Favorite Pistol powder

[buddhas]

Try Bullseye, you really can't go wrong. Loads of data available.

 

[DudeRick]

Tightgroup for 9MM and Unique for .45.

 

[redneck2]

IMO, it is going to be somewhat caliber specific. A .32 ACP is going to be a lot different from a .44 mag. Take that in to consideration.

Anyway, Universal Clays is Unique with FAR less mess. I had a pound of Unique, gave away about 1/2 of it after trying it in .45 Colt and .45 ACP. Godawful filthy.

Another equivalent would be AA#5. Works over a wide range, meters extremely well. Burns very clean.

231 is also excellent, probably very close to AA#5.

You can pretty much answer your question by going to a burn rate chart, find 231/Universal Clays/AA#5 and choose a ball powder in the same range if metering is a concern.

 

[Zendude]

I load 32H&R mag, 380acp, and 38 special. I have used BE for each and all work ok. Is there a less snappy and cleaner powder that would work for these
3 calibers?

 

[fotog54]

TiteWAD. Yes the Hodgdon website has pistol loads. Darn near smokeless in my .45acp loads. Very clean. My favorite powder for the 45. Very economical.

 

[clutch]

Unique because it is sorta ... unique.

I have been playing with titegroup and 231 for my .380 though.

 

[Catpop]

Red Dot, Nitro 100 OF, Bullseye, HP-38, AA-5. Universal ----'opps almost forgot 2400 which was scarce as hens teeth and my pick as a replacement for it, IMR-4227.
So many powders, so little time!

 

[TimSr]

It seems like asking someone what they recommend for powder is like asking someone what the best rifle caliber is. You get 100 answers from 100 people, but here I am asking anyways.

That is typical of every question asked, but you can reduce the number of answers the more specific your question. "favore pistol powder" is WAY too broad, and while 9mm and 45 are a lot more specific, each still has it's own better performers. If you ask "What powder will give me the best accuracy in 45 acp from a colt 1911, with a 230gr FMJ for target practice?" or "What powder will give me the highest velocity from my LC9 in 9mm shooting 115gr XTPs for a defense load?" you will probably get fewer and better answers after you weed out the irrelevant responses to either question such as "I use red Dot for hunting squirrels with my .380."

 

[stubbicatt]

OP, I find that the characteristics of 9mm and 45 ACP are different enough that I use different powders in them. I like Longshot in 9mm and WW231 in 45 ACP.

 

[orionengnr]

Thank goodness for post #3, otherwise I'd be the only one.

When I started reloading I bought a pound of W-231, because it seemed like the best all-rounder for what I was planning to load.

Subsequently I ran into a guy at the gun show who had bought out an estate sale, and had a bunch ow powder. He had one 8-lb, one 4-lb and two one-pound containers of Green Dot, I think a pound of Unique, a pound of Red Dot, a pound or two of 748, a pound of 760 and a couple others.

I went home, did some research, went back the next day and bought the lot (could not believe somebody else hadn't beaten me to the punch, but this was probably 8 years ago, when powder was easier to get.) Think I paid $125 for the whole mess.

Since then I've used up the two 1-lb and the 4-lb of the Green Dot, mostly on 200 gr .45acp SWC loads, but more recently on 125 gr 9mm cast loads. Just about to tap into the 8-lb keg, and guess what? Two weeks ago at the gun show I picked up another 2-lb container of Green Dot for $25.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

I think I'm going to standardize on CFE-Pistol for 9mm and 40 cal. I'm pretty happy with it and its available.

CFE-Pistol produces almost the same velocity as longshot in 40 cal, but with 1.5 grains less powder.

 

[gamestalker]

I assume you're referring to 45 acp, right? If so, Longshot isn't a good powder for that application, not even with jacketed bullets, it's too slow burning for that low pressure cartridge.

Now for full throttle 9mm, .40 cal., 38 spcl. and a bunch of other's, Longshot is excellent when worked up, it doesn't do well at the lower end of the table, same story with HS6.

Can't help with recommending a powder for 45 acp though, that's the one handgun I don't own or reload for.

GS

 

[Crashbox]

Hmmm... favorite pistol powder? That's a tough one because each cartridge/firearm combination has its own preference.

I suppose, though, I could find a suitable load for any of my handguns (.357 Magnum, .40 S&W and .44 Magnum) using Herco which is Unique's slightly slower brother. Almost as versatile as Unique IMO and is outstanding under .357 Magnum cast bullets. I have about four kegs of the stuff so I must like it.

 

[bayjoe]

Unique
Win-231 are my go to powders when I can find them

 

[evtSmtx]

my faves from most loved to somewhat less loved

• power pistol
• be-86 (almost a tie with #1)
• cfe pistol
• hp-38/w231
• titegroup

for .44 magnum "magnum experience" loads H-110

other than H-110 I use all of those powders in 9mm & .45 acp

 

[300Whspr]

Here's what I like... (38 Special and 44 Special, 44 Magnum)

Mild, plinkers with cast bullets... Bullseye or Red Dot

Mid-range... Unique, Herco.

Full Throttle... 2400 or H110/W296.