Pistol Powder Poll/Discussion

[Blaine]

Heavier bullets: 230 to 255 grains....I have 2400, and Blue Dot, Lil Gun, Trail Boss but those seem better for very stout loads, and I don't want to stress the shooters.

[Bronco]

I use WST ( Winchester Super Target ). Used Bullseye for years, could not get some once and tried WST stayed with it. Almost same load data and I think it burns cleaner.

Wish I could find some 2400..down to 1 1/2 lbs , for mag loads.

[TedH]

I like Unique for run of the mill 45 acp loads, but I do not like how it runs through a powder measure. Therefore, I've switched over to AA#5, and found a bit of an accuracy increase as well as smooth metering.

[Blaine]

I like Unique for run of the mill 45 acp loads, but I do not like how it runs through a powder measure. Therefore, I've switched over to AA#5, and found a bit of an accuracy increase as well as smooth metering.

Arrrgh....Cabela's had some a few days ago, and I didn't recognize that I could use it.....

[J Miller]

I have used Bullseye, 700x, Unique, 231, and others. Nothing wrong with any of them except that Unique doesn't meter well in small charges like you use for target rounds.

For me the most consistent powder for everything from light target 200gr loads to full power lead and jacketed bullets has been 231.

I haven't loaded a round in years, so I don't know what is available now, but the first powder I'd look for is 231.

Joe

[Mainehunter]

Back in the day when I was loading up for 45LC, 401 PowerMag and 357 Mag. my "go to"powder was 2400. WW296 or H110 I've used also but only when I feel the need for SPEED .

Mainehunter

[Catshooter]

Blaine,

I've used Universal Clays for 255 grain loads in the 45 Auto for years. Burns cleaner, meters like a dream. It is just slightly faster than Unique. Both Unique and Universal are very easy to load. Very smooth pressure curves make them quite forgiving powders.

Before using the UC my go to was Unique. The 255 grain Lyman 452424 bullet feeds and shoots very well from most 45s.

If I was loading for new shooter I'd go with a lighter bullet though. Less bullet = less recoil. If the 255s are what you have then go for it. The recoil isn't snappy as the bullet isn't moving fast but it does push.

Of the powders listed, if that's all I had then I'd go with the 2400. It too has a very smooth pressure curve and doesn't care if it's lightly loaded. Doesn't have to be a heavy load. I doubt you'd have trouble getting a 700 - 800 fps load with it.


Cat

[yooper2]

My go to was PB, but now that they have stopped making it I am on my last 16 pounds. Once it is gone I will probably switch to 700X or Unique.



Eric

[Chuck 100 yd]

Red Dot, or whatever you can find these days.

[Griff]

RedDot, Clays or Titegroup.

[CowboyTutt]

You could probably throw in Power Pistol and Blue Dot into the mix too. -Tutt

[stretch]

Mainehunter, I'm inclined to agree with you on the 2400 It's my "go-to"
for 357 Magnum as well.

For lighter loads, I've always been a 231 man. Haven't found a need
to use anything else yet.

For heavy, heavy 41 Mag loads, I use H110. I've also played around with
Blue Dot in the 10 mm. Speaking of which, does anyone have any pet
loads for 10mm 180gr LTN? (Lead Truncated Nose)

I suppose I could just use 231 and 2400 for all of my pistol needs, though.

-Stretch

[BrianSH]

For light duty, TightGroup.
Fot medium and up, Power Pistol.

I know this is gonna get me banned, but PP has replaced Unique. Works in all calibres, and all power ranges that the big U works in. A Handloader article some years ago stated that CCI loads more Bullseye 84 (PP) than all others powders combined. -Brian

[mikld]

I use Unique, but you stipulated "light" loads so I chose Bullseye. Unique doesn't seem as consistent with light loads (and for those that are concerned with "dirty" powder, Unique doesn't burn "clean" with light loads).

[horsesoldier03]

I prefer Titegroup or W231.

[vancelw]

Dealers at Tulsa gun show today had H110 in stock, and a smattering of AA#5 (and 4227 and AA2015 if you count those as pistol powders) First time I've seen pistol powder in stock anywhere in a long while.

[Blaine]

I've got about 7.5 lb of 2400, and close to 11 Blue Dot..... I was making some good reduced load .44mag with the Blue Dot, perhaps it will work with the .45 AutoRim....I just don't want to load my 625-1 too hot.

[wm]

Win 231......my favorite load is 5.5 grains beneath a 230 grain bullet

[Lefty Dude]

For light loads of Unique and other flake powders I use an Aquarium pump on the powder hopper of my Dillon. Strapped on the out side it vibrates and keeps the powder drops to less than a tenth of a grain or less each in variance. Mostly dead on, and no variance.
Any small vibrator will work. WalMart has a 5 gal. pump for about $5.00 that I use.

[1894c]

unique
231
2400
H-110
... :)

[BenT]

Getting away from Unique. Can't find any. Switching over to 231 which is my second used powder. I would of went with AA5 but I haven't seen that in a while either.

45 ACP 5.5 g of 231 with a 230 gr.

[Blaine]

unique
231
2400
H-110
...

H110 does not work well with reduced loads. The BlueDot/2400 is iffy, but worth trying.

[RJS]

I like AA#2 , but have not seen it for sale in a long time
Ron

[CowboyTutt]

Would agree that H110 does not work well at all in reduced loads and needs compression and a hot primer to work well. Blue Dot, OTOH, is very tolerant of powder position in a large case, ignites easily (no magnum or hot primers needed), and burns clean which is why I use 11.5 grains of it at 1150 fps with a 485 grain bullet in my 11mm Mauser case (which is huge!).

That being said, when I backed off the Blue Dot load to 1050 fps in the same huge 11mm case and using the same bullet, I started to see some really erratic results. So a minimum amount of pressure is still needed to get Blue Dot to work well. Power Pistol looks to be very effective in my 10mm based upon some Quick Load data I have (but for maximum loads and not mid-range loads). I just found 2 lbs of it during our shoot at the Angeles Range in Los Angeles, but have not tried it yet. -Tutt

[Bullard4075]

W231 (or HP38 which is W231 in a Hodgdon can) for the light loads (38 and 45 target), Unique
for midrange and 2400 for serious work.

[M. M. Wright]

My favorite load, (not really docile) is 5.5 of WW231 with a 200 grain H@G semi wadcutter for either 45 ACP or Auto Rim. Works nicely in all my 1911s and the 1917 that I recently traded for.

[Blaine]

I'm making a list of all these for powder shopping. Thanks, I appreciate the time you're taking for this.

[Old Time Hunter]

Have almost 9# of Unique...3/4# of 2400...guess it will be Unique.

6 grains of Unique behind a 230gr JRN for my 45ACP seems to work fine...after about a thousand or so out of the barrel, have not noticed any big discrepancy. Use the .71CC hole Lee auto disk, yields ~6gr...give or take not enough to make a difference.

9 grains of Unique for both my 240gr LSWC's and my Ranch Dog 270gr w/gas check, maybe a little under powered but still get over a 1000 fps out of my 7" Ruger BlackHawk and just about 1400 Fps with my Trapper.

5 grains of Unique on my 9mm's works just fine too

[Lastmohecken]

The load I used to always use for the 45 auto was 5 grains of Bullseye behind a 200g lead SWC. That always made major for me when shooting IPSC and I used the same in IDPA.

Before I shot Bullseye I used W231 and if memory serves me right I believe it was about 5.2 grains of 231 behind the 200 SWC.

In my revolver (Smith 25-2) I shot 230gr round noses bullets because they they were faster to reload against the clock, and I believe I dropped down to 4.6gr of Bullseye but I can't remember for sure, right now.