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oomans, despite saying we wouldn't get involved in pawloading we have been lured into it by the likes of Dromia and Sandgroper. We're still trying to get our ikkle 'ead around powder selection though.

We grasp the idea of using a slow burning powder for magnum rounds and stuff like 6.5x55 fired through long barrels, and using fast burning powder for short barrelled bangsticks. Thus far we have selected Viht n560 and Ramshot magnum for our 7mm Rem Mag and 6.55x55 Scandisqueagian rounds, now we're looking for a general purpose powder for our other guns, mainly 7.62 x39, x51 and x54R, along with 7.92x57. We like the way the Ramshot magnum pawdles and meters, so another Ramshot powder appeals to us. It's readily available to us too. Would Ramshot Tac suit our general needs for .30 calibre rounds used at 300 and 600 mards? It seems to be a middlin' speed burner...

Most powder companies produce a manual for handloaders - many are available on-line. These manuals give the recommended powder for the various cartridges and bullet weights, most will also state barrel-length used.

A good reloading manual is an essential part of any reloader's equipment. Manuals tend to be produced by bullet manufacturers or powder companies. If you want independent advice, choose a bullet-maker's manual.

Oh we have read lots of those manuals...

We're just looking for a middle of the road powder for .30 calibre bullets and TAC seems to fit the bill...

http://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploa ... 16_Web.pdf

TAC is OK for 308 and 8mm.
Not recommended for 7.63 x 39 or 54R and no loads listed in the above Guide.

Triffid

I use it in .223 and I've not been able to get hold of any for months.

There are LOTS of suitable powders for 7.62X54R, 308, and 7.92X57mm. Tac should be OK, although I'd prefer Vihtavuori N140 (or Reload Swiss RS50 which used be known as TR140) for this trio. Extruded types such as N140 and the very similarly performing RS50 tend to be very accommodating in their pressure range requirements, whilst ball powders such as the Ramshot grades often work most efficiently in a narrower (and higher pressure) band.

You can't include 7.62X39mm into a single powder grouping with the others basically because it has very different internal ballistics characteristics. While sharing the others' bore size (give or take a few thou'), it utilises a much smaller capacity case, one that holds ~35.5gn water compared to 56gn for 308 and 64gn for the X54R. This makes Tac and N140 etc too slow burning for its expansion rate (the distance the bullet travels down the bore to double the size of the combustion chamber from the unfired state). Also, it's rated at a PMax that's 10,000 psi lower than 308 for instance. All of these require a faster burning powder. Milspec 7.62X39mm nearly all uses fast burning dense ball powders. Current commercial equivalents are Hodgdon H335, Alliant Re7 and in the extruded line Viht N120 which may be the best bet.

http://www.vihtavuori.com/en/reloading- ... -x-39.html

I personally use Vit N140 in all of my full bore rifles including 8mm, 7.62x54r, .303, 30-06, 7.7 and 6.5 jap, 7.35 Carcano without any problems, I try and keep it simple. N120 in the 7.62x39 and N110 in the .30 carbine and .357 magnum for full loads, and N320 for indoor 25yd range. When I started shooting 5 years ago everyone at the club was using Vit so I stuck with it and have never used anything else.

I emailed Ramshot and they recommended their BigGame powder for 54r and is backed up by I have read on various forums relating to the 54r.

This is part of the email I received from Ramshot, usual warnings about using any of the data below apply etc.....

Caliber: 7.62 x 39 Russian
Barrel length: 20”
Powder: Ramshot – X - Terminator.
Bullet weight: 110 grains.
Start load: 27.5grains (2250 – 2350 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 30.5 grains (2450 – 2550 Ft/p/sec). Full case/Compressed

Bullet weight: 123-125 grains.
Start load: 26.0grains (2100 – 2200 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 29.0grains (2300 – 2400 Ft/p/sec). Full case/Compressed

Bullet weight: 150 grains.
Start load: 24.0grains (2000 – 2100 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 27.0grains (2200 – 2300 Ft/p/sec). Full case/Compressed


Caliber: 7.62x54r
Barrel length: 24”
Powder: Ramshot – BIG GAME. (1st Choice)

Bullet weight: 125 grains.
Start load: 52.0grains (2800 - 2900 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 57.0grains (3050 – 3150 Ft/p/sec).

Bullet weight: 150 grains.
Start load: 49.0grains (2650 - 2750 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 54.0grains (2850 - 2950Ft/p/sec).

Bullet weight: 165 grains.
Start load: 47.0grains (2500 - 2600 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 52.0grains (2700 - 2800Ft/p/sec).

Bullet weight: 180 grains.
Start load: 44.0grains (2400 - 2500 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 49.0grains (2600 – 2700 Ft/p/sec).

Bullet weight: 200 grains.
Start load: 42.0grains (2275 - 2375 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 47.0grains (2450 – 2550 Ft/p/sec).

Bullet weight: 215 grains.
Start load: 41.0grains (2225 - 2325 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 46.0grains (2425 – 2525 Ft/p/sec).

Powder: Ramshot - TAC
Bullet weight: 125 grains.
Start load: 45.0grains (2800 – 2900 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 51.0 grains (3100 – 3200 Ft/p/sec).

Bullet weight: 150 grains.
Start load: 45.0grains (2600 - 2700 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 49.0grains (2800 - 2900Ft/p/sec).

Bullet weight: 180 grains.
Start load: 40.0grains (2300 - 2400 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 45.0grains (2550 – 2650 Ft/p/sec).

Powder: Ramshot – HUNTER.
Bullet weight: 180 grains.
Start load: 55.0grains (2450 - 2550 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 60.0grains (2750 – 2850 Ft/p/sec).Full case/compressed

Bullet weight: 215 grains.
Start load: 49.0grains (2225 - 2325 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 54.0grains (2425 – 2525 Ft/p/sec).Full case/compressed

NOTES:
It’ important to note that SAFETY is our prime concern therefore we strongly recommend.
1.TO ALWAYS BEGIN LOADING AT THE RECOMMENDED MINIMUM “START” LOAD.
2.If at all possible, measure the velocity and correlate with our calculated/estimated data.

As others have mentioned you won't be able to get one powder for all your .30 cal needs. If you're looking at Ramshot powders I can tell you from experience that TAC and Big Game both work with the 8mm, but TAC isn't a very good powder choice because it's too fast burning and soots the outside case necks very heavily with medium loads, when you up the load for good case obturation I found that cases needed full length sizing (but the sooting was gone). Big Game is cleaner burning with medium loads, but still need full length sizing on the upper range. TAC works fine in 7,62x51. I suspect that 7,62x54mmR will like the Big Game powder but have no experience.

The Ramshot powders meter quite nicely and get you good results. I've converted to Reload Swiss powders now (I must like the "RS" acronyms with powders...) and RS50 seems like a nice all round powder. I've used it in my 7,62x51, .303 brit, 7,92x57, .223rem and also 6,5x47 so it's a very versatile powder. I have branched out to RS40 (faster burning, suitable for .223rem 52gr bullets) and RS60 (slower burning, suitable for 7,92x57, 303brit and 6,5x47). I still use RS50 for 69gr loads in .223 and for use with 155gr & 167gr 7,62x51 loads. I have good local availability of this powder and price per unit weight is similar to Ramshot powders. The Swiss powders are stick type and do not meter well in a powder hopper so I use these on a Lyman Gen6 and they work great.

I would check for availability and price of powders before trying any. There are plenty of loading manuals to show which powders can be used for your calibres. If I were you, I would formulate this list and go to your local gunshops/RFD's and see what is in good supply and within your pricing range.

Hmm, seems like plenty of useful advice in the above posts. Big Game seems quite a promising option, with a fall back being some of the Viht powders. We measure all our charges on a Lyman Gen 6 too so that seems to negate any metering issues with stick propellants.