I bet I'm not the only one using powder they've never used before

[droptine]

After 40 plus years, I have my reloading down to RL-15, 19, 22 and Varget, or I did. I haven't been able to buy any RL-22 or 4831. I used to use 4831 years back. I also did something I wish I hadn't. We built a new house few years back and I gave boxes and boxes of powder and primers away so I didn't have to put in storage. I had quite a bit of loaded ammo that would last me a while. I figured I'd just go buy whatever I needed since I only use a few powders for the most part.

As time's pasted, I needed to get stocked back up. I haven't been able to buy RL22, 4831 or Varget. I've had to buy whatever powder I could find. I've never used Norma, Ramshot or Vihtaevuori, but was able a while back to pick up a couple of pounds of each close to the burn rates of what I've use in the past. Seems like Norma 203b is near Varget. Hunter looks to be good for my Win Mags, same for V165.

Will be interesting to see how these new to me powders turn out. I have a 338 Win mag I've never shot, hope to get to the range next week and find out.

I bet I'm not the only one using powders they've never used before in this day and time.

One of these days I will be able to buy some Varget or RL22. Maybe one of these days I will be able to buy primers. Good thing a buddy of mine gave me some primers or I would be up a creek.

Thanks, Billy

 

[Bucklowery]

You would be correct. It has become use what you can find. Will not be long we will be melting anything you can find for Bullets. May have to go back to smooth bore


Thanks

Buck

 

[Sockeye66]

In the last few months I've experimented with Alliant 4000, SW Long Rifle, and Ramshots Big Game and Hunter powders, why? available alternatives in case my main powders run short, I will say for the 7-08 and 6.5cm they all get the job done.

 

[Glenn Tullius]

For sure Droptine. I started with IMR in the 80's through the 90's. Then switched over to the temp insensitive Hogedon, and started experimenting with the Accurate Arms line. Well, I'm glad I bought a bunch of "odds and ends" of Winchester and AA and Vitavoohrie because that's all I got left! Fortunately, enought to get me through this year at least!

 

[General RE LEE]

I'm new to reloading as of January. I was able to score some primers from a friend and unfortunately I did pay a premium price for Federal 215s on Gunbroker just so I could get started vs waiting a year with all my new equipment.

Here are the powders I've been able to score;

IMR 8133 (7mm STW)
IMR 4451 (6.5 Creedmoor)
Accurate 4350 (.30 06)
Accurate 4064 (.308)

These aren't the most popular powders for the calibers I'm loading but they were available.

 

[droptine]

In my case, I've been reloading for a long time, over 40 yrs. through all these years and hunts from Africa to Alaska. But I've never used a lot different powders. I started out loading with 4350 and 4831. Then RL19 and 22.

I do have 8 pounds of 19 which will last me a good while.

Looks like we are loading what we can get.

 

[Dosh]

Looking at a powder burn rate chart there are many of the popular powders with another of the same burn rate but different brand. I've used IMR7977, RL26 in place of H1000 often within a few tenths. Availability has increased dramatically lately here locally with prices down 10% or more.

 

[droptine]

Speaking of Burn Rate Chart. Over the past few months I've been able to buy a pound or two of this and that. Some I kinda knew about where it hit on the burn rate chart, others were like..................lets see what I bought. In some cases like 203b and N140 I was able to buy turned out to be really close to Varget. Some of the Vihtavouri I look up before I bought.

Looks like Hunter is close to 4831. All I know is Hunter comes out of my RCBS Chargemaster lite really quick. Haven't been to the range, but bet my 338 Win Mag will like it just fine.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I was able to get a few pounds of CFE BLK so I tried it in the 500 S&W. It produces high velocity but its DIRTY in my application. Black soot everywhere. Maybe if I used a max charge it would help.

 

[Hudge76]

I'm fairly new to reloading myself, just doing it for 16 months now. When I got my reloading kit 3 or 4 years before actually using it, I bought some dies, powder and primers so that helped. Last spring I was loading different cartridges and testing different powders. Some of my early loads my guns like were with RL22 and RL19. I haven't seen those powders in 9 months here. I've been able to get 4831 with no issues when a store does get a shipment in, which are about 2 months apart it seems.

 

[droptine]

Many of us grew up loading 4831, kinda hard to go wrong. 4831 covers a lot of ground.

Ya might say a few 30/06 and 270 rounds have been stuffed with 4831.

 

[NorCalRiceGuy]

Many of us grew up loading 4831, kinda hard to go wrong. 4831 covers a lot of ground.

Ya might say a few 30/06 and 270 rounds have been stuffed with 4831.

No kidding. I used to simply fill my .270 Win cases to the lip with military surplus 4831, shove a Speer 90 gr hollow point in and go pop squirrels and Jackrabbits out to 300 yards at about 3400 fps. You could literally hear the "POP!" when they hit.

 

[Mike Matteson]

The only thing is knowing how that powder you are using reacts to temperature changes. So powder change a lot do to heat. In early 2000 I was developing a load for a rifle and blew a primer out of the case because temperature extreme powder. I have use that powder again and gave away 16lbs. Hodgdon powders now.

 

[spin-one]

I have been reloading for 5 or 6 years and pretty much only used H1000 for my 6.5 PRC, H4350 for my 30 06 and 6.5 Creedmoor. There is one up side to this shortage and that is it has forced me to try other reloading components outside my comfort level. I found that Norma URP load workup was almost identical to H4350 in my Creedmoor. In my 6.5 PRC i found that IMR 8133 gave me great SD and ES with just a slight decrease in velocity compared to H1000. In my 30 06 I tried IMR 4350 with similar results to H4350. Federal match large and small were the only primer that I had used before this shortage. Now I use a verity of different brands and some Mag primes with good results. I am really looking forward to the day this shortage lessen up, but till then I will keep switching up components and hopefully keep gaining more knowledge