Chart or Reference for different powders?

[rojocorsa]

So there's 1000 different powders out there from different brands for different uses....

Has anyone made or is there some type of reference that tells which powder is used for what? If you throw out names like Titegroup, Bullseye, 4895, Blue Dots, Green Dots, 231, H335, Clays, etc you can see it gets confusing really quick.

Is there a place where I can educate myself about all the powders?

[highpower790]

A reloading book is helpful.

[Pablo5959]

Reloading manual's are a good place to start.
Log everything you load for future reference.

[baih777]

Mfg's Website ?

That's why its good to buy the reloading book by the mfg of the bullets you choose. I cross reference between three books to start building a load.

[waawaaweenie]

here is a link to a chart rating fastest to slowest

http://www.reloadersnest.com/burnrates.asp

[LynnJr]

The smaller the number on the burn rate chart the faster the powder burns.
So pistols with there very short barrels require very fast powders.

The bigger the case volume the slower the powder and the longer the barrel in order to get the maximum amount of push on the bullet. That means the slowest powders on the burn rate chart will be used on long barreled 50 BMG size rifles.
There are always exceptions to the rule but in general that's the way it works.

[bsumoba]

For a general burn rate chart, I like this one: http://www.lapua.com/upload/reloadin...echart2011.pdf

A reloading manual is best. I see a lot of people trying out different powders and that is fine, but if you keep it simple, there are powders that are just staples in a reloaders room:

9mm - Unique, Hp-38, W231, CFE Pistol
38 Special - Unique, Hp-38, W231, CFE Pistol
40 cal - W231, Power Pistol, Unique, Hp-38
10mm - Power Pistol, Accurate #9
45cal - Bullseye, Unique, W231

.223/5.56 - H335, Benchmark, 8208XBR, Varget, RE15
.308 - Varget, RE15, H4895, 8208XBR, IMR4064


You can see patterns emerging...So what do I use?

Unique / HP-38 for my 9mm and 38 Special
H110 for my 357 Mag
Accurate #9 for my 10mm
H335 for 55gr bullets in .223/5.56
Varget for .223 with 77gr bullets and .308 with 175gr bullets
H4350 for 6.5 creedmoor and 6 Dasher. I could also use this in my 284 Shehane
H4831SC for 284 Shehane
H1000 for 338 Edge.

I have 9 powders that cover all of my shooting needs, and I shoot quite a few cartridges ranging from pistol all the way to my 338 edge shooting 300gr bullets.

[tonyjr]

A reloading book won't tell you . You need a cartridge manual , reloading and powder manuals - good about 90% of time .

Best is to choose a bullet or powder - then go to website .

You are not just dealing with the powder . [ ball , extruded , flake ]
You also have the bullet type and primer .

Go on ebay , buy a couple of used reloading manuals and read them .
I think there are more powders than bullets [ probably wrong on that ] , more bullets than primers .

I stay with hodgdon - ball type powders [ ball meters better for me ] , jacketed bullets [ way too easy to over powder cast ] [ even the 22 lr cartridges are jacketed ] and CCI primers .

Lately just H110 - 6 , 38 have been replaced - using CFE , CFE pistol and CFE 223 .

There are several hand loaders digest manuals - none have everything in them , even old ones are good reading .

[orangeusa]

For a general burn rate chart, I like this one: http://www.lapua.com/upload/reloadin...echart2011.pdf

A reloading manual is best. I see a lot of people trying out different powders and that is fine, but if you keep it simple, there are powders that are just staples in a reloaders room:

9mm - Unique, Hp-38, W231, CFE Pistol
38 Special - Unique, Hp-38, W231, CFE Pistol
40 cal - W231, Power Pistol, Unique, Hp-38
10mm - Power Pistol, Accurate #9
45cal - Bullseye, Unique, W231

.223/5.56 - H335, Benchmark, 8208XBR, Varget, RE15
.308 - Varget, RE15, H4895, 8208XBR, IMR4064


You can see patterns emerging...So what do I use?

Unique / HP-38 for my 9mm and 38 Special
H110 for my 357 Mag
Accurate #9 for my 10mm
H335 for 55gr bullets in .223/5.56
Varget for .223 with 77gr bullets and .308 with 175gr bullets
H4350 for 6.5 creedmoor and 6 Dasher. I could also use this in my 284 Shehane
H4831SC for 284 Shehane
H1000 for 338 Edge.

I have 9 powders that cover all of my shooting needs, and I shoot quite a few cartridges ranging from pistol all the way to my 338 edge shooting 300gr bullets.

Nicely summarized.
Target Pistol info
1. If you factor in that HP38=W231 then that will work for most non-magnum pistol rounds. ALWAYS find a recipe from a manufacturer. The Lee book has a summary, but I still check the website of the manufacturer of the powder.
2. As a start - check bullet weights of STOCK cartridges - like Federal or Winchester. Buy those bullets and then tailor your powder given that bullet.
3. For magnum pistol rounds, 2400 is a really good and versatile choice. It can even be used on hot non-magnum rounds. If you want a giant fireball and big kick, go H110, which is same as W296.
4. I have tried all kinds of powders in non-magnum rounds from 9mm to 45Colt and they seem to make little difference (assuming you use the recipe for that powder).

So, most of my pistol rounds have been HP38. And they feel like stock. I have used TiteGroup, Trail Boss (GACK - it's like metering CHEERIOS), many others. Not much difference.

As an aside, I had one of my earliest 45Colt rounds wasn't crimped enough and fired, about 1/2 the powder was still in the barrel after the shot, guess what, it was a bulls eye at 10 meters. I guess I am saying pistol/revolver accuracy are more a function of the Indian. I am only referring to target shooting, I don't load SD ammo, I buy it.

.

[stilly]

There is no you-tube video on burn rates?

Do I get to add this to the growing stack for why I always tell people to RTFM first?

Lots of good answer in this thread though.

[tonyjr]

While some books say hodgdon HP38=W231 are the same - they are not to me . Same with H110 same as W296 .
They are supposed to be made by same company , but I got different results during powder shortage last year .
I don't know or really care if they are made in same place or just licensed with same formula .
Any one who has a couple of reloading books - look up the 45 ACP and the 50 AE -same bullet / different grain weights .

[Cheep]

Same bullet weights

While some books say hodgdon HP38=W231 are the same - they are not to me . Same with H110 same as W296 .
They are supposed to be made by same company , but I got different results during powder shortage last year .
I don't know or really care if they are made in same place or just licensed with same formula .
Any one who has a couple of reloading books - look up the 45 ACP and the 50 AE -same bullet / different grain weights .

So, you load the 50AE in your 45ACP?

[tonyjr]

Cheep
No , that would not work . Look up the 45 ACPin a couple of book . Same bullet will have different powder weights .
Do the same with the 50 ae .
BTW - the 50 AE - I use H110 - that powder burns too slow for the 45 ACP .
It is mainly for magnums . I use in the 357 , 41 , 44 and 50 AE . I found one for the 38s but did not like the results .
Right now I have a little HP 38 left -saving for my 25 and 32 ACP . For the other pistol rounds - I am using CFE . [ 9 mm , 380 , 38 and 45 . ] CFE seems to run cleaner .

[Eljay]

The other complication is that people end up finding uses for powders that weren't necessarily intended by the manufacturer, although they do eventually end up providing official load data eventually. A lot of shotgun powders make good pistol powders. When 300 BLK came out the powders that made the most sense were all existing magnum pistol powders.

As a practical matter I think most of us find a pistol powder we like and stick with it. Ditto for rifle, we find something that'll work with our existing calibers, or maybe two powders depending on how much variation we have.

Then if you start shooting something new you see if you can use something you have in inventory or if not you go on from there.

[tonyjr]

Eljay
You just desribed me .
Over the last 40-45 years , I have decided to use just Hodgdon power [ ball ]
Their powder meters well for me . So far they have not " improved " H110 .
I have gone from FS-6 and HP-38 to CFE .
The same with primers - only CCI . Way too many others that bent , went to deep or not deep enough or just did not fit well .
Bullets - just jacketed .