Titewad powder

[Wally]

I have been unable to locate my favorite pistol powders---Bullseye, Red Dot, Promo ...as has been the case for the last few years. I manged to find some Hodgdon Titewad powder that I'd like to use in the 9mm Luger, .38 Spl, .44 Spl, & .45 ACP for light ~ medium loads. From what i have foudn out so far Titewad powder is similiar to Bullseye. Has anyone tried it in the calibers mentioned? I don't see any lopading data using it, anywhere that I've searched.

[tazman]

The Hodgdon data site has load data for Titwad listed for 9mm and 45ACP www.hodgdonreloading.com
I have used it in both 9mm and 38 special and it works fine in both cartridges with lighter loads.
I think you would also be able to work up a load for the 44 Special with no trouble.
Titewad is similar to Bullseye but for me requires a slightly lighter powder charge. Where Bullseye uses 3.5 I use 3.2-3.3 of Titewad.
Titewad is a fluffy powder so it fills the case better than some of the other powders and burns very clean in my loads.

[Wally]

The Hodgdon data site has load data for Titwad listed for 9mm and 45ACP www.hodgdonreloading.com (http://www.hodgdonreloading.com)
I have used it in both 9mm and 38 special and it works fine in both cartridges with lighter loads.
I think you would also be able to work up a load for the 44 Special with no trouble.
Titewad is similar to Bullseye but for me requires a slightly lighter powder charge. Where Bullseye uses 3.5 I use 3.2-3.3 of Titewad.
Titewad is a fluffy powder so it fills the case better than some of the other powders and burns very clean in my loads.


Thank you, Tazman....I did see your prior post on it...looks like one should use about 9% less compared to with Bullseye.

[Wally]

I haven't used titewad so others can report their results, but I found one load for 9mm and quite a few for 45acp on hodgdon's website under load data www.hodgdon.com (http://www.hodgdon.com)

Yes, I did see than and a few w/ the .45 ACP, but nothing for the .38 or .44 Specials...I did e-mail Hodgdon about that...

[rmcc]

I use it in 45 ACP. The loads they give are max. Over is too hot.

[Wally]

Hodgdon's site shows 4.0 grains of Titewad w/ a 200 grain bullet in the .45 ACP...I've been using 5.0 grains of Bullsye...have you chronographed the Titewad loading by any chance?


I use it in 45 ACP. The loads they give are max. Over is too hot.

[rmcc]

Wally,

No. I have not put over chrono. I am using the Lyman 200 SWC bullet with 4 gr Titewad, 5.0 of Bullseye, and 6.1 Unique. All same point of impact in my 1911s. One Govt model and one Officer model. These loads shoot the same in each respective pistol.

rmcc

[rintinglen]

Titewad seems to me to be about 10% faster than Bulls Eye. It has worked well with 38 Special wadcutter loads and 32 S&W Long loads. Haven't tried it elsewhere.

[Wally]

What charge do you use in the .38 Spl wadcutter loads?


Titewad seems to me to be about 10% faster than Bulls Eye. It has worked well with 38 Special wadcutter loads and 32 S&W Long loads. Haven't tried it elsewhere.

[tazman]

rintinglen posted in another thread---"My experiments with Titewad show that 2.4 grains to 2.7 grains works well in 38 Special button style WC loads. 3.4 grains works as a good load under a 150 grain Mihec 359-640 HP. Use Clays data and work up and don't try for +P velocities.
I am going to try it in 9mm under the Lee 358-125 RF, but haven't got there yet."

I have used up to 3.2 grains under wadcutters seated long(crimped in the first grease groove instead of the crimp groove) in 38 special cases. I was getting velocities of around 765fps. I shot these in a 357 mag and would consider this to be a max or +P loading and possibly unsafe in weaker weapons. If you are going to load the wadcutters deeper into the case, I would stick with rintinglen's load weights.

[Wally]

Thank you...tazman

[1989toddm]

I use 4.6gr under the lee 200 in 44 mag. My slugs cast at 210grs.

[Wally]

Later this month I'll shoot some test Titewad Powder loads in the 9mm Luger, .38 Special, .44 Special, & the .45 ACP... I hope to post my results.

[osteodoc08]

I've also used 4gr TW under a 200gr SWC in my 45 ACP loads. Care is needed as you can double charge if not careful. It is indeed a fast powder and is clean.

At 4gr per load that is 1700+ loadings per pound. 1.5 cents a load for powder is dang cheap. Add in 2.5 cents per primer and variable pricing on lead, say 3-5 cents each once propane, time, amortized cost of mold, lube, etc and you have 7-9 cents a round or better.....cheaper than 22 ammo.

[BNE]

Thank you for this post. I picked some up, but needed the same info!

[Wally]

What velocities were you getting with that load?


I've also used 4gr TW under a 200gr SWC in my 45 ACP loads. Care is needed as you can double charge if not careful. It is indeed a fast powder and is clean.

At 4gr per load that is 1700+ loadings per pound. 1.5 cents a load for powder is dang cheap. Add in 2.5 cents per primer and variable pricing on lead, say 3-5 cents each once propane, time, amortized cost of mold, lube, etc and you have 7-9 cents a round or better.....cheaper than 22 ammo.

[1989toddm]

I've also used 4gr TW under a 200gr SWC in my 45 ACP loads. Care is needed as you can double charge if not careful. It is indeed a fast powder and is clean.

At 4gr per load that is 1700+ loadings per pound. 1.5 cents a load for powder is dang cheap. Add in 2.5 cents per primer and variable pricing on lead, say 3-5 cents each once propane, time, amortized cost of mold, lube, etc and you have 7-9 cents a round or better.....cheaper than 22 ammo.

And where might I find primers for 2.5 cents apiece?? Everything I see is 3.79-4

[tradbear55]

I use it in 45 ACP. The loads they give are max. Over is too hot.

The max. load listed for the .45 acp was so small, that scares me. Not much wiggle room.

[tazman]

1989toddm---Some of the imported primers were selling for $24-$25 for a thousand a couple of months ago. Not sure if you can still get them or not. I haven't looked recently.

Tradbear55---I understand what you are talking about. You just have to make sure everything is right where it needs to be as far as oal and powder weight.
I don't try for max loads when using Titewad. I go for midrange loads with accuracy.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

titewad is not a powder for hot loads it will show pressure signs sooner than other powders,but it is a powder for fast burn , consistency , good metering , small charge weight with decent case fill 14oz fit in the jug 16oz fit in in most other powders.

but if you want to shoot on the cheap , less than a penny a round powder cost in many rounds with mild to medium power , the only problem is it lacks data so start low and work up slow

[osteodoc08]

What velocities were you getting with that load?

I'll run it over the chrono next chance I get

[osteodoc08]

And where might I find primers for 2.5 cents apiece?? Everything I see is 3.79-4

Most of my primers I bought years ago. Cabelas has spend 100 and get 25 off right now. CCI standard primers were 31.99 when I was there last week. 4 boxes would be 128-25 or about 2.6 cents each after instant money off.

[1989toddm]

1989toddm---Some of the imported primers were selling for $24-$25 for a thousand a couple of months ago. Not sure if you can still get them or not. I haven't looked recently.

Tradbear55---I understand what you are talking about. You just have to make sure everything is right where it needs to be as far as oal and powder weight.
I don't try for max loads when using Titewad. I go for midrange loads with accuracy.


Most of my primers I bought years ago. Cabelas has spend 100 and get 25 off right now. CCI standard primers were 31.99 when I was there last week. 4 boxes would be 128-25 or about 2.6 cents each after instant money off.

Thanks guys!

[rsrocket1]

I love Titewad. I only wish I can find an 8 pound jug locally. Some places around the country seem to get it regularly, the last time it was seen locally was last May. It is an excellent shotgun powder with the performance of Clays at a lower price. I've found that it has almost identical performance (grain to grain by weight) to Clays. It is quite a bit denser than Clays so you must be careful not to double charge.

It is very fast and builds up pressure quickly so it works very well for low velocity/low recoil loads. It does not do too well when trying to get high speeds out of bullets. That makes it tricky to use in small volume cartridges like 9mm (very small margin between a load that cycles the action and going over pressure). As a rule of tumb for starting loads, I've found 3.0g works very well in 40/45/38 special with low recoil and enough pressure for a clean burn. Since I have better powders for faster loads, I don't even consider a powder like Clays or Titewad for anything beyond "lite" loads. You can push Titewad to standard 700-800 fps 38 special velocities out of a 4" barrel, but it is simply too fast for anything more than "mid speed" loads in other cartridges which may be perfect for your applications. In 45ACP with a 230g bullet, start lower like 2.7 and if it cycles the action and locks the slide back after the last round, I'd stick to that load. Expect about 680-700 fps with that load.

[tazman]

I am using Titewad in 9mm with the lighter weight boolits. I get really excellent results with the Lee 95 grain rf boolit with very good velocity(1170fps).
With the slightly heavier boolits(120 and heavier) accuracy is ok but the velocity isn't there. Slower powders work better.

[Wally]

Thank you...I plan on shooting some test loads with it in the 9mm Luger, .45 ACP, .38 Spl, & .44 Spl...and I will Chronograph them. To me, when testing new loads one should strive for accuracy and as a matter of course I use my Chrony. I surmise that Titewad will provide the same velocities as with a 10% lighter powder charge compared to Bullseye. When I assembled teh loads I noticed that Titewad is fluffier than Bullseye and is the lightest colored powder I have ever used.


I'll run it over the chrono next chance I get

[GhostHawk]

Loaded 3 gr of Titewad behind my 230 gr bullet in the .45ACP, got good function, same accuracy as my previous Red Dot.

It is my new load for .45acp.

[rintinglen]

1.7-1.9 grains of Titewad work in 32 ACP with the 32 ACP MP HP. Mine go right at 70 grains, IIRC.

[fotog54]

I just discovered Titewad and it has become my new "favorite" in .45 ACP. I settled on 4.0grn under a 200 LRN and it shoots fine in all my .45's including a stock G21.

[GhostHawk]

Shot 12 rounds of .45acp thursday with 230 gr bullet and 3 grains of Titewad.

Nice shooting stuff, good accuracy, not a lot of recoil.
No problems.