Which powders are extruded, ball or flake? Anyone have a list?

driftrider · 03-09-2005, 09:27 PM

I'm trying to select a different powder for my .243, and one of the traits I'd like it to have is that it meters easily and consistantly, thus making a ball powder (i.e. H-380) preferable over a short extruded powder (i.e. Varget), which is preferred over a long extruded powder (i.e. IMR 7828). Then the thought occured to me that, while I have seen list after list of powder burn rates, I have never once encountered a list that states what type of powder each different powder is. (i.e. H-380=ball, Varget=short extruded, Universal Clays=flake, etc...). Obviously they won't let me open the containers of all the powders I'm interested in at the store, so I am at a loss as to how each powder is shaped.

So what I'm interested to know is:

A.) Does anyone have a list of each powders shape they can post or direct me to?

OR

B.) Can you post a list of powders you've used with this information?

Here's the ones I know from experience:

U. Clays = flake
H-110=flat ball (or maybe flake, hard for me to tell)
2400=flat ball
Varget=short extruded
VV N110=short extruded
IMR 7828=entruded
H-380=ball

Thanks,

Mike

johnch · 03-09-2005, 09:37 PM

You can go to the powder web sites and look for your self !
The powder type are listed

driftrider · 03-09-2005, 09:45 PM

I've already done that, but not all of them are. Alliant doesn't give the shape of their powders, IMR lists it for some of their pistol powders, but not their rifle powders, and the same is true for most of the other brands. Hodgdon, to their credit, is the only one kind enough to separate their powders by type on their wedsite.

But thanks anyway.

Mike

Briman · 03-09-2005, 11:41 PM

maybe if everyone just looked in their reloading cabinets and listed what they had, many of the popular powders would be covered?

IMR 4895- extruded
IMR 4064- Extruded
IMR 3031- Extruded
RL-22- short extruded
Unique- Flake
WW-231- ball
AA#5-Ball
Red Dot- Flake
Blue Dot- flake

03-10-2005, 07:43 AM

Drift, there is a guy on Accurate Reloading that has a webpage I believe has it. I don't have time to look, but his page is www.stevespages.com and goes by Riccodella or something.

He gets into the details like this, so if he dont' have it, I bet he could go thru the whole powder list and add it.

Slamfire · 03-10-2005, 08:38 AM

Winchester pioneered ball powders, I don't think they make an extruded or flake powder. (I)mproved (M)ilitary (P)owders was once owned by DuPont and made extruded powders for rifles. Hercules (Alliant) made lots of powders for shotguns in flake form and extruded powders for rifles. Norma was nearly all extruded powders, but they have bought up nearly every powder company in Europe so who knows what they make any more. Then there are the Finns with the company I can't spell, let alone pronounce, and I've not paid much attention to their powders. Hogdon started out selling surplus powders so they have some of everything. It seems like new powder companies are springing up every year and I haven't even seen any of the powders with names instead of numbers. I'd guess the best bet would be Wolfe Publishing, they have a different powder profiled every month in Handloader Magazine, and I'm sure they sell a compendium. Good luck.

charlie brown · 03-10-2005, 12:51 PM

One book Handloaders Digest. I have the 18th Edition, and in the back, it has all the powders made at that time. I am not sure which year it was published, though I believe it was in the last 2 or 3 years. That list of powders has more information on each powder than we probably really need, but its there.