To designate one powder as the best over all powder is a very broad statement. Each of us reloaders have varied performance goals and economic agenda's, and as for 231 it wouldn't suit my reloading goals to any extent.
I load 9mm,38 spcl, .40 S&W, .357 mag., 44 mag., 44 spcl., 45 LC. I always use the slow or slower burning powders for what ever cartridge I'm working with. I don't load reduced or low recoil loads, and I don't ever load non jacketed bullets. Another aspect of my powder prefrence is also using one that will not permit a double charge to fit in the case or if it will it will deffinitely fill the case to the top ,making an error nearly impossble to be over looked.
Longshot and HS6 as well as a couple other slow burner's accomplsih this quite well for 38 spcl, 9mm, .40, 44 spcl. and a few other similar cartridges. My magnum powder is simply H110 or 296.
There is no good powders or bad powders, just reloaders who have specific agenda's relative to their desired performance goals. I have found that when even starting at the upper end of the load range with slow burning powder, pressures will rarely reach a critical point. I've started many magnum loads using H110/296 at the absolute maximum without encountering any serious problems, case separation, punched primers, or catrostrophic failures of any type.