What Powder do you like with Rainier 165's in 40 S&W

bgfire · March 4, 2005, 12:05 PM

I picked up some 165 grn HP Rainiers recently, and was wondering what powders you out there in reloading land like to use with this bullet/weight? I will be loading in a Glock 27.

I want to use the loads strictly for target (informal) and plinking, somewhere in the 900-1000 fps range. I have loaded Unique, Blue Dot, HS-6, and HS-7 in other cartridges in the past, but have only loaded Unique in the 40 S&W.

I am not looking so much for a specific load, just for a powder recomendation and why you like/use that powder.

I won't be shooting competitions, so don't need to "make" power factors. They are just for "fun" shooting, as my daughter says.

I won't be using them for ccw carry either; I'll leave that chore to the Golden Sabre's and the Win SXT's.

Thanks for the help in advance.

Austin Charles · March 4, 2005, 03:17 PM

Try some of these loads:

These are with 165gr RNFP from West Coast bullets, I have never tried Rainiers

Win. 231 5.1gr OAL 1.13 (clean)

WSF 4.8gr OAL 1.13 (Nice clean, hardly no recoil)

Power Pistol 6.4gr OAL 1.13 (a little flash, simulates Win. white box)

Unique 5.7gr OAL 1.13 ( Cheap, crapy dirty powder)

I had decent results out of my 27. I do not like the pleated bullets to much so I switched to Montana Gold's

Lycanthrope · March 4, 2005, 03:22 PM

Titegroup. Meters very well, not very sensitive to bullet setback should it occur, accurate, clean and cheap. The only downside is that it is dark in color.

5.5 grains out of my STI Edge gets the 165's slightly over 1000fps (1.180 OAL).

HSMITH · March 4, 2005, 07:36 PM

Power Pistol. Stable, consistent, accurate, and not as sensitive to small changes in OAL or charge weight as some other powders.

Robert Allison · March 4, 2005, 08:22 PM

I like Universal Clays in the 40. I'd use 5.9 grains with the 165 bullet to give a velocity of roughly 900fps. You could work up somewhat from there, I'm guessing that max is around 6.3 for most guns.

Kamicosmos · March 5, 2005, 07:19 PM

Power Pistol.

I use it in 40 and 45, in fact I just ordered a 4 pound jug of it, I like it that much.

bgfire · March 6, 2005, 02:15 PM

Thanks guys. This is just to type of input I was looking for. I will prbably pick up some 1 lb.ers to try out; your advice narrowed the selection down for me.

Bill

Sturm · March 6, 2005, 05:50 PM

If you have HS-6 on hand, your in great shape. Unique and power pistol will not produce better accuracy in target loads and if you should go to a defense type load in the future at higher pressure, get ready for muzzle flash with PP and Unique. W-231 only has merit from an economy standpoint and if that's the case Titegroup is a better choice. The performance level you are looking is very similar to the FBI's .40 duty load, so Speer can give you very good lower pressure data at around 28,000 PSI or lower.

WSF is also a good choice. a very good choice would be Silhoutte from Ramshot. This powder is made by Primex as is Hodgdon and Winchester ball powders. This powder was formerly sold as Winchester Action Pistol and it is a good one. It is similar to WSF in burn rate but has a chemical coating on the powder to eliminate muzzle flash. HS-6 chemistry is the base for Silhouette.

caz223 · March 9, 2005, 08:25 AM

WSF, also HS6 isn't bad.

michiglock · April 17, 2005, 12:19 PM

Try going to www.rainierballistics.com
I found good info.

cheygriz · April 21, 2005, 05:31 PM

I use HS6 exclusively in the .40 S&W. Although Power Pistol is very similar in burning rate and should work just as well.

WESHOOT2 · April 22, 2005, 03:48 PM

1) Power Pistol

2) other

March 4, 2005, 12:05 PM	#1
bgfire Junior Member Join Date: February 22, 2005 Location: Eureka, CA Posts: 8	What Powder do you like with Rainier 165's in 40 S&W I picked up some 165 grn HP Rainiers recently, and was wondering what powders you out there in reloading land like to use with this bullet/weight? I will be loading in a Glock 27. I want to use the loads strictly for target (informal) and plinking, somewhere in the 900-1000 fps range. I have loaded Unique, Blue Dot, HS-6, and HS-7 in other cartridges in the past, but have only loaded Unique in the 40 S&W. I am not looking so much for a specific load, just for a powder recomendation and why you like/use that powder. I won't be shooting competitions, so don't need to "make" power factors. They are just for "fun" shooting, as my daughter says. I won't be using them for ccw carry either; I'll leave that chore to the Golden Sabre's and the Win SXT's. Thanks for the help in advance.

March 5, 2005, 07:19 PM	#6
Kamicosmos Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2002 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Posts: 193	Power Pistol. I use it in 40 and 45, in fact I just ordered a 4 pound jug of it, I like it that much. __________________ "Dreams only have meaning because we struggle in the waking world." -- Major Motoko Kusanagi GitS:SAC Member of NRA and Western Missouri Shooters Alliance

March 9, 2005, 08:25 AM	#9
caz223 Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,429	WSF, also HS6 isn't bad. __________________ I'm not just a gun. I'm YOUR gun. (Hold me.)

April 21, 2005, 05:31 PM	#11
cheygriz Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2002 Location: high up in the rockies Posts: 2,289	I use HS6 exclusively in the .40 S&W. Although Power Pistol is very similar in burning rate and should work just as well. __________________ If you think a mighty military force is expensive, wait 'til you see what a weak one costs.

April 22, 2005, 03:48 PM	#12
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	based on your gun 1) Power Pistol 2) other __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

March 4, 2005, 03:17 PM	#2
Austin Charles Member Join Date: December 16, 2004 Posts: 32	Try some of these loads: These are with 165gr RNFP from West Coast bullets, I have never tried Rainiers Win. 231 5.1gr OAL 1.13 (clean) WSF 4.8gr OAL 1.13 (Nice clean, hardly no recoil) Power Pistol 6.4gr OAL 1.13 (a little flash, simulates Win. white box) Unique 5.7gr OAL 1.13 ( Cheap, crapy dirty powder) I had decent results out of my 27. I do not like the pleated bullets to much so I switched to Montana Gold's

March 4, 2005, 03:22 PM	#3
Lycanthrope Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2001 Location: PA Posts: 1,752	Titegroup. Meters very well, not very sensitive to bullet setback should it occur, accurate, clean and cheap. The only downside is that it is dark in color. 5.5 grains out of my STI Edge gets the 165's slightly over 1000fps (1.180 OAL).

March 4, 2005, 07:36 PM	#4
HSMITH Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2002 Posts: 2,019	Power Pistol. Stable, consistent, accurate, and not as sensitive to small changes in OAL or charge weight as some other powders.

March 4, 2005, 08:22 PM	#5
Robert Allison Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2005 Location: NW Montana Posts: 146	I like Universal Clays in the 40. I'd use 5.9 grains with the 165 bullet to give a velocity of roughly 900fps. You could work up somewhat from there, I'm guessing that max is around 6.3 for most guns.

March 6, 2005, 02:15 PM	#7
bgfire Junior Member Join Date: February 22, 2005 Location: Eureka, CA Posts: 8	Thanks guys. This is just to type of input I was looking for. I will prbably pick up some 1 lb.ers to try out; your advice narrowed the selection down for me. Bill

March 6, 2005, 05:50 PM	#8
Sturm Junior member Join Date: March 2, 2005 Location: Central Texas Posts: 584	If you have HS-6 on hand, your in great shape. Unique and power pistol will not produce better accuracy in target loads and if you should go to a defense type load in the future at higher pressure, get ready for muzzle flash with PP and Unique. W-231 only has merit from an economy standpoint and if that's the case Titegroup is a better choice. The performance level you are looking is very similar to the FBI's .40 duty load, so Speer can give you very good lower pressure data at around 28,000 PSI or lower. WSF is also a good choice. a very good choice would be Silhoutte from Ramshot. This powder is made by Primex as is Hodgdon and Winchester ball powders. This powder was formerly sold as Winchester Action Pistol and it is a good one. It is similar to WSF in burn rate but has a chemical coating on the powder to eliminate muzzle flash. HS-6 chemistry is the base for Silhouette.

April 17, 2005, 12:19 PM	#10
michiglock Member Join Date: March 28, 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 38	Try going to www.rainierballistics.com I found good info.