Widener’s Reloading & Shooting Supply has published a helpful introduction to reloading powders. Widener’s online Guide to Smokeless Powders shows the various types of powders, and explains how the differences in powder kernel/flake size and shape, and burn rate affect performance. We recommend you visit Widener’s website and read the Powder Guide in full.

Take a close look at these illustrations which show the key differences between the four main powder types: extruded (stick) powder, ball (spherical) powder, flattened ball powder, and flake powder.

Burn Rate Basics

Widener’s Guide to Smokeless Powders also has a useful discussion of Burn Rate (a confusing topic for many hand-loaders). Wideners explains: “While a gun powder explosion in the cartridge seems instantaneous, if you slow it down you will actually find that each powder has a different ‘burn rate’, or speed at which it ignites.” This video shows powders with two very different burn rates. Watch closely.

Different burn rates suit different cartridge types notes Widener’s: “In general a fast-burning powder is used for light bullets and low-speed pistols and shotguns. Medium-rate powders are used for magnum pistols, while high-velocity, large bore rifle cartridges will need slow powders[.]

It should be noted that burn rate does not have a standardized unit of measurement. In fact, burn rate is really only discussed in comparison to other powders; there is no universal yardstick. Specifics will change by cartridge and bullet types[.]”

Widener’s Reloading & Shooting Supply recently published a helpful introduction to reloading powders. Widener’s online Guide to Smokeless Powders shows the various types of powders, and explains how the differences in powder kernel/flake size and shape, and burn rate affect performance. We recommend you visit Widener’s website and read the Powder Guide in full.

Take a close look at these illustrations which show the key differences between the four main powder types: extruded (stick) powder, ball (spherical) powder, flattened ball powder, and flake powder.

Burn Rate Basics

Widener’s Guide to Smokeless Powders also has a useful discussion of Burn Rate (a confusing topic for many hand-loaders). Wideners explains: “While a gun powder explosion in the cartridge seems instantaneous, if you slow it down you will actually find that each powder has a different ‘burn rate’, or speed at which it ignites.” This video shows powders with two very different burn rates. Watch closely.

Different burn rates suit different cartridge types notes Widener’s: “In general a fast-burning powder is used for light bullets and low-speed pistols and shotguns. Medium-rate powders are used for magnum pistols, while high-velocity, large bore rifle cartridges will need slow powders[.]

It should be noted that burn rate does not have a standardized unit of measurement. In fact, burn rate is really only discussed in comparison to other powders; there is no universal yardstick. Specifics will change by cartridge and bullet types[.]”

Widener’s Reloading & Shooting Supply recently published a helpful introduction to reloading powders. Widener’s online Guide to Smokeless Powders shows the various types of powders, and explains how the differences in powder kernel/flake size and shape, and burn rate affect performance. We recommend you visit Widener’s website and read the Powder Guide in full.

Take a close look at these illustrations which show the key differences between the four main powder types: extruded (stick) powder, ball (spherical) powder, flattened ball powder, and flake powder.

Burn Rate Basics

Widener’s Guide to Smokeless Powders also has a useful discussion of Burn Rate (a confusing topic for many hand-loaders). Wideners explains: “While a gun powder explosion in the cartridge seems instantaneous, if you slow it down you will actually find that each powder has a different ‘burn rate’, or speed at which it ignites.” This video shows powders with two very different burn rates. Watch closely.

Different burn rates suit different cartridge types notes Widener’s: “In general a fast-burning powder is used for light bullets and low-speed pistols and shotguns. Medium-rate powders are used for magnum pistols, while high-velocity, large bore rifle cartridges will need slow powders[.]

It should be noted that burn rate does not have a standardized unit of measurement. In fact, burn rate is really only discussed in comparison to other powders; there is no universal yardstick. Specifics will change by cartridge and bullet types[.]”

Need name-brand bullets? Here’s a way to save 10% on Nosler, Sierra, Hornady, and Speer Bullets. Here’s how it works — this weekend only (August 28-31, 2015) Wideners.com is offering 10% off ALL Nosler, Sierra, Hornady, and Speer bullets in stock (some other bulk-brand bullets are on sale as well).

NOTE: Widener’s says “The discount will not appear on the website or on your order at checkout but will be applied when we process the order”. We suggest you print out your order and compare that with the actual charge(s) on your credit card to ensure that Widener’s did, in fact, apply the 10% discount. As they say: “Trust, but verify“. The Sale ends at 5:59 am Eastern Standard Time 8/31/15. That’s very early in the morning on Monday so we advise you to place your orders before midnight, before you go to bed on Sunday, 8/30/2015.

Here is a statement published
on the Wideners.com website:

Just prior to February 16th, there was a brute force attack on the site that we now believe allowed access to some customer credit card information. Fortunately, we keep very few customer records in our on-line database. Since there is very little information on the site, exposure is minimized just in case something like this ever happens. We were alerted to this potential breach by a few customers, and we are fortunate that it was so small.

When our internet provider later discovered the attack, we immediately took action to prevent unauthorized access. Since that time, we have further tightened security. We have also performed internal audits to insure all our in-house systems are free of problems.

At this point, we believe we have identified only a few customers who were affected by the incident, and we have done everything possible to prevent recurrence of this activity. If you suspect you have had a problem due to doing business with us, please let us know immediately. We sincerely apologize for any difficulty this has caused.

Sincerely,
Stan Widener
President, Widener’s Reloading & Shooting Supply, Inc.

Update 4-4-14: For the period 3-31-14 to 4-3-14 our website provider’s website was compromised and credit card information for those dates may have been obtained by unauthorized users.

We have been in meetings all day long with a host of computer experts and programmers and our web provider. The breach from overseas has been finally been identified and eliminated as of 4:00 EST. Our web provider now declares that the website is secure.

While these powders are optimized for the 50 BMG, WC867 and WC872 can be used for other maxi-sized cartridges that require a very slow-burning propellent. To make this an even better deal, Widener’s will waive the Hazmat fee if you purchase six (6) 8-lb jugs: “Buy in Increments of 6 and we will pay the Hazardous Material Fee for you. That is 6, 12 or 18 Kegs etc.; if you buy less than 6, you will pay the Hazardous Materials Fees.” To order, visit Wideners.com or call 1-800-615-3006.

Varminters who load large quantities of ammo for prairie dog trips might also appreciate this value offering — although the bullets are a bit on the heavy side for prairie-dog size prey.

These soft-point bullets have a fairly long shank and a cannelure. CLICK HERE to order these bullets (item #SE75557) online via Wideners.com

The cannelured, secant-ogive, 55gr FMJBT bullet was designed to duplicate the performance of military M193 ammo. The deep-penetrating FMJ design is also good for hunters wanting to preserve the integrity of game pelts.

The 55gr bullets ship in a 6000-count bulk pack with free shipping. Who needs 6000 bullets? Well a club or training group could assemble low-cost training ammo with these bullets. Or, two or three varmint-shooting buddies might want to join in on a “group buy”.