Powder less affected by temperature

[JimGun]

In his book: The Glock in Competition, Robin Taylor states that W231 is very sensitive to temperature and that some competitive shooters using W231 have failed Power factor test.
My question is, What powders are used by those of you who shoot in IDPA competition?
Thanks for replies.

 

[Rmeju]

I use a variety of powders myself, and I don't worry about it, but I also only shoot club matches where things are on the honor system (which I do try to follow, I just don't fret about whether 1 in 100 might fail). Truth be told, I couldn't tell you whether my bullseye, Power Pistol, Vhit N340, Tite Group (or for that matter, my Win 231) is temp sensitive, but it's never given me a moment's concern.

I note that for this to matter, there'd have to be a couple of factors in play at the same time: you'd have to be at a match that tested your loads, you'd have to have made loads designed to be at the bare minimum PF, and your match environment would have to be colder than your test environment.

If these factors don't apply, don't sweat it. If they do, hopefully someone else can chime in on what's a good temp resistant powder for your caliber.

 

[LiveLife]

That's why many load at 130 PF instead of 125 PF.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

That's why many load at 130 PF instead of 125 PF.

If you are,worried about W231 but like it otherwise that would be the easy way to prevent not making power on very cold days.

Remember, even if your powder us not temp sensitive their chronograph might read different than yours.

 

[Airborne Falcon]

I use a variety of powders myself, and I don't worry about it, but I also only shoot club matches where things are on the honor system (which I do try to follow, I just don't fret about whether 1 in 100 might fail). Truth be told, I couldn't tell you whether my bullseye, Power Pistol, Vhit N340, Tite Group (or for that matter, my Win 231) is temp sensitive, but it's never given me a moment's concern.

I note that for this to matter, there'd have to be a couple of factors in play at the same time: you'd have to be at a match that tested your loads, you'd have to have made loads designed to be at the bare minimum PF, and your match environment would have to be colder than your test environment.

If these factors don't apply, don't sweat it. If they do, hopefully someone else can chime in on what's a good temp resistant powder for your caliber.

I'd say you covered it pretty well. I mean I've used the dashboard of my truck to warm up reloads before a match on very cold days .... but I used to do that with everything, not just W231.

 

[LiveLife]

Keep in mind that some powders are reverse temperature sensitive and velocity will decrease as temperature rises - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=10117881#post10117881

Standard/Temperature sensitive powders (produces higher velocities at higher temps):
- Clays
- Titegroup
- W231/HP-38
- Power Pistol

Reverse/inverse temperature sensitive powders (produces higher velocities at lower temps):
- Competition
- WST
- Solo 1000
- N320 (but some claim reverse temp sensitivity)
- SR7625
- Universal
- WSF
- Silhouette

 

[Jim Watson]

I use HP38 because I am a fair weather shooter and I don't care if it slows down in cold weather.

The idea of reverse temperature sensitivity is very strange to me, I do not know how to square it with the little I recall of P-chem.

 

[Toprudder]

I have a friend that loves N310, but he told me it is VERY temp sensitive, enough that his normal loads would not reliably cycle his gun in 40deg temps.