Selecting a powder?

[thefitter]

Just started reloading. Got all the equipment and supplies except the powder. Initially I plan to just load for .308 and one or two specific rifles.

I will be using 168 & 175 SMK with Fed brass and CCI Br primers.

Should I just pick 1 powder like RL-15, TAC, 4064 or N150 and purchase a 8lb'er and work with it until I find the best load for this rife with that powder? Or should I buy 3-4 different powders to start and try them all to find out which is better?

I mean if I get the first powder to give me great groups after a week or three of tests why would I then go through it all over again?

Told you I was a rookie! Thanks

 

[BCP]

Re: Selecting a powder?

What other calibers do you load? Varget has been great in my 308, 30-06 and 223 and has been really stable despite temperature.

 

[former naval person]

Re: Selecting a powder?

Get 8 pounds of Varget and start a grain or two lower than max listed and work up to best groups...the Fed seems a bit softer and if you push the max you'll loosen primers quicker. I find that if I load for the same velocities as the FGMM I get long life out of Federal match brass. I like the Federal or Wolf primers myself. They give identical results in my rifles. JMHO

 

[thefitter]

Re: Selecting a powder?

Just .308 now. I had heard that Varget has some inconsistencies between lots and that it can be difficult to meter. I wanted to start with something easier.

 

[Longguns]

Re: Selecting a powder?

I use an electronic powder drop and have never had a problem with metering. I use varget in .223 and .308. Also it works well in the .30-30. The inconsistencies with varget is from when they first started making it. I believe they got the bugs worked out now.

 

[Rob01]

Re: Selecting a powder?

Get Varget. There was one problem a few years ago with a slow lot but it is not the norm. It's all I use in the .308. Meters as well as any stick powder and is very temp insensitive so no worries for winter or summer loads. I have shot it from single digits to over 100 degrees.

Buy a pound and try it.

Hodgdon's loads:
175- min 42grns max 45grns
168- min 42grns max 46grns

 

[jaym_100]

Re: Selecting a powder?

I have only tried IMR 4064 and Varget. Varget shoots much better in my gun.

 

[Rarebreed93]

Re: Selecting a powder?

Listen to these guy's, I did.
Get the Varget and don't look back.
It's worked perfect for the .308.

 

[thefitter]

Re: Selecting a powder?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rob01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Get Varget. There was one problem a few years ago with a slow lot but it is not the norm. It's all I use in the .308. Meters as well as any stick powder and is very temp insensitive so no worries for winter or summer loads. I have shot it from single digits to over 100 degrees.

Buy a pound and try it.

Hodgdon's loads:
175- min 42grns max 45grns
168- min 42grns max 46grns </div></div>

I bought a Harrels and I was a little worried about it metering and cutting Varget. Is it true some people are leaving Varget for IMR 8208 xbr?

I had thought about buying pounds of various powders but read that lots can vary. If I buy a pound and then decide it works will the next batch (8lbs) be the same or will I have to adjust the load?

I also just found out about the $25 UPS HAZ MAT Fee and wanted to try and not have to pay it very often. Thanks

 

[300ATT]

Re: Selecting a powder?


I have found that 41.5 - 42.8gr of H4895 works great for 168 SMK's (also meeters better than Varget in a Harrel's)

Varget 42.5 - 44.0 grs seems to work very well for 175 SMK's
Does not meeter as consistently as H4895.

 

[EOMFD]

Re: Selecting a powder?

How about the IMR 4895? That was all that was available locally for me. I don't hear much about it, so was wondering if it's known for being very good.

 

[cmh2007]

Re: Selecting a powder?

currently i am running 155 amaxes with 46.4 grs of varget and am seeing very good accuracy with mine. I am going to try some Lapua Scenars when i get home with the same load to see how they do

 

[Clark]

Re: Selecting a powder?

These are some come to Jesus posts on Varget.

I have a pound, but have only shot it into the dirt for a work up to the threshold of short brass life. It behaved exactly as Quickload predicted. Maybe that is because it is temperature stable.

 

[BCP]

Re: Selecting a powder?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EOMFD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How about the IMR 4895? That was all that was available locally for me. I don't hear much about it, so was wondering if it's known for being very good. </div></div>

4895 is good stuff, it meters well and works great in a lot of calibers.

 

[groovebus]

Re: Selecting a powder?

I use 42gr of RL-15 in my 168gr HPBTs. seems to do the job consistantly with out wearing my shoulder down. I get about 150 rounds out of a pound of powder.

 

[270grdeerbullet]

Re: Selecting a powder?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BCP</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EOMFD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How about the IMR 4895? That was all that was available locally for me. I don't hear much about it, so was wondering if it's known for being very good. </div></div>

4895 is good stuff, it meters well and works great in a lot of calibers.</div></div>

+1 i use the shit out of IMR 4895 in several different guns and it works really well

 

[EOMFD]

Re: Selecting a powder?

Good deal. Thanks for the replies! Sorry for hi-jacking the thread.

 

[Tangodown911]

Re: Selecting a powder?

Varget is a very good powder... But. For me RL15 and IMR4064 both shot better and more consistently. Thought I had a bad lot of Varget. Went through two more different lots... same thing. Both rifles are stock .308 5Rs. The RL15 and IMR4064 react exactly the same per charge weight for me in my gear. I also found Varget lacked the speed I was looking for my applications.

I will try Varget in my next 308 without a doubt along with the others.

 

[The Zebra]

Re: Selecting a powder?

Another vote for Varget. I use it for .308 and .223 and it is the most accurate in my guns.

 

[Tripwire]

Re: Selecting a powder?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: thefitter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Just started reloading.

</div></div>

Since you're a newbe I'll offer some general advice...FWIW.

Nothing wrong with asking around and getting info from those who've been doing it a while, but do yourself a favor and don't take anyone's specific load for granted. Work up a load in your rifle so you know it's good to go....

Regarding picking a powder. Pouring over published load data is a good way to see what will work. I generally look to bullet manufacturers and see what they have tested, rather than looking at the powder manufacturer's data. Bullet Data seems to be a little more useful, since I'm looking at the specific bullet that I'm gonna load.

Knowing about the Burn Rates, and a thing called Load Density is a good idea. Personally I don't want a fast powder with a lot of air space causing erratic velocity spreads, and I don't either want too slow a powder that I need to compress the shit out if to get something seated. I'm not a fan of drop tubes or compressed loads.

I look for a tested powder that will yeild at least a 90% Load Density, with 95% to 98% being even better, in the target velocity I'm wanting.

Quick Load is your friend, for sorting out the details.....