Powder Performance

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MINSH101

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I am wondering if you, experienced loaders, change your powder when you change the weight and type of bullet? Do you use the same powder for a light projectile and a heavy one? Also does the type of round influence your powder choice? If you are loading target rounds AND defensive rounds do you use the same powder?

Thanks in advance
 
Lots of questions!

Every person on the forum will have a different answer. That should tell you something.
 
That depends more on you and your desires. Some people just love experimenting and trying new stuff; squeezing out the smallest groups or the fastest speeds, etc. I used to be like that. But, after 30 years of handgun shooting -

1- I don't have target loads - I have plinking loads - much less demanding

2- I found loads that work and buy in bulk - rarely change bullet weights

3- Try to narrow powder selection for plinking so 1 powder works for several calibers - for me it's Unique. I use it for 3 or 4 different calibers

4- Defensive rounds are purchased - not reloaded

But, you'll hear from people that have different interests and perspectives. Again, you'll be the final arbiter.
 
I use different powder for different weight bullets, and their intended purpose.
Powder also changes with different calibers.

I don't buy ammo!
 
The short answers:

Do you use the same powder for a light projectile and a heavy one?
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A light projectile and a heavy one are two different things. So no. Different weight bullets usually means different propellants.

Also does the type of round influence your powder choice?
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Yes. Absolutely. This is the essence of handloading. Selecting the correct propellant for the application.

If you are loading target rounds AND defensive rounds do you use the same powder?
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Target rounds and defensive rounds are two different things; so it would stand to reason the different propellants are used for the different applications.

Light bullets have less inertia than heavy ones. So using the same propellant with different bullet weights will mean that the heavier bullet loading will yield a pressure curve with a sharper spike. For the heavier bullet to have a pressure curve that more closely emulates that of the lighter one, a slower burning propellant is in order.

I know that doesn't sound like a short answer; but it is. When the primer sets off the powder charge, a lot of dynamics come into play. There are times when I load light bullets with slower propellants; and times when I load heavy bullets with faster propellants. So exceptions abound. Depends on the application.

Propellant and bullet selection is an inexact science with no substitute for experience. Application is a major factor in selecting both. As already alluded, this is the essence of the craft of handloading.
 
I am wondering if you, experienced loaders, change your powder when you change the weight and type of bullet? Do you use the same powder for a light projectile and a heavy one? Also does the type of round influence your powder choice? If you are loading target rounds AND defensive rounds do you use the same powder?
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Every powder has a certain pressure range in which it burns clean or fairly clean, without high ES numbers. Pressure is determined (among other things) by bullet weight, powder amount in relation to case capacity, and powder burn rate. Many reloading manuals will list pressure spec's for a particular load. A good starting point is determining what weight bullet you want to use, and what approximate velocity you are looking for. Then look for a listed load that will give you your velocity without too high or too low of a pressure level. While this doesn't directly answer your question, it does give you the thought process that goes into developing different loads. Hope that helps.

Don
 
I don't have a lot of rifle's, just 7 not counting rim fire's. But I have at least one rifle that will cover anything I might hunt for the rest of my life, even if I went to Africa. In Africa my only interest would be plains game and I'd shoot them with a camera! That's a lot of money to spend to get only the head and cape! I have no desire to hunt bear anymore. But maybe someday I'll get to hunt a moose, I'm sure my 30-06 is up to it.

So using different loads, powder and/or bullet's is something I don't do. Well almost don't do. Been struggling for years on what bullet I really want in my 6.5x55. Can't decide between the 129gr and 140gr Hornady Inter Lock.

My 30-06 shoots only 180gr bullet's and all I use for powder is IMR 4064. My 308 shoot's only cast bullet's and so far Varget works well. My 6.5x06 use's only 140gr bullet's and only RL22 powder, my 6.5x55 is a work in progress! My 25-06 use's only 117gr bullet's and H4831. One 243 shoots 75gr VMax bullet's and does real well with H414. The other uses 70gr SMK's and like's Varget. I like RL19 but went quite a while without being able to find it, was good stuff but don't really remember what I used it in.

Problem with powder today is there are simply far to many powder's that all do the same job!The great debate about temp sensitive powder's I don't enter. I'm for the most part using the same powder's today I used 40yrs ago, if I can find them! I like to develop loads in mild temp's, say about 50* and no wind to about 70* and no wind. Powder temperature sensitive doesn't concern me.
 
MINSH101 wrote:
I am wondering if you, experienced loaders, change your powder when you change the weight and type of bullet?
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Generally, no.

When I start out planning for a cartridge, I select bullet weights and configurations that I believe are likely to get the job done. I then look at what powders are available that the published data suggests would be suitable for all (or at least most) of those bullets and proceed to develop loads for those bullets around that powder.

If the powder doesn't end up giving satisfactory results, I will switch to another and start the development process over again, but once I have the load developed, the only time I switch powders is when the one I have been using becomes unobtainable.

Do you use the same powder for a light projectile and a heavy one?
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As noted above, I try to select a powder that has the best chance of working with all the bullet weights/configurations that I plan to use.

Also does the type of round influence your powder choice?
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Not sure what you mean by "type of round".

If you are loading target rounds AND defensive rounds do you use the same powder?
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With the exception of a 223 practice load developed to use cheap 55 grain FMJ bullets to mimic the behavior within 100 yards of my standard 60 grain spire point loading, I don't recognize a difference between the purpose of different rounds.

* Every round is a hunting round;
* Every round is a defensive round;
* Every round is a target round;
because I don't shoot competitively and in an emergency or a survival situation I don't expect to have the luxury of going through my ammunition looking for the perfect bullet for the job.
 
Depends......in 9mm, I use the same powder (different charge) for both 115 and 124 bullets; I also use the same powder for many other cartridges....
 
7mm-08AI 120, 130gr use H414. 139, 140gr i use either RL17 or PP2000.
For 150+ RL19.
257 Roberts i use H414 for the 75, 90 gr bullets. Hybrid 100 for 100,115 gr.
RL26 for 120gr.
284 Win i use H414 for light bullets. 140gr+ i use RL26.

Ya see where this is going...
 
If you don't have it, I suggest you get the Lyman Reloading Handbook. The first part of the book is all about reloading, then it goes into the cartridges and the loads used. For most cartridges there are several loads with different powders. They also identify what gave the most accurate load in their testing. Do some reading then go buy components. Have fun!

I am sorry, I kinda sidestepped your question.

"I am wondering if you, experienced loaders, change your powder when you change the weight and type of bullet? "

For the most part NO.
 
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I reload for three completely dissimilar calibers, so I certainly need three different propellants. But I find that to be an undesireable limit to the versatility of these calibers, thus, a few more propellants are practical. And then the reality of the situation is that other propellants that I could use, but don't actually need, find their way to me anyway, either because someone gave them to me, or because someone had them for sale at a gunshow at a price so low I couldn't pass up. This has led to the accidental discovery of some of the best powders I've ever used as well as some that simply provided good cheap shooting even if I probably wouldn't buy again at full price. I must have well more than a dozen different powders on hand; several favorites and the rest I use for practice/plinker loads.
 
You can use Unique with light or heavy bullets. You can't get maximum velocity with Unique in a .357 but a stout load none the less. With Unique I load light and moderate to moderately heavy loads for my .357 rounds using 125gr and 158gr bullets. For full power I use 2400 or H110 but Unique is good for a wide variety of loads with either bullet weight. Reloading manuals should be studied not just read.
 
It depends on the cartridge.

For pistol I only load one bullet weight and use one powder per cartridge. I use that for target practice, plinking and as a secondary reserve for defense. I have factory bonded bullet ammo such as Winchester PDX for primary defense in pistol calibers. the powder is different for different calibers: Power Pistol for 9mm and .40, W231 for .45ACP, .380, .9x18.

For revolvers I use one bullet weight but two powders. I usually use the heavy normal weight for the caliber, such as 158 gr in .38 or 240 gr for .44. I use Unique for medium loads when I want to shoot a lot of rounds, usually for family fun plinking. In the .38 I only have one load. I use W296 for full power loads in .44 magnum with the same bullet weight.

For rifles I use different powders for different bullet weights. In the .223 I use H335 for 55 gr loads, CFE223 for 60-69 gr loads, and Varget for 77 gr loads because that is what gives me decent accuracy and velocity. I have thought about simplify to one or two bullet weights but there is such a cost difference between them I think it is cheaper to use different bullets for different purposes and amounts of shooting for each. But I am questioning whether it wwould actually be cheaper and easier to consolidate and just stock one powder and one bullet for .223.

For .30-06 I only load one bullet weight, 168 gr for both BTHP and SP. And I have one load of Varget I use in my Garands and bolt action rifles.

The complication comes when supplies are erratic as they were 2008-2016. I had to explore other powders when my primary ones were not available. So I have developed formulas for Unique and Universal instead of w231 and Power Pistol. I tried out AA9 and 2400 instead of W296. I am now working on tests for CFE Pistol. In rifles I used to use BL-C2 but found I like CFE223 better and it behaves similar to BL-C2. Varget was not available so I tried BL-C2, CFE223, IMR4064, H4895, IMR4895 as substitutes when they were available. I also started testing the new IMR copper cleaning powders (seem pretty dirty so far).

And as various bullet styles and weights were and were not available then I had to further adjust powder selections after extensive testing. As 168 gr .308" bullets disappeared I then tried out recipes for 150 gr bullets.

So I went from a pretty simple reloading plan to one that now has many alternatives developed and tested out per caliber for multiple bullet and powder choices depending on availability, but still note which are my top preferred.
 
For me, there seems to be more reason to match powders in the small caliber rifles than in the larger calibers.

For my .223 I find that certain powders work better in heavier 77 grain bullets than with the lighter 69 grain bullets (11.5% difference in weight). When I shoot 52 grain bullets, I have to use another powder to get accuracy.

But with my .308s the same powders work well with both 155 grain and 175 grain bullets (12.4% difference in weight), assuming the rifle shoots both weights equally well. In my .308s, one rifle is partial to light bullets and the other is partial to heavier bullets even though they have the same barrel length and the same twist. But there seems to be no appreciable difference powders.
 
If the shortages of the last several years have taught us anything, we all ought to stock up on the powders we know we will want. Also, many of us learned about a lot of different powders that we can substitute for our favorites to make do, as NWPilgrim pointed out. I may never buy IMR-4320 again, but the canister I found at the gun show worked just fine in the 30-30.
If I can't have the powder I want, then I like the powder I've got.
 
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