Powder for 45ACP and 44 Mag

[SaltySteve]

Well i'm about to purchase powder to build my first loads ever. Is it reasonable to think I can use same powder for both or should I just stop thinking like that? I looked at the Books and they do indicate the same powders being used. I guess my main question is will I be compromising too much in doing so? Also if anyone has any load sugestions for 44 Mag and 45 ACP I'm all ears!

[Sevens]

You can load both calibers with only one powder, but you really do put some big restraints on what you can safely build with them.

There are a lot of powders that are very good for .45 that you can use in .44, as long you are willing to stick to very light .44 mag loads. If you try to push the .44 while using a fast burning powder that's appropriate for .45, you'll run in to extremely high pressures and poor performance.

I would imagine that one of the better powders to do both would be something like Unique, but don't expect hot, magnum level .44 rounds with it. I know Titegroup also works in both.

I used to think the same way (it's only natural!) but in the past couple of years, I've drifted over the other way of thinking. I have over a dozen different powders in my supply now... I'm as frugal as they come, but the truth is that a pound of powder costs anywhere from $15-$25 depending on the brand and where you buy. These days, that's about the cost for 50 or 100 rounds of handgun factory ammo. Considering that I can roll anywhere from 500-1100 rounds of ammo from one pound, it's a no brainer. Now, I really just buy what I what and use it.

I would suggest you do that as well!

Oh yeah... my favorite .45 load seems to be around 4.4 grains of Bullseye pushing a 200 grain LSWC out of my long slide .45. .44, I'm still experimenting, but many folks settle on H100 or 2400 or Accurate #9 for heavy magnum loads. On hand, I have Blue Dot and Accurate #7, and IMR-4227 that I'm playing with in .44 Mag.

[SaltySteve]

I should have mentioned that these loads will just be for Range shooting. I don't really care about pushing the limits here.

[Dave P]

look at accurate #7 - should be OK for both.

[gandog56]

The problem is these are two totally different cartridges. One is a mid volumn low pressure cartridge. The other is a high volumn high pressure cartridge. Both perform better with different burn rate powders. I mean, yes you can use a powder like Unique for both of them, but it is probably not the best powder for either of them.

[tom234]

Take a look at Alliant HERCO. It burns slower than Unique and faster than Blue Dot so you can use to from target loads to moderate magnum loads as well. I use it in all my hangun reloading and it is cheaper than the other Alliant Powders. If you don't see the HERCO load you need email Alliant and they will send you HERCO load data.

[putteral]

I like winchester 231 or HP38 (which is the same).

[BigJimP]

I use Hodgdon TiteGroup for both - and I think it works real well for both. TiteGroup was engineered for larger cases where you need to get good ignition even though the case is not full of powder. It is a low charge weight - so you do have to make sure your press is well tuned since there isn't much margin for error ( but you should do that anyway )....

For the .45 acp and 230 grain bullet I load 4.7 grains of Titegroup ( min is 4.4 and max is 4.8 grains ).

For the .44 Mag I load a 240gr jacketed bullet and I load 9.2 grains of TiteGroup ( min is 9.0 and max is 10.0 ).

On my pistol loads, I use TiteGroup for 9mm, .38spl, .357 mag, .40S&W ( .45acp and the .44 mag like I said ) too. I think TiteGroup is a very good powder - with no compromises - for all of the pistil calibers at least that I reload. It burns clean and meteres real well in the press.

[AlaskaMike]

Tom234's recommendation for Herco should be a good one. I've used Alliant Power Pistol in both calibers with very good results, so I can personally recommend that one.

Mike

[DIXIEDOG]

You can use the same powder for both rounds but they will be a compromise for each round. I prefer to get a powder that fills my case by over 50% , if you do this you can't possibly fit a double charge into the case. It will spill over and you will have a visual indicator that you screwed up. It may never happen but if you do get a double charge of a fast burning pistol powder bad things are going to happen. With Titegroup you could get a double charge in .44 mag and not even notice unless you are really watching close. As an added bonus the closer your case is to full of powder the more consistent your velocities are because powder position doesn't affect them.

[kingudaroad]

Why is Unique such a bad choice. It is an excellent plinking powder in 44 mag, and is also excellent in my 45 auto.

[Sevens]

It seems like Unique has a genuine market share of detractors, at least, that's been my experience. Perhaps it's because it's versatile enough to be used in a lot of different calibers that it doesn't have the reputation for being the best at anything? Unique also has a long-earned reputation for being a dirty powder, but that hasn't ever turned me away from it. Alliant says it's "cleaner burning" these days, and I do a pretty good job of cleaning my handguns when I'm back from the range so I never thought of it as a concern.

For my buck, though, light and plinking rounds out of .44 Mag are pointless. For other folks, that's fine. I have a slew of other calibers that I can use as plinking rounds. I don't see the point of using a large magnum round and a huge, heavy chunk of lead for powderpuff loads when I can do that with so many others.

...and Unique isn't a great choice for heavy .44 Mag rounds.

[Ranger61]

I agree that Unique or Herco are good for either. There has always been complaints about unique being dirty but if your shooting lubed lead bullets most of the residue is from the lube no matter what powder your using.

[AlaskaMike]

I think Unique is fine for both, I just don't like it in the .45 ACP because my Springfield Mil-spec starts to jam from the powder residue in the chamber after somewhere between 50 and 100 rounds. It's no big deal if I remember to throw the boresnake in my range bag--one quick swipe and I'm back shooting. But I've had much, much better luck with Power Pistol. Another reason I like PP better is that it meters so much more uniformly through my powder measure. My experience has shown it to be better than Unique at higher pressures (less than full magnum, but slightly more than midrange).

For example, I can get over 1200 fps from a 250 grain SWC from my 6" .44 Mag Anaconda (12.0 grains under Lyman #429244), but Unique seems to start going a little erratic above 10.0 grains with either RCBS 44-250-K or Lyman 429244. I do like the 10 grain Unique load though--it gives me about 1100 to 1150 fps in my Anaconda. Slightly more than a plinker, but nice and accurate.

Mike

[WESHOOT2]

My first advice would be Unique; it can be superb in the 45 ACP, yet still deliver sufficient-for-most-tasks velocity when properly used in 44 Magnum loads.

If the actual measuring/dispensing device doesn't perform well with Unique then I'd suggest HS6.

Best might be W231 for 45 ACP and Universal Clays / HS6 / Power Pistol for moderate 44 Magnum.


Based on OP desire.

[Zombie Steve]

I just shot a "work up" batch of .44mag yesterday.

200 gr Speer JHP
Win brass
CCI large pistol primers
max 12.4 gr Unique

This is a fun load. I didn't have a chrony, but according to the speer manual, these will be hopping around 1300 to 1400 fps. I found it most accurate at 12 grains even. Nothing to write home about ballistically, but it's a fun combination of bang and comfort. Did I mention that it was fun?

[Shane Tuttle]

I don't reload for .44 Magnum...yet. I'm in the same boat as you at the moment on gathering info on good reloading data.

On the .45ACP, however, I have my favorites. These loads are set for plinking, not necessarily for "ragged hole shots at 25 yards" as some would claim.

My guns are XD45ACP service model (4" barrel) and Spingfield Loaded (5" barrel). YMMV

Remember, these work for MY guns. Neither The Firing Line nor I assume responsibility for your experiments.

Hodgdon HP38 5.0-5.2gr w/230gr FMJ @ 1.230
Hodgdon HS6 7.3gr w 230gr FMJ @ 1.230


TiteGroup doesn't fill the case well and appears to make my loads a bit snappy. Meters very well.

Unique is too dirty for my taste.

AA#5 works well and is very clean. Meters well, but is messy if you have a spill...Still working a load at the moment.

[radom]

I use and have been using Unique for both.

[TexasSeaRay]

When you pick one powder to try and use in as many different calibers as possible, you end up compromising.

I reload so that I don't have to compromise--I can make the rounds do exactly what I want them to do.

If all I was going to do was be plinking, I'd buy the cheapest range reloads I could find and be done with it.

Jeff

[Scorch]

Unique is the answer. I shoot Unique in all of my handguns, 9mm, 357 Mag, 44 Mag, 45 ACP, and I get very good results. My loads:
45ACP- 200 gr cast on top of 6.8 gr of Unique- 900 fps
44 Mag- 240 gr cast on top of 8.0 gr of Unique- 950 fps

As mentioned above, don't try to run full-house loads through the magnums (although you most certainly can), and don't try to hot-rod the 45, but you already knew that.

[Sport45]

I'll ditto many of the other responders and suggest Unique.

I buy Unique in 4# jugs because it works okay in just about all my handguns. I buy H110 or other handgun powders in the smaller containers for specialty loads.

[16gr296]

Interesting responses, seems the senior members are pretty strong on Unique. It is a very versatile powder.

You don't specify the weight or type (lead or jacketed) of bullets you will use. You also didn't mention the 44 special out of your 44 magnum. I shoot lead out of my 44s from Starline 44 special cases. Four or five passes with Big 45 metal wrapped on a brush gets rid of the cylinder rings.

For plinking I recommend inexpensive cast bullets. If you must limit yourself to only one powder I recommend either 231 or Universal Clays.

Titegroup is a wonderful powder but the small weights can be problematic for a beginner depending upon the type of powder dispenser and your expertise with scales.

231 and Universal have higher charge weights and dispense accurately from all types of powder dispensers. 231 tends to blow more soot out of the barrel cylinder gap in the revolvers. Universal tends to leave more unburned powder.

Unique tends to have wider variances in thrown weight.

Titegroup is relatively insensitive to powder position. Universal and Unique typically throw the first shot unless pointed skyward first. 231 is between the extremes.

I have more than a dozen pistol powders on hand as I believe in optimization by bullet and purpose. The powders I have in bulk are 231, Universal and 296. Titegroup charge weights are so low that I just buy 1 pound containers.

[DBotkin]

I use Unique for my .357, .44 Mag and .40 S&W. It may not be the absolute best for any of them, but it gives me a pretty wide range of options for loading each. It's a little more smoky than I'd like in the .40, but not unreasonably so. I have had no problem with powder residue with up to 200 rounds in a session. The revolvers like it fine, most of the smoke there is from the cast bullet lube anyway.

If I had my druthers I'd prefer something with less smoke and a little more consistent throw from the powder measure. Still, like I said, I use it for all of them, have for several years and have found no real reason to change. Some day I'll try Power Pistol or something new, what I see as the biggest drawback is that I have to buy a pound just to see if I like it or not. They should sell sample packs with a couple ounces each.

[WESHOOT2]

Some have found the wide velocity swings using Universal Clays in 45 ACP make it difficult to make "Power Factor".

Hence my recommendation first for Unique.

I limit myself to twenty or so powders (only because I ran out of room on my shelves....)

The powders I have in bulk are W231, Universal Clays, WAP, Power Pistol, and W296.
Man I gotta lotta WAP LOL.
But it's on the floor, mostly.