Today, Brownells Gun Tech™ Steve Ostrem talks about choosing the right powder for your reloads. Begin by consulting your loading manual to find out which powders you can use in the cartridge you're loading. As a rule, handguns and shotguns use fast-burning powders, while rifles use slower-burners. Within the allowable powders for your cartridge, you can choose between loading for velocity or for economy. For example, if you want a light .357 Magnum load, go with a fast-burning powder that requires just a few grains, like Winchester 231 or Alliant Bullseye. You can get upwards of 1,000 loads from one pound of powder. If you want a maximum load, check your manual for a slower-burning powder. Max loads require more powder, so you'll get fewer charges out of a pound of powder. The light-and-fast powder route is a big help in times when powder is scarce (cough! - 2021 - cough!). Smaller, straight-walled rifle cartridges use fairly fast powder, while big magnums need the slow burn. Begin with the lighter starting load, then work up to more power, always staying within the parameters in the loading manual. An overcharged magnum rifle round can have catastrophic results, so if you're getting close to a maximum load, weigh EVERY charge.

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