[jedneck]

I am getting ready to buy more powder and would like to use the same one.
the guns are
223 handi rifle with 65 grn
7mm-08 18.5 inch barrel with 140gr
8x57 mauser with 18.5 inch barrel with 175gr
I am using blc2 in the 223 and the 8mm
and imr-4064 in the 7mm-08
I am thinking of using imr-4064 for all three. Anybody have any other powders that would work

 

[big dan]

varget or RL15, even 748

 

[ribbonstone]

If you like IMR powders (and i have to admit, i've gotten pretty use to them over the years), could use 4064 for all three of them. Pretty long grained, and the slightly slower 4320 is much finer grained and should work as well.

Have not tried 8208 XBR yet, but the burning range should be about right (a little faster than 4064).

 

[jedneck]

I have used 4064 in the 223 also. I was thinking about 4895 also.

 

[ribbonstone]

Blame it on the season, but sometimes i just like to remember...think looking at the Christmas tree kicked this bout of memory into gear.

Had a buddy that ran a commercial reloading biz. in the early 1980's; he trusted his idiot son to order powder. Ended up with a crap-load of 4320 he really didn't want. He offered me 40 pounds of it at dealer invoice (and 10,000 well stored Alcan small rifle primers as well 600 53gr. Remington .224" match HP's).

Ruger #3's were still new at the time, and i picked one up in .223. Not giving a loading recommendation, but I do not think you can get enough IMR4320 under a 53gr. bullet in a military .223 case to cause an over load. (not don't just go and do it...some clown out there will probably pre-compress the powder with a arbor press.) Out the box, with just a 2-7X Leup. on top, fired two 200 meter 5-shot groups, one at 1 .26" and the other at 1.57", with a dinky little singles shot, barrel band, carbine and a 7X scope.


kind of sold me on the combination.

So a HK SL6 comes along (not sold for long...an odd looking semi-sporter semi-auto that looked more WWII than 1980's). Same load produced 10-shot 100yard groups in the 8's.

So i tried 4320 in everything using a standard case from a 375-06 on down (don't include the belted mags) and they all shot at least decently....a few had one or two loads they shot better, but none of the rifles tried "hated" the powder.
-------
Idiot son. About 4 yeas later, Mr. IQ decided to get rid of the old Christmas tree by jamming it into the fire place. Burned down both the house and the Ammo Shop.

 

[Cavitation]

My 308, 30/30 both like BL(C)-2. It also meters well. But varget always got be a bit better accuracy and less temp sensitivity.

AL

 

[kdub]

Had good luck with Hodgdon Varget in these cartridges.

 

[MZ5]

If BL-(C)2 works, 748 will probably work and work better. Also super-easy to meter. It's absolutely beautiful in the .223 Rem. Never had a 7-08, so can't say for sure as an across-the-board powder.

 

[Rocky Raab]

It is very difficult to find one powder that is optimum in several very different cartridges, but you can usually find one that will at least be usable. In the three mentioned, many of the powders already suggested will work very well. Either of the 4895s, RL-15, Varget, 3031, 748, H335, BLC2 and one or two others. But I'd look long and hard at Ramshot TAC. It is a spherical powder, burns cleaner than any other powder I've ever used, and gives superior performance.

 

[gschwertley]

IMR 4320 has been recommended, but it might not be compatible with the bullet weight you intend to use. It's pretty bulky and a compressed load is recommended for the 55 gr. bullet, so if you seat the 65 gr. bullet to normal depth, the powder volume might be excessive. You might be able to seat a 65 gr. bullet out some with your single shot before you run into the leade of the rifling.

One of the most accurate bolt action .223 Rem. loads I've assembled used 4320 and the 55 gr. bullet. Normally, it's considered a little slow for .223 but I've done well with it.

4320 isn't the most efficient powder you can use with the 7mm-08/140 bullet, nor the 8x57 with the 175 gr. bullet but it is in the range.

One of the 4895's would be a good recommendation across the board with the same possible difficulty of powder density in the .223 with the heavy bullet. Same comment for Alliant RL-15.

748 has been recommended as a possibility, but it's a bit slow for the 7mm-08.

 

[jedneck]

I'm kinda partil to imr powders. I'm not looking for top velocity. But i want a good cosistantload that shoots minute of deer head to 100. The 7mm-08 is a 788 carbine no hot load for it. The mauser is a lr ss turk it likes a warm load. And the handi rifle 223 shoots 63 or 65 seirras the same, but it might get 55's for dirt pigs. For the long shots I got a 300 win mag.

 

[StretchNM]

My rifles tell me IMR4064, while not the best for every bullet, are best loads for more bullets than any other thus far.

 

[broom_jm]

I am getting ready to buy more powder and would like to use the same one.
the guns are
223 handi rifle with 65 grn
7mm-08 18.5 inch barrel with 140gr
8x57 mauser with 18.5 inch barrel with 175gr
I am using blc2 in the 223 and the 8mm
and imr-4064 in the 7mm-08
I am thinking of using imr-4064 for all three. Anybody have any other powders that would work

I am often guilty of not answering the posted question, but asking one which I feel is, perhaps, better. If your three cartridges were closer in case capacity and bullet weight, I could probably offer up a "compromise" powder that wouldn't limit any one round too severely. For what you've listed, there is too much variance to expect one powder to get good performance out of all three cartridges.

So, my question is this: What is your motivation in only using one powder? Is it a question of economics or conserving shelf space? To my way of thinking, this is rather like trying to find one pair of shoes that are appropriate for jogging, hiking, and taking the Mrs. out dancing. You're either going to twist an ankle or sleep on the couch.

Also, one of the great joys in the reloading world is finding that "magical" combination of powder, case, primer, bullet and seating length that takes a given firearm from accurate to SCARY! I have spent many an hour trying to achieve this for a variety of guns and although I've been stymied as often as I've been successful, chasing the perfect load seems much more appealing to me than the practical notion of using one powder for all of my guns.

I guess I wasn't much help, but the beauty of a forum is we can all share our true thoughts.

 

[jedneck]

The main reason is shelf space. But I will not rule out using differant powders in each gun.

 

[MikeG]

I'll go with using one powder, "best" or not. In my experience it's a major convenience to not have lots of little cans anywhere. Try one pound of something in each rifle and if it works, get an 8lb. jug and forget whatever else is out there. If the first powder didn't work then try another. But if you aren't getting good accuracy with two different powders, then I really doubt it's the powder.

Same with primers. Pick one brand and just forget the rest. There are exceptions to both rules, I know, but for most hunters you'll be a lot better off.

Different bullets, different seating depths, and making sure bullets go in the cases concentric is what has made the difference in accuracy for me.

 

[Guidedfishing]

Barrel length will be a factor as well but I have used the following in all three with success.

IMR 3031
IMR 4064
RL 15