One Common Powder

[xdmKevin]

Just looking for some advice on powder. I have been reloading for about 5 years, Im looking for powder advice that I can use with 9mm, 40cal and 45acp. I currently use Accurate #5 for 9mm and Unique for 40cal and 45acp which is ok but that is about it. Unique doesnt seem to be the quality powder that I am looking for anymore, and accu #5 is out of stock at my local reload stores a lot. If someone could give me some advice that I can use on all three calibers, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[mahansm]

HP38/Win 231 will work in all three calibers. Available, meters well, burns pretty clean. HP38 is generally cheaper than 231 but is the exact same powder.

 

[rcmodel]

I use Unique in about 10 handgun calibers and am very satisfied with it.
Been using it 50 years now and I'm too old and stubborn to start working up new loads with something else.

Were it not for that, easy to find Hodgdon HS-6 or Autocomp would be a good all around powder for performance loads in the three calibers you mentioned.

I agree with the above post that W231/HP38 would be suitable for range loads.
It will not give the the top end performance that HS-6 or Autocomp will however, if thats what you are looking for.

rc

 

[918v]

I don't believe in a jack of all trades master of none approach to reloading.

 

[xdmKevin]

Thanks for the Win 231 suggestion, Im going to pick some up right now.

 

[xdmKevin]

Thanks for the quick reply. I agree, I have been using unique as long as I have been reloading and have been apprehensive about trying better powders. I am going to try the Win 231 to see how it compares to Unique.

 

[moxie]

There's always Bullseye. Meters nicely and uses a relatively small charge.

 

[68wj]

I have not been loading handgun for long, but was taught by someone who has. It is Unique for me too. I just can't bring myself to try something else.

 

[336A]

I like Unique a lot as it can do so many things. It works well for a lot of pistol cartridges as well as rifles and cast bullets. I did get some W231 to try out since it seems to be a favorite of a lot of folks in the .38 SPL. Seeing how your reloading auto pistol cartridges I think Power Pistol deserves a honorable mention as well. It was designed for high performance pistol ammo back in the 70's, most notably for the 9mm NATO loading.
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q...a0GbUf&sig=AHIEtbQi51839FUvwcXm-qAcMw7Wp1z8xA

 

[loadedround]

After reloading for over 45 years, I find Unique to be the best all round powder. If I were permitted only one handgun powder, Unique would be it.

 

[joed]

I gave up on Unique 5 years ago, try Power Pistol. It meters better and gives excellent velocity in just about everything it's used in. I use it in 9mm and .45 acp, don't know about .40 though.

 

[Red Cent]

American Select. Evvveeeeerrrrytthhhhhinnnngg! Up to, and not including, a magnum load. 45 Colt, 357, 38spl, 9mm, 12 gauge. Relatively slow burn rate. Lots of experience with the powder.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I use Unique with cast loads and Power Pistol with jacketed loads. However, I could easily give up the Power Pistol and use nothing but Unique.

 

[soloban]

+1 for Power Pistol. I use it for 9mm and 45 ACP. Meters like water, clean, good velocity and accuracy results in my CZ-75b and 1911.

 

[giggitygiggity]

I'm a Titegroup fan. I use it in .40SW and .45ACP. I know there are Titegroup loadings with just about all pistol rounds.

 

[GLOOB]

My take on Win Auto Comp.

It is around the same burn rate as HS-6 but with higher energy density (better economy), and it meters as good as HP38. I've used it in all those calibers, plus .357, and I've liked every load I've made with it. Low smoke, clean, more push than snap, and low muzzle flash. Unlike HS-6, it doesn't need magnum primers in most loadings, although they're listed for the .357 loads.

One of the only things I don't like, it doesn't fill the case very far. The other thing I don't like is the flakes don't appear uniform or consistent in size. It looks like the floor sweepings they scraped together after making HP38. And yet, it appears to meter accurately down to a 20th of a grain in pistol weight drops.

I've only tried 3 powders, so my opinion is probably worth squat. But I'd be pretty happy using WAC (or Unique) for all 6 of my handgun calibers. The odd man out is HP38. It just doesn't do it for me, although it's quite accurate in my 9mm plinkers.

 

[bluetopper]

Yes, American Select rocks. HP-38 too, and if you try Universal you'll never buy Unique again.

 

[Mcinterest]

Make that +1 for Bullseye. Meters well.

 

[BeerSleeper]

231 will load medium strength loads in 9, 40, and 45

Power pistol will load max strength loads in 9 and 40 (maybe 45, I don't know)

As mentioned previously, HP38/Win 231 are the same powder, but not the same price.

 

[Smaug]

HP38 for me

I don't think it is the exact same as W231.

It is not a Jack-of-All-Trades like Unique, but it is cleaner, I think.

None of these fast powders can ever replace H110 or Alliant 2400 for long-barreled Magnums, but for everyday shooting in self-defense or target level loads, it does great.

With HP38, I load:

• .380 ACP
• .357 Magnum (@ .38 Special level levels)
• .44 Magnum (@ .44 Special levels)
• .45 ACP
• 9mm Luger

 

[BeerSleeper]

email hodgdon. they will tell you they're one and the same. I had to email them twice to get a response, the first one must have gotten lost.

 

[[email protected]]

If you only want a couple of powders on hand you will have to compermise at some point. The faster powders work for light target loads but velocity will be less as the pressure peaks faster. I have found that in my world i get better results with the faster powders with light loads as the velocity is more consistant than with a light load with slower powder. I have noticed that on some calibers that i load with unique if they are not loaded at or near max pressure i get unburnt powder and larger velocity deviation. I can better help if you let me konw what you are loading each caliber for plinking, target, or sd.

 

[evan price]

I load all three with Titegroup. Heck, there's even subsonic 223 loads with Titegroup. Clean and flows like water, cheap too. As long as you don't want true Magnum velocities (which you need slow magnum powders) you can load nice magnums too.

 

[jmorris]

I have loaded all three of those and a few others using 231 at one point in time. I now use different powders for everything it seems, to get the most (or least felt recoil for gun games) out of the round.

If I made myself pick 1 for everything it would be 231 for pistol and 3031 for rifle.

 

[EMC45]

I like Bullseye.