Which Powder?

CWPinSC · March 3, 2010, 12:28 PM

I'm beginning to reload:
.380 ACP
.38 spcl.
9mm
.40 S&W
.45 ACP
.45 LC (6" barrel)
All in short (4" or less) barrels.

I bought Unique powder - THEN I found out it and my Lee Pro 1000 powder delivery system are not compatible. A charge set at 5.0 gr. will deliver anything between 4.8
and 5.2.

I'm open to changing powder charging systems or powder. Any recommendations on either?

kraigwy · March 3, 2010, 12:33 PM

I'm not a fan of one powder fits all......

But

From your list, if I was gonna choose only one, I'd go 231.

Dis-1-Shooter · March 3, 2010, 12:50 PM

I recommend HP-38 which is very, very similiar to Win 231. Personally, I prefere the Hodgdon line.

Walkalong · March 3, 2010, 01:14 PM

HP-38 and W-231 are the same powder. Hodgdon has said so. It's a good choice for an all around powder for those calibers.

RichC · March 3, 2010, 01:16 PM

I've used Power Pistol in most of those calibers. It is clean and reliable. It does tend to have a bit of muzzle flash.

DiscoRacing · March 3, 2010, 01:17 PM

hodgen titegroup

Fishslayer · March 3, 2010, 01:39 PM

I like Bullseye in my .45ACP & powderpuff .357 loads (really more like .38+P). It's a fine grain & is very consistent in my Lee autodisc. The actual charge weights didn't match the data sheet exactly but that's why we have scales.

A little Bullseye goes a long way, too.

zippy13 · March 3, 2010, 02:36 PM

+1 to Fishslayer, I'm a Bullseye fan, too

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dis-1-Shooter

I recommend HP-38 which is very, very similiar to Win 231. Personally, I prefere the Hodgdon line.

Since Winchester powders have been made by Hodgdon since 2006, let you wallet make the decision between H-38 and 231

AlaskaMike · March 3, 2010, 04:19 PM

I completely agree with Kraigwy about 231. I especially love it for .38 Spl. I'd also go with Power Pistol--for .40 S&W and full-power .45 ACP in particular it does extremely well.

Mike

Scorch · March 3, 2010, 05:17 PM

231 is a good powder, but I load Unique on my Lee Pro 1000 all the time.

BigJimP · March 3, 2010, 06:04 PM

Hodgdon TiteGroup is my powder of choice all of my handgun calibers.

It is a fast burning powder though / so you need to make sure you are absolutely accurate in terms of your powder drops...you can't live with a 0.4gr variation that you saw on Unique ( and I don't know if its the powder / or your press doing that ) .....but many of the recipes using Hodgdon TiteGroup have a min and a max that are only 0.4 grains apart. You need to get your drops down to no variation / or certainly no more than + or minus 0.1gr .......

Bluesfan · March 3, 2010, 06:10 PM

Not really a fan of one powder for multiple cartridges. But if forced to pick one powder for the cartridges listed useing a lee auto disk try AA#5.

Dustin0 · March 3, 2010, 07:10 PM

I like red dot but dont know if it will work for all the calbiers you have.

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · March 3, 2010, 08:07 PM

231

Ken - Oh · March 3, 2010, 09:05 PM

Unique does not work well with powder measures, it consistently measures inconsistent.

I don't know about 45LC but Bullseye or WW231/HP38 definitely will work with all the others. Also AA#2 or #5 would be good choices with #2 for lighter loads and #5 for more moderate loads.

Ken

mnhntr · March 4, 2010, 08:12 PM

AA5 or AA7

That'll Do · March 5, 2010, 12:12 AM

I'd recommend buying more than one type of powder, but to get started, Alliant Unique, Hodgdon Universal, or Winchester 231 would work in all the cartridges listed.

Sky Master · March 5, 2010, 01:19 PM

I have to go along with WW231, I've been using that for over 30 yrs. Unique doesn't work that well in my RCBS powder measure either, but I use it anyway, I just weight every 5th charge.

oneounceload · March 5, 2010, 01:24 PM

Universal Clays is cleaner burning than Unique, charge weights are very similar

Ken - Oh · March 5, 2010, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Universal Clays is cleaner burning than Unique, charge weights are very similar

Universal is a good powder, however, I do NOT RECOMMEND IT FOR 40SW. It possibly has a very steep pressure curve. Back a decade ago, 6 of 7 blown 40SW cases on the Compuserve Firearms Forum was with Universal Clays. Mine was one of the 6.

Ken

Winterhawk56 · March 5, 2010, 02:48 PM

WOW GREAT infor Ken - Oh. I usually follow th eRL manuals though but again great info!

CWPinSC · March 7, 2010, 12:39 PM

Thanks to all for the recommendations. Win 231 seems to be the favorite of these posts and some PMs I received by a greater than 2 to 1 margin. Does this powder burn as fast as Unique, and is it a clean powder? Is it suitable for short, 4" and less, barrels?

I believe I'll pick up a small canister and see how it meters on my Lee.

Again, thanks to all!

March 3, 2010, 12:28 PM	#1
CWPinSC Junior member Join Date: July 1, 2009 Posts: 863	Which Powder? I'm beginning to reload: .380 ACP .38 spcl. 9mm .40 S&W .45 ACP .45 LC (6" barrel) All in short (4" or less) barrels. I bought Unique powder - THEN I found out it and my Lee Pro 1000 powder delivery system are not compatible. A charge set at 5.0 gr. will deliver anything between 4.8 and 5.2. I'm open to changing powder charging systems or powder. Any recommendations on either?

March 3, 2010, 01:17 PM	#6
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,640	hodgen titegroup __________________ 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

March 3, 2010, 01:39 PM	#7
Fishslayer Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2010 Location: San Diego, PRK Posts: 182	I like Bullseye in my .45ACP & powderpuff .357 loads (really more like .38+P). It's a fine grain & is very consistent in my Lee autodisc. The actual charge weights didn't match the data sheet exactly but that's why we have scales. A little Bullseye goes a long way, too. __________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."

March 3, 2010, 05:17 PM	#10
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	231 is a good powder, but I load Unique on my Lee Pro 1000 all the time. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

March 3, 2010, 08:07 PM	#14
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	231 __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

March 3, 2010, 12:33 PM	#2
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	I'm not a fan of one powder fits all...... But From your list, if I was gonna choose only one, I'd go 231. __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071

March 3, 2010, 12:50 PM	#3
Dis-1-Shooter Member Join Date: February 25, 2010 Posts: 47	I recommend HP-38 which is very, very similiar to Win 231. Personally, I prefere the Hodgdon line.

March 3, 2010, 01:14 PM	#4
Walkalong Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2007 Location: Al. Posts: 196	HP-38 and W-231 are the same powder. Hodgdon has said so. It's a good choice for an all around powder for those calibers.

March 3, 2010, 01:16 PM	#5
RichC Member Join Date: April 30, 2009 Posts: 88	I've used Power Pistol in most of those calibers. It is clean and reliable. It does tend to have a bit of muzzle flash.

March 3, 2010, 04:19 PM	#9
AlaskaMike Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Posts: 941	I completely agree with Kraigwy about 231. I especially love it for .38 Spl. I'd also go with Power Pistol--for .40 S&W and full-power .45 ACP in particular it does extremely well. Mike

March 3, 2010, 06:04 PM	#11
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Hodgdon TiteGroup is my powder of choice all of my handgun calibers. It is a fast burning powder though / so you need to make sure you are absolutely accurate in terms of your powder drops...you can't live with a 0.4gr variation that you saw on Unique ( and I don't know if its the powder / or your press doing that ) .....but many of the recipes using Hodgdon TiteGroup have a min and a max that are only 0.4 grains apart. You need to get your drops down to no variation / or certainly no more than + or minus 0.1gr .......

March 3, 2010, 06:10 PM	#12
Bluesfan Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2009 Posts: 102	Not really a fan of one powder for multiple cartridges. But if forced to pick one powder for the cartridges listed useing a lee auto disk try AA#5.

March 3, 2010, 07:10 PM	#13
Dustin0 Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2008 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 701	I like red dot but dont know if it will work for all the calbiers you have.

March 3, 2010, 09:05 PM	#15
Ken - Oh Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2006 Posts: 280	Unique does not work well with powder measures, it consistently measures inconsistent. I don't know about 45LC but Bullseye or WW231/HP38 definitely will work with all the others. Also AA#2 or #5 would be good choices with #2 for lighter loads and #5 for more moderate loads. Ken __________________ "The more law-abiding people that have guns, the better off we are," Hamilton County [Cincinnati] Prosecutor Joe Deters said. "Because the bad guys always have guns, You look at these school shootings or church shootings, the ones that have been stopped, it was because someone there had a gun."

March 4, 2010, 08:12 PM	#16
mnhntr Senior Member Join Date: April 9, 2008 Posts: 972	AA5 or AA7

March 5, 2010, 12:12 AM	#17
That'll Do Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 546	I'd recommend buying more than one type of powder, but to get started, Alliant Unique, Hodgdon Universal, or Winchester 231 would work in all the cartridges listed.

March 5, 2010, 01:19 PM	#18
Sky Master Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2009 Posts: 136	I have to go along with WW231, I've been using that for over 30 yrs. Unique doesn't work that well in my RCBS powder measure either, but I use it anyway, I just weight every 5th charge.

March 5, 2010, 01:24 PM	#19
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Universal Clays is cleaner burning than Unique, charge weights are very similar

March 5, 2010, 02:48 PM	#21
Winterhawk56 Senior Member Join Date: March 9, 2008 Location: Southern California Posts: 228	WOW GREAT infor Ken - Oh. I usually follow th eRL manuals though but again great info!

March 7, 2010, 12:39 PM	#22
CWPinSC Junior member Join Date: July 1, 2009 Posts: 863	Thanks to all for the recommendations. Win 231 seems to be the favorite of these posts and some PMs I received by a greater than 2 to 1 margin. Does this powder burn as fast as Unique, and is it a clean powder? Is it suitable for short, 4" and less, barrels? I believe I'll pick up a small canister and see how it meters on my Lee. Again, thanks to all!