45acp and wst

[area51]

Is wst cleaner than 231 ? Want to try some with 200 swc.. currently is use 5.0 231...

 

[horseman1]

This is what I can say with my limited experience in my 45 acp loads:

I use WST and 231 both. Both are very clean for me. I usually use WST for the lower charges for target shooting for my boys. Seems to burn clean, even at the starting loads. Not sure that 231 would be as clean at the starting loads. Your mileage may vary. I am always very careful with WST in particular, because a double charge would easily fit in the case.

Hopefully, someone will come along with more experience.

 

[41 Mag]

Buddy of mine say's it's the best thing since sliced bread. Me I haven't tried it yet, but hope to this coming weekend. Most of my loads use Unique or some surplus Russian powder I picked up a while back.

 

[germ]

I use quite a bit of WST for .45 and I've also used 231. While I haven't done extensive side-by-side comparisons of the two, my gut reaction is that it's a toss up. I'm under the belief that WST is a smidge faster burning. A chrono may tell a more complete story though (but I don't have one). Since I shoot primarily cast, and bullet lube results in a dirtier gun than (most) any powder, I'd have to call it a toss up in the cleanliness department. I say for the most part this is splitting hairs, just use whichever you can find the most of.

 

[Walkalong]

I like WST a lot, as well as its near cousin Competition. It is a good bit faster than W-231 and will burn clean at a lower velocity than W-231 in the same application. It works well for light target loads, including .45 ACP.

 

[sellersm]

One of my favorite lead powders for .45acp. In my cases & guns, it does burn a bit cleaner, especially in the lighter loads as compared to W231.

 

[NWcityguy2]

WST is a good powder for 45acp but if you are shooting a lead bullet you aren't going to notice any difference in the cleanliness dept. Shooting lead is dirty no matter what powder you use.

WST has very limited load data for other calibers as well while 231 is very versatile. Not an issue if you only want to shoot 45acp though.

 

[gahunter12]

I love WST. I use WST in my .40s&w, 45acp plated, and 45acp lead loads. WST has become my go to powder for competition.

 

[Miata Mike]

WST is my only powder for 200 LSWC and 230 grain LRN. Have a pile of Lyman 452460 ready to replenish any I send down range.

 

[Blue68f100]

WST burns cleaner that 231 from what I have seen. I use WST for most all of my 45acp practice loads. It will not get you into the +P but will meet all std loads. For the upper end I use WSF.

I can shoot a 100 rounds of 45acp and the gun will be cleaner than 2 mag of Unique.

 

[ljnowell]

I hear man people talk of how clean 231 is. I just don't experience that in my testing with it. I have shot light 38s, full throttle 38s, light 45s and max effort 45acps with it and it was dirtier than AA#2 or 700x in every single test.

WST has been a very clean burner for me, but I only used it in a single 45acp loading using a 200gr RNFP.

 

[sellersm]

I hear man people talk of how clean 231 is. I just don't experience that in my testing with it. I have shot light 38s, full throttle 38s, light 45s and max effort 45acps with it and it was dirtier than AA#2 or 700x in every single test.

My experience as well! Especially in lighter loads. I actually prefer Ramshot Zip which is similar to 231, but seems a bit cleaner, especially in lighter loadings.

But in this situation today, who can choose to be selective?

 

[ATLDave]

I'll support sellersm's suggestion of ZIP as a clean-burning powder for light .45 ACP loads. A little of that behind a 200 gr SWC is my favorite target/range load at the moment.

 

[rduckwor]

WST for me as well. Cleaner and softer than 231.

RMD

 

[TonyT]

WST does burn cleaner than W-231. However, as a reloader for almost 50 years I am puzzled by the continued emphasis on the burning characteristics of powder rather than the end result - accuracy.

My favorite 45ACP accuracy load is 3.8 gr. HS-700X behind the 185 gr. LSWC for ca. 710 fps - a very mild and accurate load at 25 yards. It spits out grains of unburned powder grains but produces consistent velocity spreads of less than 10 fps. By current standards it would be considered a dirty burning powder but I love the end result.

 

[HOWARD J]

I used a lot of WST in Win AA 12 ga, shotgun shells---never looked any dirtier than any other powder.
What I did not like was that on a MEC loader bar you had to insert a copper washer because the powder was so fine it would leak without the washer.
I switched to Red Dot & the problem went away

 

[ljnowell]

WST does burn cleaner than W-231. However, as a reloader for almost 50 years I am puzzled by the continued emphasis on the burning characteristics of powder rather than the end result - accuracy.

My favorite 45ACP accuracy load is 3.8 gr. HS-700X behind the 185 gr. LSWC for ca. 710 fps - a very mild and accurate load at 25 yards. It spits out grains of unburned powder grains but produces consistent velocity spreads of less than 10 fps. By current standards it would be considered a dirty burning powder but I love the end result.

I've loaded buttloads of 700x. 4.6gr of it under a 200gr LSWC was my go to 45 load. Always found it to burn clean.

Clean burning is important to me for competition shooting because I dont like to vlean my bore any more than I have to. POI can and will change going fro, fouled to clean, even in a handgun.