AA, I understand your reasons and I believe they are valid. Where we split may be based on the differing philosophies of handgunning in PA vs. TX.
To everyone: One thing you'll find common to the best factory defense loads like SPEER's Gold Dot and Rem. Golden Sabers and many others if they're worth using, is that the propellants are treated to reduce flash. It should also be reflected in the various load manuals. This is a subject that I have seen visited on many, many occasions. When I see guys pushing the idea that magnum powders are still the way to go in short barrel magnums, I pretty much dismiss their lack of experience. AA, I know you're NOT doing that, and I'm NOT advocating the use of handloads for defense. When you have a favorite powder that can be used to replicate feel, like Power Pistol, or its parent powder, Bullseye, and there's no way you would use a handload for defense, I say, go for it! My question is: are you really replicating a defense load if you haven't considered flash? BTW, I was using PP about as soon as it hit the market.
Some people believe that the laws down here are a bit lax. I believe we have the most common sense gun laws in the US. If someone threatens your life as defined by the Texas Penal Code, and you shoot them, worrying about the type of load you used is a non factor. AND, it has happened. So while I won't advocate, I will tell you this, if someone threatens the safety of my child, wife or myself in my state, I don't give even a little damn about the load in my pistol, so long as it does what it's supposed to do. I hope to never need to. I learned fairly early on as a handloader, that I could produce, at least, the best that any factory load can provide.
To me, the first step in a defensive mindset is knowing how to avoid trouble to begin with. I know the odds of success are very good, but they are not absolute. Neither are they absolute that you won't have a handload in your gun when it's needed most. Hunting is a different situation. You most likely will use a magnum powder for a handgun hunting load unless it's small game. I don't know of a state that allows handgun hunting at night, so flash is not a concern. There have been cases where hunters have run into the wrong party in the field and had to defend themselves. Powder choice wasn't a factor due to the conditions.
What I'm reading from the original thought of this thread is that someone may have considered that their handload may be what they have when a gun is needed, as well as the replication aspect. I know guys that use 4" revolvers in the field. I start with 6" barrels, myself, but I don't know anyone going afield to take deer or anything larger with a 3" barrel magnum. They may be carrying one as a companion to their rifle because they don't assume that because they're out of town, they're also absolutely free of danger. They may also take a similar approach to mine as far as having an easy packing handgun for Coupe de Gracie duty that they hope not to need. (I like my version better then the French)
I most often associate 3" or shorter barreled revolvers with defense. There are powders that will cover all the bases, a select few, and I use them for defense cartridge loading. I like the sports of bullseye shooting and IPSC/IDPA, but I'd have to drive a very long way to compete in either, so I don't. What I do, is try to develop handloads for defense pistols that are match grade. I don't build target loads for 9mm. I build defense loads that are match accurate. I won't use anything faster than Unique (although I don't use it for this) for loading the .40 S&W if pressure's are going to be above the 30,000 PSI level. Glocks are not the only issue in the Ka-boom phenomenon. Many don't understand the pressure curve aspect when loading it and don't understand the concept that the .40 is a naturally fast pressure peaking cartridge. Most are now familiar with the concept of chamber support. Besides that, True Blue and Silhouette have given me the best accuracy, along with a CZ 75B, that I've ever had with the cartridge. I have carried the .45 ACP for defense purposes. I don't today, but there are few rounds I enjoy shooting more than the slow thumper.
In a pure defensive sense, I don't believe there will ever be a better defensive handgun than a 3" .357 Magnum if you have the ability to shoot it accurately in DA mode. Many feel pretty good about it with a good +P .38 Special load. I really like a combination of both, but that's another thread and definitely not for the inexperienced. Taking things a step further in finding a great powder to go either way, the choices fall into a much smaller window. I won't use a flake powder in either case. I want minimum flash. I also want the highest velocity possible for terminal performance provided accuracy compliments it. Factory level is minimum. In short, I want a low flash ball type powder. Many years of experience have led me to this conclusion as well as a considerable amount of night shooting. Okay, maybe our range rules are a bit lax.
I know I'm boring some to tears with my long winded diatribe, but if their still reading . . . who's to blame?
I want to make some final points. Walkalong has hypothesized about the relevance of fine grained, dense spherical propellants to ballistic uniformity through metering. I believe it has great merit. You will not find low flash powders commercially available that are not sherical and dense unless it is a very low pressure load. He also mentioned that burn rate charts are a guide, and not gospel. I agree completely. There are plenty of powders that will provide paradox to burn rate charts. One of my favorite examples is AA#5. It will be as fast as rated in some cartridges, but slower than it's rating in just as many. #5 is a top choice to meet the aspects of the thread. I like True Blue a bit better than #5 for it, but that's a personal preference. I like several others as well.
JFH is doing more work here than any of us are, currently. I find his conclusions much to my liking.
Thanks for the links to the burn rate charts, guys! I took the time to download them so I don't continually have to go to a website to see them. Independent burn rate charts are purely interpretation in most cases. I don't know many guys equipped to do closed bomb testing. They base their charts on their personal experience. Some of it is valid, some dismissable. I suggest that if you are into burn rate charts, you follow WA's advice, then look hardest at those who have actually done closed bomb testing. Beware, the results will be different there as well.
