Is there a preferred do all pistol powder?

I really like 3 for pistol,
Something on the faster side, Titegroup, HP38, AA#2
Something in the middle WSF, Silhouette
and H110 for full power .357.

If I had to settle for one to do everything pistol wise:barf:, maybe N330, N340 or HP38/W231.. (I like the VV powders, but they are more expensive and sometimes hard to find, but if I can have only one....)
BE86,Unique,Universal, Powerpistol (anything midrange pistol burn speed)might also be good choices for only one.

25 VihtaVuori N320
26 Accurate Arms No. 2
27 Ramshot Zip
28 Hodgdon HP-38
29 Winchester 231
31 Alliant Unique
32 Hodgdon UNIVERSAL
33 IMR, Co IMR UNEQUAL
34 Alliant Power Pistol
35 VihtaVuori N330
36 Alliant Herco
37 Winchester WSF
38 VihtaVuori N340
40 Ramshot True Blue
41 Accurate Arms No. 5
42 Hodgdon HS-6
43 Winchester AutoComp
44 Hodgdon CFE Pistol
45 Ramshot Silhouette

(listed by burn speed faster to slower)
anything above would probably work for only one if you had to have only one, faster ones will make the .45 happier, slower ones will make the .357 happier.....

HP38/W231 won't get me top vels but it works in about everything (pistol)decent to excellent and it's my .45s favorite, of course most of my 9mms would argue for WSF, (but all of them won't agree on a favorite)
WSF does not have a lot of listed data but with care loads can be worked up for it in things that no data is listed for.
 
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12Bravo20 said:
Everyone that reloads 300 BO and/or magnum handgun calibers need to find a different powder than H110. Yes I am being stingy and want H110 for reloading my 410 shells. :D
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Yup, W296. :rofl:

Similar burn rate powders are also suitable for 300 BO - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ble-powders-during-component-shortage.890865/
  • Winchester W296/H110 and Alliant 300MP
  • Winchester W296/H110 and Vectan Ba6 1/2
  • Winchester W296/H110 and Vihtavuori N110
  • Hodgdon 4227 and IMR 4227
  • Accurate 1680 and Shooters World Blackout/Lovex D063-02
  • Accurate 11FS and Alliant 300-MP
 
Actually from what I remember W296 and H110 have been the same exact thing for years now with just a different label. And yes they are good powders for magnum revolver calibers.



But that won't stop me from giving people trouble about buyng up all the powder I use for 410 reloading :rofl:
 
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I can manage very well only shooting Unique, but I have had similar success with W231/HP38 and Accurate #5.

I've been using Unique since I started reloading in 1980 and have no plans to change that. I did stock up before this last stint of panic buying. Besides pistol, I like Unique in 20 and 28 gauge shot shell loads. But, I'm liking 20/28 when I could find it.

I have not tried BE-86 or some kind of VihtaVuori powers so no comment there.

Although I have my favorite powders and loads, I do have alternate powders and loads in the event my favorite is not available.
 
Dudedog said:
I really like 3 for pistol,
Something on the faster side, Titegroup, HP38, AA#2
Something in the middle WSF, Silhouette
and H110 for full power .357.

If I had to settle for one to do everything pistol wise:barf:, maybe N330, N340 or HP38/W231.. (I like the VV powders, but they are more expensive and sometimes hard to find, but if I can have only one....)
BE86,Unique,Universal, Powerpistol (anything midrange pistol burn speed)might also be good choices for only one.

25 VihtaVuori N320
26 Accurate Arms No. 2
27 Ramshot Zip
28 Hodgdon HP-38
29 Winchester 231
31 Alliant Unique
32 Hodgdon UNIVERSAL
33 IMR, Co IMR UNEQUAL
34 Alliant Power Pistol
35 VihtaVuori N330
36 Alliant Herco
37 Winchester WSF
38 VihtaVuori N340
40 Ramshot True Blue
41 Accurate Arms No. 5
42 Hodgdon HS-6
43 Winchester AutoComp
44 Hodgdon CFE Pistol
45 Ramshot Silhouette

(listed by burn speed faster to slower)
anything above would probably work for only one if you had to have only one, faster ones will make the .45 happier, slower ones will make the .357 happier.....

HP38/W231 won't get me top vels but it works in about everything (pistol)decent to excellent and it's my .45s favorite, of course most of my 9mms would argue for WSF, (but all of them won't agree on a favorite)
WSF does not have a lot of listed data but with care loads can be worked up for it in things that no data is listed for.
Click to expand...
That chart has Silhouette significantly slower than true blue. They are very close with true blue being slower at least according to the manufacturer.
It also has universal as slower than unique and the listings don't support that in any loadings. I really like this chart but it's a little off in some places. 5DB94F08-05C0-4D1B-BCC8-8C5CFE28672B.jpeg
 
AJC1 said:
I really like this chart but it's a little off in some places
Click to expand...
I think that's because some charts list the powder burn rate in normal atmosphere vs loaded inside cartridges.

12Bravo20 said:
W296 and H110 have been the same exact thing for years now with just a different label
Click to expand...
Of course they are.

I was just pulling your leg. ;)
 
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One Powder to rule them all,
One Powder to find them,
One Powder to bring them all
and in the darkness bind them.

And that powder is: Unique!

In so far as metering, so what. I do have AA#5, an excellent ball powder in 38 Special 44 Special, 45 LC, and 45 ACP. Of course it meters better through my Dillion 550B powder horn, but it means nothing on target nor in extreme velocity spreads or standard deviations when compared to Unique. There is this assumption that the appearance of precision provides the assurance of control. And this is false. Better metering only means, it meters better.

For whatever reason Bullseye Pistol powder is the champ for narrow extreme spreads and standard deviations, but Bullseye pistol powder is not as flexible as Unique.
 
Slamfire said:
One Powder to rule them all ... And that powder is: Unique!

In so far as metering ...
Click to expand...
That's why Alliant released BE-86 in canister form for us, supposedly the OEM powder used in premium JHP ammunition for decades ... Because it's flexible like Unique in supporting many calibers but meters like BE-XX formulated powders like Bullseye/Power Pistol/Sport Pistol.

Slamfire said:
Bullseye Pistol powder is the champ for narrow extreme spreads and standard deviations
Click to expand...
So is Promo as in my various PCC load chrono testing, produced the smallest SD in velocities ... But it is reverse temperature sensitive ... And now the new "reblened" Promo with all round flakes meter with .12 gr charge-to-charge variance for me, same as W231/HP-38.

Slamfire said:
Bullseye pistol powder is not as flexible as Unique.
Click to expand...
And that's why Alliant released Sport Pistol with similar burn rate as N320 to compete against Titegroup/N320 for most match shooting applications ... To me, Sport Pistol is N320 that burns cleaner at much lower cost.
 
Slamfire said:
And that powder is: Unique!

In so far as metering, so what.
Click to expand...

Yes, I've found Unique to be not as precise as other powders, but it does not seem to matter. I've learned what is necessary to minimize the variation in powder charges when using Unique and get good shooting ammunition in return. Unique is forgiving for what seems to be "excessive" variation of powder charges.
 
cfullgraf said:
I've been using Unique since I started reloading in 1980 and have no plans to change that.
Click to expand...

It's interesting... although I admit to being a Unique-a-haulic, I actually did set out to find a replacement for it, using 2 cartridges where I thought a change might work well... that is .45ACP and 9mm short barrel loads. I laddered up BE-86, SportPistol, W244, W231, and WST... some old, some new. In the end, however, none of those powders bested Unique as an overall powder (I didn't really expect them to...) and I found them quite limited in their performance. That is to say, I had to dink around more with the charge weight and the bullet seating depth to find the exact right combo to get results that equaled Unique, where as Unique is not so picky.... not about charge weight, not about seating depth. I have since abandoned the other powders, save WST... because I happen to have 2.5# of it. I'm trying to burn all of the other powders up, and get them off my bench.


Slamfire said:
In so far as metering, so what.
Click to expand...

Again, I've not found Unique to be particularly picky about charge weight variation, except in something like 9mm at max data or similar. In something like the .41MAG, or the .45's, it's not a big deal.


I have about 10# of Unique... and I'll be loading that in everything pistol... from the .380ACP, through the .45ACP, to midrange charges in the .41 and .45 Colt. I save the W296 and IMR4227 for the Magnum-level charges.
 
LiveLife said:
To me, Sport Pistol is N320 that burns cleaner at much lower cost.
Click to expand...
I've gone to Sport Pistol from N320 in my 124gr RMR Matchwinner load...I changed over for the lower cost and was surprised at how clean it burned.

I've been loading quite a bit of 147gr Heavy Matchwinners with N310 for my Apex Grade barrel in my M&P9. Got a small 4lb bottle originally for my .45ACP revolver load and came across a load for heavy 9mm bullets...then found a sale (last month) for N310 at $28/lb and got two more 4lb bottles
 
IMO there is no 1 powder that will load all cartridges well, possible but not well.

I can load any handgun cartridge using 3 powders.
W231/HP-38
W540/HS-6 (W540 now discontinued)
W296/H110

If I had to use only 1 powder it would probably be W231. I use a lot of W231 for range ammo and other powders for more serious work.

IMO Bullseye is too fast a powder for the .357 Magnum and possibly the 9mm.
 
FROGO207 said:
I do reload a larger selection of handgun cartridges so I generally have a vast selection of propellant choices. That said, trying to condense things into a single type will IMO limit you on best performance in each cartridge severly. Many are close but even with your limited cartridge choices I see no best for everything there. Plus with three or four different propellants you get better overlap in use if something is not available for a long while allowing for substitutions.
Click to expand...
Agree!
 
sksshooter said:
Currently have a fairly wide assortment of powder not all are full as ive bought some in package deals from buying peoples loading setups. I was considering not using several of them and selling them off to purchase more of 1 or a couple powders. But the more im reading here the more im compelled to just shoot them up to try them. HS6 has come up several times in conversation recently and ive never tried any but i may grab a lb up at some point and try it as well. Im not certain i will purchase anymore bullseye though once the 3lbs i have are gone. It meters well but sure is dirty.
View attachment 1142972
Click to expand...
HS6 is a powder that burns cleaner the hotter you push it. In minimum loads, it’s dirty. But middle of the range, up, it’s clean.

I loaded W540 (HS6) in shotgun for 40 years. It was the first powder I tried in 9mm when I started loading handgun. It was OK. I’ve settled on Silhouette for 9mm, just cleaner, meters extremely well.

But I value my HS6. It’s useful in .38/.357 as well.

I’m also a fan of WSF.

I’ve come to realize that if a powder can push a 1 1/4 oz 12 gauge load over 1300 fps, it’s a versatile handgun powder.
 
I would give True Blue a good look. It's usually fairly cheap, easy to find, meters excellent and burns clean. I use it in 9mm, 45acp, and 357 magnum and have been very pleased with it.
 
Slamfire said:
One Powder to rule them all,
One Powder to find them,
One Powder to bring them all
and in the darkness bind them.

And that powder is: Unique!

In so far as metering, so what. I do have AA#5, an excellent ball powder in 38 Special 44 Special, 45 LC, and 45 ACP. Of course it meters better through my Dillion 550B powder horn, but it means nothing on target nor in extreme velocity spreads or standard deviations when compared to Unique. There is this assumption that the appearance of precision provides the assurance of control. And this is false. Better metering only means, it meters better.

For whatever reason Bullseye Pistol powder is the champ for narrow extreme spreads and standard deviations, but Bullseye pistol powder is not as flexible as Unique.
Click to expand...
And Bullseye is far more difficult to feature in a poem/Haiku.

Bullseye is quite spesh
For pistols and others many
Find it buy plenty
 
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