The one class of powders that remain relatively affordable are ball powders. We seem to have fallen for the temperature insensitive thing hook line and sinker. My experience with reloading goes back before the dawn of their availability, and if my memory serves, and it usually does, we managed quite well in spite of what would today be viewed as a severe handicap. Back then, there was no internet, and except for reloading manuals for guidance, if we wanted to find out what a powder would produce, generally we bought a pound and put it through its paces. We really had no choice. The upside of this for some of us is that we became very experienced in doing these sorts of evaluations, ON OUR OWN, without taking a survey of the entire world's opinion. Never being one to favor shooting elderly reloads, I always loaded up for a day's varmint hunt a few days before, using a load that I had experience with in the expected ambient conditions. Using this problem, I never experienced any load problems in the field, and if I could do it back in the stone age, so can you. The fact is I have always enjoyed discovering things on my own, not so say that I do not read every thing I can about my hobby, but I still find things to explore that I have not seen in print, which I am very glad of.
Exactly why over 45 years ago I left the ball powder choices, BLC2 was the first to open my eyes when I gave it up for IMR 4064. My results got better. I also bought my first trickler.
Next was ww-760, I was happy with it but tried IMR 4350, again I was sold. I went Fer several years trying other IMR powders thinking IMR was the only powder. Then I was seeing so many do so well with the same powders I was using in the same cartridges with Hogdon, so I I tried H4895 instead of IMR, that I had always been told was the same thing, next H4350, from their I went on a Hogdon rant for a year or so.
But shortly it opened my eyes, first realizing, No, they are not the same, at least my results weren't. But that was when it became obvious to try others, but I never gave ball powders another look, after I gave up BLC2, which I had used quite a bit of, and 760, then BR got in my blood. AA2015, H322 shortly faced out the 2015, I thought I was done, and found my holy grail in the 6BR Tall Dog and new 6PPC. But N133 quickly over rode that.
But the came my quest for powders that were more friendly in multiple applications, and seemed less finicky. Ball powder always seemed to finicky after I went to powders like H4895, H4350, even H322. But they seemed to be better in a larger variety of cartridges. Maybe just because the older I get the more cartridges I try??
But I remember when I thought H335 was pretty good in my small calibers. I look today at it and see, always available, and cheaper than any other option. But in the back of my mind, I look at why I left the old ball powders. I know I'm happier with the H322 and the Extreme upgrade, but is it really the powder, the better bullets and brass, primers, barrels???
One thing I do agree with is listening to others, and taking thier word for anything, especially stranger's. Today the majority are Wanna- Bees! They don't pass on hands on facts, at least with any broad view. Most think one small incident is fact. He'll most make decisions on one 3 shot group at 100 yards. Some on any group they will never again duplicate on the same day, let alone when things change.
Fortunately we still have a few locals, that want to know results on a wider view, mostly those older guys at local matches, but we are seeing far less young folks that want to put in the time to "know" what and why. Most of the new shooters we see are short lived. If it success don't come quick, they go to something else. This why it's so refreshing to see new shooters that want to find out what, why, and pursue their goal to get to where they want!
Many use excuses like those guys are a bunch of snobs?? Really, I think we all know BR shooters are the first to want help, as well as offer advanced help, usually without being asked!
But today I agree Boyd, if your wanting to become informed, reading about it ain't the way to do it. Reviews and podcast, and videos are usually more harm than good. One thing is for sure, they don't open most minds to want to find out WHY, or WHAT. Hands on is the only way, and years ago the first thing we learned was that my gun ain't the same as yours, even if they were the same,,,,,, the fun is finding out why!
I've always found ball powders to require being more specific, and never have I shot better than extruded powders on the same range. But, maybe I should 40 some years later take a poke, and right now H335 would be a good one to try, and this new 222 would be a good test platform to do it with.