I’m looking for an alternate powder in 9mm. I have good loads with W231, but I use it for everything. I was thinking of trying a couple do other so I have options. Anyone got any feedback on W244? It also looks promising in 38 Special and 357 Magnum.
Winchester 244
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Charlie98
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I tried W244 as a replacement for Unique in the 9mm... it worked ok, meaning it pushed the bullet out of the barrel with reasonable consistency. It did not produce velocity near some of the other powders I tried, to include TiteGroup, BE-86, and SportPistol, even at max data. It also had the odd habit of almost staining the brass at the case mouth... which, obviously, doesn't hurt anything, but I found odd.
GeoDudeFlorida
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Ditto. The best and really only place I have found W244 to be a preference over other options is with very light jacketed bullets in .38Spl STANDARD pressure loads. Use the maximum load and you will get upper midrange velocity - which is terrific for 125gr and lighter JHP in a snubby .38!
Blue68f100
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I use WSF for all my 9mm loads, 231 is my backup powder. Does work for 38 spl and 357 mag too but you want be in mag velocity range. For light to med range it's preforms like the 231 does. I mainly shoot light BE target loads in 357/38 and use WST for that. For full mag 357 it prefer W296 or 2400.
For 124gr RMR Matchwinner I'm using either Aliant Sport Pistol or e3.
For 147gr RMR Matchwinners, I'm using VV N310
I've also had good luck with Shooters World Clean Shot, but it's getting hard to find
For .38Spl, my default powder is Clays
For 147gr RMR Matchwinners, I'm using VV N310
I've also had good luck with Shooters World Clean Shot, but it's getting hard to find
For .38Spl, my default powder is Clays
vanfunk
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I do not have experience with 244 in the calibers you mention, but I have used lots of it in .44 Special +P / mid-range .44 Magnum loads. 7.5-8 grains of 244 behind a 240 grain LSWC yields 975-1025 fps in my 6” Colt Anaconda, with excellent accuracy. Most notable is the consistency; extreme spreads with this load are never more than 10 fps and it is not position sensitive in my experience. I also love that it’s cheap, cheap, cheap compared to other powders. I bought my last few pounds of 244 at $30.99. I haven’t tried it in .38 special but might when my jug of Ramshot Silhouette runs dry (a perfect .38 Special powder in my estimation). W244 tends to produce velocities a bit lower than published - that’s the only negative I’ve experienced. Now I run all my loads over a chronograph (Garmin Xero, love it).
Charlie98
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I really kick myself in the butt for not including WSF in my 9mm powder trials. If I stumble upon a can of it, I may just bite the bullet and pick it up.
Blue68f100
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If you ever come out to my range I will give you some. I had a friend that had to stop reloading due to health issues. He passed away about a year later. I sold his equipment off for him and kept all the powders and primers so I'm have way more than I will ever use.
GeoDudeFlorida
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Anytime I can get upper midrange velocity inside of the standard pressure curve I’m happy. Typically that’s the speed range where .38Spl starts knocking on the +P door. W244 and Unique have that trait in common.
To me, W244 seems more like TiteGroup’s polite and respectful cousin than W231’s twin brother.
lordpaxman
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In all the load workups I did for W244 I found it to be within a few tenths of a grain of W231. It was a bit cleaner but equal on smoke flash and recoil. It metered well and is definitely on my buy list, and I placed it as a W231 replacement - not exactly equivalent but very close.
I find Titegroup, Sport Pistol and N320 to be a bit faster than W244 while Universal, WSF, N330 and N340 are slower.
In the spirit of this thread, W244 seems a good fit. In terms of W231 alternates, I want to try Titegroup and/or Cleanshot. Titegroup works well enough in 9mm and is listed as the potentially most accurate powder by Lyman in their 38 Special wadcutter data.
243winxb
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Ok in 9mm with cast. The 357 mag cast load at 6.0 grs is midrange velocity, 163 lswc. Need to try in other cartridges this spring.
244 is going to be my do all powder for handguns. Data for 38, 357, 9mm, 45acp,44 mag & others. Bought 10 pounds @ $25 each.
Not paying Alliant $50 a pound for Bullseye, Unique & 2400.
Charlie98
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TiteGroup is a good 9mm powder... it's where I'm trying to use my remaining bit of it up at. It works well in poly 9's because the frame doesn't turn into a heatsink from the heat TiteGroup generates....
I’m with you there. I’m on the hunt for some enforcer or AA #9. I just haven’t found anything that will match the accuracy of 2400. Of course I haven’t tried very hard either.
irving
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I'm using it for 38 special. It meters well and is relatively inexpensive. My loads are 4.0 grains with 158 grain coated SWC, and 2.6 grains with 148 grain lead HBWC.
GeoDudeFlorida
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That 
When I did the load work up for my .38Spl JHP-HE load I decided to go with W244 because at 5.4-5.6 gr it was less flashy than both W231 and Silhouette.
I didn’t try anything under 5.0gr because I was looking for 820fps+ from a 2” Detective Special and the starting load for a generic JHP is 5.0gr per Hodgdon’s. The W-W load for the old SilverTip 110gr is 5.3gr W231 but W244 is a little slower so I went to 5.6gr.
5.4gr and 5.6gr are nearly identical so I’m going with the lighter version.
is interesting.
When I did the load work up for my .38Spl JHP-HE load I decided to go with W244 because at 5.4-5.6 gr it was less flashy than both W231 and Silhouette.
I didn’t try anything under 5.0gr because I was looking for 820fps+ from a 2” Detective Special and the starting load for a generic JHP is 5.0gr per Hodgdon’s. The W-W load for the old SilverTip 110gr is 5.3gr W231 but W244 is a little slower so I went to 5.6gr.
5.4gr and 5.6gr are nearly identical so I’m going with the lighter version.
243winxb
Member
Old thread warning....
Tried W244 in 45acp with Lyman 200 gr bb lswc, WLP, Starline brass. Loaded 4.8, 5.1 & 5.4 grs. The 4.8 gr seemed best @ 25 yards.
Before firing, i put a new Colt 16 pound spring in, as the 244 load produces more velocity then my 3.8 grs Bullseye load.
My 1970's Colt Gold Cup had the short spring in it. Picked gun up used, many years ago.
Do you think the short spring was cut by the old owner, or its compressed?
Tried W244 in 45acp with Lyman 200 gr bb lswc, WLP, Starline brass. Loaded 4.8, 5.1 & 5.4 grs. The 4.8 gr seemed best @ 25 yards.
Before firing, i put a new Colt 16 pound spring in, as the 244 load produces more velocity then my 3.8 grs Bullseye load.
My 1970's Colt Gold Cup had the short spring in it. Picked gun up used, many years ago.
Do you think the short spring was cut by the old owner, or its compressed?
Last edited:
Charlie98
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Just looking at the number of coils on it... I would say cut. Likely a full-power spring cut down to cycle with target velocity loads.
GeoDudeFlorida
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Yup. One of my GC-NM is running a short coiled Colt factory spring for 700-750fps LSWC loads. It looks just like that.
The other went to W-C for a full length solid guide rod, dual coil springs, ambi controls replacement barrel, and a little more work. It was long enough ago I don’t remember it all. That one needs close to +P to cycle reliably. I keep silicone buffers in both to avoid beating them up.
NMexJim
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I like Accurate powders. #5, #7 and even #2 will get over 1,100 fps in 124 grn and mid 900 fps in 145 grn. I like everything they do for me in 9mm.
Charlie98
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If you like W231, you like HP-38... they are the exact same powder. I would not pick W244 over either of those... just my personal choice.
Well after my recent use of HS6 for 357 Magnum DEWC loads I bought another pound of that. I use it in 9mm too. I tried the lgs hoping to score some Clean Shot but no dice. Accurate #5 & #7 are on the all around list too.
Silhouette works ok for 38 Special, but I’ve been spoiled by the accuracy of my Blackhawk. If I can’t get test groups to shoot at or under 1.5” from 25 yards, I’m moving on.
Silhouette works ok for 38 Special, but I’ve been spoiled by the accuracy of my Blackhawk. If I can’t get test groups to shoot at or under 1.5” from 25 yards, I’m moving on.
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