Which powder should I choose next?

k9cougar · April 16, 2010, 11:15 PM

I have a glock 19 and load 9MM with Montana gold 124 gr. rn. I've been loading with 231 with decent success but that is running out. I haven't been able to find it locally but went a little crazy and now have Unique, Universal, and Power Pistol. Of those 3, which powder should I use? Any loads that you have found that have worked particulary well for?

Jim243 · April 16, 2010, 11:57 PM

K9 like you I am a fan of 231, all three that you listed should work well, just find a load in your books that uses the least amount of powder for a max load and that will be the fastest burning powder available. I am a believer in fast powder for the 9mm.

Jim

spacecoast · April 17, 2010, 06:26 AM

Titegroup and accurate #2 are both fast and good for 9mm.

RidgwayCO · April 17, 2010, 07:01 AM

If you'll listen carefully (in a quiet room) to your Montana Gold bullets, they're all saying "Power Pistol...".

Brian Pfleuger · April 17, 2010, 07:39 AM

Power Pistol was designed for the 9mm.

totaldla · April 17, 2010, 11:39 AM

Power pistol is the best of the 3. Only downside, IMO, is the flash.

Sevens · April 17, 2010, 11:44 AM

Quote:

If you'll listen carefully (in a quiet room) to your Montana Gold bullets, they're all saying "Power Pistol...".

Terrific!

I'll give the 18th vote for Power Pistol. I like it for a number of reasons:

It meters very well, so my powder thrower always gives me a consistent drop. Inspires confidence.
It performs well in 9mm, gives me decent accuracy.
It works great in 10mm and I use it in two other rounds, too, so it's flexible.
Because I can use it in other loads, it makes good economic sense for me to buy it in bulk, and I can get it in 4-pound jugs. Good deal!
Doesn't seem to be particularly dirty.

If I were forced to list complaints about it, I would have to say that it uses a heavier charge weight than other options, so it's not quite as economical, but when you buy in bulk and you can use it in other loads, that gets trumped. My other complaint is that Alliant's website with load data is horrible, worst in the industry, so you don't always have a "go to" place for flexible load information. But that's not enough to steer me away from it.

I think I'm up to fourteen different powders in my cache, some I use often and some I never use. (cough UNIQUE cough) but Power Pistol remains my favorite.

For a 124-gr bullet, I've been using a 6.3gr charge of Power Pistol. No chrono, but I'd say it's on the warm side. Start lower, work up.

Sevens · April 17, 2010, 11:45 AM

totaldla -- good point and one I forgot to mention. Depending whether you like it or hate it, Power Pistol is a fireball maker.

**Mike Irwin** · April 17, 2010, 01:28 PM

The bullets may be saying Power Pistol, but the gun is begging for more 231...

ir3e971 · April 17, 2010, 02:01 PM

I have used titegroup, 231, and several others. However, I settled on Ramshot ZIP for 9mm. Meters well, accurate, and well behaved.

The other powders I tried all worked fine as well, but I liked the way ZIP shot the best.

WESHOOT2 · April 18, 2010, 10:23 AM

I avoid all 'fast' powders in the 9x19; I use significant amounts of 'medium-range' WAP, and Power Pistol, and 3N37.

But right now I'm using 130g Montana Golds....

April 16, 2010, 11:15 PM	#1
k9cougar Member Join Date: February 21, 2010 Posts: 74	Which powder should I choose next? I have a glock 19 and load 9MM with Montana gold 124 gr. rn. I've been loading with 231 with decent success but that is running out. I haven't been able to find it locally but went a little crazy and now have Unique, Universal, and Power Pistol. Of those 3, which powder should I use? Any loads that you have found that have worked particulary well for?

April 17, 2010, 07:01 AM	#4
RidgwayCO Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2008 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 244	If you'll listen carefully (in a quiet room) to your Montana Gold bullets, they're all saying "Power Pistol...". __________________ "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." Nope, not a single word about hunting...

April 17, 2010, 07:39 AM	#5
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	Power Pistol was designed for the 9mm. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

April 17, 2010, 11:39 AM	#6
totaldla Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2009 Location: SW Idaho Posts: 1,296	Power pistol is the best of the 3. Only downside, IMO, is the flash. __________________ Lee Auto Bench Prime Castor Oil Case Lube

April 17, 2010, 11:45 AM	#8
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	totaldla -- good point and one I forgot to mention. Depending whether you like it or hate it, Power Pistol is a fireball maker. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

April 16, 2010, 11:57 PM	#2
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	K9 like you I am a fan of 231, all three that you listed should work well, just find a load in your books that uses the least amount of powder for a max load and that will be the fastest burning powder available. I am a believer in fast powder for the 9mm. Jim

April 17, 2010, 06:26 AM	#3
spacecoast Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Location: Sunshine and Keystone States Posts: 4,461	Titegroup and accurate #2 are both fast and good for 9mm.

April 17, 2010, 01:28 PM	#9
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	The bullets may be saying Power Pistol, but the gun is begging for more 231... __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

April 17, 2010, 02:01 PM	#10
ir3e971 Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 2006 Posts: 145	I have used titegroup, 231, and several others. However, I settled on Ramshot ZIP for 9mm. Meters well, accurate, and well behaved. The other powders I tried all worked fine as well, but I liked the way ZIP shot the best.

April 18, 2010, 10:23 AM	#11
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	odd man out I avoid all 'fast' powders in the 9x19; I use significant amounts of 'medium-range' WAP, and Power Pistol, and 3N37. But right now I'm using 130g Montana Golds.... __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"