engineermike
Member
I use TG and HP-38 and like them both...
I don't know what I would do without W231 and I have no intention of finding out. I was down to 5X 1lb cans of W231/HP-38 and when I found a good price I bought a 4lb jug of W231. A few months later I found another good deal and bought another. I have about 12 lbs of W231 right now, that will probably last me a good long while. (or around 18,000 rounds of .38 Special and .45 Auto)It sure looks like a kissing cousin at least.
I have not done side by side load comparisons with them, but can say Zip works very well in .45 ACP, and I would not hesitate to buy some if I could not get W-231/HP-38.
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Hodgdon may show Zip one powder above W231/HP-38 and Unique one powder below W231/HP-38 on their chart but the maker of Zip shows them on the same exact burn rate chart line with each other.HP38/W231 every time over Titegroup. Too many stories involving Titegroup although they ARE generally involving 10mm Kurz and not .45ACP. Titegroup has a rep for being touchy.
Really apples & oranges. Titegroup is much faster than W231. I've tried W231 in .45ACP & wound up going back to Bullseye.
HP38/W231 is more in the Unique neighborhood on the burn rate chart.
http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html
I keep hearing shooters say they don't care how dirty a powder is because they clean their guns anyway. I also clean my guns after each range trip but that's not the point. I'm concerned about dirty ammo DURING the shooting session. If a powder is dirty enough it can foul the handgun to the point it interferes with it's proper operation. Sure, it's no problem at the range when killing paper but what about if you're using that gun in a competition? You don't need a failure then or if you're using the gun for some light hunting/plinking fun...I use Titegroup. Yes its a little more dirty than W231 but my guns are cleaned after each range session anyway.
I wet tumble my brass so it is back to like new condition before the next loading session.
I've run 600 rounds of .45ACP through my 1911 in one session without a single malfunction.I keep hearing shooters say they don't care how dirty a powder is because they clean their guns anyway. I also clean my guns after each range trip but that's not the point. I'm concerned about dirty ammo DURING the shooting session. If a powder is dirty enough it can foul the handgun to the point it interferes with it's proper operation. Sure, it's no problem at the range when killing paper but what about if you're using that gun in a competition? You don't need a failure then or if you're using the gun for some light hunting/plinking fun...
Hodgdon may show Zip one powder above W231/HP-38 and Unique one powder below W231/HP-38 on their chart but the maker of Zip shows them on the same exact burn rate chart line with each other.
http://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/burn_rates.pdf