9mm Clays, W231 & Titegroup

[robctwo]

I went to the range yesterday to get some practice in for the speed steel shoot this weekend. Didn't take the chronograph. I had some 9mm loaded up. 3.2 gr Clays, 4.1 gr W231 and 4.2 gr Titegroup, all under the 122 gr OLC FP. All at 1.065 OAL. All cycled the Sig 266 ST Stock without fail. All were a bit smoky due to the lube.

The Clays seemed to have a milder and softer recoil and less report. The W231 was next and the Titegroup was the loudest and had more felt recoil. This could be because it was going faster and I'll try to chrono them in the future. All were manageable with the heavy stainless gun but the Clays was much better for really fast shooting like the Bill Drill. Not quite like shooting a .22.

I'm loading some .40 S&W with Clays, 3.7 gr under a 165 gr Berry FP 1.125 OAL to see if I get a similar response with the CZ IPSC.

I do understand that Clays is pretty fast for 9mm and will use a slower powder like HS6 for the more full charge defensive rounds.

 

[Jim Watson]

I load 9mm with HP38 which comes off the W231 production line.
I am not normally sensitive to such things but agree that Titegroup gives more of a pop to blast and recoil than the load level and velocity would lead you to think.
I have not loaded 9mm with Clays but don't see why it would not suit your uses.

 

[JDGray]

I shoot 3.6gr clays, with 115gr fmj, very soft shooting at 1050fps. My 9yr old likes that load the best

 

[Spartacus451]

I tried a load with clays in 9MM and a 147 grain bullet. I had a squib but I think it was no powder. The load range was narrow according to the manual like .2 grain and it would not cycle the slide because the velocity was supposed to something like 650FPS. It moved it just far enough to cock the hammer

 

[4fingermick]

Clays is AS30 I believe. It is a very quick powder. Be careful and stick to recommended loads.

 

[robctwo]

I have some 147 gr ordered from Precision. Will try them out when they arrive. What pistol were you using that only cocked it?

Rob Corl

 

[JDGray]

There is no data for clays & 147gr bullets, me thinks I'd uses HS6 for that load

 

[Spartacus451]

Sig Saur 226ST. The load came from the Hornady manual I believe. 2.4-2.6 grains.

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

WW231 powder forever

When the military needed a shorter .30/06 cartridge that became the .308 a ball or spherical powder was invented and later released to civilians as WW230 which I loved as so little did so much. BATF decided it was too powerful for civilians even though very simialiar in power to traditional BE so the weakened version became WW231. I did a little experimenting but from then as a competitor and commercial reloader I have used WW231 by the keg and have no reason to change.