Cleanest Powder?

[Gravedigger56]

My newest handgun acquisition (Kimber Micro SS) appears like it's also going to be my most sensitive to dirty ammo/powder. During break in, I found that it started to malfunction after about 120 rds. of Blazer Brass which was incredibly dirty, sticky and started to gum up the works. At first I blamed the gun but after reading many testimonials about dirty ammo, especially Blazer, and it's effect on small semi-autos I think the ammo was the real culprit.

I am just about ready to start reloading .380 for the little gun and hopefully get away from such dirty factory ammo. IYO, what seems to be the cleanest powder for this small round since it looks like I'm going to need it? Currently I have W231, Titegroup, Power Pistol and BE-86 on hand. Of these 4, which have you found to be the cleanest running?

Thanks for any help.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

W-231 has been very clean in the cartridges I've used it in, but I don't load .380. I stay away from Tightgroup because of sensitivity and small charge windows. Everyone says Tightgroup is nice and clean though. I have Power Pistol but haven't used any of it yet. Don't have any BE-86 either. Those two being slower powders they might be a little dirty until you get towards the upper end of published data, but that's just a guess.

 

[Walkalong]

A high pressure (Not over max) load of a known clean burning powder in a non blow back action will be the cleanest.

Some powders burn clean only at the top end, while some burn clean from the middle up, and a few burn very clean even at low pressures.

Some powders are cleaner than others regardless. I haven't done much with three out of those four powders, so can't really say. I have shot a lot of W-231 and always thought it was pretty clean with the right loads. I used to use it in .380 and it did well. Not a fan of Titegroup, haven't shot any PP or BE-86. I'll get some one of these days.

 

[kcofohio]

I have had good results with W231 in 380. Not too dirty. And it meters fairly well.

Titegroup, with such small charges, you have to be sure your powder measurer is dropping consistantly.

 

[ulflyer]

I use 231 for 380's but haven't tried anything else except a little Clays which was more bulky and I didn't want to chance pressure issues. Me and a buddy shoot a fair amount
of 380's at fairly low charges and don't find it to be dirty at all.

 

[Gravedigger56]

Great. Thanks for the replies. Those are just the answers I was hoping I would get since I just happen to have 3 unopened pounds of 231 on hand. I was going to use it for 9mm but now I think I'll reserve that for the .380 and use the other three in the 9mm and .45.

I also found that I had a couple pounds of Clays that I forgot to mention. Maybe I'll trade that off for some more 231.

 

[Walkalong]

Clays tends to be very clean. It can be spiky at the top end, but super clean near max as well.

 

[PJSprog]

Agree. I've been using HP-38 in all my handgun loads for years now, and it always seems to burn clean. I haven't used it in .380 yet, though. I don't expect any different results. I think you can't go wrong with your 231.

 

[ulflyer]

Gravedigger, that Clays will work great in your 9 and 45. It good stuff. I used it a lot in 45acp, but have more recently beeen loading only 380 and 9mm and wanted to simplify things down to only one powder. Traded my fantastic Clays for 231.

 

[Rule3]

Of the powders listed HP 38/Win 231 is probably you best bet for the 380. Power Pistol is great in 9mm.

"Dirty" powder is a iffy topic, anything that burns will leave a residue. HP 38 will be dirty also if it is loaded on the low end (most powders are)

You have to clean guns regardless of what powder. 120 rounds in that gun, it needs to be cleaned.

Failure of the Kimber I doubt is the ammos fault. From what I recall Kimber wants you to use high priced premium ammo during "break in" Maybe that is for the Solo.? or all Kimbers

My thoughts on that, are guns should work out of the box. Maybe loosen up some but not fail to work. JMO

 

[Gravedigger56]

Gravedigger, that Clays will work great in your 9 and 45. It good stuff. I used it a lot in 45acp

.45 acp was what I originally got the Clays for after a recommendation from another reloader. Currently all I have are Hornady 230 gr. FMJ RN but there doesn't seem to be much data for it though in the manuals for Hornady bullets. I think the Hornady manual only has Clays Univ listed.

 

[ljnowell]

I've loaded but loads of 380 for my father with AA#5.

 

[Gravedigger56]

Of the powders listed HP 38/Win 231 is probably you best bet for the 380. Power Pistol is great in 9mm.

"Dirty" powder is a iffy topic, anything that burns will leave a residue. HP 38 will be dirty also if it is loaded on the low end (most powders are)

You have to clean guns regardless of what powder. 120 rounds in that gun, it needs to be cleaned.

Failure of the Kimber I doubt is the ammos fault. From what I recall Kimber wants you to use high priced premium ammo during "break in" Maybe that is for the Solo.? or all Kimbers

My thoughts on that, are guns should work out of the box. Maybe loosen up some but not fail to work. JMO

Yea. I think I will load up some .380 with Hornady 100 gr FMJ RN with the W231 near max and see how the little guy likes them.

 

[ljnowell]

You will find success with 231. One of the great things about being a reloader in America is all the choices we have. There are literally dozens of powders that will work.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

CFE pistol has been very clean in my 40 and 9mm pistols. Almost no residue in the barrel after 50-100 rounds.

 

[Mad Chemist]

I don't own a Kimber micro but I've played with more than my fair share of pocket pistols. It's pretty common for some of these little guns to require hotter loads in order to function correctly, at least during the break-in period. Powder fouling from only 120rds of ammo should not cause a stoppage.

Magtech makes pretty good .380 factory ammo and the brass is excellent stuff for reloading. You should thoroughly prove the pistol with some factory ammo before you start working up loads for it.

I like Bullseye for hot .380 loads. 231/HP-38 should also work very well but I haven't got around to trying it yet.

 

[Dudedog]

Probably HP38 or Titegroup both are clean in 9mm, HP38 is in 9mm MAK haven't tried Titegroup for that yet.
(HP38 and W231 are the same powder)

 

[Longhorn 76]

The H&K P7 is a 9, but it is more sensitive to dirty ammunition than any other pistol, in my opinion, because of the gas system.

In that gun, it will stop functioning within 50 rounds of really cheap crap.

It takes about 100 rounds of WW white box to do the same.

Reloads with WW 231 can shoot over 200 and never stop working, but it will be dirty.

VV N320 reloads can shoot all day, and still be clean.

 

[Mad Chemist]

Longhorn,
The Kimber Micro is a standard locked breach design. It is not a gas retarded design. It is a very different animal from a P7 since it has no gas port to clog among other things.

The Kimber should be able to handle a little powder fouling without choking. I strongly believe that the OPs problem is gun related not ammo related. It may be solved with further break-in or it might not.

 

[Archie]

To answer the question:

For the least possible 'residue', be it burnt powder ash or remains of powder, use the fastest burning powder available - and - use the least amount of it possible.

How to determine the fastest powder for the application. Check a loading manual; look for the powder showing the least weight powder charge for the maximum load.

Then, with that powder and bullet weight, test charge levels and determine the lowest charge level which works as you feel it should.

This will be a bit contradictory. All powders burn best at their own pressure level - which is not published and varies with cartridge use and arm involved. In general, higher pressure loads burn more completely and uniformly - until at overload they tend to burn completely but instantly and a pressure spike results. However, the less gunpowder used, the less ash or residue is left.

 

[25-5]

I load also for a small cartridge (.38 S&W top break) and use both W231 and Titegroup. I had to work up my own load for the Titegroup since there was no published data. Dealing in the 2gr range both powders were clean.

 

[judgedelta]

A tip. I have learned from experience to always have some factory ammo on hand when my pistols malfunction, so you know whether it's your load or the gun screwing up. A lot of the manufacturers use/recommend Speer Lawman for testing.

 

[Dudedog]

For the least possible 'residue', be it burnt powder ash or remains of powder, use the fastest burning powder available - and - use the least amount of it possible.

Not always true IMO. Universal and HP38 are slower than Bullseye but much cleaner.
WSF and CFE pistol are slower than Unique but cleaner,
Many more possible combos where the slower powder is cleaner.
Heavier charges (running higher pressures) tend to be cleaner.
Some powders are not as clean when loaded light, others are not as picky.

 

[Mad Chemist]

A tip. I have learned from experience to always have some factory ammo on hand when my pistols malfunction, so you know whether it's your load or the gun screwing up. A lot of the manufacturers use/recommend Speer Lawman for testing.

Lawman, Magtech, and S&B are my go-to factory ammo for testing new guns if I don't already have a proven load built. Those three brands tend to be loaded to mid-high velocity for caliber and tend to play nice with the greatest number of different types of guns.

 

[Toprudder]

I have had great luck with Power Pistol in .380. It is relatively clean even at reduced loads - at least for me. Mostly shot in a Sig P238 and Bersa Thunder.

I would bet that the cleanest would be Vihtavouri. Have not tried it in 380, but someone earlier mentioned N320.