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Rifle powders listed by type?


barrysuperhawk

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Since I am coming to the end of my last bulk reloading marathon stash, this winter is going to be another round of Loading .308 until my arm falls off.

I am going to be loading Sierra 155's again, since they are the most generally accurate in all of my guns (16" AR, 18" AR, m1a, 20" AR, 24" AR, 24" Bolt, FAL).  I have experimented with different powders in the interim, only to end up with several varieties that just flat didn't work in my Dillon powder measure, and others that despite being within book tolerances REALLY did not like some of my guns.  So, since I am kinda low on powder, and I am not locked into any given load I am starting from scratch on my powder choice.  I found this post on another site from 2011 by someone calling themselves Frankenmauser:

 

Quote

Small Flake Powders:
IMR 4227 (Arguably a "hybrid", since the filler is a different shape)
Spherical and Semi-Spherical Powders:
BL-C(2), H380, H414, W231/HP-38, W296/H110, W297, W748, W760, W780, Superperformance
Short Grain Extruded Powders:
H4831SC, H322, Benchmark, Varget, Hybrid 100V, IMR 8208 XBR, IMR 4007 SSC, IMR 7828 SSC, Accurate Rifle Powders (all*), Alliant "Reloader" Rifle Powders (all*)
Hybrid or "Medium" Grain Extruded Powders:
H4198, H4895, H4350, IMR 4320
Large Grain Extruded Powders:
H4831, H1000, IMR 4198, IMR 3031, IMR 4895, IMR 4064, IMR 4350, IMR 4831, IMR 7828
 

 

This seems to bear out my experiences, in that it seems as I go down the list my metering consistency goes to hell, with some of the results being +/- several grains out of my Dillon.  One of the anomalies is Varget.  It should be similar to 322 or benchmark, but it was awfukl.  It may be the most accurate powder in the world, but it is useless if I cant get it to meter well.    If I have to spend another couple hundred on a different powder measure and adapters, is it really worth it? (My mind is not really made up on this point, so if it IS worth it, convince me.)

 

So, what I would like to do in this thread is build a more up-to-date list of the best and worst powders based on metering consistency out of a DILLON powder measure, then Match those choices up with the calibers I load and decide which powder I am going to buy enough of to make the hazmat worth it... 

 

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Try Tac...small spherical, my go to powders for 223, also works well in 308.

 

If you have Varget, it is more than worth getting another powder measure and adapter for use on your Dillon. I use a RCBS and the case activated linkage.

 

Varget is my #1 308 powder for my 155 SMK Palmas. For my FMJ's under 200yds I use just about anything I can find, benchmark, 4046, etc... That's the beauty of the RCBS measure, I can use just about any powder.

 

Also, I have been told that disassembling a Dillon powder measure and polishing all the parts, and adding a aftermarket baffle will yield similar results in consistent throws with extruded powders, but I have not tried it...

jj

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Varget may be better off in your Hybrid list. Its bigger than H322n Benchmark and IMR8208xbr.

I second the TAC suggestion, 8208 would be another that should be better than Varget.

I run a Hornady (similar to RCBS) and its much better than the Dillion for the extruded powders.

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 the absolute irony of this is I had a RCBS powder measure then I got rid of a couple of years ago because I figured I'd never use it again since I don't do any more single stage loading

 

As far as the locations of the powders, that's a direct quote from the other dude, most of those powders I've never bought or tried.. as far as powders that I have already, I've got a Miss Mash leftover from when everybody was panicked couple of pounds of CFE couple of pounds of benchmark about a half a pound of Varget. I've got a bit more reloader 15 and some BLC 2 but I don't have enough of any one powder to do this deal.  

The last time I did this it was 2500 rounds of Hornady 155 Amax's over blc2, and with the exception of the fact that I had not learned to segregate the LC brass from everything else I was very happy with the results, and I shot from that "lot" for quite a while.

This time around I'm going with 155 Sierra match Kings, and the only variation I intend on is probably 10% Less in the LC brass that I have, and that stuff will be set aside.  I suppose I could use the LC brass to soak up the random lots of powder, but I just hate having 175 of this load and 220 of that load and so on.

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