pistol and shotgun powder

[bsam4me]

Just a bit curious about how many combination pistol and shotgun loaders there are out there.

I have been loading several pistol calibers ranging from .32 ACP -.45 ACP and use a number of different powders... looked today and have a variety of 8 different powders in 1 lb. containers. All have thier specific purposes and I have spent considerable time developing loads that my individual guns like. I have just recently started loading 12 guage for skeet and hunting...I know for the most part these are two different animals- but I thought that surely I could find some common ground with powder.

So... here is my question. Has anyone settled on a powder that works well for both? I know that I will be loyal to my pet loads to some degree... but I'm also looking for a way that I can buy powder in large quantities (shotguns burn a lotta powder!) to be able to capitalize on the savings 8lbs. containers provide. I have loaded Win WST for the shotshell... but have not tried any of it for pistol rounds... any thoughts on this? Surely I am not the only one that has encountered this dillema....

What do you folks think?

 

[critter]

I used to load a lot of Blue Dot in 12 ga 3" mag for waterfowl hunting. I still use a lot of it for moderately heavy loads in .357 mag and .44 mag.

Red dot and green dot are good for lighter loads of shotshells and good for light to moderate loads in .38 special, light .357 mag loads and .40 S&W laods (green dot here). I think red dot is also used for 'plinker' loads in rifle loads also-I have not used them.

I am sure there are other applications but those I have used.

 

[P95Carry]

Yep ....... pretty much with Critter here .... Blue Dot sure is a good medium strength powder for moderate 357 loads .. not max tho. Red Dot is great for something like 44 spl type loads ........ used to shove a 240 grn Keith cast swc with 8.5 grns Red Dot ... very comfy load.

IMO the thing to remember always is ... the powder's speed of burn and how that relates to your proposed loadings. I don't like pushing faster powders like Red Dot to point where pressure peaks are gonna be excessive. Depends too of course on length of tube as well.

 

[HSMITH]

For the 12ga target loads you need to be burning Hodgdon Clays. It is ULTRA clean, economical and very consistent. It is THE standard for all 12ga target powders.

I also use it in 9mm, 38 special and 45 ACP extensively with jacketed and cast bullets. It is only moderate load capable, but works VERY well. I also use it to a limited degree in 40 S&W and 45 Colt, I feel it is too fast burning to be really useable with these though.

Blue Dot has no place in shotshells under 1 1/4oz, it just plain does not work well without the heavy shotload. Works great in the heaviest 357 loads with light bullets, and works good in 9mm and 40.

Green Dot is a real winner for handicap trap loads. It also works VERY well in 9mm, 40, 45, 38special, light 357 and so on.

Red Dot is essentially in the same class as Clays and will fit the same applications. The real upside with Red Dot is the smell, nothing smells as good as Red Dot when it burns in a 12ga.

Universal Clays is another potential winner here. Much like Unique in burn rate only much cleaner burning and meters a lot better. I use Universal primarily in 9mm and 40 where I feel it may be the best powder on the market. I also use it in handicap trap loads in 12ga, it works quite nicely but charge weights are pretty high. I also use it extensively in 20 ga target loads where it shines. It loads midrange 357 (factory equivalents) superbly. Heavy 45 acp, 38Spcl+P, 38 Super, 9mm and 40 are also really accurate and virtually no flash. This is the powder to make "duty loads" for practice in your autoloading handguns. It is almost perfect for "authentic" level 45 Colt and 44 Special.

If you shoot mostly shotguns buy a keg of Clays. If you shoot mostly handguns buy a keg of Universal. I bought a case (32 pounds) of half and half last time and it was a REALLY good decision. I have tried dozens of powders but just keep coming back to these two for most everything.

 

[bsam4me]

Thanks for the suggestions guys... have all mentioned except green dot... so now I have a couple of projects for this weekend. Weather is going to turn a bit nasty so I'll have a good inside activity- and between showers test them out.

 

[Quantrill]

700X for light or target loads in just about all pistol calibers and 12 ga shotgun. Goes the furthest of any powder I have ever used. Quantrill

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Pistol-Shotgun Powder

As a commercial reloader I had to figure what the most economical powders were. I used WW231 for pistol and 700X for pistol and shotgun loads. They were the best for the price, accuracy and metering accuracy.

Jones Munitions Systems and Police Ammo

 

[Mike Irwin]

Unique is another popular crossover powder.

Be aware, however, that most of the powders that are listed as cross-overs, Red, Blue, and Green Dots, Unique, etc., tend to be rather dirty in handgun loading.

I loaded some 9mm rounds years ago with Red Dot, and never did again because of the fouling levels.

 

[HankB]

I use 700x for trap and skeet loads, and also use it for light .38/,357 loads as well as ball-duplication loads in .32 ACP, 9mmP, and .45 ACP.

I've loaded "hunting" loads in 12 ga using SR4756 - I've loaded what are nearly "full power" loads in .357 and +P .45 ACP with that powder. SR4756 will pretty much do what Unique does in pistol, (DON'T TRY TO INTERCHANGE DATA!!) but it burns MUCH cleaner.

 

[KC]

I have been using Green Dot in .45LC and .45-70. Varying powder loads and have yet to be unhappy with the 1k or so rounds I've loaded (except the couple that I managed to load with the friggin primer upside down...)