power pistol: 9mm, 40sw, 380

[trigga]

okay guys i'm back with a new powder. i have already worked up loads for these calibers and like them but however i can't find the powder i used anymore. i recently got a 4 lb jug of power pistol and plan on using them on all my current loads. that includes .40 sw, 9mm and 380 auto. the guns are: glock 22, beretta 92fs, and colt mustang government. all will be for target ammo as usual. here's the bullets i'll be loading and the data i have surfed and come up with, can't seem to find any published data:


1) Winchester 124 gr FMJ Flat Base
Loaded at 5.0, 5.2, 5.4 gr @ COL 1.135
- i have 100 of these and don't plan on loading these in the future


2) Xtreme 9mm 124 gr RN plated
Load at 5.0, 5.2, 5.4 gr @ COL 1.135
- my preferred 9mm bullets


3) Xtreme 9mm 115 gr HP Plated
Load at 5.0, 5.2, 5.4 gr @ COL (to be determined)
- i have 400 of these and don't plan on loading these in the future


4) Xtreme 40sw 180 gr FP Plated
* could not find any data but Lee manual list 180 gr XTP bullet starting at 6.3 and max at 7.2 gr going 903-1013 FPS
Loading at 6.4, 6.6, 6.8 gr @ 1.130 (the estimated velocity @ 6.8 should be safe for the plated bullet)
- my preferred 40sw bullet


5) Xtreme 380 100 gr FP Plated
Loaded at 3.8, 4.0, 4.2 @ COL .975
- my preferred 380 bullet


tell me what you guys think and your experiences with similar bullets... too hot? too low? overall i think the 9mm is going to be okay. not sure about the .40 and 380. i'm planning on buying the chrony f1 in the near future to get some reading. thanks.

 

[GJSchulze]

I've used 5.0 gr of Power Pistol with 124 gr bullets. I routinely use 4.2 gr with147 gr bullets. My COL for 147 is 1.135. You will probably want more than 5.0 gr for 115 gr. Lighter bullets are usually shorter, so using the same COL will result in more case volume and therefore less pressure. These are light loads, so you can afford a shorter COL if you want, say 1.1 or so, even less for the 115 gr bullets.

 

[Potatohead]

Try:

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/index.aspx

Be warned, data listed as max here.


Also, I dont know when power pistol came out but you can try this:

http://www.castpics.net/LoadData/Freebies/RM/Alliant.html

 

[trigga]

thanks, i haven't seated the hps yet. i was going to seat them so that the base (not COL) is similar to the 124 gr. the manual is using a jhp bullet but the same powder... i'm starting my loads way under.

 

[Rule3]

I use PP in my 9 and 40. I do not think I would in 380. I do load those at times with HP38.

 

[4895]

I routinely load 6.4 grains of PowerPistol for 9mm with 115 FMJ bullets at 1.125". The load is a bit flashy, but really runs the 92fs slide well. I have gone up to 6.7 grains but like 6.4 grains as a compromise. I wouldn't start less than 6.0 grains as it doesn't really call for it. Good luck.

 

[bluetopper]

Power Pistol powder was specifically designed for the 9mm and .40 cal. It will work wonderfully in them.
.380 will perform better with a faster burning powder. Maybe there is enough room in the 380 case for enough Power Pistol to perform adequately, hope so.

 

[Mad Chemist]

Power pistol will work just fine for .380acp. It gives good case fill and it meters really well which helps for the smaller charges used in .380. I've used it with plated and jacketed bullets with good results. This powder will work well for duplicating factory ammo. It may not work as well for making super soft shooting loads.

Unique also works great in .380 but it's a PITA to meter. I have downloaded it for soft shooting lead, and I have loaded it hot with sierra JHP. Both loadings performed as intended.

Bullseye is a good .380 powder as well. It can be loaded light or close to top end. Be careful with light charges of Bullseye, it's easy to double charge them.

Ramshot Competition has worked good for me for light target loads with .95gr lrn from Missouri bulets. It is not suited for top velocities as it will hit peak pressure well before top end velocities are achieved.

I am going to work up a load with Xtreme 100gr rn and Nitro 100nf in the next couple of weeks. The goal is to create an exceptionally soft shooting but reliable practice load for my extremely recoil sensitive wife.

 

[Rule3]

Yes it will work but a faster powder will work more betterer.

 

[Kidslash]

Thinking of using power pistol in 10mm in the future. Talk about flash!

 

[trigga]

I have been using bullseye for both 9mm and 380. Just can't find none at the moment.

 

[trigga]

I think I'll pass on the 380 for now. It's not for me anyways

 

[JamieC]

I've been using Power Pistol for awhile, 9mm. Loading Precision Delta 124JHP @ 1.100", 5.2gr is getting 1080fps. Bayou Bullets 124gr LRN, loaded to 1.130" gets me nearly identical speed. This is my basic range, IDPA load. Loading the PD with 6.1gr is getting me 1164fps. Hornady XTP, 147gr, loaded with 5.1gr is averaging 1028fps.

 

[GJSchulze]

Hornady XTP, 147gr, loaded with 5.1gr is averaging 1028fps

That is a hot load. According to Quickload the case is 100% filled and the pressure is a little over 30k PSI.

 

[JamieC]

That is a hot load. According to Quickload the case is 100% filled and the pressure is a little over 30k PSI.

I agree, it's bit hotter than Hornady's own ammo. I shot a bunch, checked for any signs of overpressure, haven't seen any. I've heard of and read of hotter loads using the 147gr XTPS, Lee lists max @ 5.7, (that is loaded to 1.140" OAL, I'm loading to 1.100"). I'm not going any further. After I'd bought the bullets, I saw more than a few reports of the XTPs not expanding mainly due to velocity.

 

[GJSchulze]

I'm loading to 1.100"

If you are loading to 1.100" with a 147 gr bullet, then you are compressing the load. According to QL, 5.1 gr of Power Pistol gives a 100% fill with an OAL of 1.135".

 

[JamieC]

If you are loading to 1.100" with a 147 gr bullet, then you are compressing the load. According to QL, 5.1 gr of Power Pistol gives a 100% fill with an OAL of 1.135".

I don't know anything about Quickload, IF the powder is compressed, is there a problem? When I started working up this load, 5.2gr was the start point. Since I was loading at a smaller OAL, (I had to because one of my guns has a short throat, wanted everything to work in all my guns), I started 10% under the start, worked up, no problems.

 

[ThePenguinKnight]

I am also a Power Pistol fan. Was my go-to powder for 9mm 115gr and 124gr loads for several years, but i recently exhausted my supply and haven't sourced any more.

it is a very flashy, very loud powder. I like that, as it gives me closer recoil to my carry load(more flash nd mzzle blast though) but it can really abuse your hand with the right load. I had my wife shooting a load with PP for IDPA last month, and while she did great, i realized later how bad the recoil got for her. It's nothing to me, and she handled it very well, but that can be a good way to induce a flinch in a less experienced shooter.

 

[Potatohead]

Does Power Pistol load down ok?

 

[JamieC]

I'm guessing by "load down", you mean light mouse fart type loads? If so, yeah, works fine, I'm using 5.2gr to shoot 124 Bayou Bullets, running about 1080fps. I've loaded them lighter, no problems.

 

[GJSchulze]

When I started working up this load, 5.2gr was the start point

5.2 might be the starting point for 115 gr, but certainly not 147 gr. 147 gr at 1028 is a power factor of 151. Minor Power factor for USPSA is 125. Major is 165, so you are close to that and AFAIK, 9mm is never pushed to major. My loads have a power factor of around 130. I used to run it closer to 125 and this was just above what I needed to cycle the slide, so in my gun with a 5.25 barrel I consider 4.0 gr of PP with a 147 gr bullet minimum to cycle the gun reliably.

Quickload is a fairly well known computer application that does internal ballistics calculations to provide all sorts of information. I'm sure the fill % is accurate because that's a matter of geometry. The longer your bullet and/or the shorter your OAL, the less volume in the case for powder, depending on the density of the powder. Less volume causes more initial pressure, as does the inertia from the heavier bullet, the friction of the bullet on the barrel (the bearing surface of a longer bullet is greater than a shorter bullet), and the tightness of the crimp. QL calculates a peak pressure of 38k at an OAL of 1.1 and a velocity of 1068 in a 4" barrel (and 114% fill), so this is close to your situation. With an OAL of 1.135 the pressure is 30K and the powder is at 100% fill.

Since you've compressed it and it hasn't blown up, it may be safe, but many powders do not like to be compressed. SAAMI max pressure for 9mm is 35k PSI, so your load is +P. Certainly don't go with more powder or shorter OAL. I would suggest that you lengthen the OAL as much as you can (without touching the rifling, which will increase your pressure too much) and also reduce your powder charge to 4.5 gr if you have to use an OAL of 1.1.

 

[JamieC]

I have a Lee reloading book on the desk, 115gr jacketed bullet, start load for Power Pistol is 6.2gr, max is 6.7, min OAL 1.120". Starting for the Hornady is 5.2gr. I checked some of my other books, checked out several other reloaders recipes. As I already said, knowing that I had to shrink the OAL, I started well under the average start load of more than one source. I worked up, chronographed them, checked the empty cases for signs of overpressure. I've shot quite a few rounds of 9mm using Power Pistol of many different bullet types and weights. Theory is one thing, experience is something else. Like I said, I don't know anything about Quickload, never heard of it. I will give it a look, thanks.

 

[Potatohead]

I'm guessing by "load down", you mean light mouse fart type loads? If so, yeah, works fine, I'm using 5.2gr to shoot 124 Bayou Bullets, running about 1080fps. I've loaded them lighter, no problems.

Yea. Low to mid range data, I guess I shouldve specified exactly what I meant. Some will just leave a big mess down low.

 

[trigga]

I finally got a chance to go test the loads on Monday. To start out all the 9mm worked out fine. I think I'm going to stick with 5.4gr for both the 124 gr and 115 gr. I did load some 5.6 gr in the 115 gr hp and noticed a slight case bulge. the 5.0 gr loads worked but seems to just barely "drop" the cases on my feet. (just enough to cycle the slide)

The 180 gr 40 sw however, I did notice a lot more blast that what I have been using (AA no. 5). the 6.4 gr loads worked fine. the 6.8 gr slightly started showing bulges with the factory glock barrel. I finished the 6.8 gr loads in my 6" storm lake barrel and no more bulges. It definitely felt like a hot load. I wish I had a chrono to measure it. will be sticking with the 6.4 gr.

 

[Mad Chemist]

I strongly doubt you are getting bulged cases from 5.6gr of PP with a 115gr JHP out of a Beretta 92. I load at 5.7gr with a 124 plated RN at a 1.142" out of a SW Shield which has very limited support of the case head due to the generous cut away at the feed ramp. Anything lighter than this and the Shield will fail to cycle. My brass has never been bulged from this load. Truly bulged cases are very obvious, you will definitely know when you have one. The Brass will have a "guppy" shape. It will look like it has a "belly" that protrudes from just above the base on the portion of the case that sat just above the feed ramp.