Is Power Pistol Clean or What?

[Hogokansatsukan]

I was out the other day with some new .380 loads (Lyman 356242) cast of linotype. I had never played with Power Pistol so I thought I would give it a try.
I was shooting a S&W Walther PPK/S. The pistol is pretty new, so until this time, only factory jacketed projectiles were used. This is my first at loading and casting for the .380. The factory Winchester white box and Remington would leave a good 3/4 of soot around the end of the slide and barrel.
After 200 rounds of my cast boolits and Power Pistol, the outside of the pistol was as clean as when I started. I could not beleive have clean this left the gun. Yes, there was crud inside, but a lot less than with factory and no unburnt powder existed anywhere.
I was so happy with the consistancy of the rounds that I went and bought 4 pounds of the stuff. Accuracy is as good as I am.

[MtGun44]

I use it mostly for .44 mag moderate loads, it excells there. Sounds like it is developing
good pressure and therefore burning efficiently for you, leaving less unburned materials.

Good powder, wish there was more loading data for it.

Bill

[Hogokansatsukan]

I have not tried it in the .44 yet. I have 1000 new Starline cases waiting to be loaded. I generally used Lil'Gun for .44 loads, but then was pulling the front sight of the 5.5 inch barrel out of my forehead with those loads.
I'll have to give it a try. I have about 7 molds for the .44 so I figure I can find one combo that will work nicely. I know that the Lee 310 grain boolit shoots minute of mountain with Lil'gun out of my ruger. I have never had a load that would shoot 30 feet in any given direction at 100 yards, but that one will.

[pistolman44]

I use it in my custom 45 Super 6" ported 1911. I have a good burn rate with it. Don't seem that dirty to me. Maybe it goes by lots as to how clean it is.

[35remington]

The only downside I can really mention about it is it is rather blasty and flashy for its power level.

Judging by the blast and flash, especially in heavier loads in 45, 40, 9mm, etc. you'd think the bullet is going like hell, then you lean over and look at the chronograph and say, "Nope, same speed as the other loads."

[That'll Do]

Power Pistol is great. I use it in 357 Magnum, 9mm Luger, 40 S&W, and 44 Special. It is AWESOME in the 44 Special. You can drive a 250gr H&G 503/RCBS 44-250-K/429421 to nearly 1000fps, without worrying about excessive pressure.

It is a flashy powder, but the performance it provides is well worth it.

[Rocky Raab]

Powders designed for self-defense/military use have a flash inhibitor added for low-light use.

Power Pistol was designed for daylight pistol competition. Also, flash inhibitors reduce performance a tiny bit, and Power Pistol was designed to allow shooters to "make major" so they needed all the performance possible.

Result: Power Pistol has flash and blast like a small nuke. It's not a powder I'd consider if self-defense/night/indoor shooting is possible.

[Smoke-um if you got-um]

3.5 gr with a 90 XTP Hornady or 90 Speer Gold Dot shoots to same point of impact as Hornady 90 gr Critical Defense in my Kel-Tec P3AT .380. I use it to qualify for my concealed carry license yearly. It does indeed sound off and "barks like a big dog". You would swear you've over loaded the little guy if only judged by the blast signiture. I did not take notice of it being more or less cleaner than other powders tried.

Mike

[MtGun44]

9.0 PP is a really accurate load in .44 mag under a 250 class Keith, IME. About 1050
from a 4" bbl.

Bill

[frankenfab]

Them little old mouse cartridges aren't big enough to make a mess!:kidding:

[targetshootr]

I thought I'd try it several years ago in 44s and 45s but it made too much smoke. Had to wait till the smoke cleared to see the target. Not sure if it was a bad batch but it almost looked like i was using black powder. Used Magma's hard blue lube back then which was fine with other powders.

[mpmarty]

Cleanest powder I've ever used. Loaded up a batch of 10mm with it and used new cases. After firing the inside of the cases were as clean and shiny as the ones new in the box.

[Dutch4122]

........................It is AWESOME in the 44 Special. You can drive a 250gr H&G 503/RCBS 44-250-K/429421 to nearly 1000fps, without worrying about excessive pressure.



That load wouldn't happen to be 8 grns of Power Pistol, would it? I saw that load recommended by Brian Pierce in his handloader #236 article on the .44 Special. It was listed under the "15,500 PSI or Less" loads. The article listed velocity as 978 fps out of a 4.25" barrel. Pierce recommends it as a "good general purpose load."

Been thinking about giving that load a try with a Group Buy 429421 cast out of 50% wheelweight / 50% pure lead, air cooled.

[Hogokansatsukan]

I'll have to do some night plinking and see what kind of flash I'm getting with the .380 and 9mm.
I use Universal Clays for the .32 H&R hot rod loads, and that has no flash out of a 5.5. Might give that a whirl with the .380 and 9mm as well, but so far, I'm loving the clean burn of power pistol out of those guns.
Will have to break out the 429 molds now as well.