rifle powder for handguns?

[sauer1911]

It seems there is alot of rifle powder available everywhere, save for the 700x and 800x that are crossovers to the handgun world.

What are the differences of Rifle powders to those Autocomps, Titegroups and WST, et al?

Has anyone tested handgun loads with rifle powders yet? Are they too slow or fast?, take up too much space or not enough?

be safe

 

[Schwing]

I would not venture into this unless you can find specifically published loads for those powders which is unlikely.

Most rifle powders are so slow that you can't put enough in a handgun cartridge case to get any kind of pressure or even proper ignition.

I know you hear this a lot but stick to published data and just keep your eyes open for handgun powder. I know it is frustrating but it is out there.

 

[Blue68f100]

Rifle powders in the most part are too slow. There are a few exceptions on the smaller rifle rounds that use pistol powder, aka 30 carbine and a few others. I mention 30 carbine for is use W296 which is a mag pistol powder.

 

[Walkalong]

Only the fastest of rifle powders are suitable for pistol loading, and only for calibers like .44 Mag etc with a large capacity and high pressure.

Some pistol powders are suitable for loading some rifle calibers at a very low velocity level.

700X & 800X are shotgun powders. Many shotgun powders are suitable for pistol reloading as they are pretty fast.

There is a very small range in the powder burn speed that can cross over a little, such as IMR 4227. It is at the top end of slow for pistol and the bottom end of fast for rifle powders.

 

[Swampman]

Most rifle powders are far too slow burning and bulky to work well in traditional pistol and revolver cartridges. With that said, W296/H110 was originally developed for the M1 Carbine and its seen quite a bit of use in magnum handgun loads.

Unless you can find published data from a reputable powder or bullet company, I'd suggest steering clear of any attempts along those lines. Slow burning rifle powders have been known to detonate with lower pressure loads, producing enough pressure to destroy the strongest bolt action rifle, let alone a pistol with a far weaker barrel and locking system.

 

[blarby]

I have published load data for 4198 in 44 mag, and 4227 for same 44 mag, if you'd like.


Came with me lee loader. Works pretty dang well, actually.

 

[TooManyToys]

Blarby,

Could you post that 4198 in 44mag load data?
Thank you.

 

[blarby]

When I get home, I certainly will !

 

[blarby]

Could you post that 4198 in 44mag load data?

Ask, and ye shall receive......

I used 22 grains, behing a 240LSWC and my 226 GCSWC- both worked well, and were fairly stout.

The 240 LSWC, leaded the bore. Shocking.

 

[Don McDowell]

In the back of the older Cartidges of the World books there is reprint of IMR data, and they did list some handgun cartridges with rifle powders, but for the most part anything slower than 4198 isn't going to work very well.

 

[TooManyToys]

Thanks for posting that Blarby.

22.5 of 4198, Does that indicate if that is a starting load, or a Max load?

 

[blarby]

Pretty much everything lee lists is a max load.

I'd consider it such.