Smokeless Gunpowder

Your Ultimate Guide to Smokeless Gunpowder for Reloading

Welcome to the Reloading Supplies Store, your trusted online source for all your reloading components. Selecting the right smokeless gunpowder is the most critical step in crafting safe, accurate, and consistent ammunition. Our extensive inventory features all the major brands reloaders trust, ensuring you find the perfect propellant for your specific cartridge and firearm. This guide will help you understand the different types of powder and how to choose the best one for your rifle reloading or pistol reloading projects.

Understanding Smokeless Powder: Types and Forms

Modern smokeless powder is not a single substance but a family of specialized propellants. Understanding its basic forms is the first step to a successful purchase.

Rifle Powder vs. Pistol Powder: Key Differences

The primary difference between powders designed for rifle cartridges and those for handgun cartridges lies in their burn rate and geometry.

• Rifle Powders: Typically slower-burning, these powders are designed to build pressure gradually over the longer barrel of a rifle, accelerating the bullet to high velocities. They often come in extruded stick or tubular forms, which help control the burn rate. When you are looking for the best gunpowder for 308 Winchester or 6.5 Creedmoor reloading powder, you are shopping in the rifle powder category.
• Pistol Powders: These are fast-burning powders designed to achieve peak pressure quickly in the short barrel of a handgun. They are often flake or spherical (ball) powders, which meter exceptionally well through powder measures—a key feature for high-volume handgun reloading. If your search is for 9mm reloading powder or 45 ACP gunpowder, you will be examining pistol powders.

Decoding Powder Shapes: Ball, Flake, and Extruded

The physical shape of the powder granule affects how it flows, measures, and burns.

• Ball Powder (Spherical): Known for its excellent metering consistency, ball powder flows like water through a powder measure, making it a favorite for volume reloading. Accurate Arms and Winchester often produce powders in this form.
• Flake Powder: Shaped like small, flat disks, flake powder also meters well and is common in shotgun and pistol applications. Alliant Red Dot and Unique are classic examples.
• Extruded Powder (Cylindrical): These look like tiny cylinders or sticks. They are known for their temperature stability and consistent performance, especially in rifle cartridges. However, they can be slightly trickier to meter than spherical powders. Hodgdon Varget and IMR 4350 are renowned extruded powders.

A Closer Look at Our Top Smokeless Powder Brands

We pride ourselves on stocking the most reputable and proven brands in the industry. Each offers a unique portfolio of powders for every application.

Hodgdon Powder: The Reloader's Standard

Hodgdon is a powerhouse in the reloading world, offering a vast array of Hodgdon powders, Winchester powders, and IMR powders. Whether you need a versatile powder for your hunting reloads or a match-grade propellant for competition, Hodgdon has a solution.

• Popular Hodgdon Rifle Powders: H4350 (a top choice for 6.5 Creedmoor reloading powder), Varget (renowned for its temperature stability in .223 and .308), and H1000 (for magnum rifle cartridges).
• Popular Hodgdon Pistol Powders: CFE Pistol (designed to eliminate copper fouling), Titegroup (a dense, economical powder for 9mm and .45 ACP), and H110 (a strict-use-only powder for high-performance .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum loads).

Alliant Powder: Power and Performance

Alliant Powder brings a legacy of innovation and reliability. Their powders are favorites among handgun hunters, clay target shooters, and precision riflemen alike.

• Popular Alliant Rifle Powders: Reloder 16 (extremely temperature stable), Reloder 22 (a classic for magnum hunting rifles).
• Popular Alliant Pistol & Shotgun Powders: Power Pistol (delivers high velocity and excellent metering), Unique (one of the most versatile powders ever made for medium-duty pistol loads), and Herco.

Accurate Powder: Consistency and Versatility

Accurate (or Accurate Arms) powders are celebrated for their lot-to-lot consistency and clean-burning characteristics. Their extensive line covers nearly every conceivable cartridge.

• Popular Accurate Rifle Powders: Accurate 4350 (a direct competitor to H4350), MAGPRO (for large magnum cases).
• Popular Accurate Pistol Powders: No. 5 and No. 7 (excellent for 9mm and 10mm loads), Nitro 100 (a fast-burning powder for target loads).

Vihtavuori Powder: Match-Grade Precision

For the reloader who demands the ultimate in consistency and clean-burning performance, Vihtavuori powder is the gold standard. While often priced at a premium, its performance in precision rifle competitions is legendary.

• Popular Vihtavuori Powders: N140 (a versatile .223 and .308 powder), N165 (for large magnum rifles), N320 (a top-tier powder for USPSA and action pistol competition).

Choosing the Right Powder for Your Cartridge

Your number one resource for selecting a powder should always be a reputable reloading manual. However, here are some common pairings to guide your search.

• Best Gunpowder for 223 Remington / 5.56 NATO: Hodgdon H335, Winchester 748, Alliant AR-Comp, Accurate 2230.
• Best Gunpowder for 308 Winchester: Hodgdon Varget, IMR 4064, Alliant Reloder 15, Vihtavuori N140.
• Best Gunpowder for 6.5 Creedmoor: Hodgdon H4350, Alliant Reloder 16, Vihtavuori N550.
• Best Gunpowder for 9mm Luger: Hodgdon CFE Pistol, Alliant Power Pistol, Winchester 231, Accurate No. 5.
• Best Gunpowder for 45 ACP: Hodgdon Titegroup, Alliant Unique, Winchester 231.

Safety First: Essential Practices When Buying and Using Gunpowder

• Always Use a Reloading Manual: Never guess powder charges. Cross-reference data from at least two trusted sources.
• Start Low and Go Slow: Always begin with the published "starting load" and work your way up while watching for pressure signs.
• Store Properly: Keep your smokeless powder for sale in a cool, dry place, away from any open flames or heat sources.
• Buy from Reputable Sources: As a trusted online gunpowder store, we guarantee the authenticity and proper storage of all our products from the manufacturer to your door.

Why Buy Your Smokeless Powder from Reloading Supplies Store?

When you are ready to buy smokeless powder online, your search ends here. We offer more than just a product; we offer a seamless and secure reloading supply experience.

• Extensive Selection: From cheap gunpowder for plinking to premium Vihtavuori powder for competition, we have it all.
• Competitive Pricing: We work hard to offer the best gunpowder prices online, ensuring you get value for your money.
• Fast Shipping: We process and ship orders promptly so you can get back to the reloading bench faster. Free shipping on gunpowder is available on qualified orders.
• Secure Checkout: Shop with confidence knowing your transaction is protected.
• Customer Support: Our team understands reloading and is here to help you make the right choice.

Shop Our Smokeless Gunpowder Collection Today

Ready to stock up? Browse our complete collection of smokeless gunpowder in stock for sale and find your perfect match. Whether you are loading for a precision long-range rifle, a competitive pistol, or a classic hunting cartridge, Reloading Supplies Store is your partner in precision. Place your gunpowder order online today and experience the difference!