spartan55
Member
I am looking for a good inexpensive powder to reload ALL of my pistol caliburs. .38, .357, .9mm, .45 acp. I am reloading for bulk practice ammo only so nothing to fancy is required
powder for pistols?
- Thread starter spartan55
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I like W231 for all of my pistol reloading. I found a deal on a large can and have never regretted it. I use it in everyting from 32acp to the 45 acp. I works great for all of them. Also, I use cast for all of my pistols. Home cast. Give it a try.
good shooting
good shooting
One powder won't get the most out of all your calibers, but here are some I like.
1. Clays- 9,45
2. Universal- 9,45
3. Power Pistol- 9,40,45
4. HS6- 357,9,45
5. 231- everything
Never loaded any 38, since I had a 357, but the powders will work
1. Clays- 9,45
2. Universal- 9,45
3. Power Pistol- 9,40,45
4. HS6- 357,9,45
5. 231- everything
Never loaded any 38, since I had a 357, but the powders will work
delta53
Member
2nd Hs-6
I 2nd Hs-6 or surplus wc540 for 38,357,44,45 and more
I 2nd Hs-6 or surplus wc540 for 38,357,44,45
and moreIDriveB5
Member
another vote for 231.
I use 231 with berry's copper plated RN bullets for my plinking loads and really like that combination.
I use 231 with berry's copper plated RN bullets for my plinking loads and really like that combination.
ulflyer
Member
I like 231 and Bullseye...fine grain powders that load a LOT of bullets. Some say Bullseye is dirty; I don't see much diff in it and 231. Also use Clays a lot as its bulkier and easier to see in my loader after its been dropped into the case. Its a bit cleaner. I load 38, 45acp, and 45LC.
All 3 meter well in my Dillon 550.
All 3 meter well in my Dillon 550.
The Bushmaster
Member
W-231 will fit the bill for all the calibres you mentioned. In fact that is what I use in all of them...
Jim Watson
Member
I use HP38 (which comes off the 231 production line) in all non-magnum calibers.
A top load of a fast burning powder like that in .357 Magnum will not be of very high performance except maybe with light bullets. I would bite the bullet and get a can of something slower for near full charge magnums. Blue Dot is ok, and there are many others.
A top load of a fast burning powder like that in .357 Magnum will not be of very high performance except maybe with light bullets. I would bite the bullet and get a can of something slower for near full charge magnums. Blue Dot is ok, and there are many others.
CZ57
member
If you know a shop in SE Texas that has it, Ramshot True Blue. More flexible than anything listed and you'll save $ to boot!
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Alliant Unique is the universal pistol & shotgun powder, and has been since it was invented.
Others may come close, and still others may be better in certain calibers.
But you can load anything with Unique and get pretty darn good performance out of it.
rcmodel
Joemyxplyx
Member
CZ57 and Ramshot True Blue
CZ57 wrote
I bought Ramshot ZIP to load .38 Special and .45. I know Ramshot lists loads for 9mm .38 & .357 and .45. What's the difference between True Blue and ZIP? Why is True Blue more versatile?
ZIP and 231 have the same burn rates, so why aren't they the same? I have shot ZIP in the .45 with excellent results.
Thanks in advance.
CZ57 wrote
I bought Ramshot ZIP to load .38 Special and .45. I know Ramshot lists loads for 9mm .38 & .357 and .45. What's the difference between True Blue and ZIP? Why is True Blue more versatile?
ZIP and 231 have the same burn rates, so why aren't they the same? I have shot ZIP in the .45 with excellent results.
Thanks in advance.
38 Super Auto
Member
Another vote for Accurate Arms #5. I use it for 45ACP, 40S/W, 9mm, and,357. It's a mid speed powder similar in speed to Clays Univ, Unique, and WSF.
jrumsey
Member
I agree with CZ57 Ramshot True Blue will work just fine with the cartridges you listed.
Joe
Joe
ATAShooter
Member
Bullseye & unique. Either one.
Urbana John
Member
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- Feb 18, 2007
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Unique works well for me in 380, 9mm, 38 & 357, 40 S&W, 44 Mag, 45 LC and 12 gauge.
UJ
UJ
True Blue is a little slow for that "all around" label by my way of thinking, although it is supposed to download very well.
Zip is not the same as W231 and I don't believe the burn rate is quite the same either, judging by my limited use of Zip and extensive use of W-231.
Zip can be very accurate though, and should work pretty well in all those calibers.
Zip is not the same as W231 and I don't believe the burn rate is quite the same either, judging by my limited use of Zip and extensive use of W-231.
Zip can be very accurate though, and should work pretty well in all those calibers.
CoRoMo
Member
W231
Bought a keg of it... should last a lifetime... 3.8grains at a time.
Bought a keg of it... should last a lifetime... 3.8grains at a time.
1911NM
Member
Wish I had bought a keg of W231, and yep nice all around powder for a number of pistol calibers. I also use Clays in my .45auto. Have heard some positive things about Ramshot Zip, but have no personal experience with it yet. Good luck, have fun, and be safe.
zxcvbob
Member
Alliant PROMO is super cheap, and ideal for all of those except the .357 magnum. (it will work just fine in the .357, but you won't get the performance you probably want)
Bullseye costs a little more, but will do everything you want including the 357.
Bullseye costs a little more, but will do everything you want including the 357.
Floppy_D
Member In Memoriam
I'm with ATAshooter, I like Unique for mid-range loads and Bullseye for powderpuff loads. I think Bullseye and Clays will stretch the farthest.
CZ57
member
Joemyxplyx, for light loads, Zip was a good choice. Zip is similar to 231, but with a bit higher velocity potential in the .45 ACP. ZIP is an ideal target powder for .38 Special. I don't like to compare ZIP to 231 because I believe it's better compared to Vihta Vouri powders and is between 320 and 330 in burn rate.
For very light loads, Ramshot Competition is getting more popular every day for the .45 ACP. Walkalong can help with his own observations there. What makes True Blue my recommendation here is that you can load light, or medium; approximately how reloaders use Unique for everything, but you can load up with True Blue into the range just short of where a magnum powder needs to be used. True Blue is every bit as flexible as Unique, but has a distinct advantage: it's a very fine spherical propellant that Unique won't come close to in ease of metering. It meters so well, in fact, that I believe that contributes to the very low Standard Deviation numbers you can get in every caliber with True Blue. Since I mentioned how fine it is, I'll caution users of LEE powder measures that leak with AA#5 or 7, that True Blue will also leak from your powder measure.
For very light loads, Ramshot Competition is getting more popular every day for the .45 ACP. Walkalong can help with his own observations there. What makes True Blue my recommendation here is that you can load light, or medium; approximately how reloaders use Unique for everything, but you can load up with True Blue into the range just short of where a magnum powder needs to be used. True Blue is every bit as flexible as Unique, but has a distinct advantage: it's a very fine spherical propellant that Unique won't come close to in ease of metering. It meters so well, in fact, that I believe that contributes to the very low Standard Deviation numbers you can get in every caliber with True Blue. Since I mentioned how fine it is, I'll caution users of LEE powder measures that leak with AA#5 or 7, that True Blue will also leak from your powder measure.
GP100man
Member
i get more bang for the buck with tite group & clays , another strong powder i watch for is imr700x but its usually pricey.
when i was younger we leaded our barrels with anything that would melt & pour something that resembled a 38 swc& 5.0gr. reddot in a 357 casing
GP100man
when i was younger we leaded our barrels with anything that would melt & pour something that resembled a 38 swc& 5.0gr. reddot in a 357 casing
GP100man
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