Which powder to purchase

M

MurBob

New member
I don't plan on doing any reloading at the time, but if I ever did want to reload my own handgun ammo (9mm, 40cal) or my 308 rifle ammo, which black powder should I purchase? And would it work for shotgun ammo too?

I'm considering purchasing a supply of the stuff just to have around.

Thanks,
 
Many handgun powders are also shotgun powders. Unique is very versatile, but doesn't meter well in many meters. The "Dot" powders are very good in both (Red Dot, Green Dot, Blue Dot, Clay Dot) as are HS-6, WST and WSF. Any of those that you can find will serve you pretty well. Can't speak to the .308.
 
While there is no one powder for pistol, rifle and shotgun, Unique would be as close as you could get to one powder for all. Depending on bullet type, load type (shotgun) and velocity for each.
 
Forget having one powder for both Rifle and Handgun.

That said, for the calibers you listed I'd look at Power Pistol for the 9mm and 40 cal. For the .308 I'd keep a jug of IMR4064 around.

You can toss just about any bullet you want downrange with those two powders with great performance and accuracy.

If you plan on shooting other calibers resign yourself to adding some powder types because small rifle cases use different powders than large cased or magnum calibers as well as a host of other factors.
 
What happens if you use the wrong powder in the wrong shell?

Are we talking about poor performance or some kind of safety issue?
 
Dozens of different powders would work for each, but if I had my way it would be:
IMR-4451 for 308
Power Pistol for 9mm and 40sw
 
If you use rifle powder in you pistol, velocity will be low, and it probably won't cycle an autoloader, but I would think it wouldn't be unsafe.

If you use pistol powder in a rifle by accident, using a rifle recipe (for example, 45 grains of Bullseye instead of 4064, you will most likely damage or destroy your gun, and possibly hurt yourself.
 
And shotgun reloading is another reloading manual altogether. There are some powders that will work for handgun and shotgun (depending on what shotgun loads you are trying to make), so it is feasible to get down to two powders - one for your rifle and one for shotgun and handguns.
 
MurBob Though powder stocks are coming back towards "normal" there are still many powders that are hard to get. During the shortage, many were IMPOSSIBLE to get.

Any advice based on 'use this powder' is worthless unless you can actually get that powder.

That said.

There are at least a dozen powders that would work well enough with the 9mm, 40, & either a 12 or 20 gauge. Well enough means that powder will cover all three or four as long as you are willing to deal with the compromises in projectile weight, composition, & velocity.

For your 308, there are several powders that fit the bill...again compromise is between projectile weight range, velocity, and possibly port pressure if using a semi auto.
 
What happens if you use the wrong powder in the wrong shell?

Are we talking about poor performance or some kind of safety issue?
Click to expand...

Very possible we would be holding a bomb in our hands.

That is why you need to do as suggested to buy a couple of good reloading manuals.....BEFORE you buy any supplies.

Please read up on the topics as there is lots of good lifesaving information in the manuals.
 
Go to Amazon and order a copy of Lyman's 49th, And READ it. Loading is not hard, but there are things you need to know and understand.
 
Definitely do some reading.

If you have a bit box store (Cabella etc) near, take one of their classes.

Get one of the reloading books, I like Hornady and Sierra.

While the actually work is not complicated, doing it right requires a lot of dedication to process (doing it carefully and right and not mixing powders up)

Powders, bullets and even primers (pistol and rifle primers are not the same but they both come in the same large and small sizes.

I was at the range recently and saw the results of a bad load. The gun was destroyed, the scope came back and hit the guy in the mouth (5 teeth removed as I recall) one guy adjacent got hit by fragments. Barrel wound up 20 feet in front of the bench.

The top went sideways and back and fortunately no one was standing there or that could have been bad.

You can not only damage yourself (usually, but your eyes are involved so blind is not pretty) you can do the same to others.

This was a modern gun that should have vented and not blown up.
 
Just a thought, but not recommending it you could theoretically use black powder in all the calibers you mention. Certainly performance won't be even close to smokeless, but all will prolly go bang and the bullets would leave the barrel. Perhaps a black powder cartridge reloader can step in with some real info? :confused:
 
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