Guide to Smokeless Powder
- Wyldman
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Re: Guide to Smokeless Powder
Get Lee's Reloading guide and a couple of other reloading books. The recipes included have many powder type recommendations, and the whole first half of the Lee book is step by step reloading instructions.
It's a great place to start.
Crush, kill, mangle, maim, destroy.
It's a great place to start.
Crush, kill, mangle, maim, destroy.
IN GOD WE TRUST
"That boy's paradigm don't always add up to four nickels...."
"That boy's paradigm don't always add up to four nickels...."
- PDM
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Re: Guide to Smokeless Powder
Good information, but doesn't really help with reloading. The best place to start is something like the current edition of the Lyman Reloading Manual
"The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or the state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people."
Tench Coxe
Tench Coxe
- Wyldman
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Re: Guide to Smokeless Powder
Or the latest Speer, Hornady, Sierra, Nosler, etc. Almost all bullet manufacturers have them.
The Lee Reloading manual is a great primer for the novice to get started with, that's why I specifically suggested it.
Crush, kill, mangle, maim, destroy.
The Lee Reloading manual is a great primer for the novice to get started with, that's why I specifically suggested it.
Crush, kill, mangle, maim, destroy.
IN GOD WE TRUST
"That boy's paradigm don't always add up to four nickels...."
"That boy's paradigm don't always add up to four nickels...."
- PDM
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Re: Guide to Smokeless Powder
Wyldman wrote:Or the latest Speer, Hornady, Sierra, Nosler, etc. Almost all bullet manufacturers have them.
The Lee Reloading manual is a great primer for the novice to get started with, that's why I specifically suggested it.
Crush, kill, mangle, maim, destroy.
Sorry. Didn't see your first post
"The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or the state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people."
Tench Coxe
Tench Coxe
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Re: Guide to Smokeless Powder
http://www.vihtavuori.com/upload/guide- ... engwww.pdf
Vihta Vuori reloading manual, if anyone has a use for it.
Vihta Vuori reloading manual, if anyone has a use for it.
"I don't retreat; I kick ass in the other direction."
- Wyldman
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Re: Guide to Smokeless Powder
I have one, actually I have about 14 different loading manuals. I like to be able to see different data from different sources and compare data for mistakes, which can and do happen.
One word of caution, utilizing load data from Internet forum posts can be extremely dangerous. Another reason to have as many sources of data as possible.
Even powder manufacturers can have errors creep into thier data. Cross check often until you get familiar with the products you are using.
Although they are not always the absolute very best powders, I use Bullseye and Unique for pistol cartridges a lot. They are very consistent and have decades of user data available for reliable cross checking of loads.
Either of those powders can be used for everything from .25 ACP to .454 Casull.
Blue Dot, Red Dot, Green Dot, etc. all started our as shot shell powders but, over the years, have been used in nearly every kind of cartridge you can think of.
Optimal? Maybe not, but very consistant and reliable data that produces excellent results.
IMR 4320, a great rifle cartridge powder that can be tuned like a piano in bottle necked cartridges is an old stand-by from over 50 years ago, but some of my best .308 loads utilize it. I buy it whenever I can find it.
The point is, find a powder that works for you, develop your loads, and stick with it. Experimentation is fine, but proceed with extreme caution when doing it.
Learning how to ladder load is far more important than what new powder you are using this week.
Crush, kill, mangle, maim, destroy.
One word of caution, utilizing load data from Internet forum posts can be extremely dangerous. Another reason to have as many sources of data as possible.
Even powder manufacturers can have errors creep into thier data. Cross check often until you get familiar with the products you are using.
Although they are not always the absolute very best powders, I use Bullseye and Unique for pistol cartridges a lot. They are very consistent and have decades of user data available for reliable cross checking of loads.
Either of those powders can be used for everything from .25 ACP to .454 Casull.
Blue Dot, Red Dot, Green Dot, etc. all started our as shot shell powders but, over the years, have been used in nearly every kind of cartridge you can think of.
Optimal? Maybe not, but very consistant and reliable data that produces excellent results.
IMR 4320, a great rifle cartridge powder that can be tuned like a piano in bottle necked cartridges is an old stand-by from over 50 years ago, but some of my best .308 loads utilize it. I buy it whenever I can find it.
The point is, find a powder that works for you, develop your loads, and stick with it. Experimentation is fine, but proceed with extreme caution when doing it.
Learning how to ladder load is far more important than what new powder you are using this week.
Crush, kill, mangle, maim, destroy.
IN GOD WE TRUST
"That boy's paradigm don't always add up to four nickels...."
"That boy's paradigm don't always add up to four nickels...."
- Dustin
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Re: Guide to Smokeless Powder
Data changes over time. I was using red dot in 45 Acp. But it has been dropped for all manuals.
Titegroup is a great pistol powder be carful of a double charge.
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Titegroup is a great pistol powder be carful of a double charge.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
"What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance. Let them take arms." Thomas Jefferson
Re: Guide to Smokeless Powder
As Wyldman said you can never have enough information. I have used a lot of Unique, 38Special 357Mag 45ACP 45LC 44Mag. I have never used it in my 454Casull. 8grs of Unique and a 240gr LSWC in my Humble Opinion is one of the greatest practice loads that can be had in a 44Mag. There are many opinions like this. Check each and every one you get.
- Vividia
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Re: Guide to Smokeless Powder
+1 on all the cross checking. I have a dozen or more loading manuals, and all are checked every time i start to build a new load.
The ABCs of Reloading is a good place to start for a concise discussion of the basics.
Another more esoteric book is "Pet Loads." Older info but useful.
I also highly recommend the book "propellant profiles." It is a collection of articles and reviews on many powders, complete with testing and recipes. Very useful when selecting a powder for a particular cartridge. On the more common powders, it may have 2 or 3 articles that were written years/decades apart. It's interesting to see how loads change over the years. I find this book useful when I have chosen the bullet, and then compare the info from the bullet maker's manual to the various powders they list for the bullet i have chosen.
The ABCs of Reloading is a good place to start for a concise discussion of the basics.
Another more esoteric book is "Pet Loads." Older info but useful.
I also highly recommend the book "propellant profiles." It is a collection of articles and reviews on many powders, complete with testing and recipes. Very useful when selecting a powder for a particular cartridge. On the more common powders, it may have 2 or 3 articles that were written years/decades apart. It's interesting to see how loads change over the years. I find this book useful when I have chosen the bullet, and then compare the info from the bullet maker's manual to the various powders they list for the bullet i have chosen.
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