accurate #5

[Shooke]

Just wanted some opinions on #5. I've got a opportunity to get a couple lbs tomorrow. I'm just beginning on reloading will mostly load out 9mm for target shooting. I'm also seeing other powders on gun bot starting to be available. Been trying for months to find some powder so I can get started. Is this a good powder to start out with? Or wait on some #2,hp38,231,tight group or any suggestions.

[Sid]

Accurate #5 is an excellent powder for 9mm. I have loaded thousands of rounds with this without any difficulty. It also meters very easily through your powder measure.

[MEATSAW]

#5 is fantastic if you are going to use full power loads. In that application it is hard to beat in the popular handgun calibers. It meters like water and shoots clean. It produces consistent results with low SD and ES.

However... If you are planning on using low power "target" loads you will want a faster burning powder. Yes, you can use it but there is a lot of unburned powder and it's far more dirty. If that's what you are after I would suggest Win231, or a shotshell powder. I especially like ramshot competition for my target loads.

[mnoirot64]

Originally Posted by MEATSAW

#5 is fantastic if you are going to use full power loads. In that application it is hard to beat in the popular handgun calibers. It meters like water and shoots clean. It produces consistent results with low SD and ES.



However... If you are planning on using low power "target" loads you will want a faster burning powder. Yes, you can use it but there is a lot of unburned powder and it's far more dirty. If that's what you are after I would suggest Win231, or a shotshell powder. I especially like ramshot competition for my target loads.

+1. This is right on the money.

[Clark]

AA#5 has the highest speed*density product I have found.
If I can't blow it up with AA#5, I can't blow it up.
Many times I have worked it up to the limit in 9mm and 45acp and there is still space left in the case.
I think that peakiness of the pressure helps it burn clean.

Blue Dot can not fit much in a pistol case, but in a .223 case, the peakiness there at 35kpsi make it burn almost unbelievably clean.

[Misssissippi Dave]

I use AA5 for my 9 mm USPSA loads with 124 grain FMJ bullets. It works well. I use WST, AA2 or W231 for 115 grain FMJ . W231 is the same powder as HP38 just normally costs more. If I'm loading 147 grain bullets I will use AA5 or AA7 powder.

I will probably be getting another 8 pound jug of AA5 as soon as Powder Valley has some more in stock. It has been a long time since I saw an 8 pounder for sale. I only get those big jugs for powders I intend to use a lot.

I found with the 124 grain FMJ bullets loading below 5.8 grains of powder tends to be rather dirty. 6.1 grains does get me up to the power factor I need for competition. I'm not normally loading much above that level. I get very consistent loads with AA5. I'm going through about 1 pound a month for 9 mm.

[mineralman55]

If you have access to AA #5, get it. It was designed for semi-auto pistols and works especially well in the 9mm or .45ACP. Don't wait for AA #2 to show up. You'll wait forever.

[Shooke]

Thanks for the help I'm going to pick up a couple lbs. If some other qucker burning powders come available ill get them too. Least this will get me started. Again thanks for the information.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Near the same burning rate as Hodgdon HS-6. Works well in everything up to a point. Heavy Magnum loads require something a little slower burning than what #5 is capable of. And those really small cartridges like the 25 & 32 ACP require something a little quicker. But other than that. Hey its a great bench powder to have on hand. You won't be disappointed you purchased it.

[Nick_C_S]

We're coming to a consensus here.

AA5 is well suited for 9mm - especially 124g bullets that you want to be fairly peppy. Works very well with 147 grainers too; if you're not going too hot with them; and/or your gun's barrel is a little shorter. I would lean away from it for 115 grain bullets - unless you plan on going really hot and your gun's barrel is unusually long (not likely).

It meters great - +1 there - second only too its faster brother AA2. Very clean burning - when its loaded right, of course.

Get the powder.

[WESHOOT2]

Buy.

AA5 is versatile, and applicable to many handgun cartridges.
It offers excellent potential in 9x19.

[mnoirot64]

Originally Posted by Nick_C_S

We're coming to a consensus here.



AA5 is well suited for 9mm - especially 124g bullets that you want to be fairly peppy. Works very well with 147 grainers too; if you're not going too hot with them; and/or your gun's barrel is a little shorter. I would lean away from it for 115 grain bullets - unless you plan on going really hot and your gun's barrel is unusually long (not likely).



It meters great - +1 there - second only too its faster brother AA2. Very clean burning - when its loaded right, of course.



Get the powder.

+1, +1 - It's a fine powder for almost ever auto loading pistol I hand load: 9mm, 357 SIG, 40 and 45 ACP. Buy it.

[Nick_C_S]

And don't forget 10mm.

I use it for "85%" practice rounds; 8.8g under a Berry's 180g FP. An incredibly clean burning round.

AA5 is indeed great for most any semi-auto cartridge. Works for a lot of applications in revolvers too (I'm actually a revolver guy) - but the extra case space makes it where you need to make sure you load them up firm enough to stay clean burning.

[mineralman55]

AA#5 is great for semi-autos... that's what it was designed for. Respectfully disagreeing, it is marginal for revolvers. I did quite a bit of consulting with Accurate's ballisticians and testing in a S&W 29 with mixed results. AA#5 has some positional sensitivity (unlike AA#2). I got fantastic accuracy at middle of the road to higher loadings, but it produced so much heat I had to let the revolver cool down for 5-10 minutes before proceeding. Further, the recoil and blast was so excessive that it doesn't make for a pleasant range experience. You wouldn't want to shoot more than a cylinder or two. I didn't bother to try it in a .357, as there are just too many other great powders available for it.

[Nick_C_S]

I agree with all your statements mineralman55. There are better propellants for revolvers than AA5 (Unique; Power Pistol). My point was that you can make it burn clean in revolvers - if it is properly approached.

[rclark]

I like AA#5 in .44Spec. 9.5g AA#5 under 240g SWC gets me 1029fps, with a 33 ES which is good. This matches up with the Skeeter Unique load. Also tried it in .45 Colt and liked 11.0g under 255g SWC for 961fps and ES of 40 which is acceptable. Have both loads marked as accurate in my load table. Don't use these loads often as I have my favorite powders, but I know these loads will work well if AA#5 is what I have to work with. Oh, I do use it with .45 ACP and 250g RNFP bullets for my revolvers and seems to work well there too.

[madmo44mag]

AA#5 is a great powder as stated.
It works pretty well with mid range loads in 9mm and 45 acp but don't go any lower are you will have lots of unburned powder and inconsistent ignition.
I've load probably every small to medium range pistol / revolver cartridge out there with it at some time or another and it has never disappointed me.
On target ammo and a lighter load, seating the bullet a little deeper helps with consistent ignition but the flip side is loss of accuracy due to the greater distance from the lands.
Just depends on the gun though.

[Jay24bal]

I loved AA #5 in my 9mm loads. It shot great out of every single 9mm gun I own, everything from a 3" barrel to a 5" barrel. It was an accurate load in every gun, and was very clean burning . I mainly used 115 gr. FMJ .

I would still be using it, but it had a tendency to leak pretty badly out of my powder dispenser (Lee Auto Disk). There are some fixes out there that may help that situation, but I instead just switched over to Unique.

Go ahead and pick up the powder.

[Nick_C_S]

One of my pet loads for 9mm w/ 124g GDHP bullet is 6.4g of AA5.

1049fps though a 3.7"bbl Kahr CW9.

It's a great round - it matches the velocity of Speer's 124g GDHP (loaded ammo #23618). Which was my intent from the inception of the load work-up. This recipe, btw, is in compliance with Speer #14.

Getting back to the revolver - 357 Magnum, to be exact. I load a 158g Hornady XTP with 9.2g of AA5. It is in compliance with Speer #14; but Hornady - seeming to be a slow powder centric manual - has no AA5 data for their 158 XTP.

1097fps through a 686 3"bbl;
1159fps through a 686 4"bbl.

Now before somebody poo-poos these rather modest velocities, keep in mind that we're not talking long barrels here. And the final product is low flash and low recoil; even in the 3"bbl. It's also an exceptionally clean burner. Yes, AA5 can work in revolvers.

It does exactly what I wanted - a "balanced" high performance round, suited for short barreled guns. Anybody can pack a boat-load of W296 in a cartridge and create a high-velocity flame-thrower. That's exactly what I didn't want - and was willing to give up some fps to do so. Mission accomplished.

[tollys103079]

I see a lot of guys mention #5 as a .45 acp load. My normal .45acp load is bullseye with 200 grain lead rnfp. Does anyone have any experience with #5 and a 200 grain RNFP.

[MEATSAW]

Yes I shot quite a bit of #5 with a 200 gr cast RN through my .45 -- I do not have my reloading notes in front of me but I do remember that a load right in between the start and max charge in the Accurate web reloading manual shot just fantastic out of my 1911.

[Nick_C_S]

I see a lot of guys mention #5 as a .45 acp load. My normal .45acp load is bullseye with 200 grain lead rnfp. Does anyone have any experience with #5 and a 200 grain RNFP.

I don't. 45ACP/200g slugs much prefer a faster powder. I mean, it can definitely be done - and possibly with good results. But Bullseye, W231, AA2, and the like, are much better suited for the application.

My pet 200g LSWC load for 45ACP is 5.0g W231. I also load it at 4.6g W231, when I'm in "powder conservation mode" - like now

[Nick_C_S]

I just so happened to hit the range today - with chronograph in tow.

One round tested fits in this thread:

38 Special (+P); 125g JHP; 7.8g AA5:

993 fps - 686 3"bbl
1027 fps - 686 4"bbl
1013 fps - M67 4"bbl

Good, clean, consistent round.
This recipe is in compliance with Speer #14.

[Beanie-Bean]

My favorite load is 124 gr. RN over AA #5. I just ran some 115 gr. FMJ with AA #5, and had really good results, as well.

[Shooke]

I was able to get a lb of AA #5 im in no hurry still getting supplies. Seems the general concise is this powder works well in 9mm so thanks everyone for your input. Been reading lyman 49th and accurate load data. I've been shooting at the range mostly 115g fmj at the range and some 124, felt the 124 was more accurate but its much harder to get this ammo. So when looking for a projectile any recommendactions here ( manufacturer ) that works well for range shooting. I can get Berry RN here locally in 115 or 124 at about 8¢ apiece.