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Since this topic comes up regularly, I decided to start a new thread.
Many reloaders, especially those just starting out may not be familiar with different powder types and appearances. Close up pictures were taken with W231/HP-38 as reference to compare flake size and texture. Comments regarding metering characteristics and application/usage are what I usually share with new reloaders and they are my opinion based on limited experience as I currently only load for 380Auto/38Spl/9mm/40S&W/45ACP/45Colt in pistol calibers.
If you have good experience with a particular powder for specific caliber load, please share to benefit new reloaders with their powder selection.
Alliant Bullseye, Winchester 231/Hodgdon HP-38 and Alliant Power Pistol
W231 and HP-38 are coated flattened ball powders. They are the same exact powder sold by Winchester and licensed to Hodgdon in 2006 and W231 load data can be interchanged with HP-38 if your W231 was manufactured after 2006. Because of small size and smooth coating, W231/HP-38 meters very consistently and drops powder charges from Pro Auto Disk with less than .1 gr variance. The coating helps lubricate Pro Auto Disk surfaces and is my powder of choice for breaking-in new Pro Auto Disk. I use W231/HP-38 for all pistol calibers I load for as it produces accurate mid-range lower pressure target loads that produce milder recoil and is a good powder for new reloaders just starting out, especially if using Pro Auto Disk powder measure. It produces 9mm like recoil in 40S&W with start/low charges and moderate recoil with mid range charges. Because of small size and smooth flowing characteristics, I use it for 380Auto loads requiring small powder charges of 2.6-3.0 gr (below smallest Auto Disk hole) using this modification to my Auto Disk - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=9318202
Bullseye is a small flake powder and meters with less than .1 gr variance. Bullseye can produce very accurate target loads (more accurate than W231/HP-38) but because it is faster burning than W231/HP-38, felt recoil generated is more snappy but manageable in 9mm and less comfortable in 40S&W. Bullseye downloads well (shoots accurate down to start charge) and is a popular powder with Bullseye match shooters (hence the name). Same Auto Disk mod works well with Bullseye to drop 1.8-2.6 gr - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=9318202
Power Pistol is a small flake powder and meters with less than .1 gr variance. Power Pistol is slower burning than W231/HP-38 and tends to produce larger than typical muzzle flash in some loads and is popular for 40S&W and other calibers for full-power loads.
Alliant Red Dot, W231/HP-38 and Alliant Promo
Red Dot is a large flake powder and meters with up to .2+ gr variance. If you look at Red Dot closely, you'll see occasional red flakes. Red Dot is a faster burning powder than W231/HP-38 (I think on par with Bullseye) and well suited for various pistol calibers. Despite the larger metering variance, it produces accurate enough loads for range practice/plinking rounds. If you find current load data from Alliant limited, you can find more FMJ/lead loads in 2004 Alliant load data - http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=182147&d=1364769070
Promo is a large flake powder and meters with up to .2+ gr variance. Promo burn rate is comparable to Red Dot and Alliant says to use Red Dot load data by weight as Promo is more dense. It is my favorite powder for lead 9mm and 45ACP practice/plinking loads as the same 4.0 gr charge is used for 9mm 124/125 gr RN bullets and 45ACP 200 gr SWC bullets. (Promo thread for 9mm/40S&W range test and 45ACP range test).
Although Red Dot/Promo can be used for 40S&W, like Bullseye, they tend to produce more snappy recoil than W231/HP-38 and slower burning powders with the exception of Green Dot.
W231/HP-38, Vihtavuori N320 and Winchester Super Target (WST)
N320 is cut extruded powder (like most rifle powder) that meters with .1 gr variance. N320 is a fast burning powder and many match shooters consider it to be the best 9mm match powder that burns clean and shoots accurate.
WST is flattened ball powder without the black coating. It is a fast burn rate powder that meters with less than .1 gr variance.
Hodgdon Clays, W231/HP-38 and Hodgdon Titegroup
Clays is a very clean burning fast burn rate powder that meters with .1 gr variance. It is capable of producing accurate light target loads.
Reloaders have either love or hate relationship with Titegroup. Titegroup meters with less than .1 gr variance and is a fast burning powder that burns hot and violent (spiky chamber pressure build up) at near max load data with very narrow load range for many loads (some may consider the start charge to be already near max ). It is a powder that I do not recommend to new reloaders, particularly with lead bullets. However, it is a popular powder with many match shooters as match loads that meet velocity/power factor requirements are less temperature sensitive than W231/HP-38. I like it for 9mm as it produces accurate target loads but dislike it and discourage new reloaders from using it for 40S&W - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=7266869#post7266869
Many reloaders, especially those just starting out may not be familiar with different powder types and appearances. Close up pictures were taken with W231/HP-38 as reference to compare flake size and texture. Comments regarding metering characteristics and application/usage are what I usually share with new reloaders and they are my opinion based on limited experience as I currently only load for 380Auto/38Spl/9mm/40S&W/45ACP/45Colt in pistol calibers.
If you have good experience with a particular powder for specific caliber load, please share to benefit new reloaders with their powder selection.
Alliant Bullseye, Winchester 231/Hodgdon HP-38 and Alliant Power Pistol
W231 and HP-38 are coated flattened ball powders. They are the same exact powder sold by Winchester and licensed to Hodgdon in 2006 and W231 load data can be interchanged with HP-38 if your W231 was manufactured after 2006. Because of small size and smooth coating, W231/HP-38 meters very consistently and drops powder charges from Pro Auto Disk with less than .1 gr variance. The coating helps lubricate Pro Auto Disk surfaces and is my powder of choice for breaking-in new Pro Auto Disk. I use W231/HP-38 for all pistol calibers I load for as it produces accurate mid-range lower pressure target loads that produce milder recoil and is a good powder for new reloaders just starting out, especially if using Pro Auto Disk powder measure. It produces 9mm like recoil in 40S&W with start/low charges and moderate recoil with mid range charges. Because of small size and smooth flowing characteristics, I use it for 380Auto loads requiring small powder charges of 2.6-3.0 gr (below smallest Auto Disk hole) using this modification to my Auto Disk - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=9318202
Bullseye is a small flake powder and meters with less than .1 gr variance. Bullseye can produce very accurate target loads (more accurate than W231/HP-38) but because it is faster burning than W231/HP-38, felt recoil generated is more snappy but manageable in 9mm and less comfortable in 40S&W. Bullseye downloads well (shoots accurate down to start charge) and is a popular powder with Bullseye match shooters (hence the name). Same Auto Disk mod works well with Bullseye to drop 1.8-2.6 gr - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=9318202
Power Pistol is a small flake powder and meters with less than .1 gr variance. Power Pistol is slower burning than W231/HP-38 and tends to produce larger than typical muzzle flash in some loads and is popular for 40S&W and other calibers for full-power loads.
Alliant Red Dot, W231/HP-38 and Alliant Promo
Red Dot is a large flake powder and meters with up to .2+ gr variance. If you look at Red Dot closely, you'll see occasional red flakes. Red Dot is a faster burning powder than W231/HP-38 (I think on par with Bullseye) and well suited for various pistol calibers. Despite the larger metering variance, it produces accurate enough loads for range practice/plinking rounds. If you find current load data from Alliant limited, you can find more FMJ/lead loads in 2004 Alliant load data - http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=182147&d=1364769070
Promo is a large flake powder and meters with up to .2+ gr variance. Promo burn rate is comparable to Red Dot and Alliant says to use Red Dot load data by weight as Promo is more dense. It is my favorite powder for lead 9mm and 45ACP practice/plinking loads as the same 4.0 gr charge is used for 9mm 124/125 gr RN bullets and 45ACP 200 gr SWC bullets. (Promo thread for 9mm/40S&W range test and 45ACP range test).
Although Red Dot/Promo can be used for 40S&W, like Bullseye, they tend to produce more snappy recoil than W231/HP-38 and slower burning powders with the exception of Green Dot.
W231/HP-38, Vihtavuori N320 and Winchester Super Target (WST)
N320 is cut extruded powder (like most rifle powder) that meters with .1 gr variance. N320 is a fast burning powder and many match shooters consider it to be the best 9mm match powder that burns clean and shoots accurate.
WST is flattened ball powder without the black coating. It is a fast burn rate powder that meters with less than .1 gr variance.
Hodgdon Clays, W231/HP-38 and Hodgdon Titegroup
Clays is a very clean burning fast burn rate powder that meters with .1 gr variance. It is capable of producing accurate light target loads.
Reloaders have either love or hate relationship with Titegroup. Titegroup meters with less than .1 gr variance and is a fast burning powder that burns hot and violent (spiky chamber pressure build up) at near max load data with very narrow load range for many loads (some may consider the start charge to be already near max ). It is a powder that I do not recommend to new reloaders, particularly with lead bullets. However, it is a popular powder with many match shooters as match loads that meet velocity/power factor requirements are less temperature sensitive than W231/HP-38. I like it for 9mm as it produces accurate target loads but dislike it and discourage new reloaders from using it for 40S&W - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=7266869#post7266869
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