Most Versatile Powder for TEOTWAWKI

[Redcobra]

Red Dot for 9mm, 38spl, and 45ACP and Shotgun.

 

[Blacksmith101]

Have you checked the bullet manufacturers load books? There might be some info in there that might add/subtract the total number of calibers for the specific powders you listed.

I'm not telling you to do it, I'm just a bit curious as to if that might change the numbers you have.

Other than that, nice write up! If you are able to do so, can you publish your final findings in a PDF for us to ogle and discuss further?

AT the moment I thought I would tackle Lyman's 49th as my next source book. I have several other handbooks and am always on the lookout for old load books for my library. I actually picked up the Ideal No. 40, which is included, at the SLCFSA gun show Saturday which served as the inspiration to posting the data. It looks like I'll be busy for quite awhile.

As far as posting a PDF I haven't got a clue.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

AT the moment I thought I would tackle Lyman's 49th as my next source book. I have several other handbooks and am always on the lookout for old load books for my library. I actually picked up the Ideal No. 40, which is included, at the SLCFSA gun show Saturday which served as the inspiration to posting the data. It looks like I'll be busy for quite awhile.

As far as posting a PDF I haven't go a clue.

Gotcha. I'll keep following this, as long as you are doing it.

 

[Engine4]

Forgive my newby question, but I thought Varget was a good all around powder, depending on what you loaded. Blacksmith, do you know why it didn't make the cut?

 

[Blacksmith101]

Forgive my newby question, but I thought Varget was a good all around powder, depending on what you loaded. Blacksmith, do you know why it didn't make the cut?

Simply because I did not pick it. It would be great if someone would look at every powder for every cartridge in every handbook but that is just too big a job for me. I started with one powder then kept adding more until it became too much. Varget shows up quite often in some handbooks but was not included in the first few references I started checking. I have added two more powders to the list I am checking, Reloader 7 and IMR-4046, bringing the total to 14 and that is about the limit I can handle at one time.

In addition to Varget two others I am seeing frequently in Lyman No.49 are IMR-4350 and IMR-4831 and I am sure there are others. Different Handbooks seem to have their favorite powders and others don't show up at all.

Why don't you start a project looking at Varget and a few other powders and report on their versitility? There are plenty of powders and handbooks to choose from and every little bit of information helps the reloading community.

 

[Melnic]

Varget is hard to find right now

 

[Blacksmith101]

I have now been through Lyman 49th edition but I added two more powders to the list so I want to go back and check them in at least some of the other references before I post an update. It does not look like any major changes from my previous post just a few numbers here and there.

One thing I learned when going through Lyman 49th is why they arranged the list of powders the way they do in the load data for each bullet. I wondered why the powders changed the order they were listed and then I noticed they list them from the lowest number of grains used to the highest in the maximum load column. So you will get more cartridges per pound with the first powder listed and fewer as you go down the list.