powder question

[45fan]

I hope I am on the correct thread here, forgive me if I am not. Not sure where else to post this question. As of now I am casting and reloading 38 special and 45 acp, and have been doing this for only about a year now. I got started by asking questions and just reading and soaking in what I read from the wealth of info here. I asked the question what would be a good powder to use for both these rounds and out of a few different suggestions one of the most used and popular powders seemed to be HP-38. My local gun shop carries this powder so I have been using it since and like it. I recently bought a 44 mag revolver and am slowly getting equipment and supplies together to cast and reload for my new 44 as well. I now have a few questions. Will this powder work well for 44 mag? And I know some powders have a faster burn rate than others. When and why would you need a faster burning powder or a slower burning powder? What is the cause and effect of using a fast or slow burning powder? How do you know you need a faster or slower burning powder? All the different powders available it is a bit overwhelming particularly if you know nothing about powder. I know there are a number guys here that can help me with my powder questions, thanks guys!

[Larry Gibson]

Will this powder work well for 44 mag? And I know some powders have a faster burn rate than others. When and why would you need a faster burning powder or a slower burning powder? What is the cause and effect of using a fast or slow burning powder? How do you know you need a faster or slower burning powder?

Could write a book answering those questions. Short answer is HP38 is a fine powder for the 38 SPL and 45 ACP. It also is very useful with lighter weight bullets and/or lighter loads in the 44 Magnum. The faster the powder burns the faster the pressure rises with a given bullet. The slower burning powders will give higher velocity at the same or less pressure. I prefer a powder with a similar burning rate to HP38 for use with 200 gr cast in my 44 Magnums for velocities in the 870 - 940 fps range; gentle on recoil, less muzzle balst, accurate and fun to shoot all day long.

With 240 - 250 gr cast SWCs Unique is an excellent powder for mid range magnum load of 850 - 1100 fps. For full power magnum loads with 250 - 310 gr cast bullets Blue Dot, 2400, 4227, H110 and 296 are excellent powders. Looking at the load data in several manuals (particularly the Lyman #3 or #4 Cast Bullet Handbooks) will give you a good idea what powders do well for what bullets in the 44 Magnum and your 38 and 45 also.

Larry Gibson

[44man]

Good Larry but scratch 4227 from your list.

[Clay M]

I use HP38 in my .44 spl , but have not found it to be any more accurate than Unique. It does meter better though. Unique or Red Dot works well in the .44 mag.
Good luck on finding any powder now days.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Most of the reloading manuals have a section where they list the different powders according to their relative rate of burn. If you then look at the different manufacturing companies you will see that each company has their offering for slower powders up to their faster powders. You could generally consider Winchester 231 close in properties to Alliant Bullseye, and then Winchester 296 close to 2400 or Blue Dot. So there the fun begins, try a powder that suits your needs then try a comparable powder from other companies and see for yourself how it works for you. Personally I've come to pretty much stick to Alliant powders after trying different companies, just personal choice.

Faster burning powders are used for lighter loads and slower burning powders are for higher velocity loads. If you are shooting target wadcutters you should be using fast burning powder for light loads, and if want more power for field use, don't just add more of the powder you are using, switch powders to a slower burn rate for higher pressure. You'll see different powders react different according to boolit weight and case capacity.

Alliant has this American Select and I've tried it. They designed it for cowboy shooting and I've tested it with heavier boolit weight and lower velocity and gotten erratic ignition. Then I found that American Select works well for the same cartridge with light boolits, just as it was designed to do. This is very odd to me but that is exactly how Alliant designed that powder and that's just what the manual says.

The .38 and .44 Mag are great for reloaders and revolvers are great too, you don't have to factor in slide lock speed when searching for the best load as you have to do with semi autos.

Personally I have found my 45 ACP's to favor Unique over Bullseye, I am using Colt 1911's with 5" bbls and 18 lb Wilson Combat springs. I had a Smith 4506 which ate everything I fed it.

[Clay M]

For magnum loads I still use Elmer Keiths old load of 22 grains of 2400.That is what I hunt with in my Redhawk . It does a great job of killing deer with a 240 or 250 grain cast bullet.

[Larry Gibson]

Good Larry but scratch 4227 from your list.

I've shot a lot of it through my .44s under 429421s; not as high velocities as H110 or 296 but runs alongside 2400 with a bit less psi. Many chronographed test strings show the ES and SDs are every bit as good if not better than 2400. If wanting to push PB'd 250+ gr cast bullets to max velocity with accuracy in rifles I always reach for 4227 because it always works.

Any particular reason you've found why I should drop it?

Larry Gibson

[45fan]

Thanks for info all. Larry you mentioned PB boolits that is something I didnt even think of. Will I need or should I use a different powder for boolits that are GC'd and another powder if they are PB'd?