Poll: One powder only

[selmerfan]

Of the choices given, Unique. Other - Blue Dot. Shotgun, pistol, cast boolits, and reduced jacketed loads for everything I shoot. Unique can do similar, but I think Blue Dot does it better. That said, I have at least four pounds of both on the shelf...

[blikseme300]

Alliant Reloder 7 is my rifle powder of choice.

[Outpost75]

I went bullseye only because of the amount loaded per lb you get. Although unique is more universal, I have found better accuracy from bullseye. It to can be loaded in magnums although not very appropriate.

Another vote for BULLSEYE!

I never cared for Unique, because its large particle size does not measure well.

I don't use supersonic loads in handguns, preferring bullet weight and shape to do the job. I seldom use gas checks rifle loads. My goals are economy and utility. I use Bullseye in everything from the .32 ACP to .44 Magnum, and the
.45 Colt in handguns, and from Rook rifles to the .375 H&H. A case of four 8-lb. caddies will last longer than I have time left on this earth.

My deer rifle is a .35/.30-30 firing a 260-grain plainbased bullets 1300 fps from a 20" Winchester 1894 at @1300 fps with 9 grs. of Bullseye.

My .30 cal. recreational shooting in .30-'06 and 7.62x54R to 200 yards uses #314299 of wheelweights, without the GC, with 9 grains of Bullseye. My. 375 H&H load is #375449 without GC with 13 grs. of Bullseye for 1300 fps, kills like a .38-55.

My .44 Magnum load is 8 grains of Bullseye with Saeco #441, 260-grain Keith style, which gives 1080 fps from my 5-1/2" Ruger Blackhawk and 3" groupos at 50 ysrds, or 1300 fps from my H&R Handi Rifle with groups 3" at 100 yards and which will perforate a deer from end to end.

If I could have only one powder, Bullseye, you bet!

[grampa243]

IMR4198 for rifles

Unique, for ever thing else.

[Nicholas]

I started reloading 45 years ago and this was an early question owing to lack of funds. I concluded that Unique was solution.

[leadmonkey]

Kinda surprised that 231/HP38 isn't more highly thought of.

I suppose I might think higher of Unique if it was easier to accurately meter from my Auto Disk.

[singleshot]

I chose 2400 b/c it's a better compromise for rifles than unique, but I forgot about my shotguns for a second. I'd go through a lot of 2400 in shotguns.

For all of you that chose unique, universal will do everything and cleaner. Just something to think about.

[Catshooter]

For all of you that chose unique, universal will do everything and cleaner. Just something to think about.

It also meters like a ball powder, is very forgiving (like Unique is) and is flash suppressed. I like it.


Cat

[dverna]

I have never considered the question. I do not live - or expect to live like that. I have a lot of powder but have more Promo than any other because I shoot trap competitively. I can use it in pistol and cast rifle too - but only if I want to - not because I have to.

I decided not to vote. I am in my sixties and a lifetime supply of powder is within reach. I will continue to stock up on the powders I need for the guns I shoot.

I agree with banger. It is foolish to pick a powder that becomes a compromise unless achieving the best performance does not matter to the user. That is the mindset of mediocrity. If that is your goal - so be it. It is not mine.

There was a comment about "Iran and China have banded together and have missle boats off both coasts, the zombies are coming over the wall, the epa just declared powder too dangerous for the peons and obama just declared martial law. You have to grab your rifles, pistols and reloading gear and boogie. Only room for one powder. What is is?" (note: I did not correct spelling in the quote)

In that scenario, (zombies coming over the wall) I am not grabbing any reloading gear or components. That would be useless weight for a man over 60 to "boogie" with. My choice is simple, the AR15 with a battle vest full of mags, the Glock 22 with three mags, the spare 9mm barrel for the Glock and three 9mm mags (for "salvaged" ammo), and a small pack with essentials.

If powder is declared to dangerous, I am keeping all I have and rationing it.

If martial law is declared, well - let's not go there. Anarchy is never clean or easy. But it still does not mean I only have one powder.

Using my little pea brain to ponder things that will not happen (only having one powder) is not useful. I spend my time figuring what and how much more I need to purchase. Like the commercial says, "More is better".

I feel so out of place. I guess that is the price I pay for being a hoarder.

Don Verna

[Ozarki]

I tend to agree with Dverna. I have a bunch stored so don't have to rely on just one. Just for fun, I looked at my family of goodies to see what I could feed everybody if I had only one powder and that turned out to be unique. So just to answer the posed question, unique would have to be my choice.

Wes

[220]

If we are talking pistol powders then for me AP-50N
If we are talking everything then probably Trailboss, not much chance of getting enough in the 9 to make it function but it will push boolits out the barrel, revolver and rifle loads it's great and I'm fairly sure I could get it to work in shotgun.
Either way my vote goes to other.

[Ron in PA]

Unique is my go to powder. 45-70, 30-06, 30-30, 45 colt, 357, 44mag and 380.

[jonp]

I have never considered the question. I do not live - or expect to live like that. I have a lot of powder but have more Promo than any other because I shoot trap competitively. I can use it in pistol and cast rifle too - but only if I want to - not because I have to.

I decided not to vote. I am in my sixties and a lifetime supply of powder is within reach. I will continue to stock up on the powders I need for the guns I shoot.

I agree with banger. It is foolish to pick a powder that becomes a compromise unless achieving the best performance does not matter to the user. That is the mindset of mediocrity. If that is your goal - so be it. It is not mine.

There was a comment about "Iran and China have banded together and have missle boats off both coasts, the zombies are coming over the wall, the epa just declared powder too dangerous for the peons and obama just declared martial law. You have to grab your rifles, pistols and reloading gear and boogie. Only room for one powder. What is is?" (note: I did not correct spelling in the quote)

In that scenario, (zombies coming over the wall) I am not grabbing any reloading gear or components. That would be useless weight for a man over 60 to "boogie" with. My choice is simple, the AR15 with a battle vest full of mags, the Glock 22 with three mags, the spare 9mm barrel for the Glock and three 9mm mags (for "salvaged" ammo), and a small pack with essentials.

If powder is declared to dangerous, I am keeping all I have and rationing it.

If martial law is declared, well - let's not go there. Anarchy is never clean or easy. But it still does not mean I only have one powder.

Using my little pea brain to ponder things that will not happen (only having one powder) is not useful. I spend my time figuring what and how much more I need to purchase. Like the commercial says, "More is better".

I feel so out of place. I guess that is the price I pay for being a hoarder.

Don Verna

I was trying to come up with something off of the top of my head that would get the person I was speaking to to choose one powder not a realistic situation. I have several spam cans and other things I would grab instead of all of my powder.

This is not a poll designed on what is likely or what I expect or anything like that. It's not about one powder that does everything spectacularly either and whether or not I'd feel good about just one when I'd have at least 2 or 3 for different things. It's a poll about what is the one powder you would choose if you could only have one. This is not that difficult and I have a hard time understanding why a number of people feel compelled to branch off into other areas.
Of course we want different powders but what is the one powder that you would choose to cover what you are likely to shoot? What is so hard about that?

Maybe I should have worded the opening post differently to make it easier for people.

[dragon813gt]

You worded everything properly. Some of us just don't want to consider using only one powder. It's simple on both sides and it's not like the question has to be answered.

[jonp]

"You worded everything properly. Some of us just don't want to consider using only one powder"

You got that right.

[RogerDat]

I agree with banger. It is foolish to pick a powder that becomes a compromise unless achieving the best performance does not matter to the user. That is the mindset of mediocrity. If that is your goal - so be it. It is not mine.

Some of us don't have a varied powder inventory built up, or want to limit expenses. So what single powder we could get away with, or which two (pistol/rifle), and what the posters reload for that influenced their decision is information of value. This does not mean mindset of mediocrity, it means for a single powder (or two) what offers broadest usefulness.

Zeroing in on what is optimum for a specific cast boolit, from a specific alloy mix in an individual firearm is a more recipe oriented subject than this post. A worthwhile pursuit no doubt, and one many if not most will undertake for at least some of what they shoot at some point or another. For myself optimum is icing on the cake, not the starting point. Several times people have commented "I have a jug of xxxx but don't use it". Some folks such as myself don't have $65 to casually drop on a 4# shelf decoration or something that might be "ideal" for a single reloading task.

There is a recipe for everything I shoot in the Lyman Cast Reloading Handbook for Unique, that and the advice of more experienced people made me purchase Unique as a general purpose powder. Good to see the advice I was given backed up by this poll. But noting with interest the comments on Universal being easier to meter.

[osteodoc08]

2400 for me. I can load all my revolvers and lever actions with it. No mag primer needed. It's good stuff

[GeezerinNH]

Red dot here, been using it for shotgun 12 gauge load for trap and hunting, 9mm's, 38's, 45's all rifle cartridges I shoot using the 13 grain Harris load.

Have over 20 pounds on hand. I can live with if I have to but I also use many more in this hobby of reloading.

[dverna]

I had to vote for BL-C2. It had no votes. Why is that?

Don Verna

[btroj]

How is that BL-C2 working in your 45 ACP?

I would never try to get by on even 5 powders much less one but for the sake of this discussion I chose Unique.

While Unique can work in any cartridge I can think of it doesn't excel in many. Get by and thrive are two different things.