Best Multi-Pistol Powder?!?!?!

[pchicone]

I am looking for recommendations for the BEST all-purpose powder to load .357, 9mm, 41 mag and 45 ACP. Any suggestions??

Thanks in advance,
Paul

 

[Oohrah]

Sorry, there is not a single powder to fit all needs for that list of
calibers. You need to get loading manual or two. You might get
by with three or more to fit most needs, but I have no clue what
your intended use is of each caliber. Revolvers will digest most
any reasonable load, but semi auto need to stay somewhere near
factory specs to function reliable.

 

[Steve C]

You can find a load for just about every caliber made using Unique, from the smallest handgun cartridge to Rifle and shotgun shells. It isn't always the most efficient, or producing the highest velocity but it will get a bullet down range at respectable velocities.

 

[Nasty Jack]

Au contraire . . .

Wonderful all around powder for handguns from about 32 ACP to 44 magnum is Hodgdon HS6.

Unique is really HOT. Hot powder has its own set of issues. When I load magnum, I like Hodgdon HC 110, but HS6 works.

 

[GRIZ22]

I don't load 41 mag but load all the other calibers. I like Unique for the same reasons Steve listed. Not the powder to use for maximum velocity but I use it for 380 to 44 mag and reduced loads in 30-30.

 

[jeepmor]

I've used Unique, Bullseye and Blue Dot in 9mm, 10mm (close to 41mag) and 45ACP. Blue Dot and Unique are my favorites. Bullseyes seems a bit dirty in comparison, all worked just fine in my pistols, but I don't load for accuracy in my pistols, just for plinking. I can hit steel targets at 50 feet with all guns. And one is a 3" 45acp.

 

[homefront]

For my .38, .45acp and .44 mag. I use alot of 231, 2400 and Blue Dot. 231 comes close to an all-around powder.

 

[Urbana John]

Unique for me

I have always used Unique, guess that's what my friend was using when he introduced me to reloading many, many years ago.

I've tried other "pistol" powders, when I couldn't find any loading data for Unique, but always went back to Unique.

As with any powder, IMO, you want one that fills up as much of the case as possible, so you can't "double charge" the round. Also one that burns clean, has loading data for everything you want to load.

Unique fills the bill!!

I use it for 380, 9mm, 40 S$W, 38 & .357, 45 LC, 45 ACP and .410 & 12 ga.

just my .02 cents worth

 

[EddieCoyle]

Titegroup will work pretty well for all of those calibers.

 

[Walkalong]

W231, Universal Clays, & Unique will all do pretty well for these apps if you really just want one powder, but you really need 3 to 4 pistol powders unless you just want to make them go bang and shoot reasonably accurately. If you want to fine tune them one powder just won't do it.

W231 is hard to beat in the .45 for accuracy and also will do very well in the 9MM, but at slightly reduced velocities. It can make the .357 Mag and the .41 Mag go bang, but you need something at least as slow as say Blue Dot, and preferably slower to get good performance out of them.

AA#5 & WSF are excellent in the 9MM to get top velocity and acuracy. AA#5 & WSF will also give top .45 velocities with good accuracy.

W296, H110, & AA#9 are great choices for the .357 & .41 mag. They can all give good accuracy with top velocity.

You need a minimum of two powders. One for the 9MM & .45 & one for the .357 & .41 mag. Really three. One for the .45, one for the 9MM, and one for the two mags.

If you are going to use just one I say go with W231. It is hard to beat for versatility.

 

[db_tanker]

HP-38/231 has to be the one powder I have used in all my pistol calibers at one point in time or another...very flexible.

 

[Ol` Joe]

Unique.
You really can`t cover all loads with it but it does work in just about everything for a load of some type.

 

[Jacka L Ope]

+1 - Unique.

 

[JDGray]

HS6 will do it, but one powder wont give you max performance in all cases.

 

[Vitamin G]

I suppose if i HAD to pick just one, i'd go blue-dot and use heavy bullets.

I use it for 9mm, 10mm, and 44mag.
45acp i use bullseye, but i've tried to work up the occaisional blue-dot load, hoping to find an outstanding one so i can standardize.

Really though, its like trying to find the best car for racing, offroading, mudding, and 1/4mile all at once. You're better served specializing in most cases.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

I've switched from unique to clays universal(it burns cleaner). If you don't want all out loads then it should work very well. Well enough I keep a couple kegs on hand.

The problem you have with a do-all powder is your calibers. They run from a small capacity high pressure round to a fairly large capacity low pressure round. Getting one powder to run that whole range is VERY tough.

 

[Crimp]

For your requirement, I'd also go with HS6. Still, as many said, you'll maximize the various calibers (and bullet weights) with several powders. Study the load manuals.

 

[pchicone]

Thank you for all the recommendations.... It is greatly appreciated.

 

[The Bushmaster]

One last vote for W-231...

 

[RidgwayCO]

If you want to try something other than Unique , then VihtaVuori 3N37 would work well in all the calibers listed... (and so would Power Pistol).

 

[tbtrout]

I will keep the 231 votes going.

 

[Rinspeed]

For my needs I have settled on three powders, Unique, W231 and H110. If I had to pick one it would be Unique.

 

[jmorris]

I've used 231 in all of the calibers you listed, and then some. FWIW I don't use it in any of them now.

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

My favorite is also UNIQUE. As mentioned it also is a good shotgun powder.

 

[Steve H]

Brass wall thickness

oopps