Did i just waste 100$ on powder?!?

Sent you a PM.

little-Gun! good stuff!

Juiceking said:

What calibers do you like it for?

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.458 socom, .50 BW

I was in the same boat when the panic first started and all I could get was Longshot. I passed because it was a shotgun powder but after looking up pistol data for it, I went back and got 4 pounds. It’s now my favorite all round powder for several handguns. It’s great for shortages like we have going now.

Juiceking said:

What handgun cartridges do you like it for.

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I like Longshot for medium 357 and 44 magnums, 9mm and hotter 40s&w. (I hear it’s great in 10mm too). There’s data for other calibers also (like 45acp, 38Spec+p) that I haven’t tried yet.

I've read the lil gun can be used for 300AAC as well.

4 lbs of powder for $100 recently, according to lots of threads you could retire if you just turned around and sold them.

Your not going to be loading 30-06 with them but it’s a lot bigger step to say you wasted $100.

The only difference - for clarity - the ONLY difference from the standpoint of '... shotgun, handgun or rifle ..." powder is burning rate. The primary qualifier is the firearms 'expansion ratio'. Which gets to be a bit more complicated, but information is available.

Nearly ALL powders that are suitable for shotgun are also suitable for handguns, and vice versa. Many of the 'slow' handgun powders are considered 'fast' rifle powders. H110 is widely used for .44 Magnum loads and similar. It was originally developed for the M1 Carbine. There are .22 Hornet loads using 2400. Alliant Bullseye and Unique are used in both handgun and shotgun rounds. (There are probably many more, I've blathered too much already.)

All that to say this: Label markings - like 'shotgun powder' are what the manufacturer or marketer seems to think is the intended use by the customer. Those markings are not Divinely Inspired. As mentioned, consulting most any loading manual will give oodles of information, both in the introduction section and in the loading tables.

Just as an aside. It’s perfectly easy to look up data on your phone before you buy powder. Even googling the powder will take you to the mfr website that gives a description of what it’s good for. Just buying random available powder is not a good general practice. FYI

wankerjake said:

Just as an aside. It’s perfectly easy to look up data on your phone before you buy powder. Even googling the powder will take you to the mfr website that gives a description of what it’s good for. Just buying random available powder is not a good general practice. FYI

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^^^Absolutely. One of the biggest mistakes many new reloaders make is buying something in bulk without testing it first or knowing what it is good for. We all have done it. During everyone of these shortages over the last 2 decades, we continuously see folks asking for recipes for components that are not really appropriate for what they are shooing/doing. Folks buying bullets intended for .45ACP and wondering why there is no info for them in .45 Colt. Folks buying 250 gr bullets intended for .45 Colt velocities and wanting to hunt with them outta their .460. During times when you can't get anything else, and still want to shoot, there may be some justification, but even then, you need to be aware of the limitations you will be facing. Yes, cell phones and Goggle are your friend.

Like others said, check the powder websites. I bought Titewad by mistake one time, it's a shotgun powder, I use it in my 9mm derringer, makes for a nice light load, which I want in that gun.

wankerjake said:

Just buying random available powder is not a good general practice. FYI

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I can’t disagree with that, same goes for other components but where would we be without the “can I use small pistol primers in rifle loads?” Threads? We would have to go back to the same old Hornady vs Dillon, single stage vs progressive stuff...

Sometimes you can get a pretty good idea just looking at the container.



You can also do a little research before you head out and know the range of burn rates your looking for and save time in the store trying to go to different websites.



Just from that I can quickly see lilgun and enforcer are on the slower end of pistol powders. WSF closer to the middle, and green dot closer to the fast side. Should be able to get functional 9mm, 40, 38 spl and 357 mag loads using them. Lilgun being the slowest, is still faster than anything I have used to load .223/30-06 with, except for reduced/cast bullet loads but then I use something bulky like trail boss not a tiny charge of a dense ball powder.

Howland937 said:

I'd say you did just fine honestly. WSF, Green Dot and Lil Gun are all good for several different handgun loads. I've never loaded Green Dot, but have used a fair amount of WSF and Lil Gun for upper end 38 Super and 9mm.
I'm sure the ramshot has its use, but I'm not familiar with it.

I guarantee you can find someone needing pistol powder that'll trade rifle powder for something you have. I don't need powder, but I'd trade you some H414 if you were closer.

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I like Green Dot a lot for .45 ACP and 45 colt

As mentioned above thete is a lot more data for Green Dot in the older Alliant manuals than the ones from the last 15 years ago. Used a lot of it in 45 ACP myself over the years.

MFInc said:

I've read the lil gun can be used for 300AAC as well.

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Lil Gun & Enforcer are both desirables for loading the 350 Legend as well.

I'd like to run across a pound of Lil Gun myself but I have half a pound of H110 to get me started.

deadeye dick said:

I like Green Dot a lot for .45 ACP and 45 colt

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I'll keep an eye out. I've been aware of it, but always seem to be chasing something else. Just gearing up to really start loading .45acp but I've got WSF, CFE P, HS6, Power Pistol, W231, AA7 ,VV N105, LilGun, Unique and some Blue Dot laying around. The W231 was acquired specifically for .45acp and I'm hoping the CFE P will be another option. Haven't cared for it in anything else I've used it in.

WSF is a great powder in 9mm. Slightly slower than W231 with the same great metering characteristics. Very clean burning.

don't feel too bad . i still have 9 lbs of Lt-32 post Sandy Hook. At least i did look it up then and found some .223 and 308 loads before i bought it, paying hazmat too. it was also more expensive than other powders. I still haven't used it and used more common powders that later became available.

You did fine.
Those will load a very wide range of handgun rounds and $33 and some change per pound is pretty darn good in our current situation.

I really like WSF for 9mm, my go to powder for that cal.
My USPSA load is 4.5gr WSF with a 124gr RMR MPR @ 1.08

WSF is good stuff IMO

Very mixed range brass, S+B SP, charges as thrown after setting measure
5" 9mm 1911

String: 5
Date: 9/17/2017
Time: 11:24:26 AM
Grains: 124
Hi Vel: 1037
Low Vel: 1012
Ave Vel: 1021
Ext Spread: 25
Std Dev: 9
RMR MPR JHP 4.5 WSF 1.08
Velocity Power Factor Ft/Lbs
1021 126.604 286.995
1018 126.232 285.311
1012 125.488 281.958
1020 126.48 286.433
1037 128.588 296.061



Note shorter OAL than above 1.065 for those who have to load the MPR short
String: 6
Date: 9/17/2017
Time: 11:30:58 AM
Grains: 124
Hi Vel: 1067
Low Vel: 1005
Ave Vel: 1041
Ext Spread: 62
Std Dev: 24
RMR MPR JHP 4.6 WSF 1.065
Velocity Power Factor Ft/Lbs
1034 128.216 294.35
1005 124.62 278.071 (this one messed up ES and SD....)
1043 129.332 299.497
1059 131.316 308.756
1067 132.308 313.438


String: 7
Date: 9/17/2017
Time: 11:32:12 AM
Grains: 124
Hi Vel: 1122
Low Vel: 1092
Ave Vel: 1106
Ext Spread: 30
Std Dev: 12
RMR MPR JHP 4.8 WSF 1.065
Velocity Power Factor Ft/Lbs
1095 135.78 330.105
1114 138.136 341.66
1122 139.128 346.584
1108 137.392 337.989
1092 135.408 328.298

String: 8
Date: 9/17/2017
Time: 11:33:50 AM
Grains: 124
Hi Vel: 1157
Low Vel: 1121
Ave Vel: 1139
Ext Spread: 36
Std Dev: 15
RMR MPR JHP 5.0 WSF 1.065
Velocity Power Factor Ft/Lbs
1153 142.972 366.001
1132 140.368 352.79
1157 143.468 368.545
1135 140.74 354.662
1121 139.004 345.967


RMR 124 Matchwinner

String: 2
Date: 7/23/2017
Time: 9:55:47 AM
Grains: 124
Hi Vel: 1038
Low Vel: 1007
Ave Vel: 1026
Ext Spread: 31
Std Dev: 12
RMR 124 Fn FMJ 4.3 WSF 1.09 OAL
Velocity Power Factor Ft/Lbs
1031 127.844 292.645
1031 127.844 292.645
1007 124.868 279.179
1035 128.34 294.92
1038 128.712 296.632
1015 125.86 283.632

String: 2
Date: 10/29/2017
Time: 9:08:18 AM
Grains: 124
Hi Vel: 1137
Low Vel: 1113
Ave Vel: 1125
Ext Spread: 24
Std Dev: 9
RMR 124 FN-FMJ 4.9 WSF 1.08 5inch 1911
Velocity Power Factor Ft/Lbs
1137 140.988 355.913
1117 138.508 343.502
1113 138.012 341.047
1130 140.12 351.544
1128 139.872 350.301

Don't own a .40 but I would think it would work well there also.
Winchester Pistol data for .40




Older Alliant data for Green Dot here
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?resources/2004-alliant-load-data.18/