[livethehobby]

i am an experanced hand loader. not novice but also dont know it all i am trying to find out what advantages spherical powder has over Extruded. i shoot 4831 & 4831sc in most of my rifles. im looking to get in to a beter primer. im switching to cci( good or bad i dont know yet). i use Hodgdon Powder( just what i found and like the best) im just a hunter and a recreational shooter. not any compition but love the chalange of long range shooting. i hear that spherical powder needs a magnam primer. if any of you prefer spherical over Extruded please say why and what primer you have found to work the best. thanks

[delbert]

Love spherical powders. They flow through a powder dump like nothing else. I also tend to go with Hodgdon powders. I do use a magnum primer with most spherical powders. They're supposed to be harder to ignite. Seems like it has something to do with surface area.

[30-30remchester]

most powders no matter what brand or burning rate, has similar composition. what determines burning rate is the size and shape of the individual grains. then a "deturant" is applied. the deturants are of different burning rate. this is why you NEVER EVER put loaded ammo in a case tumbler. its not that it will go off in the tumbler it is because in the tumbling process it wears the deterant off the powder thus turning the power into a much faster burning powder. in the same light if you take a slow burning long granular powder and crush it, what was a safe load is now a bomb. now the reason sperical powders need magnum primers is because of thier small granular size a very hard to ignite deturant is applied to slow down the burning rate, the reason most need a hotter magnum powder to ignite. thus the answer to the question? since most powders are of similar makeup with different burning rates find the ones you like enjoy yourself.

[BILLYBOB44]

Originally Posted by livethehobby

i am an experanced hand loader. not novice but also dont know it all i am trying to find out what advantages spherical powder has over Extruded. i shoot 4831 & 4831sc in most of my rifles. im looking to get in to a beter primer. im switching to cci( good or bad i dont know yet). i use Hodgdon Powder( just what i found and like the best) im just a hunter and a recreational shooter. not any compition but love the chalange of long range shooting. i hear that spherical powder needs a magnam primer. if any of you prefer spherical over Extruded please say why and what primer you have found to work the best. thanks

I've loaded a few (30+) years, mostly just for my own savings/enjoyment of a homemade load, and I like/mostly use spherical (Ball) powder. It flows freely through all powder measures easy, along with powder trickeler if you use one to weigh all your loads. You didn't say what cal. you shoot, I have good luck in my Rem.Varmit Special 22-250 with BL-C2 and W-W 760. I have started to use some Varget also, but not sure of acc. on it yet. I load mid range loads, and do NOT use mag primers, for the most part. No problems with burn of powder for me with these loads. The stick powder just doesn't feel right through my measure. I'm sure some will jump in and say I'm full of Shi; but that's my 2cents worth BillBob

[anm2_man]

Originally Posted by livethehobby

i am an experanced hand loader. not novice but also dont know it all i am trying to find out what advantages spherical powder has over Extruded. i shoot 4831 & 4831sc in most of my rifles. im looking to get in to a beter primer. im switching to cci( good or bad i dont know yet). i use Hodgdon Powder( just what i found and like the best) im just a hunter and a recreational shooter. not any compition but love the chalange of long range shooting. i hear that spherical powder needs a magnam primer. if any of you prefer spherical over Extruded please say why and what primer you have found to work the best. thanks

I also have 30+ years of reloading experience. When I was reloading for modern day pistols, I would reload to the spec. If it said use std primers, I would do so. Over the last 10 years I have acquired several vintage Military rifles. After much research, I have found that almost all Military loads specified Magnum primers. For example, in my MINI-14 vs my Sons M16 FA rifle, Both weapons work just fine with Magnum primers (however I have never tried std Primers). I have a Browning MG in chambered .30 cal and a Ruger MK77 in .30 cal. Both are chambered in 30-06. I have reloaded for both of these weapons and both are happy with Magnum primers.

Unless you are looking to build rounds for a specific rifle/pistol and your looking for extreme accuracy, I would look to a specific load requirement. But if your looking for general reloaded ammunition (that may or may not be used in a Military rifle) I would use Magnum primers.

[delbert]

I think the military is as interested in the magnum primer for its tougher case (slam fire prevention) as it is its burn rate.

[1hole]

Originally Posted by delbert

I think the military is as interested in the magnum primer for its tougher case (slam fire prevention) as it is its burn rate.

Partially. It also helps in aircraft machine guns at hight (COLD!) altitudes.