Clean burning powder for 9mm?

[The Bushmaster]

Aah-me...I realize that this stuff is old hat and may even be obsolete, but...W-231 is the cleanest powder I know of for .380 ACP, 9mm X 19, 38 Special, .357 magnum and .45 ACP. Burns clean at the low end and burns clean at the high end.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

Aah-me...I realize that this stuff is old hat and may even be obsolete, but...W-231 is the cleanest powder I know of for .380 ACP, 9mm X 19, 38 Special, .357 magnum and .45 ACP. Burns clean at the low end and burns clean at the high end.

I've been impressed with how clean Win 231 is also.

 

[mdi]

Have you had any exessively dirty guns or failures because of "dirty" powder? I have been reloading for a few decades and found most powders will "burn dirty" when loaded near the bottom of their charge/pressure range. And I clean my guns after each range session, the indoor ranges have wash rooms so I can wash my hands, I take water and rags when I shoot up in the hills and my fange bag normally has rags/paper towels to wipe my guns if they get "too dirty" when shooting , and I don't wear my white tux or white kid skin gloves, jes jeans and an old sweat shirt when I go shootin'. But long ago I started choosing components for how they will perform for me (it seems like recently, like in the last 10 years, newer reloaders are overly concerned about how "clean" a powder butns rather than how well it works). All that to say, I don't know any "clean burning" powders...

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I'm looking for suggestions for a clean burning powder for 9mm. I currently have titegroup, accurate #2, and clays.
I'm not sure how clean these are, but I'm looking for a cleaner burning powder.
I usually load mid range loads, 115gr jacketed or hitek.

Mid-range, 115gr, NLG... My cleanest powder for that combo (actually, my 115gr. are either the pulled steel jacket Tula's Midway was selling a few years ago or Albert's swaged) has so far been Ramshot Competition. It was recommended to me on the forum as a good powder for clean target loads in the .40S&W and it has worked out real well for mid-range loads in the 9mm and .380 as well. It seems to be a good FAST powder but - big BUT here - if you load on a progressive press check your cases carefully. It has a low volume-weight ratio.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Another vote for N320 and I am using 3.6g under a 147b bullet.

I read somewhere the Italians use cotton for cellulose and other use wood and it is the reason for their powder being cleaner burning.

Made in Laukaa, Finland.

 

[Docendo Discimus]

HP-38 / W231 is very clean, especially in higher end loads.

 

[Ranger99]

Have you had any exessively dirty guns or failures because of "dirty" powder? I have been reloading for a few decades and found most powders will "burn dirty" when loaded near the bottom of their charge/pressure range. And I clean my guns after each range session, the indoor ranges have wash rooms so I can wash my hands, I take water and rags when I shoot up in the hills and my fange bag normally has rags/paper towels to wipe my guns if they get "too dirty" when shooting , and I don't wear my white tux or white kid skin gloves, jes jeans and an old sweat shirt when I go shootin'. But long ago I started choosing components for how they will perform for me (it seems like recently, like in the last 10 years, newer reloaders are overly concerned about how "clean" a powder butns rather than how well it works). All that to say, I don't know any "clean burning" powders...

^ ^ this
I can understand a concern if utilizing a
suppressor. Otherwise " dirty " doesn't
enter into the equation for me.
I have many cleaning patches and a
generous assortment of cleaning supplies

Accuracy is first and foremost of the
goals and reasons for loading for me.
Low cost used to be a factor, but that
ship sailed some time back

Something for everyone

 

[Saluki91]

I'm looking for suggestions for a clean burning powder for 9mm. I currently have titegroup, accurate #2, and clays.
I'm not sure how clean these are, but I'm looking for a cleaner burning powder.
I usually load mid range loads, 115gr jacketed or hitek.

With the understanding that "clean" is a relative term when describing burned powder... WIN244 does a very nice job.

 

[SteveT_MSO492]

VV 3N37 for 9mm is very clean

 

[Average Joe]

Power Pistol is the cleanest burning powder that I have used to date.... there are others I'm sure.

 

[JO JO]

Ramshot Silhouette is a good one ,
for some reason western powders now part of Hodgdon gets over looked ,

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Ramshot Silhouette is a good one ,
for some reason western powders now part of Hodgdon gets over looked ,

I'm new to Ramshot powders but am so far very impressed. Haven't tried Silhouette or Enforcer, yet. Competition and True Blue are performing well in.40 and 9mm.

 

[someguy2800]

Titegroup. Can’t even tell the cases are fired.

 

[Spare Parts]

The cleanest-burn that I have found is when the case is nearly-full. If you're at half-max, try a faster powder. My 9mm experience is at 124/147gr. CFE-Pistol and Blue Dot, respectively. I use a cheap chrony - an indispensable tool for load development.

After a day at the range, I clean the Glocks' lower with a single Q-tip, but not because they need it. The barrel needs about 5 patches - 2 clean, 1 dry, 1 oil, 1 dry.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Aah-me...I realize that this stuff is old hat and may even be obsolete, but...W-231 is the cleanest powder I know of for .380 ACP, 9mm X 19, 38 Special, .357 magnum and .45 ACP. Burns clean at the low end and burns clean at the high end.

I've been impressed with how clean Win 231 is also.

HP-38 / W231 is very clean, especially in higher end loads.

I have to agree with these posts. I use A LOT of W231 in most of my handgun loading and I'm always happy with the results. It's been very clean for me too.

I load the .32 Auto, 380 Auto, 38 S&W, .38 Special, 9mm, the 45 Auto and the 45 Colt with W231.
I do use a few different powders for higher velocity loading with HP bullets for each like HS-6, Power Pistol, W296/H110, 2400 and a few others but the bulk of my handgun reloading is done with W231/HP-38.

 

[Walkalong]

Titegroup Burn

But yes, the powder its self burns very thoroughly.

 

[Charlie98]

I don't like Titegroup in general... it burns too hot for me... but having said that, it works pretty well in 9mm. Part of it's 'cleanness' might be because of it's 'hotnessness.'

 

[Soonerpesek]

'hotnessness.'

I LIKE IT...!!...

 

[mljdeckard]

My main point of reference is that Titegroup is cleaner than Unique.

 

[sparkyv]

I never have understood the concern for clean ammo, clean powders, primers, and etc. outside of the stuff that is corrosive. I reload for accuracy and for cost savings. It doesn't matter to me if the guns are just a little dirty or alot, after all, I still clean my firearms most everytime I shoot them.

 

[Nature Boy]

On the rifle side, it takes me twice as long to clean a load shot with Varget than it does with VV N140.

If I can get the same accuracy and consistency with both, the cleaning time breaks the tie

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

On the rifle side, it takes me twice as long to clean a load shot with Varget than it does with VV N140.

If I can get the same accuracy and consistency with both, the cleaning time breaks the tie

Assuming accuracy, recoil, muzzle blast and velocity are close to equal, then yes. Agreed. Cost of the powder is the next factor for me if both are equally clean, but YMMV.

 

[nettlle]

HP-38 is the cleanest. Bullseye the most accurate.

 

[9mmepiphany]

HP-38 is the cleanest.

This has been offered a number of times in this thread. I'd be interested to know if you've compared it to powders like N320, Sport Pistol, e3, or Clean Shot

I took a 2-day class, pre-pandemic, where I shot 600-700 rounds of 9mm 124gr, loaded over a charge of HP-38 ...I want to say 4.5grs..., through a Glock 34. By the end of the first day the chamber, slide, and magazines followers were filthy

 

[bear166]

I find Universal to offer many of the same advantages of Unique while also being fairly clean all-around is where I have used it.