Powder Purchase question

[kfin]

Ok, I need to buy some powder...Can get the 1 lbers here locally but they want $30 for them and it just aggravates me. I have a couple different ones to use for a bit while I wait on Powder Valley and the likes to get something I want in stock. ie: Titegroup, Unique, Bullseye, W231/HP38, etc etc.... Having done a bit of research on here several of you seem to like the ETR7 which is actually IN STOCK. Problem is the hazmat and shipping as none of my buddies shoot that one and are not interested in splitting a batch to make the fees worthwhile.

I almost exclusively shoot 9mm (95 and 125 grain) and 45 acp (200 grain) just for plinking in the yard, no competitions. All with lead boolits.

If I was to order 12 pounds of this powder the fees would not be bad, but then I would have 12 pounds of it. lol Several of you have said it is good, shoots similar to TiteGroup (which I like) and is clean burning. Anybody use it that doesn't like it? And if you don't, what do you not like about it? I am just gun shy about ordering that much having never used it, but refuse to buy a couple of pounds and then have $50 added for fees. Any disadvantages to it that I am not thinking of?

If I got it and liked it.....I would just stop using the others and stock up on it as it is available.

Thanks

[noylj]

AA5 is a great general purpose powder that does well in both cartridges and is in stock at PV (<$20/lb, <$144/8 lb).
You could try Zip (very similar to 231/HP38 and N320) at <$20/lb (Competition is also available, but data is hard to find).
WSF is available at <19/lb or $133/8 lbs. A little slow for .45 light target loads, but it will work. Good for 9x19.
The thing is, no one can tell you that xxx powder will work well in YOUR gun.

[kfin]

I have never tried any of the AA powders either. Came across them today as I was doing a bit of research. AA2, AA5 and AA7 came up. Seemed to me that the 7 was the worst of the 3 for what I would want to do. WSF I had ruled out for some reason, probably what you stated but I can't remember. Of the AA powders, you say that 5 would work well for both calibers? What about 2? Would it be decent for both? Or at least one of them? I'll do a bit more research on them but would appreciate your comments as it seems as your screen name was on most of the posts about the AA stuff.
Thanks,

[bangerjim]

ETR7 is all I load these days.....in fact for the past 9 months.

9mm, 38SPL, 357MAG lite, 40S&W, 44SPL, 44MAG lite, 45LC. Even 223 and 30 plinking rifle loads. Only other powder I use is TiteGroup because I have a lot of it from being my previous standard powder. Have a bunch of others and never use them anymore. H110 for mag loads is all.

Do what you have to. Buy what you can locally when/if you can find it. Most local powders I see these days are $28-$35 per pound locally and most of those I would never use anyway, even if they were $20/#.

banger

[kfin]

Banger,
I have noticed that you seem to like it. I just checked load data on the AA powders...

How many grains are you using for say 125 gr 9mm and 200 gr 45acp? The AA powders seemed to be a lot higher than others that I have used, not that there is anything wrong with that, just not very thrifty if you catch my drift. :)

[bangerjim]

I use the load data right out of all the published load books listed for TiteGroup for ETR7. The ETR7 supplier states it is very close and I have seen that personally.

Get a copy of the Lyman #4 Cast Bullet Handbook. It is the bible of what we all do. You will need it now and in the future.....a lot.

I do not trust ANY load data obtained from forums unless I have published data by the manufacturer to reference it to. I generally do not give out load data.

banger

[EddieNFL]

Please don't take offense, but buying a pound of powder is like putting a gallon of gas in your truck.

[L Erie Caster]

Powder Valley has HP38 in stock right now.

[Bonz]

I try almost all new powders to see if I like them. I load most pistol calibers so variety is nice to have. Have to say that I am really impressed with Alliant BE-86. It is supposed to be similar to Alliant PowerPistol but has a flash suppressant. It works really well in 9mm and 45acp. In saying that, personally I would never buy a lot of powder that I have never tried. I did that during the powder shortage and I'm just about done loading ammo with powder that I don't like for one reason or another.

[kfin]

Powder Valley has HP38 in stock right now.
And so do I now. :) Also picked up a jug of Clays.
They still have the 1 lb of HP38 and the 8 lb of Clays available.

[kfin]

Please don't take offense, but buying a pound of powder is like putting a gallon of gas in your truck.
If you shoot a lot I would agree, unless you are trying a few out to find something that you like better.

But there have been days in my past when I could only afford to snag a pound at a time too.

[hemmjo]

If you shoot a lot I would agree, unless you are trying a few out to find something that you like better.

But there have been days in my past when I could only afford to snag a pound at a time too.

Especially these days when it is $70-$80 a pound IF you can get it.

[Half Dog]

Ugh, an old thread. But I agree ^^^^. In the past, I usually got a pound or 2 at a time. Soon I had enough.

[Liberty1776]

If you can find $30 powder, grab it.

Here in Arizona, some powders are going for $50/lb.

Thanks, Joe!

[racepres]

I try almost all new powders to see if I like them. I load most pistol calibers so variety is nice to have. Have to say that I am really impressed with Alliant BE-86. It is supposed to be similar to Alliant PowerPistol but has a flash suppressant. It works really well in 9mm and 45acp. In saying that, personally I would never buy a lot of powder that I have never tried. I did that during the powder shortage and I'm just about done loading ammo with powder that I don't like for one reason or another.

I too like BE-86...alot...has been a great replacement for Unique in Every thing I have tried...Grain for Grain to start!!!
But...powder was so hard to find awhile back, that I also got some AA Nitro 100NF... I am learning to like it Bunches also
tho Nothing will replace AA#5 for me...this is hard to come by Here, also... (reasonably Priced anyway)

[lightload]

Recently MidSouth offered a no harzard shipping charge if you ordered at least $99 of powder or primers. I ordered 2 lbs of Bullseye for $99 and paid actual shipping fee. Yes, that's still high, but this amount will last me until I leave this earth.

[KitShickers]

Funny seeing someone complain about $30/lb. Things have certainly changed.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

Yeah, these threads are nostalgic. A lot of my 1lb canisters have $25 - $28 stickers on them. Now, Vihtavuori powders seem downright reasonable compared to IMR and Alliant.

[jdgabbard]

If you're complaining about $30/lb powder, don't ever move to Oklahoma. Best you're going to get is probably $45/lb powder. A lot of stuff is upwards of $60/lb. Powders that were $20/lb back in 2019 are sitting at $60/lb now.

No experience with the powder you asked about. But I would consider the $30/lb local a blessing, and thank 8lb 6oz Baby Jesus that I have the opportunity to buy it at that price locally.

[2TM101]

If you're complaining about $30/lb powder, don't ever move to Oklahoma. Best you're going to get is probably $45/lb powder. A lot of stuff is upwards of $60/lb. Powders that were $20/lb back in 2019 are sitting at $60/lb now.

No experience with the powder you asked about. But I would consider the $30/lb local a blessing, and thank 8lb 6oz Baby Jesus that I have the opportunity to buy it at that price locally.

$30 a pound my have been expensive in 2016, I wasn't reloading then......

I HAVE gotten powder for under $20 a pound including all taxes & shipping costs, but that's off gunbroker and off brand stuff, or old. Still, its all worked so far.

[jdgabbard]

$30 a pound my have been expensive in 2016, I wasn't reloading then......

I HAVE gotten powder for under $20 a pound including all taxes & shipping costs, but that's off gunbroker and off brand stuff, or old. Still, its all worked so far.

Yeah, the only thing close to $30/lb that I could potentially get my hands on is surplus powder, which I'm not opposed to using. I personally LOVE WC844 and WC846. But, you can't get it these days. I miss the days of Russian Unique. Or the various European Pull-Down ball powders for pistol calibers. There just isn't as much on the market these days, and when there is it's priced like its unicorn blood.

That said, I don't care what powder it is, I'd find a use for it if I could get it at $30/lb. It shouldn't be that way. But I think the OP needs a reality check.

[2TM101]

Yeah, the only thing close to $30/lb that I could potentially get my hands on is surplus powder, which I'm not opposed to using. I personally LOVE WC844 and WC846. But, you can't get it these days. I miss the days of Russian Unique. Or the various European Pull-Down ball powders for pistol calibers. There just isn't as much on the market these days, and when there is it's priced like its unicorn blood. That said, I don't care what powder it is, I'd find a use for it if I could get it at $30/lb. It shouldn't be that way. But I think the OP needs a reality check.

The OP is 8 years in the past.

You can get SB-620 powder off Gunbroker for less than $20 a pound. 14 Lbs with a shipping charge of $75, I keep bidding $210 and occasionally I get it, works out to exactly $15 a pound for 98,000 grains of powder.

And its why I stopped trying to make any of the alternate powders from elsewhere on this board.

[jdgabbard]

The OP is 8 years in the past.

You can get SB-620 powder off Gunbroker for less than $20 a pound. 14 Lbs with a shipping charge of $75, I keep bidding $210 and occasionally I get it, works out to exactly $15 a pound for 98,000 grains of powder.

Haha! I didn't catch that part!!!

Well, that was bad prices back then! I probably would have been upset as well.

I'm not familiar with SB-620. Looking it up online I see it's for 9mm. Any idea where it falls in at on the burn rate charts?

[Kestrel4k]

The last great deal I saw was was a variety of surplus & pulldown powders from CDVS in Eastern Washington early last year (~May 2023)
Feel pretty fortunate in getting 32lbs of CBI for $12.44 / lb. ;-)

Having visited them, CDVS is a great little operation & certainly worth keeping on the radar:
https://www.cdvs.us/

Edit:
A typically-limited selection (currently only three powders in stock), but still some very reasonable prices:
https://www.cdvs.us/product-category/powder-other-products/

[Barry54]

Please don't take offense, but buying a pound of powder is like putting a gallon of gas in your truck.

This is the greatest thing I’ve read all day!

I love all the chaos when old threads get revived.

[turtlezx]

eeeeeeegads post from 8 years ago !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Markopolo]

Can you imagine what he would think about today’s powder prices? I bet he wishes he would have bought the Max….