stupid reloading question of the week: auto pistol powder with large charge volume?

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp...+and+45&pbx=1&bav=on.1,or.&fp=42ea6e12edc6080

I use Red Dot in my .380 which is so clean, the inside of the fired cases don't have any black residue.

I use HS-6 for 9MM, 40, .45,(ACP and Colt) .38 spec. It works for me.

I have a Lee Auto Disk..and I load those same calibers. The only powder I use is 231. I load light...
it's not that I won't use others...it's just I never have to take 231 from the hopper and it meters excellent thru my Auto-Disk

Power Pistol fits your request very well. It is similar in burn rate and volume as Unique but measures better and burns cleaner.

Win 231 at say 4.3 - 4.4 grains for a light load will be more than 1/2 of the 9mm case full, and a double charge will overflow. This powder also measures really close to what the disk holes say.

I will also add as one slight negative, it will burn a little "sooty" with light loads. This is true of most powders. When loaded light, they usually don't burn as efficiently.

Win 231/HP38

I use 231 exclusively for my .45 and 9mm target loads through my auto disk. Meters great, doesn't leak and while not the cleanest load in light charges, it's cleaner than Unique was. It fills the case enough to see any double charges in 9mm because it will spill over. In .45, its hard to see a double charge just because of the higher case volume but less pressure cieling than 9mm. Try 231 or HP38, you'll like it.

Damian

I use Longshot for 9mm and 40 cal. I don't load for 45 ACP but I do know Longshot is a listed powder for it. Longshot is excellent for velocity, accuracy and it is almost impossible to double charge with it. I'm not sure how it will meter, because I hand weight my loads. And I wouldn't consider it a meek or medium loading powder, as it produce some very good velocities. But I like it because I can load up close to the maximum charges listed with less concerns about being right on the nose, much less temparmental at the high end. Down towards the low end of the listed charges, it is more temparmental, and will show pressure spikes if the powder charge gets too light or below minimum. Check it out on Hogdon's web site in their reloading pages.

powder question

don't use a LEE, but my Dillon has no problem accurately metering Bullseye for .380, 38/357, 9mm, 45ACP, and 45LC. Double charges are overflows, and it is much cleaner than Unique.

No and no, unfortunately. Bullseye is especially more difficult for the novice because in .45 because you could probably throw a triple charge and not readily notice. Best advice, PAY ATTENTION!

Damian

stupid reloading question of the week

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No such thing as a stupid question!

Accurate #5 is also a good powder for all 3 cartridges. Its light in color like 231 and a bit bulkier too. I use the lee powder dispenser, but got rid of the fixed disks and went to the adjustable. Works very well and Id recommend it.

try WST. it will not double charge in a .45acp. I use 200gr dardas swc and 5gr of WST and cut nice round holes. No problem feeding either.

WST = Winchester Super Target

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=wst+powder

sorry...i know it's rude, but sometimes I just can't help myself...I also did not know what WST was.

AA7 fills the case 2 /3 to 3/4 full for most charges, so a double charge will definitely overflow the case.

1KPerDay, if you are looking for high volume "bulky" powder, you'll need to look at flake powders instead of flattened ball powders like W231/HP-38. However, with flake powder you will trade off some of the dead-on accurate metering of ball powders.

You can use the Auto Disk chart to compare which powder is more "bulky" to fill the case more. I selected .53 cc volume disk hole as an example and you can see how other powders compare. If approximate weight is less than other powder, it's less dense/higher volume bulky powder. If weight is more, it is more dense/less volume.

Approximately less dense / higher volume / bulky
3.8 gr - Red Dot
4.0 gr - American Select
4.2 gr - Green Dot
4.4 gr - Winchester Super Target
4.7 gr - Herco
4.9 gr - Unique * Requires care to meter consistently
5.0 gr - Bullseye
5.7 gr - Winchester 231/HP-38
6.0 gr - Power Pistol
6.3 gr - Accurate #2/Titegroup
8.5 gr - Accurate #5
Approximately more dense / less volume / less bulky

What's a good powder that:
1. works well in Lee Pro auto disk
2. has high charge volume at moderate loads so I can avoid double charges
3. is relatively inexpensive
4. is relatively clean
5. will work for 9mm, 40 and 45 auto

Click to expand...

Following is my experience with these faster/bulkier powders in reference to W231/HP-38:

W231/HP-38: Small flattened ball powder
1 - Meters best of all powders I have used in the Pro Auto Disk with most of charges right on or with less than .1 gr variance
2 - 9/40/45 cases can accommodate double charge for start-mid range loads, especially when using heavier bullets. As others posted, 9/40 cases will reveal double charges easier as powder will fill to the top of case, especially for lighter bullets.
3 - $110 / 8lbs (Powder Valley) for HP-38 which is same powder as W231
4 - I consider W231/HP-38 one of more cleaner burning powders at mid-high range load data
5 - Extensive available load data for just about every bullet weight in 9/40/45 (and most other pistol calibers) with excellent accurate recipes
6 - Recoil good compromise between faster burning powder's "snappy" recoil and slower burning powder's "push" recoil - Mild recoil start charge, moderate recoil mid-high charge

Bullseye: Small flake powder
1 - Meters well with about .1 gr variance
2 - Fills cases slightly better than W231/HP-38
3 - $101 / 8lbs (Powder Valley)
4 - Not as clean burning as W231/HP-38 at mid-high range load data
5 - Published load data for 9/40/45 and many other calibers - many accurate recipes
6 - Snappier recoil than W231/HP-38

Unique: Medium flake powder
1 - Meters fair with about .2-.3 gr variance (with some care, I have gotten it to meter with .1-.2 gr variance in my Pro Auto Disk)
2 - Fills cases better than Bullseye
3 - $101 / 8lbs (Powder Valley)
4 - I just recently started testing this powder and it burns comparable to Bullseye in mid-high range load data
5 - Extensive available load data for most pistol calibers, including 9/40/45 - many accurate recipes
6 - Comparable recoil to W231/HP-38, perhaps a bit more "push"

Green Dot: Medium flake powder
1 - Meters well with about .1 gr variance
2 - Fills cases better than Unique (most 9/40/45 load data hard to double charge, even for start-mid range load data for lighter bullets)
3 - $101 / 8lbs (Powder Valley)
4 - Burns comparable to Bullseye
5 - Alliant's website only lists load data for 45, but I found Green Dot fairly close to W231/HP-38 and requires .2-.3 gr more in comparable mid range recipes (Disclaimer: There's no current published load data for 9/40 and I/THR will not be responsible if you choose to load this powder for 9/40).
6 - Comparable recoil to W231/HP-38, perhaps a bit more "snap"

Red Dot: Large flake powder - I have used Promo using Red Dot load data by weight
1 - Meters poorly with .2-.3 gr variance
2 - Fills cases best of all powders mentioned
3 - Red Dot $101 / 8lbs, Promo $84 / 8lbs (Powder Valley)
4 - Burns a bit cleaner than Bullseye, even at start charge
5 - Alliant website only lists load data for 45, but I have tested Promo for 9/40 with very good results and 45 on this thread (Above THR disclaimer applies for using currently unpublished load data)
6 - Comparable recoil as Bullseye, light/mild recoil at start charges

I like my W231 a whole lot, but for your specific questions, I would use Universal Clays. It is really some good stuff.