Pick a powder?

[buzz253]

Okay, I have purchased my first press kit with the essentials.  I know which dies I need to get.  My bullet choices are made.  Now comes the problem....  How does one choose a powder?  In looking at loads for my .357 and .44 mags, I see way too many choices for powders.  For these two calibers there are many powders which will work in both with the bullets I have chosen, but how do you pick?  What are the criteria for choosing which powder, whether it be H110, Lil Gun, Enforcer, W296 or whatever?

thanks for the info, buzz

[tree rat]

if you want magnum hunting loads h110 / w296 are good choices, unique or trailboss make great moderate fun loads. only use trailboss with cast or plated like rainer or berry bullets.

[buzz253]

Thanks, yes these are tobe hunting loads.  I am going to my closest Cabela's next weekend (300 miles) to pick up dies and powder, so I thought I should try to figure this out fairly quick.

[Savage]

Might be wise to settle on the powder you want, then order it and the dies from Midway or Midsouth. It'd be about as fast and a LOT cheaper!  I'd buy Unique powder for moderate loads and either H110 or 2400 for hunting loads.
Savage

[Tom W.]

I use a lot of H110 and Blue Dot. 2400 is also a good one, as stated earlier.

[tree rat]

since you are new to this, just wanted you to know the warning about not reducing the charge of h110 / w296, if that is the powder you choose, just be aware, any load book should cover this for you.

[buzz253]

By reducing, do you mean going below minimum load?  Should I not go below minimum at all?  Who makes 2400?

[tree rat]

if you have a reloading manual, stick to what they say for min and max on h110 /w296 some times in some manuals there will not be a min and max only one charge weight. most powers should be reduced 10% then work up, if you do that with this powder it can cause weird pressure spikes, possibly dangerously high. so if you choose this powder do not try to make light loads with it, but do not be scared of it, it does very well as a mag hunting load. so if your data with this powder has a min, DO NOT go below that min.

[stimpylu32]

Buzz

2400 is made by Alliant powder co. along with Blue Dot , Green Dot , Red Dot , Bullseye and a bunch more , as for the H110 / Win296 , they can be very picky powders and you should not go below listed Min loads ,  a firm crimp is also needed for this powder .

stimpy

[Val]

I use bluedot for my handguns because I use bluedot for all my field shotgun loads.

[Luckyducker]

Buzz, you have about as much chance of Cabellas having the powder or primers in stock as a snowflake making it through a Kansas summer.  Nobody has hardly any of these components in stock, and as someone posted previously you really should have them shipped to you from an internet store.   You will have to pay shipping and a $22 hazmat fee but you will know when you order if the item is on backorder.   If you would tell what bullets you are wanting to shoot in what particular caliber these seasoned loaders would probably be a lot more helpful in advising a powder to use.   My go-to powder for 357Mag is Alliant's BluDot with 158 grain JSP and Cast LSWC bullets but I would advise not using it for any bullet of less weight, and certainly not for 44Mag.  Tightgroup has been kind of an old standby powder for the 44Mag but for full power hunting loads I would recommend H110, and BTW H110 doesn't go crazy when reduced but rather the pressure drops off and you run the risk of having a bullet stuck in the bore of your revolver.   I tried H110 in my 357Mag but didn't find it as accurate as 2400 although it worked great for full power 41Mag and 45Colt loads in Ruger Blackhawk and Vaquero revolvers.   When I first started seeking powders for certain applications I looked at velocity potential of the cartridge and the load density and potential of the powders and chose accordingly.   I like to use a powder that fills the case fairly well as the powders that use the smaller load densities run a higher risk of double charging a case and sometimes a small charge of powder can on occasion cause a fail to fire, but that is more likely to occur with light loads in smaller non-magnum handgun cartridges.   If you are not trying to squeeze the last bit of potential from your handguns, Hodgdon's Universal really lives up to it's name as it works great for medium/moderate loads and burns fairly clean.  Good luck and good loading/shooting.

[buzz253]

After doing a bunch of reading least night, I think that I will probably go with the 2400 for my powder.  My primary bullet will be the Gold Dot SJSP for both calibers, although I want to find a good cast bullet for the .44 mag also.  I am thinking of using the western bullet co. 250 grain flat point or the 240 grain SWC.  The .44 mag is a handi rifle and my .357 is a Dan Wesson revolver.

buzz

[Luckyducker]

Those look like good choices to me now just work up the loads carefully and you should have some decent shooting ammunition.