Powder confusion

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Jimmy_grayson

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Hey everyone,

I picked up some nosler 55gr varmageddon for my 243 and they shoot fantastic. That said I'm not paying $60 a box again. I have access to a reloading bench but admittedly have very little knowledge in this area. How do I choose a powder for this load? Should I just go by what's listed as "most accurate" on the nosler website?

Any help is appreciated, thanks.
 
Jimmy_grayson said:
Hey everyone,

I picked up some nosler 55gr varmageddon for my 243 and they shoot fantastic. That said I'm not paying $60 a box again. I have access to a reloading bench but admittedly have very little knowledge in this area. How do I choose a powder for this load? Should I just go by what's listed as "most accurate" on the nosler website?

Any help is appreciated, thanks.
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I just looked in Hornady’s latest reloading manual and it appears that Varget, IMR4064 or Reloader 15 would all be good choices. Hornady doesn’t list the 55gr Nosler bullet, but do have loads for their 58gr bullet. Note that they only list Varget for use in loads up to 65gr bullets, with IMR4064 and RL15 good for up to 80gr. You really should buy yourself at least one reloading manual if you are going to start hand loading. Also, I’d strongly suggest finding someone who can coach you along the way when you’re first starting out.

You can also visit https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/ for an online reloading guide. They do include the 55gr Nosler, FWIW.

Good luck, and be safe.
 
Choosing a powder - for several of the new-to-me cartridges that have showed up here, I often start with the Start load leading to somebody's "accuracy" load from a reloading manual - if I can find that powder, those primers, and that brand of brass to buy! Often better to have more than one option when shopping - just have to remember the manuals report the results with their rifle, with the listed specific primer and brass - no reason at all will be exactly the same results using different brass, different primers or your rifle.

So, 55 grain in a 243 Win. Sierra Edition V uses Benchmark in "Accuracy Load" and Varget in "Hunting Load". Nosler #7 manual gives W760 as "Most Accurate Powder Tested". That would be the same powder as 414. I also have Hornady and Speer manuals, but they do not list a "most accurate" load. Because I had a number of containers of it, we loaded 55 grain Nosler B. Tip with Ramshot Hunter for a "light" load for grandson to practice with his new 243 Win, using data from Western Powders Guide Edition 5.0. Among the manuals that I mentioned there are at least 20 (?) powders listed that will produce "safe", pressure tested loads - in their gear. Up to the home guy to figure out which of them is the "best" for his gear.

Not uncommon for people to think there is a known "magic" combination to load up and will work in any rifle, without working up - there might be, but some of us have put in many years trying to find that one "perfect" load for one cartridge. Factories generally mix additives or adjust powders for their commercial loadings - they get to use real pressure testing equipment, and their stuff will work - that is, safely go "bang" - in any rifle - but the powders that they use are generally not available for the public to buy.

Thinking a bit more - there actually are dozens of those "magic" loads - the Start loads given for each powder - load them up and 99.99% of rifles will fire them safely.
 
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Nosler book shows most accurate Load and powder being 50.0 grains of WW760 . . . start at 46.0 grains.

The Nosler book and the Sierra Infinity program show most accurate loads and powders and it makes little difference to me who made the bullets.

The book showed a load for the 22.250 60 grain bullet and the Sierra 60 grain HP has been a standby in my factory barrel and the replacement barrel.
 
Honestly, I started by picking a powder I could use in most of my guns. Starting with one gun makes things easier. Started adding more powders as the heard got bigger and requirements changed. I think I am up to 3 main powders and a few odd balls.

I am not a target shooter and any of the powders I use give me as good if not better than factory ammo. I'm good with this.
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/
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What their test rifle likes and what your rifle will like could be completely different powders.

Get one that is "generally" accepted as an accurate powder and go hard, if you ,want try two, try three.

If you work up a load properly you'll likely find an accuracy node with anything, but results will vary and up to your interpretation.
 
Iv you are just buying one powder, Varget would be appropriate. That is a very light bullet for that caliber. It would blow in the wind and shed velocity quickly. Good for short range.

I tend to use 85 gr bullets in 243 and for that H4350 is a better choice, although Varget would work.
 
Potashminer said:
Choosing a powder - for several of the new-to-me cartridges that have showed up here, I often start with the Start load leading to somebody's "accuracy" load from a reloading manual - if I can find that powder, those primers, and that brand of brass to buy! Often better to have more than one option when shopping - just have to remember the manuals report the results with their rifle, with the listed specific primer and brass - no reason at all will be exactly the same results using different brass, different primers or your rifle.

So, 55 grain in a 243 Win. Sierra Edition V uses Benchmark in "Accuracy Load" and Varget in "Hunting Load". Nosler #7 manual gives W760 as "Most Accurate Powder Tested". That would be the same powder as 414. I also have Hornady and Speer manuals, but they do not list a "most accurate" load. Because I had a number of containers of it, we loaded 55 grain Nosler B. Tip with Ramshot Hunter for a "light" load for grandson to practice with his new 243 Win, using data from Western Powders Guide Edition 5.0. Among the manuals that I mentioned there are at least 20 (?) powders listed that will produce "safe", pressure tested loads - in their gear. Up to the home guy to figure out which of them is the "best" for his gear.

Not uncommon for people to think there is a known "magic" combination to load up and will work in any rifle, without working up - there might be, but some of us have put in many years trying to find that one "perfect" load for one cartridge. Factories generally mix additives or adjust powders for their commercial loadings - they get to use real pressure testing equipment, and their stuff will work - that is, safely go "bang" - in any rifle - but the powders that they use are generally not available for the public to buy.

Thinking a bit more - there actually are dozens of those "magic" loads - the Start loads given for each powder - load them up and 99.99% of rifles will fire them safely.
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H414 has been our go to load for 55 or 58 gr bullets. Very accurate in our Savage 243. It is good to know that W760 is the same as 414 as the last time I tried to order H414, I was told that it was discontinued.
 
Thanks everyone. I typically reload at my grandfather's but due to COVID that isn't an option. Was just wondering if there was any reason 1 powder would be better than another in the reloading manual. Looks like it depends on a whole bunch of things. Thanks for the info
 
Jimmy_grayson said:
Thanks everyone. I typically reload at my grandfather's but due to COVID that isn't an option. Was just wondering if there was any reason 1 powder would be better than another in the reloading manual. Looks like it depends on a whole bunch of things. Thanks for the info
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Sounds to me like you really should be loading only under the direct supervision of a experienced mentor. No insult intended, we all start somewhere.

Put simply. Every powder has different intended uses. Pistol and shotgun powders are very fast, used in a rifle, they could result in a catastrophic failure. As a general rule, the larger the rifle cartridge, projectile, barrel length.....the slower the powder. Just a general rule as my Rigby uses medium powders, whereas, the 338 lapua, it's offspring which uses the Rigby parent case uses some of the slowest powders.

Look up a powder burn chart....check out the burn rates of the recommended powders in your online or manual source. This should give you a general idea of the range, fast to slow, and potential substitutes. Substituting some powders may simply lead to poor performance and accuracy; whereas, others can result in unsafe pressures.

Welcome to the rabbit hole, stay safe.
 
nowarningshot said:
Sounds to me like you really should be loading only under the direct supervision of a experienced mentor. No insult intended, we all start somewhere.

Put simply. Every powder has different intended uses. Pistol and shotgun powders are very fast, used in a rifle, they could result in a catastrophic failure. As a general rule, the larger the rifle cartridge, projectile, barrel length.....the slower the powder. Just a general rule as my Rigby uses medium powders, whereas, the 338 lapua, it's offspring which uses the Rigby parent case uses some of the slowest powders.

Look up a powder burn chart....check out the burn rates of the recommended powders in your online or manual source. This should give you a general idea of the range, fast to slow, and potential substitutes. Substituting some powders may simply lead to poor performance and accuracy; whereas, others can result in unsafe pressures.

Welcome to the rabbit hole, stay safe.
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Agreed. I've reloaded but I was given all the components and told how to do it. Just trying to learn some of the ins and outs of why I might buy one powder vs another. Don't even have any reloading equipment here (like I mentioned, only ever done it at my grandfather's). Welcome to the rabbit hole indeed. Cheers
 
DFarmer said:
H414 has been our go to load for 55 or 58 gr bullets. Very accurate in our Savage 243. It is good to know that W760 is the same as 414 as the last time I tried to order H414, I was told that it was discontinued.
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I do not use either any more. Had read multiple times that the two of them come out of the same spout at the same factory, but have never actually been there to see. Looking at various loading manuals over the years - if the two powders are listed in the same table, in the same list, only .1 or .2 grains difference, if any difference.

No doubt we will see steady decline in listings of various powders, now that apparently Hodgdon owns and sells the W, the IMR and the H powder lines - maybe even more of them... Maybe good idea to find alternative loads - I started with W748 in my 308 Win in 1970's, then IMR 4064, then to RL-15, now getting "wild and crazy" and trying Varget. The deer fall down (or don't), the same as always.
 
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Not sure what you’re trying to achieve exactly but I always try to choose a temperature stable powder. I have no personal first-hand experience with that calibre or freedom seed but I would be leaning looking into Varget possibly.
 
choosing a powder is a bit like black magic :)

some will work better then others, get into your reloading manuals, or on-line now and see what powders seem to work best with the components you are looking to use, oh and look at similar components to get a feel for what might work best.

then see what is in stock... and make an educated guess.

then you have the fun of working up loads.
 
That projectile is inherently accurate to the point that you will find a "Clover leaf" load with any of the appropriate powders. Assuming, you've got a decent rifle.
 
The Nosler reloading manual has been my-go-to since 1982. From time to time I do research other sources for load data, such as, powder manufactures load data. Don't hesitate to get started into reloading, it's a lot of fun!
 
Varget and H4895 are both good choices for a 55 in a .243 and produce better velocity that 760/H414 or 4350. Ken Waters claimed 40 grs of 3031 produced the best accuracy with a 60 gr bullet, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that carry over to the 55 gr Nosler. That 40 gr load of 3031 would provide a good starting point to work from, and could prove to be suitable right out of the gate.
 
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I am in the same boat as the OP

Quote Originally Posted by nowarningshot View Post
Sounds to me like you really should be loading only under the direct supervision of a experienced mentor. No insult intended, we all start somewhere.

Hoping to soon, before I load anything.

Put simply. Every powder has different intended uses. Pistol and shotgun powders are very fast, used in a rifle, they could result in a catastrophic failure. As a general rule, the larger the rifle cartridge, projectile, barrel length.....the slower the powder. Just a general rule as my Rigby uses medium powders, whereas, the 338 lapua, it's offspring which uses the Rigby parent case uses some of the slowest powders.


This is an important piece of info I have not managed to stumble across until now, or rather, have seen it but not explained so simply! Good to know! I guess it goes with starting with a chart from a book versus recipes from the internet. The very strong common piece of advice here seems to be to start with a book!


Look up a powder burn chart....check out the burn rates of the recommended powders in your online or manual source.
Good info but as a newbie, what to do with the vast amount of data. The explanation above of "pistol powder in a rifle..." is great to know!

This should give you a general idea of the range, fast to slow, and potential substitutes. Substituting some powders may simply lead to poor performance and accuracy; whereas, others can result in unsafe pressures.

Welcome to the rabbit hole, stay safe.

This is a very large rabbit hold apparently ...:eek:

Just trying to learn some of the ins and outs of why I might buy one powder vs another. Don't even have any reloading equipment here (like I mentioned, only ever done it at my grandfather's

I have managed to receive the equipment, but now the next purchase is the powder.

Jimmy, check out this thread too...a lot of good info there to a similar question I had posted. Probably similar responders too.....Thanks for the patience all who answer similar questions from us new guys!

https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/2096081-First-powder

I have been working through the manual the ABS's of Reloading and so far, looked at the Speer manual section on .223 Remington. I will need to compare the powder list to the local supplier stock and see if they have something listed. Otherwise, guess I am ordering.

Good luck Jimmy!
 
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