Anyone using Silhouette powder?

[dgray64]

I've been using TiteGroup and like it pretty well, except for it's being dirty. I bought a pound of Silhouette yesterday and loaded some today using the mfg charts and running middle of the road loads (between start and max). I noticed that in the charts, 40 S&W was about equal between powders for pressure, but it picked up some speed (from 900+ for TG to 1100 for Sil). The rounds shot great from the .40 (Taurus PT-101). Recoil was about equal.

The .45s were a different story. The TiteGroup loads were high 800 to low 900 fps with about 13000 pressure. Silhouette ran about 930 fps but about 20000 pressure. What a difference to shoot! With the TG rounds the recoil was easy (PT-745). With the Sil loads the recoil was a real snap!

I am trying to figure out how the pressure charges could be so different between the two calibers. Any ideas? I had heard that Silhouette was a clean shooting powder, but it's just as dirty as TiteGroup. Both measure out well. Just after some insight. Thanks.

Dave :banghead:

 

[bomb dropper]

I just loaded a few 45 with TG I didn't really like it with my 9mm so I have an extra pound Im going to see if it works with the 45. what load data did you use for you 45 TG loads?

Ive thought about picking up some silhouette the gun store I shop at has more of it then anything else I don't know why. Ive ran some of ramshots zip powder and I didn't mind it.

Wish I could answer your question about the pressure change but you've got me. Ive got one of them old "trigger finger" chronys and they are not the most accurate lol

 

[Walkalong]

Anyone willing to come get it, can have most of a pound of Titegroup.

Sounds like a problem besides powder choice to me. While Titegroup has a tendency to stain cases, it is very clean burning.

Shootin' lead? Titegroup is very hot burning, and not a great choice with lead. Silhouette is treated for flash, so I would think it is cooler burning, but I don't know. Anyone?

 

[dgray64]

I sent an email to Western Powders this morning with my findings and asked if there is an advantage to much higher pressure other than the sharp recoil. I'll let you guys know what they answer.

Dave

 

[Steve C]

Velocity tells us nothing regarding pressure unless we know the bullet weight and loads used. Listed velocities in the manuals may or may not relate to real velocities depending upon the source, the gun you are shooting and its barrel length. Using a Chronograph is the only way to tell what your velocities really are. Since recoil is a function of velocity and the bullet, gun, and powder weight the change in recoil is due to change in velocity.

TightGroup and Silhouette have quite different burn rates. TG is a very fast powder in the Bullseye/Red Dot range rated as the 10th fastest powder on Ramshots burn rate chart. Silhouette has a much slower burn rate and is listed at number 39, right next to Hodgdon's HS-6(38), slower than Unique(34) or Power Pistol(36).

Up to a point, slower powders will deliver higher velocities than faster powders at the same pressure. The "snap" you are feeling with the Silhouette load in the .45 acp is from higher velocity and not necessarily due to higher pressure.

 

[dgray64]

That makes sense, Steve. The only thing I have to go on is the charts from the manufacturers, though. Don't have a crony. I'm shooting a Taurus PT 145 with a 3" barrel, using Missouri Bullets 230g lead round nose and using CCI primers.

I loaded some .45 GAP today and shot them off. They have an advertised pressure of nearly 21,000 psi using 6.6g of Silhouette to push a 200g Berry Bullet with a flat point and using a Wolf primer. They shot well with no visible difference from the reloads using TiteGroup. No big "snap" of recoil with a Glock 37.

Thanks for the input.

Dave