Looking for powder suggestions

[Cueball]

I am just getting started into reloading and the first caliber I will be loading will be the 40 S&W. A guy at my local range reloads the same caliber for the same gun (HK USP) and he suggested Titegroup as one option. I picked some of that up and will use it first. I want to eventually start reloading for 9mm and 380 as well as my 40. The 40 will always be the one I will use the most, but I would like to take advantage of the savings by reloading the other calibers as well.

Here's my question... Is there a powder that would be good to use for all 3 calibers mentioned above? It would be nice to be able to buy one powder in large quantity to use for all those rounds.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Jim Watson]

Titegroup is ok for all those calibres.
(Free basic load data from Hodgdon in print or at www.hodgdon.com and more for a few bucks for their magazine size annual.)

I would not load .40 cal any heavier than necessary to reliably function the gun. If the listed starting load does it, great. It does not have as much safety margin as most other calibres. Double check anything the guy at the range recommends.

 

[MAUSER88]

Unique will work in them all too.

 

[Steve C]

Tightgroup is a very fast and dense powder so the charge volumes are small. Its difficult to detect overcharges or for that matter any undercharge with Tightgroup. With some powder you can visually detect as little as a .2 grain over or under when looking at cases in the loading block. Tightgroup is good for modest velocity target loads but too fast to push bullets to the high end. To do that you’ll need a medium burn rate powder like Unique, Power Pistol, Universal or AA#5. Tightgroup also burns hot and if used with bare lead bullets I’ve seen barrel leading where other powders will not. Best to use jacketed or copper clad bullets with Tightgroup.

 

[dleong]

In addition to the excellent powder suggestions already made in this thread, I would also recommend Universal Clays for the calibers you indicated. I currently use UC in my 380ACP, 9mm, 40S&W, 45ACP, 38 Special and non-magnum 357Mag and 44Mag reloads. Aside from its versatility, UC also burns extremely clean.

 

[41 Redhawk]

IIRC Universal Clays is now called Universal. The Clays part was dropped to help avoid confusion with the powder called Clays which is a much faster powder.

 

[Cherokee]

One Powder

If I had to stick with one powder for 25ACP-44Mag-45's it would be ww231. I find it meaters well, cleaner than some, generally results in an accurate load and takes up more space than some.

 

[caz223]

Power pistol.

 

[donkee]

+1 for Unique. I load 7.62x38r, 9mm, 38spl, 38S&W with it. .45 will be in the near future and I will plan on Unique for that caliber too.......

 

[Cueball]

Is the Power Pistol powder a less dense, more "fluffy" powder that will make it easier to detect double charges, etc? I keep hearing that as an issue with the Titegroup powder. Anyone with experience on this one?

 

[dakotasin]

i like power pistol in my 40's.

it doesn't quite overflow the case on a doublecharge at the weights i throw (lighter bullets probably would overflow), but it fills up to the brim, which would make it clearly obvious. never tried to seat a bullet w/ that much compression. could probably be done if you just felt you had to do it, but i'm sure you'd feel it.

 

[lycanthrope]

I really like Titegroup. Meters well, makes moderate power and is relatively clean and smoke free. It is also relatively insensitive to bullet setback.....a good thing in the .40

It is, however, dark colored so you need to see in every casing you load.