  My one purchase will be a digital scale instead of the old balance beam.  I never really trusted that thing.

Thanks again,

Ben
Molon Labe, (King Leonidas of the Spartan Army)

Offline john keyes

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 770
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2008, 07:46:37 PM »
H4895
Though taken from established manufacturers' sources and presumed to be safe please do not use any load that I have posted. Please reference Hogdon, Lyman, Speer and others as a source of data for your own use.

Offline onesonek

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 714
  • Gender: Male
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #10 on: November 15, 2008, 01:31:57 PM »
For basically everything I shoot, and from an economic with an extremely frugal point of view,,,I could get by with Varget. From an overall performance point of view with the same cartridges in mind, I would have to say H4350 is better.

Dave

Offline GameHauler

  • Trade Count: (49)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 867
  • Gender: Male
  • Thank you Every One for Positive Feedback
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #11 on: November 15, 2008, 02:41:22 PM »
For basically everything I shoot, and from an economic with an extremely frugal point of view,,,I could get by with Varget. From an overall performance point of view with the same cartridges in mind, I would have to say H4350 is better.

Dave

I was waiting for you to chime in here SQUEAKY  8)

Thanks again for all your help ;)
and I have told my family I want one of your holsters for christmas ;D

Mike
Mike

Offline onesonek

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 714
  • Gender: Male
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #12 on: November 15, 2008, 04:13:59 PM »
A holster for Christmas is slightly off topic, but a good idea none the less ;D

Dave

Offline Skunk

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3520
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #13 on: November 15, 2008, 04:28:31 PM »
I have to go with Varget too. It seems to work great for all my rifles.
Mike

"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" - Frank Loesser

Offline plumberroy

  • Trade Count: (4)
  • Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 486
  • Gender: Male
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #14 on: November 15, 2008, 06:06:10 PM »
IMR3031 is my choice  45-70, 22-250,30-30 AI  and several others I have reloaded over the years. only rifle I don't use it for is my 338 win
Every breath I take as a Free man was paid for with the blood of an American Soldier

Offline GameHauler

  • Trade Count: (49)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 867
  • Gender: Male
  • Thank you Every One for Positive Feedback
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #15 on: November 17, 2008, 02:00:52 PM »
How did this get lost in ONE DAY ???
Even with Dave posting the link ??? ???
Mike

Offline fknipfer

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Avid Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 203
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #16 on: November 17, 2008, 06:54:46 PM »
Only rifle powder I would use on everything is H4895.  Always consistent, and no wild rounds.


fknipfer
Kansas Rifle Association
NRA Life Member
I am not a gun collector, I am an accumulator
US Army Veteran

Offline catman

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 101
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #17 on: November 18, 2008, 05:55:03 PM »
I use RL15 in 30-30,.308 & 30.06 and yes I do like Varget in there too..
odds are with the prepared.....

Offline Steve P

  • Trade Count: (10)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1733
  • Gender: Male
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #18 on: November 19, 2008, 10:46:35 AM »
I do not have Varget in my cabinet.  I have pounds and pounds of other stuff, but no Varget.  (hmm maybe I should)
If I had to pick one powder that would shoot in every rifle I have (22 hornet - 45-70) I would pick Unique.
If I had to pick one rifle powder that would shoot in every rifle, it would probably be between 4895 and 4350.

Steve :)
"Life is a play before an audience of One.  When your play is over, will your audience stand and applaude, or stay seated and cry?"  SP 2002

Offline stimpylu32

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (67)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6062
  • Gender: Male
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #19 on: November 19, 2008, 12:21:34 PM »
Steve P

I too have a ton of diffrent powders , as for the Varget I have not been as impressed as some have , with all the rounds that I load I have only found one that it excells at and that's the 243 with a 58g V-max .

With all others I have a powder of one brand or another that does a better job , that may also explain why my gun room looks like a gun shop display .  ;D

stimpy
Deceased June 17, 2015


:D If i can,t stop it with 6 it can,t be stopped

Offline AtlLaw

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (58)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6405
  • Gender: Male
  • A good woman, nice bike and fine guns!
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #20 on: November 19, 2008, 01:11:17 PM »
one powder?  one powder??  :-\  Sorry, I just can't get my ol' head around that concept...  :-[  I do like Varget though...
Richard
Former Captain of Horse, keeper of the peace and interpreter of statute.  Currently a Gentleman of leisure.
Nemo me impune lacessit

                      
Support your local US Military Vets Motorcycle Club

Offline Don Fischer

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1526
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #21 on: November 19, 2008, 02:06:12 PM »
The smallest cartridge I have presently is a 243, largest a 30-06. Hands down IMR 4350.
:wink: Even a blind squrrel find's an acorn sometime's![/quote]

Offline mrbigtexan

  • Trade Count: (7)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 594
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #22 on: November 20, 2008, 05:55:58 AM »
4064 is a good all around powder.

Offline Lloyd Smale

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (32)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18247
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #23 on: November 20, 2008, 10:44:52 AM »
4895 or 3031 for those applications.
blue lives matter

Offline corbanzo

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2405
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #24 on: November 20, 2008, 11:15:15 AM »
If I had to pick one... I would probably go with one can of rl-22 and one can of 4007 and one can of 4895......   8)

I would say that 4895 is probably the most versatile out there, and there is so much leeway in the way you can load it also. 
"At least with a gun that big, if you miss and hit the rocks in front of him it'll stone him to death..."

Offline ButlerFord45

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (10)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1992
  • Gender: Male
Re: One rifle powder?
« Reply #25 on: November 27, 2008, 12:23:14 PM »
One powder to do all??? Simple: FF
Butler Ford
He who does not punish evil, commands it to be done.-Leonardo da Vinci
An armed society is a polite society-Robert A. Heinlein
Only the dead have seen the end of war- Plato
Lord, make my words as sweet as honey
tomorrow I may have to eat them- A lady's sweatshirt