What Powder to Choose

H

Happy_Hunter

New member
Hi All,
I note that there are a range of powders suggested for each cartridge and bullet weight combination. I know some rifles just prefer a different powder and are more accurate with that powder but, I'm a bit confused about burn rate v's filling the case.

I got some advice from Australian ADI powders for a 270-308 x 130gr pill that said I should use 46.5gr of AR2209 on the basis that it nearly filled the case. That's fine I can understand that. I know my rifle takes a bit more than the ADI recommendation, so I ended up with 47gr and it shoots like a lazer. Fine! That works for me.

I also note in their 4th Edition handbook that ADI recommend BM2 for 22-250 x 52gr pill and they also recommend AR2209 as a great powder for 22-250 too. Now I know that different weight pills work better with different burn rate powders, but the ideal pill for most 22-250's is 55gr. So, there should not be such a huge disparity between recommended burn rates for the same cartridge and only 3gr difference in pill weights.

I've had some VERY experienced and knowledgeable people tell me that AR2206 is great in a 22-250 x 55gr pill. The powder leaves the cartridge case nowhere near full. Now these guys know what they are talking about and ADI KNOW what they are talking about. So what is causing this difference in advice.

What is the secret to all this. Is it best to fill the case with as much powder as possible using slower powerds. Or is there an unknown formula that includes twist rate, pill weight, barrell metal, cartridge capacity, intended velocity and all manner of other things that when combined together determines the best powder. I'm not asking for the formula if that be true. I'd just like to get my head around the determinates of the right powder. Its all Hoccuss Poccuss to me at the moment.

Don't get too hung up on the ADI powders I have mentioned. I note the 2005 Hodgdon manual gives nine different powder choices for a 22-250 x 55gr pill load.

Thanks guys
 
Ok, heres what I do and that doesn't necessarily make it right, its just what I do because it makes sense to me.

I fill a fired, unresized case with water and weigh it making note of the weight. I then "seat" a bullet to the depth that I'm going to seat my bullets which will force out some of the water and re-weigh the case. I subtract the 2 weights then multiply that difference by .85 which will give me a weight that will fill the case to 85% of capacity. Then I look through my reload manuals and find 2 or 3 powders that will fill the case to this approximately this capacity at the minimum charge weight.

When I get done with all this stuff, I go to my powder shelf and usually wind up using whatever I have on hand that will give me the best velocity at the minimum chage weight so I don't have to go to town and buy more powder. But this way I feel better because I actually put some work and effort in trying to choose a powder.

I'm dredging all of this up from memory because I didn't want to brave the cold and go get some of my notes and its been awhile since I've loaded anything but this should give you some idea of a method to use to find a starting place.
 
I use Hodgdon Varget for most of the rifle cartridges I load because it's an extremely versatile powder, and is one of Hodgdon's Extreme powders that isn't supposed to be affected by temperature fluctuations. I bought one of those single caliber load books for each rifle caliber that I load for. I look in the book for the bullet I want to use and see if Varget is one of the powders listed. If it is, I generally pick a powder weight somewhere in the middle of the suggested range in the book. If it's not, I go to the Hodgdon powder section of the book and look for the bullet in the Varget section, then load as I said up above. I've had excellent results so far, accuracy-wise, in .243, .308, .22-250, and .30-06 doing that. Plus recoil is a little less than the max loads, so it's easier on me and on the hardware.
 
Last edited:
The bottom line is what shoots best in your rifle. It has been a rule of thumb for many years that a case filled to reason was supposed to be optium. However, this is not always true. I have seen loads that shoot really well with more space than most would use. Make sure the load is recommended and safe before using one that does not fill a case well. It could blow up!
 
Hi,
Thanks for your advice on this guys. I made up a range of increasing loads of five "recommended" powders for the 22-250. The loads increased by .5gr from the starting load through to over the max. Each secific load was loaded into three cases. I boxed them and took them all to the range along with a chronograph, a micrometer and a pad.

I found that fast powders show more pressure signs at lower velocity than slower powders for a given velocity. Interestingly, I was able to achieve acceptable pressure signs at 34.5gr of AR2208 (Varget) fo a 3773fps average over three rounds.

Of the six powders recommended by the Australian ADI powder manufacture (ranging from same as Hodgdon BENCHMARK to H414) the second slowest powder showed the greatest velocity for the least pressure signs.

I now consider that the best owder is one that fills the greater portion of the case and is the slowest burning while producing the desired velocity. Some powder manufacturers did not give me that answer and their recommended powders for teh 22-250 varied fom one end of the powder specrtum to the other.

As for accuracy, I now have to tune the cartridge to the harmonics of the barrel so I can get it just right. That might mean adjusting seating depth to start with, but it may also mean changing projectiles in the same weight range.

I'm sure it is not as simple as I just made out, but I'm on a learning curve like all. I'll take advice.

Thanks for the posts and PMs.
 
The only reloading book I've seen that gives a percentage of case fullness is the Nosler book.

Safety is the other reason for using powders with over 50% case capacity. That way you don't double charge the shell and end up with a real dangerous load.

Your "best powder" conclusion sounds good to me but I wouldn't expect your three "accuracy" solutions--harmonics,seating depth, and projectile difference to be the definitive 3 items to make it a tack driver. And sorry I don't have 3 other magic pills to try either, though there are other solutions that people try.
 
Back
Top