My next Pistol powder, feedback needed

Max loaded 9mm ? Accurate #7 was pretty much designed for that.

HS-6 is very close to that burn speed, also does very well in hot 9mm.

Favorite for 40 is power pistol.
9mm be86

I like Titegroup for the 9.

I buy it in 8lb jugs. It has been both a solid performer and a low cost solution.

With the 9, it fills the case pretty good so monitoring for double charges is easy enough. One potential downside for folks that shoot a lot of ammo quickly, is that Titegroup seems to result in guns running hotter than typical.

I've had good results using AA #5 in 9mm.

I don't know about the .40... but nothing wrong with Unique in the 9... A little faster than BlueDot and AA#7, and very close to AA#5 and WSF.

MFInc said:

I have the following pistol powders.

Click to expand...

Light target loads, Titegroup. For mid range loads W244 works really well. For a bit heavier load, WSF and CFE are really nice.
If you want to broaden that a bit, N330 was designed for 9mm. N340 will work as well, these would be for heavier load outs. Good luck.

Are you planning to shoot suppressed? TiteGroup is the only way to go there, waaaayyyy less blowback...on a moving scale suppressed...TiteGroup is the best, and AA#5 is the worst.......like having hot boiling oil shot into your eyes....worse on a PCC, especially an AR9 where it comes out right at the charging handle and aimed straight into your eyes. AA#5 is so bad, you have to wipe unburned powder off your face every mag, and don't even think of shooting AA#5 wet.

WSF will work well with both the 9mm and 40 S&W but won't give you high velocities. IMO using W244 is a better choice.
Longshot will give you the highest velocities of the Hodgdon and Winchester powder you listed.
AA#5 will work in the 9mm just fine and you can use AA#9 in the 40 S&W if you don't mind using 2 different powders but like said above, AA#7 is probably the best choice in the 40 but it's not on your list.

Summing up, I would use W244 for both if you have a good supply and would rather use 1 powder. Since you don't have AA#7 Longshot is probably the best in the 40 if the loud report doesn't bother you.
Hope this helps a bit.

I've used one pound of Titegroup and was not impressed. My ultimate loads with Titegrouop did not match up with published data. I consumed it shooting target level wadcutter loads. They worked fine but never again.

I'll stick with W231/HP-38 and Accurate #2 and maybe Bullseye for target loads.

I use alot of Accurate #5. It is a good alternate for Unique, which I also use alot of.

I use Accurate #7 and True Blue in 9x19 and 40 S&W.

I do not have any experience with the other powders on the OP's list so no comment on them.

I have used W244 in 40 S&W and got great accuracy in my M&P 40. At Hodgdon max load of 5.3gr using a Berry's 180gr FP I got around 1010fps average. I haven't used W244 in 9mm yet but will soon.

Longshot would give you the best velocities in 40 S&W. I use it in my 10mm loads.

Arrange the powders you have using the burn rate tables. From fastest to slowest. I'm not familiar with a couple of your powders so I have no personal experience with them. Titegroup is the fastest and most suitable for lightest bullets. Your slowest powder for heaviest bullets. I would probably set the slowest powders aside for 40 S&W.

Example: Fastest, Titegroup for 115 grain 9mm, and Accurate 5 and WSF for 147 grain.

Your firearm/barrel and specific bullet will determine what it likes best!

Smiles,

snuzzo29 said:

Longshot would give you the best velocities in 40 S&W. I use it in my 10mm loads.

Click to expand...

That makes sense. Longshot is the cleaner, more stable replacement for HS 7. HS 7 was known as a good powder for 10mm, .357, .41, and .44 heavy loads, among others but it tended burn poorly in light loads. Hodgdon’s answer to Blue Dot, I guess.
I’m new to loading .40 also but so far W231, Bullseye, Competition and No.5 have been really good low-to-mid-range powders. I haven’t tried No.7 yet but I’m looking for target loads, not hard hitters. It will be interesting to see how Longshot performs. I think that’s your best bet of the powders listed.

I've used a lot of W231 for target, and the past couple years switched primarily to Alliant Sport Pistol. I do have a couple pounds of WSF in reserve I've wanted to try. I always hear WSF works great for target but I've never tried it. There are not a lot of published loads anymore for WSF in pistol.

-Jeff

It looks to me from the Western published data (8th ed.) that No. 5 keeps up pretty well with No. 7 in the .40S&W and 9mm:
.40S&W:
ACCURATE NO. 5
Wt gr. Make Type Start gr. sVel. Max. gr. mVel. mPSI COAL
135 SIERRA JHP 8.4 1,114 9.3 1,266 34,900 1.125
150 NOSLER JHP 7.5 1,030 8.3 1,170 35,000 1.120
155 HDY XTP 7.2 1,010 8.0 1,128 34,800 1.125

ACCURATE NO. 7
Wt gr. Make Type Start gr. sVel. Max. gr. mVel. mPSI COAL
135 NOSLER JHP 10.1 1,089 11.2 1,237 33,900 1.125
150 NOSLER JHP 9.2 1,000 10.2 1,136 34,300 1.120
155 HDY XTP 9.0 995 10.0 1,124 34,500 1.125

9mm
ACCURATE NO. 5
Wt gr. Make Type Start gr. sVel. Max. gr. mVel. mPSI COAL
124 HDY XTP 4.8 905 5.7 1,075 34,500 1.060
124 WIN FMJ 5.3 950 6.0 1,075 34,555 1.150
124 REM GS 5.5 970 6.5 1,127 34,544 1.145
124 SPEER GDHP 5.1 924 6.0 1,067 34,989 1.105
125 SIERRA JHP 4.6 899 5.4 1,027 34,952 1.035
147 REM GS 4.7 857 5.5 974 34,444 1.165

ACCURATE NO. 7
Wt gr. Make Type Start gr. sVel. Max. gr. mVel. mPSI COAL
124 HDY XTP 6.2 978 7.3 1,150 34,750 1.060
124 WIN FMJ 6.4 975 7.5 1,139 34,925 1.100
124 REM GS 6.7 981 7.9 1,140 34,678 1.145
124 SPEER GDHP 6.3 944 7.4 1,090 34,724 1.105
125 SIERRA JHP 5.6 897 6.5 1,035 34,747 1.035
147 REM GS 5.7 854 6.7 986 34,976 1.165

For 40 and 9mm I like CFE Pistol. Im going to try AA#5 in 9mm soon. Tried it in 38+p, wasn't impressed as it was quite dirt with unburned powder everywhere. In 357 mag it cleaned right up.

If your loading cast and try tite group. Just load a mag or 2. And try them and check for leading. I had leading real bad with it in 9mm and .380 with the coated cast.

MFInc said:

I've just about used up a # of CFEP on Mostly 9mm loads due to the Rem primers I was using. I now finally have SPP along with SPM's, but had been holding out for SPP's. I have a few diff powders that I have been buying up and I'm not sure what to try next. I did use WSF on a few 9mm and 40 s+w loads and I like that for the most part. I plan on doing some closer to the max load of 9mm and 40 S+W HP loads for penetration testing, and training rounds.

I have the following pistol powders.
Tight Group
Longshot
Accurate 5
Accurate 9
CFEP
WSF
W244


I'm sure someone is using or has tried one of those. Just looking for opinions. Should I just go with what I have the most of?

Click to expand...

The #5 is my go to powder for 9mm. #9 dont try using that for 9mm, its more for hot 44 mag. Get #7 if you want some hot 9mm. I like #7 because I can load 147 grains and 115s without changing powder or powder charge.

zip, its easy to find now and was during the last shortage.

For max load 115g 9mm, I like Power Pistol. I'm shooting a 115 jhp out of a cz75 chronographed at an average of 1260fps. And its dead nuts accurate. For target loads, Bullseye has been my go to.

MFInc said:

.

I have the following pistol powders.
Tight Group
Longshot
Accurate 5
Accurate 9
CFEP
WSF
W244


I'm sure someone is using or has tried one of those. Just looking for opinions. Should I just go with what I have the most of?

Click to expand...

Of your listed powders I generally use CFEP and AA5. Not listed I use Bullseye and AA-7 the most by a goodly amount. I load my 9mm with 115,124,130, and 147gr using both cast and jacketed.

For the 40, either the AA5 or CFEP would probably get the nod. If you find some AA7 give it a try it should run both as fast as you want with no issues.

I like accurate 5 and VV 3N37 for both 115 and 124 gr fmj

MFInc said:

So much Info. Going to digest this. . I have 90hp, 115 and 124 gr plated bullets btw. Thanks everyone

Click to expand...

For the 90gr. HP, I am going to break with my previous suggestion and recommend TiteGroup. If you do decide to buy a completely new powder, for that light 9mm HP, Bullseye, Ramshot Zip or Accurate No.2 are your best bets all around. You can get 1200+fps safely at under 34k PSI from any of those powders and still not come close to the max load with any 90gr. JHP/XTP design. 1200fps is a good number to consider the threshold for your hollow points to start performing as intended. They may expand and penetrate at lower but, I'm suggesting 1200fps actual at the muzzle to be a good number to try for.

For the 115gr. and 124gr. 9mm's, I still say AA#5 is your best powder for 9mm and Longshot for the .40S&W. #5 is the best all around for economy and versatility which you have listed. I like Unique and highly recommend geting a pound to try with those plated bullets.