Can you recommend a powder?

[FoghornLeghorn]

My favorite powder is Unique but it doesn't meter consistently in my Dillon Square Deal. For example, I just loaded some 45 ACP and according to my Dillon electronic scale, varied from 5.7 grains to 6.0 grains. (These are just plinking/piddling rounds, BTW.)

Anyway, I like Unique because it's so versatile and is fast enough for my semiauto handguns.

Also, it has sufficient volume that I can visually check the cases as I'm positioning the bullet for seating.

Is there another powder that fits the above criteria that will meter more consistently?

thanx

[Brian Pfleuger]

If that variation is within tested loads and you're just plinking, it wouldn't bother me in the least.

Otherwise, Power Pistol is a good powder. Reasonably bulky, enough to see in the case anyway. Clean burning, good power.

[NoSecondBest]

I agree with Brian. Doesn't matter, just shoot them. You won't see the difference just plinking and maybe not even shooting off bags.

[FoghornLeghorn]

One more question.

It was recommended for my 9mm, using Berry's 124 grain plated, that I use 5 grains Unique. The powder comes almost to the top of the case.

I'm assuming that will be a compressed charge?

[BigJimP]

A powder I like a lot better in 9mm than Unique is Hodgdon Universal....and if your press is clean, properly lubed....it'll drop more accurately than Unique...

I also like Hodgdon TiteGroup ( but Titegroup is a small volume powder ) and its too small a volume to visually inspect and tell you much other than, there is nothing there...../ and the min and max on TiteGroup is usually within 0.4 grain ....
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I wouldn't load a powder that almost filled a case.../ my instincts would be telling me there is a problem or an issue with the recipe...
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What is the published minimum and maximum on the .45 acp load you're using ?

[Misssissippi Dave]

I use WST for .45 acp. It is light colored and that also makes it easy to see in the case. It is also a pretty fast powder. It works well with lead, plated and jacketed bullets. I have two dillon presses and I don't recall ever getting more than .05 variance in powder drops. WST works best for light to mid range loads. If you are planning to shoot factory equivalent ammo you will probably be better off with WSF as far as Winchester powders go. Most sphearical or ball powders will measure better than flake powders in the Dillon powder measures for pistol ammo.

[ammo.crafter]

Try Red Dot for your 45acp loading on the Square B.
I load 4.6 grains under 200grain cast lead swc (BHN-12) for PPC competition.

[chiefr]

Well, it does not meter as well as the sphericals but............ I wonder how many matches have been won by individuals taking the time to measure out doses of Unique.

[AlaskaMike]

Don't overlook Power Pistol. It's a little slower than Unique but meters much better, and every bit as accurate in every caliber I've tried them both in.

[mmb713]

A powder with the same applications and burn rate as Unique but meters better and burns cleaner = Hodgdon Universal.

[black mamba]

HP-38 or W231 would fill the bill as well. Meters and shoots clean and accurately.

[Nathan]

AA#5 is a super powder for metering, accuracy and pretty good velocity, IMHO.

[dewcrew8]

For my 45 I just changed from bullseye to tight group and it meters good in my 650. 9mm I use 2 types 700x for rifle and it does fill the case, pistol I now use tight group.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Accurate #5 is a flattened ball powder that I would promote to the head of this class. I use it primarily in my own 45 acp loadings. RCBS 185 gr. SWC and AA #5 takes target hole punching to a new dimension. Quarter size groupings at 17 yards easily had. Unlike Unique. AA #5 burns clean when used in my Colts.

S/S

[GJSchulze]

I use 4.0 gr of Power Pistol for 9mm and agree that it meters well. Before each loading session I dump 10 loads into a container and weigh it. It varies by maybe .3 gr, meaning .03 per load on average.

[BuckRub]

I'm like you I shoot tons of Unique. Meters great through my RCBS dispenser. I mostly shoot 40 cal though. I have loaded 45 for a friend but didn't want to use my unique and so I used hp-38. I don't think you will see a difference. On RCBS the dispenser has a lg and small drop tube, I'm sure with 45 you would use a lg to let powder flow better.

[Mike Irwin]

WW 231.

[oldNewbie]

After reloading thousands of rounds of .38 Special, I've acquired a Colt Government Model and am about to do my first .45 ACP reloads. The shop I patronize sells Rainier plated bullets in 230 gr and I'm going with those. I found some great info about COL with these bullets in another thread, and thanks to all for that. I'm going to match factory ammo dimensions as closely as I can, to start out. I want ammo that feeds with no problems and is accurate as possible.

Now to my question: the shop recommended IMR 700X powder so I bought a bottle. Reload data I've found (and a verbal recommendation from a man at the shop) seem to indicate that 5 grains of 700X is a great load for that bullet weight. The closest I can get with my Lee Auto-Disk is 4.9 grains. I don't have a trickler.

Any thoughts, experiences, etc., with this powder in .45 ACP?

In .38 Special, I tried Universal Clays, Bullseye, and Unique, and was happiest with Bullseye (158-gr cast bullets). What are your favorite powders?

[Grizz12]

I just started using True Blue in .45acp and 9mm, I like it

[zxcvbob]

Bullseye will work anywhere you use Unique, and it measure much easier, and it's more economical. But if you're trying to meet some power factor, Bullseye tops out lower than Unique (not a lot lower)

Universal is closer to Unique than Bullseye is, but I haven't gotten the accuracy with it that I get with BE or Unique. And you still can't quite reach the same power with it as Unique. I haven't tried all that many Universal loads though, YMMV.

[oldNewbie]

Thanks for the replies. I have another powder question for the pro's here. I acquired an almost-full bottle of Titegroup from my father's estate, and I want to try it out. But both "ABC's of Reloading" and Hodgdon's website describe it as a spherical powder, and what's in the bottle looks to me like a flake powder with a silvery appearance. I'm wondering if Titegroup is what is really in the bottle. I don't have any other reason to believe otherwise.

I looked at it with a loupe, and I guess it could be a flattened spherical shape. It's thicker than flakes of Unique and Bullseye that I looked at through the loupe. Is Titegroup a flattened spherical powder?

I weighed 5 grains of it, and it's substantially less volume than 5 grains of Unique or Bullseye or 700X. If you've used it, how does it work in a .45?

[CommandoX]

I use Tite Group in .45 acp loads and find it works great for me.

I'm making 230gr FMJ and 230 Lead rounds with 4.2 grains in a small primered case. It averages about 760 fps coming out of my RIA 5.5" barrel.

Good grouping and cycles fine.

[Forrest68]

oldNewbie, I was confused by the as well with Hodgdons "spherical" powders, when in fact they should really be called "disk" they are round and flat. As you've noticed Titegroup takes very little to go along way. I prefer HP-38 or HS-6, but titegroup is suppsoed to be a great powder. Good Luck

[WESHOOT2]

700X meters fer-[color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color].

W231 / Universal / Power Pistol / others meter swimmingly.....

[serf 'rett]

W-231 and Power Pistol both meter well through my Uniflow measure, while the Unique can range +/- 0.2 grains.

What I found interesting, in my limited testing of these three powders in 40S&W and 9mm, was Unique appeared to hold good groups over a broader range of charge weights. When testing series' of charge weights the Unique groups seemed to expand and contract at a slower rate; therefore, a change of 0.2 grains of Unique would appear to have less effect than the same weight change with the other two powders. I would expect this to be true of W-231 since it is a faster powder, but was somewhat surprised that Power Pistol didn't hold as broad a "range" as the Unique.

The net effect of the +/- 0.2 grain variations in the dropped Unique charges doesn’t appear to significantly change the group size in MY pistols, YMMV.

With 124 grain Berry’s bullets and 124 grain MO Bullet Smallball, Power Pistol did produce very good groups, which were closest to point of aim, but had higher perceived recoil in my pistols. The accurate W-231 load was soft shooting, an excellent target load, but wouldn’t make IDPA power factor. The accurate Unique load landed between these two powders.