9mm powders ?

[milprileb]

Let me ask this question another way: Is Unique a better metering powder than Blue Dot ?

[geargnasher]

Let me ask this question another way: Is Unique a better metering powder than Blue Dot ?

Same-same.

Gear

[Mike the Dane]

4.0-4.5 VV N340 under a 120-125 grs is very accurate and Burns very clean.

[HeavyMetal]

I've heard great things about the VV powders for the last 10 years or so

The down side is, at least here in SoCal, I've never seen them for sale.

Ordering a single pound of powder can be real expensive once the "haz Mat" fee's get figured in. Often making it more expensive than one is willing to pay to try it out.

I have had exactly one pound of Power Pistol bought through Turners here in LA. Cost me 38 bucks as a special order! Never again.

One wonders if the powder makers provide a stocking dealer list for the Powders they make??

In cases like this it sure would make life simpler.

[Shiloh]

AA#5 for bot lead and jacketed.

There are are lot of powders that give good results. I just settled on AA#5. Has given fine results with jacketed, and now the same with my recent success with lead.

Shiloh

[BeeMan]

Powder / load search for 9mm:

Been doing that for a year now...looking for a solution to leading. This lead to buying some Blue Dot to try a slower, lower pressure launch. This was after sorting out case expansion to prevent under size bases after seating, trying ACWW, WDWW, different lubes, etc.

Blue Dot did not display the kind of uniformity I like, using my Redding measure with the pistol insert. It did reduce leading more than most other attempts though. Some Google work pointed to WSF. Rock Raab's powder burn rate chart says it should be similar to Blue Dot

http://www.reloadingroom.com/index_f...rn%20Rates.htm

I haven't had a chance to shoot the several load variants I want to try, but WSF is very uniform from the Redding measure.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

BeeMan

[milprileb]

Power Pistol
WSF
AA5

Do they all meter well or are they a bit problematic as Blue Dot is reported to be.

[BeeMan]

Milprileb,

WSF meters like water for me so far. I targeted 4.1 grains. While validating the measure set up, checking every 5 rounds for 30 rounds, and at the end of 100 drops a day later, it was always 4.1 or 4.2 grains.

Now need to get back to full health and for this heat to break so I can go shoot them.

BeeMan

[MtGun44]

Power Pistol is a tiny round flake powder, meters well. Never used WSF, but I think it is
a ball powder, if so, it will meter very well. Never used AA5 either.

Bill

[UNIQUEDOT]

I don't think you will find a powder that meters any better than Accurate #5.

[milprileb]

Burn rates: I see Blue Dot is 49 and that was recommended for my 9mm loads to help prevent leading. 800x is burn rate 38 and is working (terrible to meter as stated and filthy).

Should I be focused on powders that are in the 38 to 49 burn rate with the higher the better in a powder that meters well.

This is a whole new dimension to reloading for me so I am trying to catch up with you guys on how to judge right powder from wrong. That and discovery learning is expensive.

[Sapper771]

I have heard AA5 meters great. But havent heard much on HS-6. Does HS-6 meter better than BD?

[GabbyM]

HS6 is ball powder. It's the old WW 540.
I burned one pound of AA#5 once. lked it.

[Kraschenbirn]

+1 for HS-6 in the 9mm but, for me, AA#5 works almost as well (it's a flake powder and just a little dirtier). On the other hand, AA#5 is a bit more flexible and I've also loaded it in my .44 Spl. and .45 ACPs.

Bill

[Sapper771]

I picked up a pound of AA#5 today. It meters great through my Hornady powder measure.

[Bullwolf]

I loaded up some .40 S&W on the weekend using Blue Dot.

It metered consistently for me in an old RCBS Uniflow Powder Measure.

I checked it constantly, and it was spot on each and every time.

I have never had metering issues with Blue Dot in handgun, shotgun, and even some rifle applications.

I have been using a lot of IMR 4831 stick powder in 300 Winchester Magnum lately, and it doesn't meter as well through the Uniflow for me, but it has been so accurate that I put up with it. I think that is why I have been double and triple checking myself a lot more often lately on measured throws.

The .40 that I loaded with Blue Dot all metered well, shot consistently, and FPS was consistent across the chronograph as well.

If you are having a hard time getting Blue Dot or other flake powders to meter, you could always try using another brand of powder measure perhaps. Or you can consign yourself to using ball powders. I personally don't find Blue Dot, or Unique to be hard to meter at all.

I have never had trouble using standard flake powders, or ball powders when metering them through a Dillon, or RCBS powder measure, but your experiences may be somewhat different than mine.

- Bullwolf

[milprileb]

Bullwolf

Do you find like others that Blue Dot does not burn efficiently and you get
powder flakes ? That is most definitely a issue with 800X which does not meter
well and burns filthy.

The concern with flake powders with me is metering and powder flakes unburnt. Its why I have asked about Blue Dot and other 9mm friendly powders.

[fecmech]

Mil--you're over thinking this Blue dot thing. It works fine in the 9MM with all cast bullet wts from 115-150. You can't overload it because of its bulk and speed and it give pb cast a gentle start down the tube,what more could you ask of a powder? IMO there is one other powder better (but not by much) and that is Longshot, both will give good accuracy at speed with cast with the accuracy edge going to Longshot.

[Freischütz]

I second Tag's HS-6 + cast boolit combination. I use 5.9 gr of HS-6 and the NEI truncated bullet sized .357" in my P.08 with excellent results. I have little leading. The powder meters consistently too.

I also successfully use HS-6 with heavy bullets in the 32 Auto.

[Pirate69]

I think I got my eyes opened by this thread. I thought that either Unique or Bullseye was the preferred powder for the 9MM. Got something new to try!!!!!!!