Putting the reloading cart before the horse...

I know I'm getting ahead of myself as someone just beginning to get into reloading.

With the current state of availability of components, I'd like to start keeping my eyes out for items I need and snag them as I can.

I have a Lee Turret on back order, and a couple thousand pieces of brass I've collected.

I'm only looking to reload .45ACP right now.

Seeing that I lack knowledge and experience, I turn to you for advice.

What powder should I be on the hunt for? So far in my reading it looks like Unique is a good place to start. But, with so many different powders out there and the given scarcity of anything, are there other suitable options for loading practice rounds?

Thanks!

If I could only have one handgun powder, it would be Unique.
Link (http://www.reloadbench.com/burn.html) to a burning rate chart. Powders near Unique would be likely candidates subject to having loading data.

I know Clays is a popular choice for .45 acp.

Pistol powder selection should be based on the velocities you are looking for.


If you are looking to load lighter target loads using mid-to-high range load data, I would recommend faster burning than W231/HP-38 - - http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html

8 Alliant Red Dot
9 Alliant Promo
10 Hodgdon CLAYS
11 Alliant Clay Dot
12 IMR, Co Hi-Skor 700-X
13 Alliant Bullseye
14 Hodgdon TITEGROUP
15 Alliant American Select
16 Accurate Arms Solo 1000
17 Alliant Green Dot
18 Winchester WST
19 IMR, Co Trail Boss
20 Winchester Super Handicap
21 Hodgdon INTERNATIONAL
22 Accurate Arms Solo 1250
23 IMR, Co PB 96
24 VihtaVuori N320
25 Accurate Arms No. 2
26 Ramshot Zip
27 IMR, Co SR 7625
28 Hodgdon HP-38
29 Winchester 231


If you are looking to load full-power loads using high-to-max load data, I would recommend slower burning than Unique

31 Alliant Unique
32 Hodgdon UNIVERSAL
33 Alliant Power Pistol
34 VihtaVuori N330
35 Alliant Herco
36 Winchester WSF
37 VihtaVuori N340
38 IMR, Co Hi-Skor 800-X
39 IMR, Co SR 4756
40 Ramshot True Blue
41 Accurate Arms No. 5
42 Hodgdon HS-6
43 Winchester AutoComp

I've been very happy with Bullseye. It's a little smoky for the indoor range, but I like it's accuracy and ease of metering through the Lee equipment. I've also used WST for 45acp.

231 was my first foray into .45 and i think it works great for that load and you can really dial it in, I use both 4.7gns and 5.1gns of 231 for target or plink

I own but have yet to try in .45 but will be soon,
red dot
green dot
bullseye
tightgroup
700x
and a few more like Zip

My first reloads were .45 auto with W231 as well. It seems to work great, and meters well in my Lee Pro Auto Disk, but I have no special allegiance to it. One thing I dislike is it doesn't fill the case much, so you need to really look in deep to make sure a charge fell, and a double charge is possible (volume-wise). I installed a book-reading light directly above the press to see inside better. I am not sure if any other powders meter as well, but have more volume to them and fill up cases better. Someone else can chime in on that. Otherwise, it is accurate and relatively clean to me.

I would also say, if you come across small pistol primers, pick a few up boxes. A lot of .45 nowadays uses the small pocket primers. Also, you'll have it if you end up reloading 9mm or any other pistol cartridges.

Unique is a great powder, but it “meters” poorly. As you are a self-professed beginner, metering is using a specific volume of powder to measure how much powder to load. As Unique consists larger flakes that most powders, it does not fill the volume measuring device consistently. One load may be 6.0grain, the next 6.4, then 5.9 or rarely something much less. These variations can cause a squib. That is why I look in the case after each round to see if it looks “about right”. A powder like HP-38 or Powder Pistol looks like gray salt. They meter much better. Unique is more like black oregano. 45 ACP is just on the border or having a large enough volume that the variations are small.

chuck

If you have a smartphone you can use my technique, I stand in the powder aisle and look up loads forthe powders they have on the powder co's website, as a newbie I don't have prefrences or loyalties yet so I'll try anything.

Bullseye.

I know Clays is a popular choice for .45 acp.
Which Clays?

Universal Clays
International Clays
Clays

I know you meant "Clays", but a new reloader (the original poster) and any novice reading the thread might make a bad mistake if a store were sold out of Clays and International Clays and had only Universal Clays on the shelf.

It's a pet peeve of mine that some naming conventions seem to encourage confusion. So, you get a collateral post. No offense, thomis.

Lost Sheep

I've loaded 45 ACP and 9mm without much problems using Bullseye, HP-38, Unique, Universal Clays, Clays, Titegroup and AA#2. All worked fine for me.

I started with Unique when I first got into reloading about six years ago, and I have stayed with it -- for .45ACP, 9mm, .38 Special, all of the handgun loads. (I think that's what makes Unique unique; it works for just about everything.)

My only problem with it is the inconsistency of charges in the powder hopper. The metering problem mentioned above. It's so coarse that the powder hopper sometimes gags, and sometimes throws slightly too much or too little. It's kind of annoying.

After charging the cases with powder, I line them up in wooden trays and go down the line with a tactile check. I hold a wooden dowel in my fingers and insert it into each case so that my fingertip just touches the mouth of the case. That way any significant difference is immediately apparent.

Get a reloading manuel to start with. Look at the powders listed under the grain of bullet you will be using. Then I would personally choose the one with the highest velocity using the least amount of powder. Most handguns don't take much powder anyway. Alliant Unique is user friendly.

If you can find Bullseye it will be the cheapest and most stable over time. 8# are now going for a little over $100. You will use somewhere from 4-5gr per round. There are 56,000gr in that 8#. You can do the math.

While Clays and Bullseye will make very accurate 45 Auto ammo, especially Bullseye, I don't like such fast powders in large cases. My favorite handgun powder is W231/HP-38 and it works extremely well in the .45 Auto. W231 works equally well with FMJ, JHP and lead bullets too.

While you wait. Go thru yer brass and seperate into small primer and large primer ;)

Sent from my CZ85 Combat

I use Accurate Arms No. 5 for all of my pistol loads. I've been very happy with it.

W231 is great for plinking loads. It is also great for 9mm when you expand.

I use Win 231 for both .45 and 9mm. I bought it specifically to be the 'jack of all trades' for both rounds. I'm sure there's better powders out there for each caliber, but for me, 231 works good enough and I only need 1 powder for all my handgun needs.

Get a reloading manual to start with

This. Get a couple manuals, you will find lots of powders listed for the bullets and caliber you are looking to load. You'll be able to make a list of acceptable powders and go from there. Being picky in this time of scarcity will make it difficult.

I'd suggest staying away from the most bang for the least amount of powder, that is the most dangerous path and not for the inexperienced. Some of those powders are easy to double or triple charge with lots of room left over. Look for powders that have the most spread from min to max and a higher volume so it is easier to track in the case.

Thanks for all the great info. Struck out at 2 places today...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

If you are looking to reload 45acp only right now, assuming you are looking for economy, I would use AA#2. Low charge weight, meters very well in a cheap powder measure, so you can use a Lee autodisk for like 25 bucks. You will not be dissapointed with AA#2. Bullseye would be another good powder for you, as would AA#5.

If you are going to be using jacketed bullets any of the above powders plus Power Pistol would be a good option.

Before you do any reloading, you need to read a reloading manual or three

Reloading without the benefit of several reloading manuals is just plain lunacy.

My favorite, by far, is Lyman's 49th Reloading Handbook.
It has a GREAT how-to section & the widest array of reloading data.
After that, what manual you buy depends on what bullets you buy.
As each bullet manufacturer has a good manual with their own bullets.

Please stay safe!!!!!

I know I'm getting ahead of myself as someone just beginning to get into reloading.

With the current state of availability of components, I'd like to start keeping my eyes out for items I need and snag them as I can.

I have a Lee Turret on back order, and a couple thousand pieces of brass I've collected.

I'm only looking to reload .45ACP right now.

Seeing that I lack knowledge and experience, I turn to you for advice.

What powder should I be on the hunt for? So far in my reading it looks like Unique is a good place to start. But, with so many different powders out there and the given scarcity of anything, are there other suitable options for loading practice rounds?

Thanks!
join a range, club, or somewhere to meet like minded reloading/shooting enthusiasts. You will gain a lot of knowledge from these individuals and typically, these groups buy bulk reloading supplies. This helps reduce the cost per reloaded round.

just my 2cents.

If I could only have one powder, it would be Unique.

An approach I used when I first got started for 9mm and 38/357 was going through all the various reloading manul recipes and finding a combination of low charge weight (to keep things economical) and a somewhat wider range of min-max charge weight compared to many other popular powders people use. I settled on Universal Clays but Unique would likely have been just as fitting at the time had it been available.

I believe I see more Unique recipes out there compared to Universal Clays but there's no shortage of Universal recipes either so totally non-issue with regard to this.

I don't and haven't used Unique yet and probably won't simply because the Universal Clays tends to be more readily available and I have all my recipies now well experienced and documented for my use. I get the impression Universal Clays is a metering experience similar to Unique. Doesn't meter all that well from my Hornady powder peasure but I don't sweat it. I found for that flake I am as consistent, if not more, using a Lee powder measure scoop for my recipe so that's what I do. I still have my scales sitting there and check my consistency every 10 or so rounds (I'm just anal like that). I don't recognize a speed difference to my method so it's totally a non issue. Perhaps something you will determine for yourself as well when you get experience.

I wasn't after the fastest rounds I could get but didn't want little poppers either so the middle of the road speeds make for great practice/plink rounds. I've finally settled on upper middle powder charge and pressures for Universal and that buys me a little room for variation should one round be that slight under or slight over on charge weight. Combined with all my guns being +p pressure capable, there's a bit of safety built in.

Well, that's my 2 cents on how I settled on a starting powder,
Andy

I do not want to accumulate a bunch of powders, so when I started reloading again about three years ago I looked at load info for the handgun calibers I wanted to reload. Finally bought a pound of HP38. After trying that pound I now buy it in 8# jugs.

1. It is the same as W231, but $1 per pound cheaper, not matter what size you buy.
2. It runs through the Pro Auto Disk like water.
3. It dispenses very consistently.

The only other handgun powder I have used since is some 40+ year old Unique. It shoots very well, but does not fulfill numbers 2 and 3 at all.

All duly noted. I do belong to local range. I am signed up for a reloading class that a a local club is putting on.

Hopefully I can start networking within the club also.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I reload 4 pistol calibers all with Win 231/HP-38 (the same powder) including .45ACP. Works great, not too pricey, meters very well and has a liberal charge weight range in most all calibers which is forgiving of new reloader potential weighing errors or powder dispenser consistencies.

I started with and still have my Lee Anniv single stage and upgraded a few years ago to their very nice Classic turret. No regrets.

As the panic hit, I realized I was running out of Unique, I went to try to find more, all they had was titegroup, so I grabbed a lb. Haven't used it yet.

Are you planning on loading lead, or jacketed bullets? I have defferent preferences for each.

I don't load 45 but a seasoned reloaded steered me to Universal Clays. Its right next to unique on the burn chart , meters awesome and burns very clean.

To me it is superior to unique. Which does meter poorly and is dirty in my experience. However if u can find unique go for it as it is a good powder.

Red dot is usually plentiful but is dirty and doesn't meter well either.

HS-6 is awesome in accuracy and metering in my experience as well. Just tends to be dirty in my 9mm.

My brother loves green dot in his 357 light loads. But I've never used it.

My favorite is universal clays, but u thought I would give you a few ideas.

Unique is IN STOCK now at Natchez at pre-panic prices.

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=HPUN4&src=tpCtg

I like Bullseye and Unique.

Picked up 8# ofUnique today.

Unique is a "love it or hate it" powder. I hate it. Can't get it to meter worth a damn, and I've tried all the tricks.

If you want a similarly flexible powder, try Universal or 231--or even Red Dot. If you know you'll be loading only for .45 Auto for a while, try Clays or WST for light target loads, Power Pistol or AA7 for boomers.

I was surprised to find plenty of Unique & Bullseye (#1, #4 & #8 jugs) at local sporting goods store that I didn't even know carried reloading components. Of course, no large pistol primers or bullets...

If someone in need of powder wanted to trade for some primers, I could make that happen. :)

Keep in mind you can only do that(trade/sell primers or powder) locally, you can't ship hazmat stuff. :)

Keep in mind you can only do that(trade/sell primers or powder) locally, you can't ship hazmat stuff. :)

Need a special permit?

Those things called "RELOADING MANUALS"are very important and should be your first purchase. I suggest the Lyman supplimented by a manual from a powder or bullet maker.

I have primers large and small rifle primers, Match Federal and CCI I need Pistol Powder period, in Colorado

Need a special permit?

After investigation, looks like I would have to have a haz-mat permit from ups... $575

Nobody has anything bad to say for it.

Meters smoothly
High velocity to pressure ratio (i.e. efficient)
Consistent performance for tight groups
Minimal flash/smoke


Pretty much everything you could want in a pistol powder in the 9mm-45acp range.

Except the price. Quality is expensive (not hard to get), expect to pay 50% more. Places which carry it, always have it in stock. Places that don't, never do. Go Powder Valley and buy in 4lb chugs up to the weight limit for a single hazmat fee, and include your primer needs into a single shipment. Then it aint so bad.

Why go through the hassle of having to buy in bulk and spend more than run of the mill powder? Back when I was a shooting nut, I tested up to 11 powders that various forum threads recommended. Got tired of trying this and that and looking for something better. Somebody said, nobody ever turned away from N320 for something better, and some things are worth paying 50% more, especially if you look at the total package when its all done. I found that to be true.

Good luck and welcome to reloading. I hope you got the classic cast turret and not the regular turret. That's a great beginner press. Pay attention to what people say to avoid screwing up the advancing mechanism.

I used WSF for 45 230g Berrys. Metered great, clear to me. I like Win Super Field in 9mm, now using in 40cal. Having 16-24# on stock was a part of the desision process.;)

Red Dot meters accurately (for me) in LCT with pro auto disc at .45 ACP levels. Very accurate target-level loads.

W231/HP-38 does as well. Bullseye does as well. Herco (larger flakes) varies .1 or so, but made very accurate loads under 200 LSWCs.

If I had to pick one, I'd pick Red Dot I think. But you can use a lot of different powders in the .45ACP. So load whatever powder you can find that will work. You're going to love it!

There are a good dozen excellent powders for 45ACP. I use W231. Originally, I bought 231 because it is a "ball" type powder, and meters well with the Lee auto disc powder hopper.

Reloading without the benefit of several reloading manuals is just plain lunacy.

I disagree. If you can READ the die instructions, the powder website instructions, and the LEE manuals, you can develop safe loads on 45acp without a manual. I have never read a single manual, yet I successfully load for 5 calibers (3 pistol and 2 rifle). Its not rocket science. Sure, a manual will give you a lot of theory of reloading, but it is not required (esp for straight walled hand gun cartridges) in order to begin loading.