17 replies to this topic

[KNOCKED UP]

How many different powders, and what type should I keep on hand. So far I only have dies for 30-06243 win rem 7mm mag. but I intend to get several more dies, when I get a little more educated in reloading.ThanksTom

[screwwork]

Not trying be smart Azz, but a little less allowable to have at home I would say due to Cal laws about amounts of gun powder one can have??

[Bisley]

How many different powders, and what type should I keep on hand.

You and your guns will dictate that answer for you. Also, are you a find a load and stick with it guy, or do you constantly try new things? If you only have one rifle of said caliber and have a load that shoots great out of it, and don't plan on messing with it, why have five powders just for that rifle/caliber setup? But if you change bullets (weights or brands) a lot, you may need several powders for that setup. Just like the art of reloading itself, this question has many variables. It depends on the type of reloader you are really. Make any sense?

[dabob]

For 243 Win, 30-06 and 7mm Rem mag IMR 4350 may be the only powder you need.

[ShooterJohn]

Here is a link to the Felony Powder amounts in California and it is a felony to have to much. http://www.californi...showtopic=15720dabob is right about getting by with one powder if you can. It makes loading much easier and less things to remember if switching powders.

[KNOCKED UP]

For 243 Win, 30-06 and 7mm Rem mag IMR 4350 may be the only powder you need.

I have a jug of IMR 4350, But I don't see any charts with 65 gr bt. but when I look up heaver grain bullets, they come up. using IMR 4350Tom

[dabob]

For the lighter bullets in the 243 Win IMR 4064 or Varget are good powders.

[Bisley]

OK, here comes the best "layman's" terms I can think of. Powder is like a manifold for your motor. There are manifolds that make only high end (and high rpm) power. Then there are the grunt (usually for truck) manifolds that make pure bottom end stump pulling power, but fall on their face at higher rpm's. And then you have some that make decent power through the entire rpm range for general every day use but do not make quite as much power as the "rpm specific" manifolds in those ranges. Powders are the same. Some are designed just for light bullets at lightning speeds, some are designed just to push B I G, H E A V Y bullets out the barrel of that caliber, and then there are the powders that work (pretty much) within the entire bullect weight spectrum. The last are the powders I prefer, if your guns will allow. These include, but are confined to, Varget, H4895, & IMR4895. I have already looked at the Hodgdon website, and the Varget and IMR4895 will work for all weights of your .243, 06, and 7mm. And they are very forgiving powders too (part of the reason I use them myself), plus, the 4895 powders will let you make reduced loads (if desired) without problems. But again, I don't shoot match, just hunt, and use just one or two powders for everything. As long as they are willing to hold MOA (or better), I would rather be out hunting with them rather than worry about if they shoot one "caliber size" hole or one big ragged hole . Better to have sand and blood on your boots than a rifle on a bench looking for the last .010" you can squeeze out of it.......at least for me.

[KNOCKED UP]

Thanks Bisley, I really do understand your explanation.I am with you on the kill shot, as long as the job gets done. Tom

[Bisley]

Glad to hear. When you mentioned before about have some mechanical skills, I just had a gut feeling that was about the best way to put it . Have you had a chance to shoot any of your reloads yet?

[KNOCKED UP]

I am going over to Grant's place in a half hour to shoot my reloads.Tom

[KNOCKED UP]

I shot my reloads at Grant's place today. I am not sure that I am completely satisfied with my 30-06 prefofmance. But then again, I could have been the problem. (not relaxed)Tom

[Bisley]

Penalty! You can't make a statement like that and not tell us what caliber/bullet combo. Did you also take a known decent shooting load (reload or factory) with you to compare. Always a must to see if it is the human factor or the new load.

[lif2fsh]

Holy crap! you can have too much powder, how did that happen? I'd move.

[docskinner]

There was a great article somewhere on this - of making up a series of loads (not just 20+ of the same load) of 5 rounds or 6 rounds for each powder increment starting at the minimum and the shoot them in ascending order and see if you get a "sweet spot" - one of the loads that naturally clusters compared to the others. Too much powder - that section refers to itself (making of explosive devices) in limited quantity powders. The para with the important part says (paraphrasing) \keeping powder, with the intent of THIS SECTION, is limited to... \so if you are not making explosive devices, not sure the limit UNDER THAT SECTION would apply. Ammunition is not an 'explosive device' So if you sole purpose is for reloading ammunition, and you do not make explosive devices as well, would the limit really apply? I know that it was the intent of whoever wrote it, but it seems others also added the escape clause. Could be wrong, and it will be a while before I go over 20#, but I had debated trying some blackpowder loads for the vaquero. And are black powder substitutes the same as black powder? Find it hard to believe that there are ANY muzzleloader types out there that have less than 1 pound, unless they are on the way to the store or waiting for a shipment.

[KNOCKED UP]

Penalty! You can't make a statement like that and not tell us what caliber/bullet combo. Did you also take a known decent shooting load (reload or factory) with you to compare. Always a must to see if it is the human factor or the new load.

The 30-06 bullet was a Sierra Game King 165 gr. with 55 grains of IMR 4350 and a CCI primer. I shot it out of a Remington 742 woodsmaster. My 243 shot ok, but like I said, I was not relaxed (Stress) I was shooting 65 grain Midway BT, with (corected)37.5 gr of H335 and a cci primer.and run through a Hawa 1500 1-10 twist My 22 that my grandson has been shooting at 50 yards was very low at 100 yards.The scope wouldn't adjust any farther up, so I took it home and replaced it with a Tasco scope, (I know) but it's a 22. Then I went back out to Grant's place and met him out in the field, and sited in the 22 again.I am happy with that now, it could use a little more tuning, but shoots pretty good groups. I actually like the Tasco scope better than the one that was on it. There was a fuzzy can running back and forth behind the target distracting me,so I used Grant's Tika, 223 and fwaped it good, no more distraction.Tom

[OrneryOlMofo357]

Tom means 37.5 of H 335 in My haste I wrote the wrong # on the label. lol But the last group he shot actually flew pretty well. Devinately minute of Coyote. He also shot some loads with W 760 and IMR 4350 with the same 65 Gr bullet. The 335 looked the best. JMO

[KNOCKED UP]

Thanks Grant