Can Tite Group be Used in .38Spl., .357mag., and/or .44mag. With CB's?

[Maven]

All, I searched this site for an answer to the question posed in the title, but let me be more specific. First, I'm not looking for "full house" loads in any of my handguns. Second, I'll be using CB's only as follows: 150 - 180gr. in the .38Spl. (S & W Mod. 10); 150 - 180gr. in the .357Mag. (Ruger BH); and 240 - 270gr. in the .44Mag. (Ruger SBH). Last, but not least, the local dealer has a 35% off sale on powder & reloading components and Tite Group is about the only suitable powder I saw @ $32.99/lb, less 35%.

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

[beechbum444]

Hodgdons website has loads for all three I have had some success in 38 and 357 lee cast 125 and 158"s powder coated

[poppy42]

I strongly recommend that you pick up the Lyman cast bullet handbook. I just glanced at it quickly for the calibers that you stated and there are quite a few listings for 38 special, 357 magnum‘s, and 44 Magnum‘s using Tightgroup as a powder. Depending on the actual cast bully you’re planning on reloading. So I guess the short answer is yes you can use tightgroup as a powder to reload 38 specials, 357 magnum’s, and 44 magnum’s . As I don’t reload for any of those calibers and I don’t consider myself knowledgeable enough to make any recommendations to anybody else, I refer to the Lyman cast bullet handbook Along with the other reloading manual’s I currently ownWhenever I am working up any load.
Good luck and be safe.

[Soundguy]

Titegroup is almost the ONLY 38/357 powder I use. Love it!

Cast boolit or jwords.

[RogerDat]

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol

I think you will find that the load range will be pretty small with those heavy bullets in 44 mag. 8.6 to 9.6 for jacketed, I might say 60% of the max given for jacketed is a good starting for cast but those tight min/max values give me pause. Works fine for 38 and 357 cast 158 grain, tumble lube or powder coated but sized and pc'd has been the best.

Don't forget titegroup is a concentrated powder so the case will always be relatively empty, making a double charge or squib harder to spot than a more "fluffy" powder. Can you spot the difference between 9.6 and 12 grains in a large 44 mag case? Heck even difference between 8 and 12 would require a good view down the case, with good lighting, and good eye for small differences.

Plus 1 on Lyman cast bullet manual. And the Lee one as an additional reference. Can't beat having the source for cast lead reloading on your bench.

[Soundguy]

Hodgdons site shows 4.7-10 grs for a 240 gr lswc 801-1288 fps

That's a pretty good range to me....??

[Hick]

You've heard, I'm sure of "the load"? Here's my version. I use Titegroup all the time in my 38 special and 357 magnum. 4.0 grains of titegroup launches just about any non-wadcutter bullet or boolit I've tried in the 850-1000 fps range. Nice recoil and very accurate. This includes 125 grain up to 158 grain. I haven't tried titegroup with a wadcutter yet, but I expect it would have to be a much lower load due the the small available volume in the case, but for all the normal type bullets it works great.

[CIC]

Im a big fan of Tightgroup. Love it for 38 special and reduced 357 and 44 special and mag cast loads. I was suprised at the wide range of velocity and charge weights for it in 44 mag. It is a very versatile powder.

[P Flados]

I burned 8 lbs of Titegroup in handguns wih a big portion in 38 sp and 357 mag.

It handles anything from popgun power levels (say 700 fps) up to very snappy quite well.

Even though I switched back to Promo for most of my bulk reploading (the cheapest soulution 9 times out of ten) recently, I also bought another 8 lbs of Titegroup.

With really light loads, I rely on the ability of TG to meter well. I have a few pet loads with TG that I can not use Promo since the charge would be too small for Pormo to meter acceptably.

The biggest down side of using TG for me was the need to empty my RCBS powder measure at the end of each session. It will mess with the plastic.

[bangerjim]

TG was my standard powder for most pistol cals. LOTS......LOTS of published load data. Buy the books! All will be revealed to you.

I now use ETR7 for all my pistol loads exept mag.

Banger

[coloraydo]

Yep, I use Tite Group in 380(2.9 gr. w/102 gr.), 9mm(3.8 gr. w/122 gr.), 38 special(4.0 gr. w/168 gr. RN), 357 mag(5.5 gr. w/160 gr. SWC), 44 mag(6.5 gr. w/ 240 SWC), and 45 ACP(4.8 gr. 180 to 200, 4.5 gr. w/230 gr. RN)

[runfiverun]

kept at target velocity levels it is a fine powder.
I have good luck with it in the 45 colt for cowboy type stuff, the 41 mag for short range bunny bustin, and probably everything mentioned above.

the place where it really excels is in large voluminous cases at sedate velocity's.
it's a champ for low velocity rifle loads, it burns clean and is consistent in those situations.

[Maven]

Thanks for your replies! After looking at this site's archives, I saw that TG was usable in the calibers I mention, albeit a fast burner. As for the Lyman Handbook, which I have, that's an excellent idea (and one which I typically suggest!), but "here's the deal" as my granddaughter would say: I'll be in south FL until the end of the month, but (wait for it....), all my reloading stuff, including data manuals are at my home in NY. In short, since TG can be had locally at a 35% discount, I'm seriously thinking of purchasing a few pounds.

Btw, there are several cans of the slower propellant, Lil' Gun available as well.

[bobthenailer]

TG is my go to powder for any straight walled pistol case from 38 special to 454 casull, for loads from 800 to 1,100 fps with cast bullets .
Been using TG since it came out , I previously used Bullseye powder for many decades for the same purpose.

[RogerDat]

Hodgdons site shows 4.7-10 grs for a 240 gr lswc 801-1288 fps

That's a pretty good range to me....?? I was listing the 270 grain difference where they don't have a lead bullet. The load for lead stays the same as jacketed but the starting drops. By a significant amount. When I called Hodgdon once the person told me for lead you would generally be safe by using 60% of the max for jacketed as a lead starting load. That 240 grain load has a starting that is less than 1/2. I'm fairly sure that the 6 grain from multiplying max by .60 (60%) would still be safe but it is a definite bump up from 4.7 grains given for 240.

Titegroup is great powder. I like it but it can slip into being a hot load with a pretty small difference in charge. And it is harder to see that difference. That said I would use it for 44 Mag if I didn't already have something else for the limited amount of 44 Rem Mag the kid uses, and it's one of those powders I try to keep a quantity on hand simply because it is so versatile in pistols. Sort of my other Unique. :-) That stock on hand is part of the reason I have not gotten around to trying that ETR7 BangerJim likes. Have to use some up before buying more.

[1browski]

We have used titegroup in 380, 9mm, 38/357 and my dad also uses it in 45 and 44 mag with cast bullets in all but the 380 and 9. Never had any problems with it.

[sandman228]

4.5 gr of titegroup under a 158 lrn or swc shoots pretty good out of my 357's

[Maven]

Well, my "which powder to buy" dilemma was solved, as the LGS sold all of the Tite Group. However, all wasn't lost as I purchased 2 containers of Lil Gun yesterday at the same 35% discount I mentioned in my original post.

[Grmps]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?36349-357-amp-Lil-gun-powder

[Walkingwolf]

Titegroup is almost the ONLY 38/357 powder I use. Love it!

Cast boolit or jwords.

For moderate to light loads I am in the love titegroup camp also. Most consistent powder I have used, I use it in several calibers.

[dubber123]

Maven, if they were going to charge you $32.99/lb for Titegroup, you didn't miss out. Its $20/lb at my local Walmart. I think they may have inflated the prices juuuust a tad to make up for the "sale" :)

[reddog81]

$33 per pound is 100% over priced. Powdervalley has it for $17 per lbs or $66 for 4 lbs.

[wade]

bought a pound yesterday 61$ in kamloops bc canada

[Shuz]

bought a pound yesterday 61$ in kamloops bc canada

ouch!

[frankmako]

titegroup is what is use in my 357 mag loads. clean shot is another good powder to use.

[Billwnr]

Maven, if you're still waffling after 2 years on buying Titegroup (noticed this was an old post) here's a Hodgdon's website I use and it has a titegroup load for the .44 Mag. It is a bit steeper than what I'd want as it's a 1200 fps range load. There's also rifle and shotgun data on this site if you change the criteria at the top.

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol

[kayala]

Call me chicken but I don't use TG in big/tall cases. I did use 8lbs of it for bottom feeders and won't hesitate to do it again.

[bobthenailer]

The answer is yes ! I even use it in the 454 Casull, before Tightgroup I used Bullseye powder