WAP data and Silhouette Qs

[catbite45]

Now that walmart prices are more than my time is worth to reload, I decided to break into my last three pound can of WAP powder. I carefully recorded my 45acp load data, since you had to make old style major in 45 to prevent the crud from forming. Otherwise this is a great powder.

However, I was too silly to record data for 9mm, and now the reloading guides online at Winchester are gone.

Does anyone have a link to a guide?

Also, I heard that Ramshot Silhouette is WAP under a different label. Is this true? The nearest dealer for Ramshot is about 1-1/2 hours away and I need to know if I need to drive there.

 

[Crimp]

I have just short of 4 lbs of WAP left. I use Silhouette data and have no problems. My Montana Gold 124 FMJ load is 5.9gr of WAP with a 1.150 OAL. This is my most accurate round in a Sig P225 and a 4" XD9.

It's been confirmed by many on here and other forums that WAP and Silhouette are the same powder. Some say a flash retardant was added to Silhouette, but I think WAP also had it.

IMO, this is the optimum powder for performance 9mm ammo. Ramshot's True Blue is another excellent one for 9x19.

Ramshot's load data is here, although I find it very conservative compared to, say, Sierra's data.

 

[Walkalong]

I can email a PDF file with the Winchester data. I had links to it, but they finally did away with those pages. One of the members here at THR provided us with the PDF.

Yes, Silhouette is the same as WAP.

Ramshot powders are good powders.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Yes, Silhouette is the same as WAP. You can find the data here: http://www.ramshot.com/powders/

They have online loading data for quite a few loads and I believe there is a link to get there free handout, which contains the same information.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[catbite45]

Wow. Ramshot has the loads ramped down quite a bit. My old favorite 45acp load for WAP and 230gr ball was 7.1, which was enough to prevent the WAP crud. Ramshot called that .1 over max.

My 200gr LSWC load with WAP is just .1 under book max.

 

[Tree Rat]

I agree......Power Pistol blows Silhouette away in 9mm/124's.

What's the big deal with Silhouette?



TR

 

[catbite45]

Back in the old IPSC days when I shot (poorly), WAP was THE powder. It flowed well, gave you lots of gas for your comps--everyone had comps on their 45s and 38 supers--and was very clean so long as you ramped up the load hot enough to avoid the WAP crud which was little grey specks.

The 38 super guys with the really expensive double stack race guns and super comps loved WAP because you could also get a lot of speed at lower pressure levels and this was back when 'super face' was a real threat.

'Super face' was when the case in a 38 super making major would let go and bits of powder and brass would embed into the shooter's face. Just as I quit IPSC for grad school everyone was buying fully supported chamber guns, which I heard stopped super face.

 

[Crimp]

I agree......Power Pistol blows Silhouette away in 9mm/124's. What's the big deal with Silhouette?

That's an interesting observation...

Sierra's 5th edition lists the following loads for a 9mm 125gr:

______________900___950__1000__1050__1100__1150
Power Pistol__4.7___5.0___5.2___5.5___5.7___---
Silhouette____---___4.6___5.0___5.4___5.7___6.1

If you look at the loads for other high pressure pistol rounds, you'll see similar data. The burn rates of the two powders are very close. Density of Power Pistol is 11.247 gr/cc; Silhouette is 12.346.

I consider Silhouette a substitute for Power Pistol with a benefit - it doesn't have the humongous flash that Power Pistol is famous for.