Handgun Powder Poll Results: Multi Forum Totals

[357shooter]

So the poll on the handgun powders was actually put on a few forums. It turns out that the vast majority of the votes came from CastBoolits.

Even though the poll hasn't aged much, the past 100 people that voted haven't changed the sequence that the powders are in.

The voting is still goin on, however I don't think the results will change much at this point.

So with 220 people casting 638 votes total (not everyone voted 3 times) the results are at the following link (click on the image to make it larger): http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/ab341/prgallo/UpdatedHandgunPowder9-24-2.jpg

[white eagle]

I didn't see H110 or W296
must be for them other pistols

[357shooter]

I didn't see H110 or W296
must be for them other pistols

They are the fourth bar from the left with a total vote count of 68.

[BoolitBill]

Shouldn't HP-38/231 be 63 instead of 51 and 12?

[357shooter]

Shouldn't HP-38/231 be 63 instead of 51 and 12?You are right. There's a bug in my spreadsheet...

[357shooter]

Totals are now updated on 9/25.

There are new totals of 251 people csting 726 votes. Also, HP-38 has been fixed, thanks for finding an error BoolitBill.

http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/ab341/prgallo/UpdatedHandgunPowder9-25-1.jpg

Most likely this is the final total update. It's 9/26.

There are now 300 handloaders casting 862 votes. No changes in sequence but the bottom of the chart flatten out a bit more.

http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/ab341/prgallo/UpdatedHandgunPowder9-26.jpg

[Freischütz]

I think its pretty amusing that for all the ******** and crying about Unique, it's Nr 1

[357shooter]

I think its pretty amusing that for all the ******** and crying about Unique, it's Nr 1

That's a great observation. It's 1 by a bunch too.

Looks like a top 5 followed by Tightgroup and then the rest.

[noylj]

Very interesting poll.
Alliant would like the results of this poll.
I am shocked that Red Dot is so unpopular. Forgetting all about "cleanliness" and "metering," Unique and Red Dot are a pleasure to work with as they do not show pressure spikes as you increase charge weight. They both meter more than adequately and Red Dot, for me, works well in a lot of cartridges. As I told my son, it isn't the very best in any of the calibers I load, but it is almost always #2 or #3 in accuracy across a broad range of charge weights and bullet weights.
I am also "surprised" that H110/295 is as popular as it is. Where is it being used so much? .44 and larger magnums? I know some people use it for max loads in the 10mm Auto, but that round isn't that popular. Are there that many people shooting full power magnums or is it being used for lead bullet loads in rifles.
Now, if we could get annuals sales figures and see how this tracks with actual purchases (of course, the shotgun loaders would than swamp the results).

[white eagle]

They are the fourth bar from the left with a total vote count of 68.
see em now should have put my glasses on

[lylejb]

I am also "surprised" that H110/295 is as popular as it is. Where is it being used so much? .44 and larger magnums? I know some people use it for max loads in the 10mm Auto, but that round isn't that popular. Are there that many people shooting full power magnums or is it being used for lead bullet loads in rifles.


Most any higher pressure magnum. 357 mag, 44 mag, 454 casull ect. also used in .410 shotgun and some small rifles like 22 hornet.

As far as reduced loads, no. Winchester warns not to reduce more than 3% . This powder likes full charges, and at that it excells.

best accuracy I've ever had from my 44 was a max load of 296.

It's my favorite 44mag fuel for full power loads when I feel the need for speed.

[HeavyMetal]

296 is used in 410 shot gun loads, Unique is used in a lot of reduced cast boolit loads and mid range 44 mag loads and I use Bullseye in my 12 gauge target trap load

I think thats pretty much main stream reloading and explains four of the top five powders, at least for me.

[357shooter]

I think it's pretty amusing that the three top powders are the same ones that opened the door to smokeless reloading 100+ years ago. Bullseye, Unique, and 2400.
What happened to advancements in technology and chemistry?
Can it be they cannot be improved upon?

Thanks for this poll.Glad it worked out so well. Lot's of poeple participated so that made the results more meaningful and interesting.

Your comment on the top three are a great statement on the high end. I had no idea Unique was that popular these days.

[XWrench3]

ok, so i am not real familiar with unique. is it a flake powder? if so, how big are the flakes? i use bullseye, which is a tiny flake powder. my big reason is i use a little dandy powder measure, and larger flakes (like imr 700x) do not meter very consistantly in it. bullseye meters just fine, but the 700x was not good.

[357shooter]

I just posted an update chart in post #5. No major changes, the bottom flatten out a bit.

The milestone is 300 handloaders have now voted. Wow, pretty awsome guys. Thanks

[MakeMineA10mm]

Another interesting angle on this data:

If you look at the applications of the top five powders and combine similar burning rate applications, you get this conclusion:

201 of the 300 respondents choose either Bullseye or SMP231 (hp38/w231) as their "fast" powder.

182 of the 300 choose either SMP296 (h110/w296) or 2400 as their "slow" powder.

These figures match up nicely with the "trend" of Unique being the choice of a medium powder for a strong majority of respondents.


When it comes to pistol & (somewhat) shotgun handloading, I think a majority of handloaders are more conservative, traditional, or nostalgic. If you did this survey for rifle powders, I bet newer Hodgdon and Ramshot powders would win, although Alliant and IMR (especially) would have a strong showing.

[357shooter]

ok, so i am not real familiar with unique. is it a flake powder? if so, how big are the flakes? i use bullseye, which is a tiny flake powder. my big reason is i use a little dandy powder measure, and larger flakes (like imr 700x) do not meter very consistantly in it. bullseye meters just fine, but the 700x was not good.I'd think with all those votes somebody could tell you. Unfortunately I don't remember as it's been a while since last using it.

[Elkins45]

ok, so i am not real familiar with unique. is it a flake powder? if so, how big are the flakes? i use bullseye, which is a tiny flake powder. my big reason is i use a little dandy powder measure, and larger flakes (like imr 700x) do not meter very consistantly in it. bullseye meters just fine, but the 700x was not good.

It's not as bad as 700X (or 800X, which someone once described as trying to meter paper plates) but it's a pretty big flake powder. It's a lot more like Bullseye than 700X, but it does occasionally catch on the edge of the rotor.

[Doby45]

I think your chart is only slightly flawed. It should also be broken down by revolver and pistol. People that do not have revolvers would not use a good number of the powders that are more favorible to revolvers and the same could be said for people that load almost exclusively revolver and not so much pistol. NOT saying that some of the powders don't do both, but people could overlook a powder in favor of another that is more friendly to their weapon. Did that make sense?

[wiljen]

What I find most interesting is how quickly a couple of new powders (Lil Gun) have climbed that chart.