Powder Choice

[Navahojoe]

I shoot mostly handguns, .32 acp, .32 long and Mag, .38 Special, .44 Remington Magnum, and .45 Colt. I have on hand the following powders, Bullseye, Unique, Titegroup, and Trail Boss.
Local Gun store has powder on sale. What are your recommendations for another Handgun powder?
regards,
NavahoJoe

[45 2.1]

Alliant 2400 for the 44 Mag or WW231 for the others.

[VTDW]

My personal favorite for my RH .44Mag is VV N-110. I do not reload for the others.

Dave

[454PB]

While there are better powders for each, Unique and Bullseye will work for all. For my use, I'd buy some Bluedot.

[MtGun44]

Titegroup or BE are excellent for medium intensity to full power loads in all except the
.44 Mag. Unique will give a medium strong and very accurate result in the 44 Mag
at 10 grains. Try 8 gr Unique in the 45 Colt. If you want max power loads in 44 and
45 you will need a slower powder, 2400 is good - as 45 2.1 says. H110 is also good for
full power loads but is not good for reduced loads. Avoid magnum primers with 2400 and
unique, causes fliers. Titegroup is claimed to be less 'position sensitive' (tiny pinch of powder
in a big case) than most other fast powders. Unique will work pretty well in most, but since
we buy powder by the pound, fewer grains per load is a money saver if you shoot a lot.
You may use nearly twice as much of a medium powder like Unique compared to a fast
powder like TG or BE, so the TG or BE loads can cost a bit less. You might get 1000-1500
loads out of a pound of Unique, and maybe 2000-3000 from TG or BE.

Bill

[44man]

If you have a SBH, SRH or S&W .44, 296 is better for heavy loads then H110. Extensive testing for years has shown this with better accuracy. If you have a RH, H110 is best. No, don't even ask but it is true. As is the use of standard primers in the .44 and .45.

[singleshotbuff]

+1 on W231 and W296, obviously for different uses though.

Having said that, BE & Unique cover a lot of ground though, and some people prefer to keep powder inventories to a minimum. Both for safer storage and to minimize grabbing the wrong can of powder. Just a thought.

SSB

[pa_guns]

Hi

231, 296, and 2400.

2400 will throw *big* fireballs. If you shoot indoors or after sunset outdoors it may not be ideal.

Bob

[MtGun44]

No offense, but W296 IS H110. Same powder, different labels only.

Bill

[KYCaster]

I gotta agree with 44Man. When I've shot them side by side, W296 beats H110 EVERY TIME.

Jerry

[Ricochet]

I'm not sure it's still true about W296 and H110 being identical. Hodgdon's been sourcing a lot of their powders from Australia recently.

[felix]

Never assume powders are identical unless the LOT numbers are, or at least told by the distributor that the powder had been purposely renumbered in WRITING because of infringement . ... felix

[pa_guns]

Hi

H110 and W296 certainly are very *similar* powders. For what ever reason I seem to have had more luck with 296 than with 110. That may simply be random chance.

Bob

[felix]

As far as we are concerned, it is indeed a random chance that two powders act the very same. That is because the lot differences in the raw materials to make the powder. The powder blenders who create a consumer "branded" lot do their utmost to make those "branded" label lots act the same. The very best job has been done by V-V (the Finland brand) in the last several years. But that is not fact because not enough "brands" have been used by me to make the statement reliable. ... felix

[Swamprat1052]

I have started using Titegroup in my 45, I can load 6.2 grains for a light, plinking load or up to 11 grains for a hotter load (1190 fps) with a 255 gr. bullet from my RCBS mold. Like what was said earlier, you use less powder with it per shot and that adds up to cheaper shooting.

Swamprat

[pa_guns]

..... up to 11 grains for a hotter load (1190 fps) with a 255 gr. bullet from my RCBS mold.

Swamprat

Hi

I sure hope that's a 45 Colt revolver and not a 45 acp ;-)

Bob

[454PB]

Yeah, and it better be a very strong .45 Colt!