Hello, my 14 year old grandson and I are getting ready to start reloading. We will be loading .243 and .280. I have picked up IMR 4350(which should work in both) and would like advice for 1 or 2 other powders to try. I was thinking IMR 4831. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
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- Thread starter Irish Lad
- Start date
Not to forget Varget, some of my pet loads for my 243 are with varget and Benchmark.
Varget is, at the moment, pretty hard to find. I would suggest the OP starting with a powder which is readily available and one which is listed in one or more of your reloading manuals for the cartridges you intend to reload. You DO have at least one good manual, don't you. If not get one and READ IT.
Consider starting with a powder which you can source locally and buy in 1 pound bottles. The hazmat shipping charge on powder makes experimenting with small containers expensive, so local suppliers make sense. Plus, if you shop at a store run by folks who reload, you can pick their brains. That's very valuable, especially when you are just starting out.
Once you gain some experience, you can branch out and test other powders.
brasscollector
New member
Depends on where you're at. I could go and buy my limit of 1lb containers from my local supplier.Varget is, at the moment, pretty hard to find.
IMR4064 and/or either of the 4895's. Usually best to pick a bullet weight first though. And work on one cartridge/rifle at a time.
Took the words right off my keyboard. IMR4350 works well in .243 with the heaviest bullets like 100gr and full loads. It's pretty hard to beat there but with lighter bullets, not so good, you would be better off with a faster powder.
IMR4064 and IMR4895 would be my choice for lighter bullets in .243, probably for me, IMR4064.
I don't load 280 so I won't go there.
In the 280, my favorite load is 55gr of RL-19 under 140NBT, for 2967 in 24". That's 2 grains off book max and under 1" groups. At the chronograph, RL-19 is superior to IMR4831 with the 55gr load in Extreme Spread and Standard Deviation. BTW, that load of 4831 was about max.
William T. Watts
New member
H4831 has been my go to powder for a number of calibers, 243Win, 270Win. 280 Rem, this powder has been one of my favorite powders for more than 45 years and has never failed to produce outstanding accuracy.. Remember to use Magnum Primers with a powder this slow for best results! William
READ First!
Get the Lee Modern reloading manual and READ IT FIRST! Not only will it specifically answer the question you asked, but you will be much less likely to severely injure your grandson or yourself from the ignorance of not knowing what you do not know.
I do not mean that as an insult - ignorance is a lack of knowledge, not a personal defect. Your first post on this subject leads me to believe you have a lack of knowledge that could be dangerous. Good luck.
Get the Lee Modern reloading manual and READ IT FIRST! Not only will it specifically answer the question you asked, but you will be much less likely to severely injure your grandson or yourself from the ignorance of not knowing what you do not know.
I do not mean that as an insult - ignorance is a lack of knowledge, not a personal defect. Your first post on this subject leads me to believe you have a lack of knowledge that could be dangerous. Good luck.
Can't speak for the .280, but IMR4831 is a great powder for the .243. My Win. Mod 70 loves the stuff behind any bullet from 75 grains to 90 grains. In my gun this powder produces groups below 1-inch at 100 yards with any bullet within the above range. Recoil is mild which may be a consideration for your 14 year old grandson.
My most accurate loads with IMR4831 seem to occur when the base of the bullet is setting right on top of the powder charge, but with no compression. In other words, no free air space within the cartridge case.
For deer hunting, IMR4350 behind a 100 grain Nosler partition is my favorite load. Also very good accuracy.
Perhaps my model 70 is strange, but it just does not like the medium burn rate powders which are frequently recommended for the .243 Win. Moral of this post: Don't hesitate to try IMR4831 behind the lighter bullet weights.
My most accurate loads with IMR4831 seem to occur when the base of the bullet is setting right on top of the powder charge, but with no compression. In other words, no free air space within the cartridge case.
For deer hunting, IMR4350 behind a 100 grain Nosler partition is my favorite load. Also very good accuracy.
Perhaps my model 70 is strange, but it just does not like the medium burn rate powders which are frequently recommended for the .243 Win. Moral of this post: Don't hesitate to try IMR4831 behind the lighter bullet weights.
IMR4064 and/or either of the 4895's. Usually best to pick a bullet weight first though. And work on one cartridge/rifle at a time
Yep works for me too and you'll have good success with almost any other mid-level cartridge case from 22-250 to .30-06 etc.
Rod
4350 is a great powder...
... it is readily available and is the go to powder for several different loadings in several different calibers.
Here are a couple of calibers in which I have personally used 4350 with success:
8MM mauser, 7MM Mauser, 7.62X54,.308, 30-06, 25-06, .270, .257 Robt., 7MM08, 30-40 Krag, .264 Win Mag (that's all I can remember off hand).
... it is readily available and is the go to powder for several different loadings in several different calibers.
Here are a couple of calibers in which I have personally used 4350 with success:
8MM mauser, 7MM Mauser, 7.62X54,.308, 30-06, 25-06, .270, .257 Robt., 7MM08, 30-40 Krag, .264 Win Mag (that's all I can remember off hand).
my center fire rifles 30-30,.243, 270, .308, 30-06
I've been chasing this powder and then that powder since 1972.I've settled in on the one that is the best,or very good in any my rifles. IMR 4064. I just bought a 8 pound jug of it 190 bucks. I know metering in my Uni Flo isn't always the best,but I've always set it a few tenths light and trickled up anyway. IMHO hdbiker Funny thing is IMR 4064 is the very first powder I ever bought
I've been chasing this powder and then that powder since 1972.I've settled in on the one that is the best,or very good in any my rifles. IMR 4064. I just bought a 8 pound jug of it 190 bucks. I know metering in my Uni Flo isn't always the best,but I've always set it a few tenths light and trickled up anyway. IMHO hdbiker Funny thing is IMR 4064 is the very first powder I ever bought
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