Well, I just want to add my own perspective on why I differentiate. Since JW mentioned the AA load guide and #7, I think he's looking at the 1 out of 10 that says #7 was formulated originally for .38 Super. The other 9 out of 10 said it was formulated for 9mm Nato, or 9mm Nato Carbine ( and yeah, I probably have all 10 around here somewhere). It is also worth mentioning that when AA describes #2, #5, #7 and #9, they use the term BALL powder with no mention of paying ascap fees to Winchester for stealing their trademarked lyrics. My SPEER #11 also uses the term Ball to describe, True Ball, Flattened Spherical or Flattened Ball if you prefer. I can only assume that you never played basketball if you do!
If you disagree, dismiss my entire postings on the thread, make wise-ass remarks, or print it out and throw the wadded up paper at my posts. It ain't gonna hurt my feelings. Regardless of Winchester's trademark, I use the term ball to describe round ball powders like True Blue, or as SPEER does for H380, H870 and AA2520. I use Flattened Spherical (go ahead and call it Flattened ball if it blows your dress up) for powders like 231, HS-6, Silhouette, 3N37 etc. Alliant powders are extruded flake, and in Europe they have a variation known as Cut Sheet Flakes, i.e. Alcan. Then there's Extruded Tubular like IMR's rifle powders as well as many other companies.
So, I don't disagree with most of what rcmodel stated except that I don't bow to Winchester for my terminology anymore than I believe that Microsft owns my PC, even if they think they do!