Powder choices ???

What is up with all the powder choices? What do the numbers mean like 2460 or whatever? Is there a site or book that explains all the powders? I'm loading for 168gr. .308, do I use the slower burning the heavier I go?can I use the same powder for 147gr. 9mm pistol? I'm sure they'll work but I want to get the most accurate rounds. Thanks!

I know from personal experience that IMR 4895 will work for just about any bullet in the 308 and 30/06, as well will Hodgdon Varget will also

fastgixxerlv,

I would recommend buying at least one reloading manual.

I have a manual... I think I should get another? Someone said RCBS or something? Is that a good one? Will it help me figure out the powders? Thanks!

which book do you have.

All powders have different burn rates. If you put lots of fast burning pistol powder in a big case like 50BMG you would get an explosion instead of a controlled burn pushing the bullet out the barrel.

or you can go ont thier websites and read thier powder profiles....

Just go to the powder manuf websites and look up load data.

Here is the hodgdon site so you can look up loads for those powders.
http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

Just dont start out at a max load.

In general Powders are rated from fast to slow. Roughly fastest for pistol and shotgun, middle for normal rifle with normal weight bullets,
and slow for magnums, overbores and rounds with heavy bullets.

In general there is usually a powder speed that works best with one round and one bullet weight.

IE if you used a slow magnum rifle powder in a pistol you would not get any speed out of it. If you load a
full charge of fast pistol powder in a rifle cartridge it will probably explode.

If you are looking to start off with just one powder for rifle get H4895 or Varget. You can get good speed out of those powders with most normal rifle rounds.
You will not be able to max out light varmint bullets loike 110 gr in 30-06, of heavy bullets like 220 gr in 30-06, but they will work.

H4895 you can safely load way down to 60% of a max load, for reduced loads.

Gunpowder burn rate link.

http://www.reloadbench.com/burn.html

Is there a local mentor you can observe?

Short of watching someone with hands on experience who hasn't blown themselves up, you better do a lot of reading before you prime your first case.....

I'm with Balljoint on this one. I load for 8 different rifle calibers and use IMR4895 for all of them.I have found suitable loads for each and accuracy is more than adequate.

Thanks for the heads up! I have the Lee manual but I also ordered the hodgdon one. I'm gonna start with .308. then pistols. My shooting mentor past away in 07. I've loaded shotgun shells before when I was a kid but I don't remember much of what I was taught. I have a better understanding now with your guys' help.
The numbers got me confused. Thanks again!

Lymans 49th edition is a very good read.