Hodgdon Titegroup for .45 ACP

[Smokin357]

I have read several threads on newbie loading and recommended powders. One common comment that I do not understand is that Titegroup is not a good powder for a new reloader to use. I bought Titegroup to load .45 ACP and have really liked it. Titegroup is accurate, relatively clean, and easy to see the level in the cases as I am loading. My experience is only about 3,000 or so handgun cartridges, but I have liked using Titegroup and shooting it in 45s.

What are the reasons that Titegroup is not recommended by some experienced reloaders for the new reloaders?

 

[TonyT]

Personally I used several lbs. in 9mm, 38 Super and 45 ACP. On the plus side it always provided minimal velocity variation. On the minus side it burns very hot (high nitroglycerine content) and it "burns" the front end of the cases. I now use either Bulseye or WSF in 9mm, and either VV N-310, WST or American Select in 45ACP. The acuracy of my 45ACP loads improved markedly.

 

[[email protected]]

It is not recommended since in most charges it can be doubled charged and when you are starting out there is alot going on and it can be easy to miss a double charge.

 

[evan price]

I use a LOT of Titegroup. I do not recommend it to new loaders because:

1. it is a very high energy powder. In a typical pistol case it is easily possible to double or triple charge your case because Titegroup takes only a small volume of powder to make the load. New loaders can and do make mistakes. Experienced loaders make mistakes too. But when just starting out it's nice to know that a double charge can be easily seen and corrected.
2. Titegroup is a very hot powder. It will scorch your brass and leave burns on lead bullet bases. It can contribute to leading and smoke with cast boolits. Titegroup does this because it has a very high nitroglycerine content.
3. In some cartridges the range of powder charges are very small. Titegroup likes to be loaded up towards the top end data to burn the cleanest and it is very easy to go over the max load with a slight deviation, and because Titegroup is so dense, it is very hard to spot the deviation.

I love Titegroup. It is a great powder in large, mostly empty cases like 38 spl and 357 mag, 44 mag, 45 colt, because it is position insensitive compared to a lot of other powders. That means in those large cases like 45 Colt you don't need filler to keep the powder down against the primer to get a good result. It has loads available for nearly anything including pistols, shotguns and even some rifles including supressed .223's. I use probably 4# of it a year. But I don't recommend it to someone who is just starting out.

 

[Otto]

I don't care for it...it burns too hot, the recoil is snappy, it stains the case and it's temperature sensitive. I've also found when TG is combined with lead bullets it creates excessive smoke. On the plus side, it's cheap.
IMO, there are a dozen powders better suited for 45acp.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

As you see it really isn't recommended for new reloaders for all the reasons listed above. There are so many good powders available on the market now IMO there's no reason to use a hot burring shotgun powder in your 45 Auto ammo.

I have used so many powders in the 45 Auto I probably can't remember them all. My top picks are W231, AA#5 and HS-6 but I have used Universal, Clays, AA#2 and a few others. With good choices like that why take a chance on a powder like Titegroup? (not that it's a bad powder in the 45 Auto and others)

 

[REL1203]

For 2 years, i have had 1lb of TG on my shelf, never in like 15 attempts to find loads with it had i had any luck with TG. I don't like TGs small window of charges, nor what it does to th brass, but just last month, I finally hit a load i like with it. 147g Berry 9mm under 3.5g TG is a fantastic load that gets me PF in IDPA and it shoots soft, so i am finally going to be able to use that pound I bought.

 

[noylj]

All I shoot in .45 are 200gn L-SWCs. Titegroup has the following problems for me:
1) It isn't real accurate in ANY of my .45s.
2) It isn't as spikey in pressure as Clays or N310, but it still in not as "docile" as Bullseye or Red Dot.
3) Man, those ejected cases are HOT
4) It doesn't bother me, but lead bullets and TiteGroup can produce more smoke than other propellants.
5) Did I mention the disappointing accuracy I get?

I get my best accuracy with AA2, Clays, and 231/HP38. Don't like Clays that much, but it good for light target loads.

 

[mgmorden]

Titegroup was my first pistol powder I ever used. At the time, I was fairly new to reloading and didn't understand burn rates, and when I looked in the manual it had fairly low charge weights and somewhat lower velocities listed - so I figured "Hey, this stuff must be weaker so it's probably safer for a beginner.".

Now, looking back and knowing a lot more now than I did then, I know that was a very wrong assumption to make, but at the same time I've also went through a lot of Titegroup with absolutely no ill effects, for one simple reason: I followed the loads listed in my manual to the letter.

As long as you hold steadfast to that rule, then you can pretty much use any powder you want. Trust your load manual (though nowadays I usually consult a few of them), and stay within the published loads, and you'll be perfectly fine.

As a matter of fact the only 3 pistol powders on my bench right now are Titegroup, Bullseye (which has a similar reputation), and Unique.

 

[Smokin357]

Thanks for the good answers.

Your replies have given me a little more insight into Titegroup and beginners. One more question while I'm at it....

Some of you have said that Titegroup is not accurate for your guns. I have had good accuracy with a Titegroup load in my Para NiteHawg. The load is 5.1grains and a 200 gr LRNFP bullet 18 BH from MBC. The load is midrange according to Hodgdon. The accuracy of the load has been excellent and smoke has been minimal. Could this be because of the short barrel on the NIteHawg?

 

[wingman]

I've had excellent results using Titegroup in my Springfield Loaded,accurate
and many rounds per can.

 

[noylj]

Accuracy in my .45 Autos:
AA2: 0.3-1.1" groups at 25 yds
Clays: 0.8-1.5" groups at 25 yds
231/HP38: 0.7-1.6" groups at 25 yds
TiteGroup: 2.2-4.0" groups at 25 yards
I know the real test is 50 yds, but I don't compete and don't have access to an indoor range with 50 yd stations.
At my age, it is either too hot or too cold or too windy to shoot outdoors.

 

[Hondo 60]

evan price hit the nail on the head in post #4.

I, too, use a LOT of tite group.
It's very accurate in my S&W 10-5. (38 spl for the non-s&w users)
About 4.3 gr under a plated 125 gr hp... m-m-m good!
(5.0 for +p)

Does a Great job in 45 ACP & 45 Colt as well.

It's a little too energetic in .357 mag - you want a slower powder to get more fps.
(that may sound counter-intuitive, but that's the way it goes)