[Jeff Higgins]

Literally volumes have been written on this topic. None of the powders available to reloaders are "better" or "worse" than the others. All of the reputable brands are equal in quality.

Each manufacturer makes a broad range of powders in an effort to provide a burning rate suitable for just about any cartridge/bullet weight combination anyone is ever likely to reload. If you start to study the data in the various reloading manuals, you will begin to notice a pattern. Smaller cases with light for caliber bullets will use faster burning powders; larger cases with heavy for caliber bullets will use slower burning powders. This is still a broad generalization; any given manufacturer will indicate several of its powders for a given cartridge/bullet weight combination. The range of powders they suggest for small cartridge/light bullet will still be towards their fast end of their burning rates, and the big case/heavy bullet combinations will still be towards their slower end.

Your three .30 caliber rifles are a great example. The 7.62x39 is the smallest, and generally shoots light for caliber bullets. The .308 is a mid-sized .30 caliber, and typically uses middleweight bullets in the 150-168 grain range. The '06 has the most capacity of your three, and typically is used with heavier bullets in the 150-180 or 200 grain range. The 7.62x39 will use the fastest powder, the .30-'06 the slowest. Even if you shoot the same bullet weight in all three, say a 150 grain, you will need three different powders of three different burning rates to cover all three.

Beyond just the burning rates of various powders, there is the size and shape of their kernels. Some are long, pencil lead like "stick" powders (all of the IMR's, for example) that simply will not go through any kind of measure consistently, demanding that each charge be weighed. Others are "ball" powders (like all of the W-W's) that go through a measure like a dream. In between are the very short stick and the flake powders, any one of which may go through your measure acceptably well enough to preclude having to weigh each charge.

Any of the 4350's - IMR, Hodgen, or AA are the "classic" .30-'06 powder, and are where I would start with this caliber. They are all stick powders, however, and will not go through any kind of measure well. Every charge has to be weighed as a result. Some guys will compromise performance just a bit for a powder that will go through a measure consistently. A ball powder like W-W 760, or a very short stick powder like Reloder 19 or H4831SC will fill that bill. One or the other may be more accurate in your rifle with any given bullet weight or brand. For example, one may work well with 150 grain bullets, while another will work better with 180 grain bullets. There is no way to tell without trying them all. For what it is worth, I use IMR 4350 with 180 grain Sierras in my Model 70. My Ruger Number One likes Reloder 22 and 200 grain Noslers. Neither rifle will shoot the other rifle's load all that well.

The .308 seems to do well with Varget, Reloder 15, IMR 4064, or W-W 748. All of these are approved for use in gas operated semi-autos, if that is a consideration for you. I would start with Varget.

Not many guys I know bother to reload for the 7.62x39. It uses a .310" bullet, as opposed to the normal .308" for all other .30 calibers, so your choices are extremely limited there. Most seem to think Reloder 7 works well.

I use H4895 in my .223. Lots of folks like W-W 748 because it is a ball powder. Varget and H322 are two other very popular powders in this caliber. This one is a bit "capacity challenged", so the ball powders work especially well. My H4895 load is compressed, where you won't have to do that with H322 or W-W 748.

The all-time classic powder for the .45 ACP is Unique. I use W-W 231 with great success. A newer powder that has made a lot of headway with shooters of this caliber is Universal Clays. Any of the three will make just about any .45 auto happy. Unique will work well in your 9mm as well, but most folks prefer Blue Dot.

Speaking of the 9mm, be careful with this one. Don't reload military brass. It is far heavier than commercial brass, reducing powder capacity enough to raise pressures dangerously with published loads. All current data of which I am aware was worked up in commercial brass. That, and commercial primers won't seat firmly enough in some foreign military brass primer pockets, causing another dangerous situation. So if you have been buying military ammo in bulk, and hoarding the empties, you are going to have to resist the urge to reload it. Throw it away and get commercial brass.

Same goes for that 7.62x39. It should be obvious, but the cheap ass steel case copper washed Chinese crap is not reload-able. Even if you have brass cased military surplus stuff, the primers are crimped in and a real PIA to get out. Dump 'em and buy new commercial brass. You will be glad you did.

Anyway, there is a lot to consider with regards to powder selection. There is no "one size fits all". I've given you a few suggestions on what the reloading community has kind of settled in on for your various calibers, but sometimes even these "proven" powders might not be the best in your rifles and pistols. It's a place to start, though.