Seeking a list of rather common rifle powders

[2.ooohhh]

So this weekend I ran across a conundrum. My seemingly endless supply of "rifle powder" in the big jugs labeled in my grandpa's handwriting is now exhausted. I've been reloading a handful of calibers using his recipes including 308, 30/30, 30.06, and 300 savage from this powder supply for around 10 years now. The hitch is I don't know what the powder was as it was obviously bought in bulk and repackaged sometime around my 3rd birthday. I'm ok coming up with new loads as I wouldn't trust the page in the loading notebook's recipes if I wasn't absolutely sure of the powder being exactly the same but I would like to try a few of the more versatile powders so as to not have to stock a different powder for each caliber/load.

 

A close friend who is also a re-loader has suggested I try IMR-3031 so I have picked a pound of that up and after checking my books it could be the mystery powder or really close but I wanted to pick the awesome collective brain the is TGO for any other possible options I should try.

 

 

1. If I wanted a "go-to rifle powder" that would work acceptably on a reasonably wide range of loads/calibers what would you suggest I start with?

 

2. If powders have all come so far in the last 30 years that this "one powder to rule them all" is not really the best strategy going forward how would you lump the loads and which bases would you be sure to cover with the powders now replacing the former single powder?

[173rdABN]

for 308 and 30-06 I use 4064 and RL15. And those are usually found in abundance. Well, at least 4064 has been lately. 

[79troublehead]

4350, 4064, varget, reloader 15,,for the calibers you listed. Maybe some unique for reduced loads.

[jcoosi]

I use varget, 846, or blc-2 in my 308

[roverboy]

3031 would probably work good on all your calibers. Win. 748 would probably work good too. I've used 748 in all that you stated except .300 Savage.

[dlm37015]

blc2 or wc846 surplus

[Raoul]

I also like 3031

[No_0ne]

So this weekend I ran across a conundrum. My seemingly endless supply of "rifle powder" in the big jugs labeled in my grandpa's handwriting is now exhausted. I've been reloading a handful of calibers using his recipes including 308, 30/30, 30.06, and 300 savage from this powder supply for around 10 years now. The hitch is I don't know what the powder was as it was obviously bought in bulk and repackaged sometime around my 3rd birthday. I'm ok coming up with new loads as I wouldn't trust the page in the loading notebook's recipes if I wasn't absolutely sure of the powder being exactly the same but I would like to try a few of the more versatile powders so as to not have to stock a different powder for each caliber/load.

 

A close friend who is also a re-loader has suggested I try IMR-3031 so I have picked a pound of that up and after checking my books it could be the mystery powder or really close but I wanted to pick the awesome collective brain the is TGO for any other possible options I should try.

 

 

1. If I wanted a "go-to rifle powder" that would work acceptably on a reasonably wide range of loads/calibers what would you suggest I start with?

 

2. If powders have all come so far in the last 30 years that this "one powder to rule them all" is not really the best strategy going forward how would you lump the loads and which bases would you be sure to cover with the powders now replacing the former single powder?

 

A Tolkien fan!  Well played sir.