Do I need HP-38?

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Buck13

Buck13

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Currently I have AA#9 and # 5, IMR 4227, Unique and Trail Boss. I'm reloading for .32-20, .357, 10 mm and .44 Mag. I'm not really concerned with bleeding-edge velocities in any of these, although I do like to push the 10 mm near the max loads, just for laughs. At least as of a few days ago, the LGS had none of the dozen powders I was potentially interested in, except HP-38.

Is there much point in having HP-38, #5 and Unique all on the shelf at the same time? I'm leaning toward buying it, if only because I've made the deepest dent in the Unique, and there's no telling when I'll be able to buy more of that.
 
HP-38 is my go to for pistols. I love it.. it meters well, is consistent for me, and shoots clean! I use it in all the pistols I shoot until I reach up for H110 for magnums. I say buy some if you can and give it a go. I assume it will shoot well and maybe one (or more) of your pistols will prefer it over the other offerings.
 
I also use a lot of W231/HP-38 in my handgun ammo. If you're running short on Unique you should get the HP-38 that's available. It's slightly faster than Unique but can be used to load most anything Unique can. HP-38 will work especially well in your 32-20 ammo and light .357 magnum rounds. If you decide to load .38 Special ammo, it's the only powder I use for 38's.
 
Unique can be loaded in just about any caliber you can think of. I started useing HP-38/
Win 231 for all my pistol shooting. In LARGE capacity cases a double charge can happen if your not careful.
Flip
 
Yes, yes you do.:)

It is my powder for everything. Meters great, wide range. Does it all. Usually costs less then W 231 as you do not pay for the fancy Winchester name.:)

As Arch would say, one of the powder Holy Trinity
 
It's a good powder for medium velocity loads. I like it in 32-20 and 38 spl. Don't know about your other cartridges.
 
Rule3 said:
Yes, yes you do.:)

It is my powder for everything. Meters great, wide range. Does it all. Usually costs less then W 231 as you do not pay for the fancy Winchester name.:)

As Arch would say, one of the powder Holy Trinity
Click to expand...
Yes it is part of my Powder Trinity!

W231(HP-38), W540(HS-6) and W296(H110)

With those 3 powders I can load just about any handgun cartridge.

I like those powders better than the Original Powder Trinity:
Bullseye, Unique and 2400...
 
I'm also a fan of HP-38 which I use in 9mm, 45 ACP and 45 Colt. I'm also a fan of Trailboss in my 45-70 and 45 Colt rounds for plinking/cowboy action. Unique is OK also but I prefer Universal Clays to it as it is cleaner and also meters well. Lil'Gun is my preferred powder in my 454 Casull however I'm looking for IMR 4227 and 2400 to also try in it.
 
Aged;

Now someone correct me if I am wrong.. But depending how old the source and when it was last updated, that could be the reason. I believe the difference before came from lot-to-lot variations and it was not until the recent past (2008?) when Hogdgon said that they were the same powder and started publishing identical data.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
Yes it is part of my Powder Trinity!

W231(HP-38), W540(HS-6) and W296(H110)

With those 3 powders I can load just about any handgun cartridge.

I like those powders better than the Original Powder Trinity:
Bullseye, Unique and 2400...
Click to expand...

But wait! Where does HS-6 fit in ?? or is that considered a breakfast food?

You have a Powder Quartintity.:D
 
Aged 1 said:
How come, at least in one source, W231 data, is different than HP-38 data. Steve pagess larger span for W-231 From 3.5 grains to 4.3 grains, and HP-38 From 4.2 grains to 4.5 grains....147http://stevespages.com/355p_4_147.html
Click to expand...
It's possible W231 and HP-38 back before the merger were slightly different but more likely the different lot numbers and testing procedures were the cause of slightly different data. NOW, it's been verified by Hodgdon and St. Marks they come from the exact same spigot and labeled differently.

If you use current data you will be perfectly safe and even with old data, you will notice the one with the higher charge weight will also show higher velocities.
 
If you decide to load .38 Special ammo, it's the only powder I use for 38's.
Click to expand...

It is my favorite .38 powder as well. I had run out and have been using Red Dot lately since powder has been scarce. It did a decent job, but doesn't meter nearly as well. On a family trip this weekend, I found some HP-38 and some 231 at Bass Pro in Springfield. The HP-38 was $2 cheaper, so I grabbed a couple pounds of it.

I think its a great powder, and is a little faster than your Unique and AA#9.
 
As I have stated before I have two main powders for my pistols HP-38 is the one I go to for my 9mm,38 spc,357 mag,44 mag for light loads in the mags and 38spc and its my primary powder for my 9mm all of this is done loading my cast Boolits.
My other go to powder is 2400 for my mag loads I buy both powders in 8 lb jugs.
Flip
 
Arkansas Paul said:
It is my favorite .38 powder as well. I had run out and have been using Red Dot lately since powder has been scarce. It did a decent job, but doesn't meter nearly as well. On a family trip this weekend, I found some HP-38 and some 231 at Bass Pro in Springfield. The HP-38 was $2 cheaper, so I grabbed a couple pounds of it.

I think its a great powder, and is a little faster than your Unique and AA#9.
Click to expand...
HP-38 is a lot faster than AA#9 considering AA#5 and AA#7 are both slower than HP-38 too.
 
Started reloading a few years ago with Win 231/HP-38 - I reload 4 calibers and have found no good reason to get anything else. It always goes bang for my mid-range loads using plated or FMJ bullets.
 
I started reloading again about three years ago, after about a 40 year layoff. I am only doing handgun now. Did lots of research of the manuals and finally selected HP38. Being old and forgetful I did not want to be trying to keep up with different powders. When I reloaded before there was no W231 or HP38. There was a W230P, but I don't know how that relates.
I liked HP38 because 1)It is a dollar per pound cheaper than 231. 2)It flows through a powder measure like water. 3)You can find loads for nearly every handgun caliber. 4)You can load over 10,000 rounds from an 8# jug*. 5)A double charge is very noticable in most cartridge cases.
I had mostly used Unique before, and it was/is a very versitile powder, but the HP38 flows through a measure so much better.
So far I have used it in 9mm, 38 Super, 357 Mag, 41 Mag, 45 ACP and 45 Colt, all with very acceptable results.
Keeping in mind though, that I am a pretty lousy shot and don't shoot at anything but paper. I just find a load that shoots well in my guns and stick with it. I don't try new bullets, once I find one I like.
I have pretty much settled into 38 Super and 45 ACP now, and, coincidentaly, 5.3gn works well in both calibers, so I don't even have to change my powder measure.

* Makes ordering from Powder Valley pretty easy-8# of HP38 and 10K of primers. I probably spill the extra powder.:D
 
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