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What's your go-to powder?

.223 -- Ramshot TAC
.45ACP -- Winchester 231

TAC is a ball powder, no "sticks". So it weighs very consistently through my RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 scale.

Always wanted to try Varget. It's the "go-to" powder for most Service Rifle competitors. But TAC is cheaper (or used to be, haven't bought any lately because I am sitting on +10lbs bought years ago) and I was getting impressive results with it -- sub-MOA, 100 yards, iron sights, from the bench. I'm happy with that, don't think it's worth the trouble to redo all my load testing with a new powder...

"Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time. Plans that either come to naught, or half a page of scribbled lines."
 
-Longshot for 9mm (don't load 9mm anymore since prices have come back down)
-6.5 Staball and H4350 for 6.5 Creedmoor ( Went to Staball when I could not find H4350. It works extremely well. May go back to H4350 when my Staball runs out)
-Ramshot LRT for 338 Lapua. (Works great with 285 and 300 gr bullets)
-H4895 and IMR4985 for Garand
-Varget for 308
 
AA#5 is very versatile for my handgun loads. I use it for 38spl. 357Mag, 9mm and 45ACP.
H110: if I want a full power 357mag load
700X is my current powder for trap.
Longshot is my current powder for 12gauge loads that are heavier than Trap. For example my "no nonsense" HD load is 1.5oz of #00 (12 balls) over 28gr of LS.

I have a lot of other shotgun powders but not using the, right now. WST, WSH, RS Comp, Tite Wad.
 
I like to try different powders, but for.223, I have used a ton of both H335 and H322. You can't go wrong with either of these two for this caliber.
Unique is probably my go-to for handgun loads, as it's versatile. I have over 10 lbs of it, so that's what I'll be using for 9mm and 45acp.
 
True Blue - 9mm & 38 spl
Zip - 45acp
Enforcer - 357 mag & 460 S&W
2400 - 44 mag
 
For Competition . . .
PCC: N340
9mm pistols: Sport Pistol
.45 (Single Stack): Win 231

Non Competition . . .
.38 spl: Bullseye
.357 Magnum: H110 or 2400
.30-30: 3031
.223: TAC
.308 and .30-06: Varget
12 gauge trap: WST
 
I’ve found H4350 to be near unbeatable in long barreled turn of the 20th century military rifles. I have used it in 7.65x53, 6.5x55, 7x57, 8x57 (I and IS), .30-40, 6.5x50, 6.5x52SR, 7.62x54R, 7.5x55, .30-06, 8x56R. Especially in a long barrel, I’m able to achieve comparable performance to the original military loads, while keeping pressures in a safe range for rifles up to 135 years old. I also use it in my 6.5x55AI match loads and many others as well.

The other powder that I get a lot of use out of is 2F black powder. I use it in pistol and rifle: .32 S&W, .38 S&W, .41 Colt, .44-40, .45 Colt, .41 Swiss, 45-70, .50-70, .50 Swiss CF, 577-450. I prefer to just have one type of black powder.

AA5744 is my go to for reduced and cast rifle loads. I use it in my cast .30-40 loads and my .30-06 for a low serial ‘03.

H1000 for magnums, like 7 Rem Mag and 7 PRC.

I keep a lot of other powders as well. AA2495 (which is near identical to IMR 4895), IMR 3031, IMR 4198 (which I think I use for modern .45-70), AA #5 (similar to, but cleaner than Unique), W231, and BLC2 to name a few. I’ve been loading a lot of .223 with BLC2 for the last few years, as it’s always been available.
 
700x for All slow stuff. .25 acp .380 9mm .40
.45 acp and all shot shell sizes.
Imr 4227 for most faster pistol .38 .357 .41 .44
.45 long colt.H335 for .223 and .204 ruger
H 380 for .303 .308 30/30 7mm .243 etc...
4 Powders offer many options. I use mostly Lyman
manuals always had good results. Sometimes the newer Speer manual, Lee die data although most of my dies dies are Rcbs I started to like the Lee gear too.Really like the new Lee auto hand primer
Sometimes Hornady data is useful too.
The plastic Lee shot shell reloaders are fun and easy to use , used my 20 and 12 gauge for about 37 years now.Btw 700x is getting harder to find and the cost of all powders are getting crazy high.
 
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I like fast burning H335 for shorter AR barrels. In my old 7" pistol it burns more effectively.

16" up I like Varget. I get good accuracy with that. It's gotten pretty expensive lately.
 
Somewhat restricted by availability, but these are my go-to powders
  • H380 - For 30 40 Krag. Use this with light loads. Trying to minimize wear on the rifle.
  • Accurate #5 - Mainly for 5.7x28. Not a lot of load data for this caliber. Pretty happy with #5 though. Dabbled using this powder with 9mm; no complaints.
  • CFE Pistol - Relatively new powder for me. Trying it out in 9mm and 45ACP
  • H110 - By FAR the most used powder. From 300 Blackout, all the common Magnums (357, 44, 500), and 50AE. Fire balls are awesome. :cool:
  • H335 - 308 and 5.56 plinking loads.
  • Longshot - Just getting into shot shell reloading. Would prefer TiteWad, but not finding it in stores. So, trying Longshot for now.
  • TiteGroup - Bought this for shot shell reloading ... mistake. Plan to use it up in probably 9mm and 45ACP loads.
  • N150 - Use these for 308 Match loads. Still working on my precision reloading techniques. 😁

What say you?
You in the Bay Area? I have a bit of titewad for sale.

I also have 8 pounds of promo, which is the same charge weight as red dot, another pistol/shotgun powder.
 
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