When selecting powder

[DeanC]

Safety should be your primary concern, but if you also want to consider saving some cash secondarily, here's a handy little chart:

[Einthoven's Triangle]

No disrespect Dean for posting chart at all!

But, if a reloader does not know how many grains of powder are in a pound of powder they have absolutely no biz with reloading! That is reloading 101! Obviously they do not have the time or inclination to be reloading period! And, if they can not do the math well that is sad!

A lot of noob reloaders have no clue.....and one powder that comes to mind that has potential..is Titegroup it is a low volume and low charge wt powder that for a noob with say a progressive press could be a potential problem.....there are other powders that have more volume and perhaps a higher charge wt that have more volume....to help with avoiding double charges....heck I can get nearly 4 charges of TG in 45ACP...2 would hardly be noticeable!

So for a noob they need to not worry so much about cost per unit, but rather consistency of their reloads! With handgun rounds a grain or so of powder is not going to be that big a deal! Think about how many grains of powder it takes to load 50BMG...that sucks the powder column down like water going down the drain!

[Pinnacle]

Remember 7000 grains/lb

Use what ever powder you want as long as you measure everything and check it.

[ttousi]

Split off alcohol related to off topic discussion

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=3985

[Einthoven's Triangle]

There are powders that NOOB reloaders have to be careful with and TG is one of them.......but people have to pay attention with any powder! Just that I advocate finding a powder that sort of helps preclude double charges.....

People either have the time and inclination or they do not! People have to invest in themselves...which takes time, effort, and actually
going out and purchasing reloading manuals! Then taking the time to read up on reloading.... Not relying on the internet to figure out how many freaking rounds they can get from a can of powder. How many grains in a lb has to be the most asked question! That demonstrates to me a lack of preparation and attention to detail...

[mmcnx2]

Dean, no disrespect but I hope you provided that chart with humor in mind.

Powder selection is something you want to do based on the desired characteristics. Fast to slow burn rates will result in very different loads and thus performance.

Just becuase I can get x more loads out of fast powder does not mean it is a good selection for a specific round. If you use the chart as the tie breaker once you've got the field narrowed down I guess thats up to you , but I'll stick with a chrono, checking my primers and look at casing residue.

Powder selection is something done with a good reloading book and lots of tiem working the numbers to get the results you want, while always being safe.

[DeanC]

Dean, no disrespect but I hope you provided that chart with humor in mind.

As I said -

Safety should be your primary concern

Maybe you didn't see that.

[Pinnacle]

I choose the powder that provides the performance required while operating at the lowest peak pressure with any given component combination for rifle.

Pistol loads are same except we use what we can to load with the powder that provides max economy and clean burning charachteristics. TG comes to mind.

Just choose the powder that provides you with the charachteristics you want - ball/flake/stick powders all have their plusses and minuses depending upon the application.

I like accurate and hodgdon powders for most of my loading. H4831SC for rifle on single stage and TG for pistol and AA2230 for 223 loads.

[Einthoven's Triangle]

Over the years of loadind a lot fo 38 357 44 9mm 45ACP/AR

I have burned through a lot of W231, a few 8# of Unique, some cans of BE, tried some Universal Clays, Power Pistol, 296/H110, IMR 4227 for handgun rounds...and now I have gone through a lot Titegroup. If VV N320 was no so expensive....I would use that in a heartbeat! Talk about clean burning!

Use the right powder for the right job!
If you want loudengoboomer loads in the magnuns...296/H110 or IMR 4227
If you want some good powder for the mid range loads....I would use 231. But, for me and loading the 45 and 9mm TG is my go to powder...low charge wt and a bit cheaper then other stuff..

In loading the 308 I love Varget coupled with BR2 primers! Hart combo to beat! There are few others.....RL15 with Fed210M, IMR 4895 with WLR.
The 223 well Varget covers the whole specturm, but with lighter bullets...it is hard to get a full charge in the case without using a drop tube.....so for precisions ammo I find the best compromise and with great results Ramshot TAC! Flows through the Dillon PM like water! And, if I was loading for 223 bolt gun with a fast twist.....N540 would be an option!

[meltedeyes]

I'm a newbie to reloading, not a noob, but i don't understand how people jumped from a pound of powder at this number of grains per round equals x number of rounds to people are going to use this chart try and get the most rounds out of a pound and will use different powders to affect this without paying attention to safety.

if you like two powders equally well, but one uses 40 grains, and the other 45 grains you know that you can get an extra 20 rounds out of using the 40 grain powder. then it's a matter of is the cost per pound worth the extra 20 rounds?

I found the chart useful and interesting, if for no other reason than i like charts and comparisons.

Also, while I've yet to reload my first round, (I've picked up most of what I need equipment wise, just need to get the consumables) until this thread I had not seen, read, heard, or otherwise known how many grains in a pound. IIRC, my scale says there is something like 437 grains to the ounce, and that's the closest I got.

after a quick google search I found this page: http://www.unitconversion.org/weight/gr ... rsion.html that states there is 6999.999999981 grains to the pound.

[Pinnacle]

I'm a newbie to reloading, not a noob, but i don't understand how people jumped from a pound of powder at this number of grains per round equals x number of rounds to people are going to use this chart try and get the most rounds out of a pound and will use different powders to affect this without paying attention to safety.

if you like two powders equally well, but one uses 40 grains, and the other 45 grains you know that you can get an extra 20 rounds out of using the 40 grain powder. then it's a matter of is the cost per pound worth the extra 20 rounds?

I found the chart useful and interesting, if for no other reason than i like charts and comparisons.

Also, while I've yet to reload my first round, (I've picked up most of what I need equipment wise, just need to get the consumables) until this thread I had not seen, read, heard, or otherwise known how many grains in a pound. IIRC, my scale says there is something like 437 grains to the ounce, and that's the closest I got.

after a quick google search I found this page: http://www.unitconversion.org/weight/gr ... rsion.html that states there is 6999.999999981 grains to the pound.

It depends on the load density for me - saving 5 gr per load sounds great - but all powders and I mean all powders have their upside and downside... Whereas you may save 20 rounds per pound - it may come at another cost. The Cost of accuracy, fouling, pressure increases (yeah 5 grains less of one powder may result in significantly raised pressures over another powder using more weight in charge...) You have to look at all of the aspects of every load you use. There is a definite cost / benefit to all powders..

H4831 Is a great safe all around powder for you to try as a beginner in rifle loads - it is nearly impossible to overcharge as it is so SLOW and fits the bill for nearly all calibers of medium to large capacity... (30-06, 270 come to mind.)

[Einthoven's Triangle]

If a person is truely spending time reading up on reloading, the # grs in a lb is reloading 101. No big secret! What happens is that there are too many cheap rat bastards that will not spend the $ or the time to read about reloadiing....Simply they just want to turn out ammo, and screw the researching and asking questions after becoming acquainted with reloading. People need to buy manuals, not rely on internet to figure things out. People never seem to want to invest in themselves!

[meltedeyes]

It depends on the load density for me - saving 5 gr per load sounds great - but all powders and I mean all powders have their upside and downside... Whereas you may save 20 rounds per pound - it may come at another cost. The Cost of accuracy, fouling, pressure increases (yeah 5 grains less of one powder may result in significantly raised pressures over another powder using more weight in charge...) You have to look at all of the aspects of every load you use. There is a definite cost / benefit to all powders..

H4831 Is a great safe all around powder for you to try as a beginner in rifle loads - it is nearly impossible to overcharge as it is so SLOW and fits the bill for nearly all calibers of medium to large capacity... (30-06, 270 come to mind.)

Hence the "being happy with" part. You've done your research, both powders perform the same, similar fouling, etc.

I find the chart interesting. I like tidbits of info like this. Will it have any effect on what i load with? Probably not. But it's still neat.

I'm already planning on H4831 as the several reloading tables I've seen for two of the three calibers I'm interested in have data for it. It was also recommended by a friend who has been handloading for over 40 years, and still has all his fingers and both eyes.

And to Mr. Snarky, I have two books so far, and I've read a bit on various pages on the internet, and in my casual, -I'm in no rush, I'll load when I feel comfortably knowledgeable- research, I haven't seen it. Maybe i just haven't reached that part in either book, maybe it's not in either book. Either way, relax. I learned something new, I acklowedged it. Didn't I say that I am new to reloading, and while I have the equipment I have yet to start? Maybe that means that I'm doing my research so that I don't blow a finger off or get piping hot gases in my face.

[DeanC]

And guess where this chart came from?

[Einthoven's Triangle]

Who is Mr Snarky? Whatever Dude! If anyone can not figure out basic math, boy did the education system fail you! UFDA! I sure would not want to be next to some noob reloader touching off his first loads. It is just worse of late with the increased cost of ammo, and all the new reloaders out there! Not wanting to do the leg work to develop safe, accurate, and reliable loads! They just try copy cat reloading, and then run off a big run only to find that it does not function in their guns! No wonder people are looking for speedy ways of pulling bullets!