How Does One "Pick" a Powder?

[Ross]

I am loading up my first rounds for a Garand and a Remmy 700 in .30-06. They both have Winchester primers in them (cases already prepped and primed) and will both push a 150 gr ballistic tip. The Garand too as I want to use it for deer this season (gotta take at least one deer with it, right?).

So reloading is all new to me and when purchasing all the stuff I needed and felt I needed (spend 2.5 months in Iraq, your wife will let you buy anything too ), the merchant suggested the following powders (I am also set up to reload .270).

IMR 4064 and Hodgdon H335

So my question is this; how did he come up with these two as good options for my needs?

Also; I am rampping up to do .44 mag for a Marlin 1894, using CCI primers and pushing Hornady 225 gr. "Leverevolution (sp?)" FTX bullets; how do I decide the powder?

I also plan to, eventually, reload .45 acp and 9 mm Luger, should I consider these rounds when deciding on the .44 mag powder?

How many 1lb bottles of powder can I expect to go through before pointing at one and exclaiming "Ahhhh, you are the one"?

Can I expect to have a particular powder for each load/round (I kno0w the Grand will always be special)?

Yes, this is fun.

TIA

[DougJ]

Every powder has recommended uses of course. These will often overlap several calibers and/or intended uses. You can read up on each powders intended use and make and educated guess, then carefully follow loading manual recommendations and work up your loads. You can also take advise from those that have gone before as to powder selection, which it sounds like you have done. Take your time and work carefully, take good notes and record good data, you'll find what you and your gun like.

For my AR I have used Ramshot TAC, Ramshot x-terminator, and Accurate 2230 so far. A guy gave me the X-terminator and it worked fine, TAC was good too, but I'm feeling like I'll be buying more 2230.

I've used 4 or 5 different powders for the .45 ACP, mostly driven by availability.

Experiment - carefully, and have fun.

[Ross]

I have four different books (a first edition Hornady, and up-to-date editions of Hornady, Lyman, and Speer). My first impression is that I bounce between them and find a powder which will work for the multiple pistol calibers and then select one for the three. This would be for cost efficiency. Then work UP to the desired load, accurate so far?

Would the same apply to the rifle loads (I will eventually start doing .223)?

Can prepped and primed cases be stowed in Zip-locks or should they be kept in boxes?

[Nodda Duma]

The Garand requires a certain pressure curve to provide correct cycling and meaningful accuracy at the same time. The powders he recommended gives you this: doesn't burn too fast and doesn't burn too slow. In addition, IMR 4064 provides known good accuracy for Garands (and 30-06 in general)

Besides that, might as well select a powder you can use for multiple guns.

[Ross]

That is what the guy said about the IMR. When I also let him know about the .270 he suggested the Hodgdon for both Remmys (the .270 is also a 700).

[qbi2001]

I use 4064 for 30-06 garand loads, 270 winchester and 30-30. Its not the fastest powder but it works well. I'm sure you have heard of the damage you can do to the operating rod if you load too hot of a powder. Most of the guys I know load 4064 or 4895. I use the powder for multiple calibers so I'm not sure how many 30-06 you will get per lb.

I've done alot of trial and error with my garand and my best load is:

47.0gr 4064
150gr Sierra Prohunter Spitzers
CCI milspec primers

[The King]

1. Learn what you can and cannot use in the M1 Rifle. I use 4895. Trying to ramp up an M1 with slower powders gives a burning curve that leaves the case in the chamber while the operating rod strips the rim from the case. Then you get your cleaning rod and tap out the brass after every shot. No fun.

How many 1lb bottles of powder can I expect to go through before pointing at one and exclaiming "Ahhhh, you are the one"?
All of them, then the manufacturers will bring some new stuff out!

[Hickok 45/70]

There are kinds of powders you could use. The Reloading Handbooks will guide you on different cal. what kind of powder you can use. And the bullets etc. I have about 20 years of Shooting Times and Gun's & Ammo magazines. They have calibers from A-Z and what bullets and powders they used. You can pull up these magazines on the Internet. These ammo recipe don't change over the years. A chronograph would be nice to measure the speed of your bullets.

There is what we call the sweet load. When you shoot a rifle or pistol the barrel will have an oscillation to it. You are looking for the perfect oscillation of the barrel. This is done by hand measuring your powder. On a bench rest the bullet may shoot a 3 inch groups at 100 yds. If you add or take away 5 grains of powder the group may widen or become smaller. This is trial and error. With the right powder and grain load you might be able to shoot under an inch at 100 yds. For super accuracy the bullet, brass, primer, powder and reloading techniques make all the difference in the world. That's how some guys can shoot 1/10 of an inch at 100 yds. Of course learning to dope the wind and marksmanship techniques are essential. A good trigger and a tweaked rifle is the other part of the equation.

What you are going to have to do is read a good deal about reloading and precision shooting. There are a number of books out there and DVD. Cabella's has several I think.

You mentioned the 44.mag for the Marlin. Note: Even though you can shoot the 44 mag in a pistol and a rifle. Your pistol loads may not shoot accurate at all in the rifle. The bullets may tumble. Sometimes you have to load the bullets for the Marlin rifle differently than for the pistol. Sometimes high quality ammo will shoot OK in both. For plinking it doesn't matter.

The 30/06 is a great caliber to reload. You can load it down to shoot like a .308 or load it up to shoot like a 300 magnum. That's the thing about reloading you can make an inaccurate gun very accurate and sometimes get it to shoot like 3 different calibers. Good luck on your shooting.

[G-forceJunkie]

I was always really happy with Win 231 for 9mm, .40 and .45 Not sure if its suitable for .44mag.

[Nodda Duma]

Also H335 is good for the garand too

[Fjold]

For the 44 Mag try Win 296 or H110 powders. These two are used for the vast majority of full power 44 Mag loads.

You will find a lot of powders that work well across multiple cartridges. 4895 was designed for the 30.06, it works well in the 223 also. I use IMR4064 in 308, 243, 223 and 375 H&H Mag, it's a pain in the butt to meter but it's an outstanding performer.

[aaronraby1]

trial and error.... or if i heard a good combination from someone ill try it.

[bjl333]

inny, miny, miney, moe, which powder should I go .... JK

I haven't read the whole thread, but there are some powder that'll cross as good in both a bolt and an gas auto. Read a couple of loading manual and see which ones are good. Most of the time they are the same powder. I would actually work up two different loads for the two different gun. Due to their difference in action type, a particular load might be real accurate for one and a dog for the other. In the future I wouldn't mix the brass for the 2 guns. The bolt gun could get by with a neck sized only, and the auto would probably need to have full sized.