Best and worst powders

[tstr]

I'm trying different pistol powders looking for the ones I like best and I thought I'd ask what you all thought. Which powders do you like the most and which do you like the least? Also, which powders meter well and which powders have to be weighed every charge?

Don

[SKR]

What caliber?
What bullet weight?
What primer?
What length barrel?
What type action?
All powders should be weight checked!

[Nukem]

Unique is still one of the most versatile pistol powders out there, IMHO. Even if it is a touch on the dirty side.
It's all I ever use in 9mm and .45. Tried alot of others and just keep going back to it.

[zot]

winchester 231,
Hodgdon Hs-6 or HS-7
Alliant Unigue, red dot,these powders I use
for most calibers except long barreled mag
loads,Blue dot is the only powder I've had
trouble with .44 mag loads,Win 296 or Alliant
2400 are better for mag loads.

[Hal]

I'm with Nukem on the Unique. It is really dirty for most applications, but it performs like nothing else I've tried. The only powder that comes close is Winchester 231, but the Unique meters a bit better in my Lee cheapo. For heavier loads, I go with 2400. Again, it has been a proven performer for the last 25 years.

[char923]

I have used Unique for years, I use it or BlueDot for target shooting, and I use VihtaVuori and IMR in my IPSC loads.

[Deathwish]

For auto-pistol cartridges... Alliant Power Pistol. Unique works in just about everything....
DW

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"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself."
-Rudyard Kipling

[tonyz]

I use and like bullseye and W231, Also
tightgroup is very clean and a very accurate
powder. But has more felt recoil the the other two.

Tony Z

[Bill Adair]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tstr:
Which powders do you like the most and which do you like the least?
Don[/quote]

Don,

Unique and 2400 were my favorite powders for .357 for many years, but I've been using cleaner and better metering powders lately.

Win 231 is very good, as is AA#5, but I recently tried some of the new Ramshot True Blue from Western Powders (www.ramshot.com) in my .45 Colt Blackhawk, and am I ever impressed!

True Blue is the best metering, and cleanest burning powder I've ever used in the .45 Colt, and the groups I'm getting are better than anything I've ever shot!

I've only tried one loading in .357, and the groups were as good as I've got, but not noticeably better, though I'm still trying different charges.

They have a beautiful but brief loading manual free from stocking dealers.

True Blue is their third fastest powder, so I'm looking foward to trying their faster stuff in 9mm, and 9X18.

Bill

[mcshot]

Ditto Unique here! My second favorite is PB.

[ArmySon]

VihtaVuori, Winchester 231, Clays, HS-6, HS-7, and Titegroup work great for me. I quit using Unique and Bullseye because of the mess. However, they are EXCELLENT powders.

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ArmySon
1911 Addiction
"Rangers Lead the Way!"

[Southla1]

One of the best I have used is sadly no longer being manufactured. It was WW 630P. It worked great in my Ruger 45 Colt.

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Carlyle

[plinkr]

Bill.
your comments on Ramshot piqued my interest.Always trying something new.
Looks like a drive to Longview will get me some to try.
Not sure whether to thank you or not. (G)
Thanks. Plinkr

[BMiracle]

W231, BlueDot, Varget, H4895

[animal]

Best & worst : Unique

Best: Load just about any pistol cartridge or shotshell you want.
Worst: Filthy, nasty, dirty stuff.
Good thing I enjoy cleaning my toys

[beemerb]

I used to use unique till powder prices got too high.I am useing a industrial pistol powder now sold by maine cartridge co.10$ a pound to my door.It is just a little faster then unigue but does a good job in 45,357,38 and 9mm.

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beemerb
We have a criminal jury system which is superior to any in the world;
and its efficiency is only marred by the difficulty of finding twelve men
every day who don't know anything and can't read.
-Mark Twain

[Bill Adair]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by plinkr:
Bill.
your comments on Ramshot piqued my interest.Always trying something new.
Looks like a drive to Longview will get me some to try.
Not sure whether to thank you or not. (G)
Thanks. Plinkr[/quote]

Plinkr,

Is that Longview CA, or?

Sorry pal, I missed your reply!

Did you find any Ramshot powder?

I just picked up another pound of True Blue, and want to start some load development for my .357. New chrono came monday, but it's been raining here all week!

Bill

[Peter M. Eick]

I tend to agree with the prior posts. I sure liked Unique and shot it almost exclusively for years. Now though I have found that it is dirty and nasty stuff and I do not really enjoy cleaning many guns like before.

Let me explain. I used to only one two centerfire guns A diamondback and a python. Easy to clean and fun to shoot. I would take both and shoot them alot, so I only had one ammo load and it was with unique.

Now I shoot many guns, and each time at the range I tend to bring at least 5 or 6 different guns per session. Now also with work and other time requirements, I want a powder that is clean and easy to use.

So, now I shoot Power Pistol, AA2, AA5, AA7 and AA9, and Blue Dot. PP in the 40's and 380's. AA7 and AA9 in the 357 Sig and 10mm. and Blue Dot in the 10mm. AA2 and AA5 in the 45's and the diamondback. (had to sell the python for a wedding ring 14 years ago. Still regret it, but it was a reasonable trade)

Hope this helps.

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P229 Sport and 357 SIG, Perfection!

[Airborne]

Favorite and least favorite powders, eh?
My current favorites list is what I have found to work the best for my "all around" target shooting. I developed these loads over the winter and I shoot indoors, so the smokeyness of the loads was a big consideration.

All the loads I will list are very clean, both to the air and to the guns. Most important was accuracy, and all these "favorites" are very accurate, at least in my pistols.

I've tried all kinds of different powders including 231, Unique, and Universal, loaded numerous ways. All are good powders...just not at the top of my list for various reasons.

My top loads (currently):

9mm: 8.8 Gr. AA#7 115Gr. FMJ
(AA lists this as a "never exceed")

.45 ACP: 8.4 Gr. AA#5 230 Gr. FMJ

.44 Mag 14.0 Gr. AA#5 240 Gr. JHP
(3" Ported Revolver load)

I really like Universal in the .45 too. Cleaner in the gun than #5, and almost as accurate. I Chrony about 100 fps less than the #5 load for roughly the same pressure, and it doesn't meter as well either. Shooting hot Blue Dot loads indoors with the ported .44 Mag is also a major thrill.

My 2 cents.
Regards in Experimentation,
SM





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"When evil wins in the world, it is only by the default of the good. That is why one man of reason and moral stature is more important actually and potentially, than a million fools". -Ayn Rand

[WESHOOT2]

Universal Clays is a modern Unique, cleaner, easier-metering, and ballistically equivalent.

W231 is still a 'standard'.

Power Pistol seems to be excellent in every auto-pistol cartridge.

Bullseye is still the best for very light loads.

Big bores like W296.

Can't have my WAP.

Worst powders - 700X / Nitro 100. Just won't meter.

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"All my ammo is factory ammo"