9mm: Ramshot Silhouette vs. True Blue

[ddc]

I’ve tried a bit of Silhouette and a bit of True Blue.

I’m loading 9mm MG 124 FMJ and CMJ.

Objectives are range blasting and I’d like to give IDPA SSP a try.

I’m having a hard time differentiating between the two. They are close on the burn rate charts.

My gut reaction is that they are very similar. I don’t have a chrono; I’m just going on “feel”. Have not shot from a rest but I seem to shoot them about the same.

It appears that True Blue is a little more generic, I’ve also used it for 357mag and 41mag. I don’t think I’ve seen any Silhouette loads for those magnum rounds.

I think if I wanted one powder for all three I’d probably think True Blue.

If I was only concerned with 9mm would Silhouette be a better choice?

Or, for 9mm, are we 6 of one and half-dozen of the other here?

Thanks!
Don.

 

[Walkalong]

IMO

Silhouette likes to be run hard. True Blue downloads a little better.

Fact

True Blue is much less position sensitive.

Silhouette meters well. True Blue meters superbly.

True Blue is better for medium loads in things like .357, 41 (I like it here), and .44 Mag. Silhouette is too position sensitive for this.

-------------------------------------------------------

Some folks who like to run 9MM hard, really like Silhouette, but they are going over book data by a bit. IMO, there is room to do that, but you are on your own if you do.

Either will work well enough for blasting and IDPA.

5.7 Grs Silhouette and a 124 Gr Gold Dot @ 1.120 OAL gave me 1064 FPS from a 3" EMP, 1202 FPS from a 5" S&W Pro 1911, and 1263 FPS from a 16" AR. ES was big on pistol, small on rifle.

6.3 Grs True Blue and a 115 Gr Hornady FMJ @ 1.130 to 1.135 OAL gave me 1039 FPS from a 3" EMP, 1168 from a 5" S&W Pro, and 1330 from a 16" AR.

I did not shoot any 124/5 Gr bullets with True Blue, nor any 115s with Silhouette, so that is the best I can do.


These loads appear safe in my guns (One is stout), check data, start low, and work up. You are on your own if you use this data.

 

[LeonCarr]

Ramshot Silhouette is the exact same powder that used to be sold by Winchester as Winchester Action Pistol (WAP).

Either Silhouette or True Blue will work for 9mm.

Most folks I know using WAP/Ramshot Silhouette use it for Major Power Factor loads in the .38 Super for USPSA competition.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[ddc]

Thanks, sounds like True Blue is more than adequate for my 9mm purposes. I have no current need for high end loads. Plus has the added flexibility for the 357/41 mags. Now I just need to find some...

 

[JO JO]

I found true blue a pleasure to work with it just meters great
Shoots real well in my 40 , also just picked up some silhouette to try and see which one
I prefer

 

[rockhopper46038]

I could really use access to some Silhouette (for a different purpose) - where did you find your stash, OP?

 

[Potatohead]

Man I couldn't wait to click on this thread. I love Zip and Im trying to figure out if I want Silhhouette or TB on my next powder purchase since Ive tried neither. (among others)

 

[Potatohead]

Walkalong,
Are their any powders you haven't tried (that are known "9mm" powders, for 9mm)?

 

[SWThomas]

I have not tried True Blue, but I absolutely love Sil. I've tried Power Pistol, Unique, Bullseye, IMR SR4756 and Sil blows them all away for me. It's my go-to powder for 9mm and 40S&W.

 

[ddc]

I could really use access to some Silhouette (for a different purpose) - where did you find your stash, OP?

Back towards the end of October Powder Valley had some. It was there and gone in several hours. Just stumbled across it while I was surfing...

 

[Walkalong]

Walkalong,
Are their any powders you haven't tried (that are known "9mm" powders, for 9mm)?

I have Zip, True Blue, Silhouette, & Enforcer. I have only played with True Blue and Silhouette in 9MM, and not much with either. In my limited experience with them in 9MM, and feedback from trusted reloaders using Silhouette, I would say go with Zip for light to medium 9MM loads and Silhouette for full power 9MM loads. True Blue worked fine with 115 Gr bullets though. I liked AA #5 and HS-6 better with 115 Gr bullets though. Limited testing.

 

[Potatohead]

Awesome. I'd like to try some hs-6. (among others)

 

[Potatohead]

I have not tried True Blue, but I absolutely love Sil. I've tried Power Pistol, Unique, Bullseye, IMR SR4756 and Sil blows them all away for me. It's my go-to powder for 9mm and 40S&W.

What kind of loads? Pedal to the metal? Can you load on the low end with Sil? Ive been experimenting with trying to hover right around minimum on my loads of late. Found a really accurate one with Herco, of all powders, the other day.

 

[eeh]

If you have zip that's all you need for 9 mil..

 

[Potatohead]

I really like Zip as well. My little pound is almost gone too

 

[Potatohead]

Off topic here but anyone ever used Steel? Or is it to slow? Third Generation has some today.

 

[SWThomas]

You gotta stay diligent with wayching for powder. Powder Valley had TAC, Silhouette, Hunter, and a bunch of other powders this morning. I saw it 3 minutes after they posted them to their site. I got mine and 10 minutes later it was all gone.

I absolutely love 6.0g of Silhouette with 115g RN 9MM! 6.7g works awesome with 165g RNFP 40S&W.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

Off topic here but anyone ever used Steel? Or is it to slow? Third Generation has some today.

I would say STEEL is too slow for use in most handgun calibers. On burn rate charts its in the range of powders normally used for magnum calibers and stuff like .300blk but I can't recall ever seeing data for it in anything besides 10 and 12 gauge loads.

The only Ram Shot powder I have experience with is True Blue. It's excellent in full power .45acp and 5.7x28 loads. Works okay with mid range .45acp but seems to burn a little dirty. I had terrible accuracy trying to use it on the lighter side of published .45acp data and it was the dirtiest I've ever seen .45acp brass without it being tossed into mud.