New to reloading powder help

kxkid · January 17, 2011, 03:37 AM

I just bought the Lee Anniversary kit and some IMR 800x. The 800x does not meter well in my Lee powder scale and does not burn completely. I am currently loading 45 ACP and would like to know what powder meter well in the Lee perfect powder measure. I am looking just for plinking.

m&p45acp10+1 · January 17, 2011, 05:21 AM

Bull's Eye is my go to powder for cast lead in my .45 ACP. I use TiteGroup for jacketed. They both meter conistanly in the Lee Perfect Powder Measure. I have Hi Skor 800x and it meters like corn flakes so it is a pain in the butt to use. If using Bull's Eye or TiteGroup just watch what you are doing so you do not double charge a case. Put the primed, and expanded cases in a bowl, charge, then put into the loading block. When the loading block is full start seating bullets. It has worked for me for over a year.

DiscoRacing · January 17, 2011, 07:26 AM

I use Titegroup for targeting because it is a low charge weight powder and doesnt take much per round to load. Your powder dollar will last longer.

WESHOOT2 · January 17, 2011, 07:39 AM

I most highly recommend, for the answer to your questions, W231.

Sport45 · January 17, 2011, 07:47 AM

Universal meters well and the loads are bulky enough that a double charge is easy for a new reloader (or an old one) to notice.

I've burnt a lot of Titegroup, but have to say that a normal charge doesn't take up much space in a .45acp and a double dosn't look much different without scrutiny. It's a very good powder, but I wouldn't recommend it to a new reloader.

billnourse · January 17, 2011, 08:19 AM

4.0 grns Bullseye 200 grain lasercast bullets for target and plinking.

Bill

CherokeeT · January 17, 2011, 06:26 PM

Winchester 231 or Hodgdon HP-38, same powder, different can. Highly recommended for 45 ACP.

huntinaz · January 17, 2011, 08:27 PM

Bullseye, Titegroup, and Win231 all meter very well. I haven't shot Win231 yet but I like the other two a lot.

mikejonestkd · January 17, 2011, 09:02 PM

Bullseye, Clays, Titegroup, w231/ HP38, and Universal all meter well. Unique does not..

kxkid · January 17, 2011, 09:39 PM

Thanks. My dad has Clays and I tried that today and it meters just as well as 800x, which is crap. I have loaded 9 rds of 800x at 7.3 to 6.5 and I dont like how the powder does not completely burn. I am headed to Cabela's tomorrow and going to pick up HP38 and titegroup, are these ball or flake?. I was going to get 700x but its just like 800x with the flake.

m&p45acp10+1 · January 17, 2011, 10:26 PM

Bull's Eye, win 231, and Titegroup are all considered to be ball powder. They are very dense. They do not give much for case fill in .45 ACP. If you pay attention to what you are doing it will not matter.

TiteGroup, and Bull's Eye meter quite welll from my Lee PPM. To within +/- .1 grains.

If shooting lead I would recomend Bull's Eye. Besides I do not know of a manual by any of the bullet manufaturers that does not list loads with it.

overkill0084 · January 18, 2011, 11:22 AM

+ whatever on the Bullseye. I thought I had retired my Lee Powder measure. It turns out that my Redding isn't a fan of of tiny charges of Bullseye. I may have to order the Pistol micrometer thingy from Redding. I've had good results with 4.6 gr bullseye w/230 cast RN.

jimbob86 · January 18, 2011, 11:53 AM

Power Pistol and Vn-340 meter well in the Lee PPM.

jb683 · January 19, 2011, 01:37 PM

I use the 800X for 45ACP and your right, it does not work well with the Lee powder measure. As a work around, before I bought the Horady LNL auto measure, I created a dipper that would hold just the right amount of powder, while still weighing some of the loads, as I went along, to make sure it was in specs. You have to be very carefull doing this way or any other way for that matter, as 45ACP case is relatively small and a few one tenths of a grain will make a big differance. But as for performance, the 800X has done me well.

**Unclenick** · January 19, 2011, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m&p45acp10+1

Bull's Eye, win 231, and Titegroup are all considered to be ball powder.

No. Bullseye is a flake powder, but a smaller flake than 800X. More like the size of Clays and Universal Clays. "Ball" powder is a Winchester tradename, and applies their spherical propellants, of which 231 is one.

In general, the Lee Perfect measure has to be stroked just right to meter evenly with flakes. Your technique has to include coming a little sharply into contact at the ends of the stroke, and doing so identically with each operation cycle. There is a learning curve.

The Perfect measure will meter the spherical propellants, but the fine ones, like 231, have a tendency to leak through its cracks. Be prepared that the measure may have to wear in a bit and the drum may have to tightened to control this. You will benefit if you take the measure apart and rub powdered graphite into the sliding surfaces first, then put it back together, then run some of the powdered graphite through it.

If you want a powder that will meter well in the Perfect measure just as it is, I recommend you try Vihtavuori N320.

January 17, 2011, 03:37 AM	#1
kxkid Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2011 Posts: 207	New to reloading powder help I just bought the Lee Anniversary kit and some IMR 800x. The 800x does not meter well in my Lee powder scale and does not burn completely. I am currently loading 45 ACP and would like to know what powder meter well in the Lee perfect powder measure. I am looking just for plinking.

January 17, 2011, 05:21 AM	#2
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	Bull's Eye is my go to powder for cast lead in my .45 ACP. I use TiteGroup for jacketed. They both meter conistanly in the Lee Perfect Powder Measure. I have Hi Skor 800x and it meters like corn flakes so it is a pain in the butt to use. If using Bull's Eye or TiteGroup just watch what you are doing so you do not double charge a case. Put the primed, and expanded cases in a bowl, charge, then put into the loading block. When the loading block is full start seating bullets. It has worked for me for over a year. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

January 17, 2011, 07:26 AM	#3
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,640	I use Titegroup for targeting because it is a low charge weight powder and doesnt take much per round to load. Your powder dollar will last longer. __________________ Desert Eagle Alliance Group Launcher Extraordinaire ______ ----Get Busy Live'n.....Or....Get Busy Die'n......Red -------They call me Dr. Bob,,,, I have a PhD in S&W

January 17, 2011, 07:39 AM	#4
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	I most highly recommend, for the answer to your questions, W231. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

January 17, 2011, 07:47 AM	#5
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	Universal meters well and the loads are bulky enough that a double charge is easy for a new reloader (or an old one) to notice. I've burnt a lot of Titegroup, but have to say that a normal charge doesn't take up much space in a .45acp and a double dosn't look much different without scrutiny. It's a very good powder, but I wouldn't recommend it to a new reloader. __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

January 17, 2011, 08:19 AM	#6
billnourse Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2010 Location: Bloomfield, NM Posts: 366	4.0 grns Bullseye 200 grain lasercast bullets for target and plinking. Bill __________________ Cooper 52 25/06, Cooper 52 30/06, Cooper 52 338/06Cooper 57 .17HMR, Remington VS .22/250 all left handed. Rock River Predator Persuit AR-15, 1952 Marlin 336 in 30/30. 2 Kimber 1911, Colt 1911, S&W .357 Mag, Kahr .40 and .380

January 17, 2011, 06:26 PM	#7
CherokeeT Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2008 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 273	Winchester 231 or Hodgdon HP-38, same powder, different can. Highly recommended for 45 ACP. __________________ God Bless America US Army, NRA Endowment TSRA Life, SASS

January 17, 2011, 08:27 PM	#8
huntinaz Senior Member Join Date: September 21, 2010 Location: az Posts: 1,332	Bullseye, Titegroup, and Win231 all meter very well. I haven't shot Win231 yet but I like the other two a lot. __________________ "When there’s lead in the air, there’s hope in the heart”- Hunter’s Proverb "Feed me, or feed me to something. I just want to be part of the food chain." -Al Bundy

January 17, 2011, 09:02 PM	#9
mikejonestkd Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Brockport, NY Posts: 3,716	Bullseye, Clays, Titegroup, w231/ HP38, and Universal all meter well. Unique does not.. __________________ You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

January 17, 2011, 09:39 PM	#10
kxkid Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2011 Posts: 207	Thanks. My dad has Clays and I tried that today and it meters just as well as 800x, which is crap. I have loaded 9 rds of 800x at 7.3 to 6.5 and I dont like how the powder does not completely burn. I am headed to Cabela's tomorrow and going to pick up HP38 and titegroup, are these ball or flake?. I was going to get 700x but its just like 800x with the flake.

January 17, 2011, 10:26 PM	#11
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	Bull's Eye, win 231, and Titegroup are all considered to be ball powder. They are very dense. They do not give much for case fill in .45 ACP. If you pay attention to what you are doing it will not matter. TiteGroup, and Bull's Eye meter quite welll from my Lee PPM. To within +/- .1 grains. If shooting lead I would recomend Bull's Eye. Besides I do not know of a manual by any of the bullet manufaturers that does not list loads with it. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

January 18, 2011, 11:22 AM	#12
overkill0084 Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2010 Location: Northern, UT Posts: 1,162	+ whatever on the Bullseye. I thought I had retired my Lee Powder measure. It turns out that my Redding isn't a fan of of tiny charges of Bullseye. I may have to order the Pistol micrometer thingy from Redding. I've had good results with 4.6 gr bullseye w/230 cast RN. __________________ Cheers, Greg “At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child – miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless. Liberalism is a philosophy of sniveling brats.” — P.J. O’Rourke

January 18, 2011, 11:53 AM	#13
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	Power Pistol and Vn-340 meter well in the Lee PPM.

January 19, 2011, 01:37 PM	#14
jb683 Member Join Date: December 18, 2010 Location: Garner NC Posts: 66	I use the 800X for 45ACP and your right, it does not work well with the Lee powder measure. As a work around, before I bought the Horady LNL auto measure, I created a dipper that would hold just the right amount of powder, while still weighing some of the loads, as I went along, to make sure it was in specs. You have to be very carefull doing this way or any other way for that matter, as 45ACP case is relatively small and a few one tenths of a grain will make a big differance. But as for performance, the 800X has done me well.