Best All-Around Rifle Powder

The ammo market is filled with high-quality rifle powders for reloaders, so with a little research and maybe a few firing tests on the range, you are guaranteed to find the right powder for your shooting style and preferred firearm. Candidates for best all-around rifle powder are those that can be used with a wide variety of ammunition. Consistent performance is absolutely key, though metering and availability are crucial, too.

There are a lot of premium, highly specialized powders on the market, so it’s basically impossible to crown one powder king. The best powder for you will ultimately come down to your choice of firearm, and your needs – chiefly, whether you’re a target shooter or a hunter.

Here is our guide for finding the right powder that you can use for your whole rifle collection.

Do Your Research

We all know there is no “one-size-fits-all” gunpowder, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting the right power and burn rate for your cartridge. Too much pressure in the barrel can ruin your gun, and might even cause serious injury, so please read up on the data provided by powder manufacturers and make sure you’re using a suitable propellant.

The Best Smokeless Rifle Powder

Many shooters are fans of Hodgdon H4895 and Varget smokeless powder, as well as Accurate 4350 powder. They’re fine choices for a large, diverse set of bullets and cartridges.

Another popular candidate for best all-around smokeless rifle powder is IMR 4350 smokeless powder. It can be used with everything from small rifle loads to small magnum rifle loads, and is ideal for deer and other North American game. Due to its larger granular size, it flows and meters well in most powder measures. However, the large granular size can make drops from a volumetric powder measure inconsistent, so it’s worth taking the time to verify the weight of each charge on a powder scale if you’re looking to produce match-grade ammo.

For super light loads as well as magnum rounds, you might need to find another type of powder, but for the vast majority of rifle cartridges, IMR 4350 smokeless powder is an impeccable match.

Stock Up on the Best Rifle Powder

You’ll most likely find yourself using a lot of a versatile powder like IMR 4350 and Hodgdon H4895, so it makes sense to buy in larger 8lb containers. Powder Valley carries in 1lb containers too, just in case you want to test some out before mass producing your own ammo. For IMR and Hodgdon powder, as well as other leading brands like Alliant, Vihtavuori, Accurate, and Norma, Powder Valley has got you covered. Browse the best smokeless powder on the market at the lowest possible prices today.