Author Topic: If you could only have two powders for reloading (Read 1692 times)

hogcowboy · « **on:** May 30, 2011, 07:57:43 AM »

If you was forced to have just two powders for reloading, what would that be? I know they make a lot of different powders now for all kinds of different applications, but if you could only have two. My pick would be Universal and Unique. Those two cover more of what I reload for than any other. Are there any two that would be better. I'm thinking the SHTF type scenario is the reason for the question and I had to grab just two powders. Unique would take are of my pistols and Universal would take care of my shotguns. I could survive with that combination I think. Those two powder have been around for some time, before there were then number we have today. So which two did people use way back there?

Cheesehead · « **Reply #1 on:** May 30, 2011, 08:04:43 AM »

RL-15 and Red Dot.

Cheese

billy_56081 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 30, 2011, 10:20:29 AM »

1: Varget

2: Lil Gun

huntducks · « **Reply #3 on:** May 30, 2011, 11:01:07 AM »

H-380 and Unique

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #4 on:** May 30, 2011, 11:28:11 AM »

What about 4064 and Unique?

mechanic · « **Reply #5 on:** May 30, 2011, 12:12:26 PM »

Unique and Varget.

Ben

mauser98us · « **Reply #6 on:** May 30, 2011, 01:19:07 PM »

H4895 and Winchester231

hillbill · « **Reply #7 on:** May 30, 2011, 02:23:53 PM »

about any common handgun shell can be reloaded with red dot as well as shotguns. as for rifles i like 4350. but i do like 4198 for 223 and 30-30. it is supposed to work well with straight wall rifle shells too.i have a suspiscion that red dot could possibly be used to load any cartridge in a pinch.you would have to keep your wits about you, work up slowly, look for signs of pressure and never double charge a shell.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #8 on:** May 30, 2011, 02:55:36 PM »

varget and h4350

wncchester · « **Reply #9 on:** May 30, 2011, 03:05:05 PM »

If I could only have two powders I would pick the two cartridges I most wanted to shoot and use the powders that work best in them, setting the others aside until I could obtain what works best in them. ??

shot1 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 30, 2011, 03:16:07 PM »

Since this is a "WHAT IF" situation that I could not replace all the powders I now have stored it would probably be a society falling apart situation. I would take some IMR 4895 and Unique and load up some ammo for my M-24 clone 308 and my M1 Garand and a number of pistols and go hunt down and take what else I needed from the less fittest. Survival of the fittest.

wwjmbd · « **Reply #11 on:** May 30, 2011, 08:06:36 PM »

I would chose IMR 4064 and IMR 4350, those 2 take care of 90% of my reloads now anyways.

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 31, 2011, 01:00:41 AM »

Wow this is difficult. I use much more than 2 powders. When you include every thing from a 38 Special to rifle belted magnums and then throw in shotguns too...well it is difficult. I guess I would narrow it down by cartridge. My father told me a long time ago that a 22 rifle and a 12 gauge shotgun are all you need to hunt anything in Indiana. That is all he owned BTW. A Remington model 12 22 and an Ithaca model 37 12gauge. He never reloaded a cartridge in his life. Since we are narrowing down, those would be my two choices, so Red Dot for the shot guns and lay in a life time supply of 22 Long Rifles for both handguns and rifles. One powder.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

stimpylu32 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 31, 2011, 08:46:27 AM »

This one is simple -- H4895 & Trailboss , with these two powders you could load ANY round that you could ever come across . Would these be the best powder choice for any of them ? Maybe not BUT they would work .

stimpy

keith44 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 31, 2011, 08:53:33 AM »

Just for a twist, 2F Goex black, and 2400. This would cover my muzzleloaders, and 45-70, and .44 mag, and shotguns. This assumes I am after food / survival NOT a combat situation.

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 31, 2011, 01:52:31 PM »

I reload 45 Colt, 38 Special and 16 gauge so IMR PB would cover me for all 3 and it works the best in my 38 Special and 16 gauge. After that I'd pick Unique, since it also covers all 3 and works the best in my 45 Colt.

gomerdog · « **Reply #16 on:** May 31, 2011, 06:03:32 PM »

Unique and H4895.

bobg · « **Reply #17 on:** May 31, 2011, 11:44:06 PM »

I only use 3 powders now but if i had to limit it to 2 i could get by with Red Dot and IMR 3031.

martineta · « **Reply #18 on:** June 01, 2011, 03:26:16 AM »

H4895 and H110

243dave · « **Reply #19 on:** June 01, 2011, 06:26:51 AM »

Varget for rifles and H-110 for pistols. I've had good luck with the both of them for the calibers I mainly shoot.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #20 on:** June 03, 2011, 02:38:42 PM »

IMR-4381 and Unique.

Dezynco · « **Reply #21 on:** June 03, 2011, 04:46:08 PM »

Unique and 30-31 would get me by.

I might substitute Red Dot for the Unique since you can load 5gr of RedDot in almost any typical cartridge with lead bullets.

I also have several pounds of 777 stashed that will work in almost any cartridge load, just fill the cartridge and stuff a lead bullet on top of it, or load it in shotgun shells.

ironglow · « **Reply #22 on:** June 03, 2011, 04:51:46 PM »

Lil Gun & Varget

KansasPaul · « **Reply #23 on:** June 03, 2011, 08:43:02 PM »

Oh my goodness, what kind of question is this? Well, for me, I like W231 and W748 - covers most pistol and rifle calibers. I am, however, a HUGE fan of Varget for rifle but it doesn't have as much flexibility as W748.

Happy Shooting!

Paul

CherokeeT · « **Reply #24 on:** June 04, 2011, 05:45:12 AM »

For what I load, 231 Win and H-335 will do very well. 231 covers all my pistol rounds and H-335 covers my rifle rounds.

dovehunter · « **Reply #25 on:** June 05, 2011, 06:06:11 AM »

Considering the guns for which I reload it would have to be UNIQUE (handguns & shotshells) and IMR-4064 (rifles).

Savage · « **Reply #26 on:** June 05, 2011, 04:55:59 PM »

I could load just about anything with H4895 and Unique.
Savage

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #27 on:** June 06, 2011, 02:20:46 AM »

if i could have only two powders id probably quit handloading or at least quit for most of my guns as ive never been one to try to make a powder work for what it wasnt designed for.

luckydawg13 · « **Reply #28 on:** June 06, 2011, 04:14:00 AM »

i have more then 1 gun so that wont work

rbuck · « **Reply #29 on:** July 01, 2011, 12:42:12 AM »

W231 and 5010 By using duplex loads you can get about any burn rate you want. You start with a casefull of 5010 and 1 to 5grs of 231 depending on case size. Then trade 1gr of 231 for 1 gr of 5010 until the pressure and velocity comes up to where you want. You can work up a pretty good load for just about any cartridge this way with only 2 powders if one is fast and the other is very slow.