new powder to try

[redneckdan]

I've almost used up my last pound of red dot and I'm looking for another powder to use. I'm gettin tied of the mess that red dot makes, anyone know of a good clean burning powder that I should try?

[sundog]

Whadya loadin'? sundog

[9.3X62AL]

Ditto to Sundog's post--but WW-231 would be a nice, clean-burning, high-energy powder. :-)

[slughammer]

For 45 acp, my most used powder is WST, with a 200 SWC it's great from 4.2 to 4.9gr.

Clays is good for powder puff stuff, but kind of maxes out right at major PF. Depends on the barrel, some guns make it, some don't.

WST is probably the best commonly available powder for making major. I think I've burned about 16lbs of it. Working on a new 8 right now too.

[Scrounger]

I've almost used up my last pound of red dot and I'm looking for another powder to use. I'm gettin tied of the mess that red dot makes, anyone know of a good clean burning powder that I should try?

AA#2 is close to Red Dot or WW231 in burning rate. But it's biggest endorsement is it's available surplus for ABOUT $8 a pound. :bigsmyl2:

[C1PNR]

For 45 acp, my most used powder is WST, with a 200 SWC it's great from 4.2 to 4.9gr.

WST is probably the best commonly available powder for making major. I think I've burned about 16lbs of it. Working on a new 8 right now too.
Did you use the WW 452 AA in the past? If so, what's your opinion about the WST being the new incarnation of the 452AA?

I've heard this suggested and just wonder what your experience is with those powders.

[slughammer]

Did you use the WW 452 AA in the past?

Never used WW 452 AA.

When WST was recommended to me, it was touted as being less temperature sensitive than W231. WST is also a favorite in 38 spl with 150-160 gr boolits.

[David R]

Allient has a new Red dot I think its called Promo. It only comes in 8 lb jugs for $80.00 locally. NO hazmat fee. I bought a jug and can't see the difference yet. I will be doing a side by side test. Works great for me.

You guys think 231 burns clean? Not for me.

David

[RayinNH]

David, you piqued my interest with Promo when you mentioned it back in November. I've always liked Red Dot in the 45 ACP, 45 Colt and 44 Mag. for loads in the 800-900 fps. range. I haven't tried it in the 38 or 44 Specials yet but should be good for those as well. I'm down to my last pound of handgun powder so Promo will be the next purchase. Are you loading rifle or handgun with yours? ...Ray

[redneckdan]

I'm shooting .45 acp, 230 TC and 200 hollowpoints. I've heard clays is supose to be really clean. I'll check it out. I have tried winchester superfield and it is better than red dot but still pretty scuzzy. I load WST in my .38 special target loads and that seems pretty clean.

[David R]

Ray,
I load mostly rifle with it. I still have some red dot left and want to do a crony comparison in small cases (45), medium (308) and Large ('06) to see if it really has the same ballistics. I have thrown a lot of lead with 11 grains of red dot.

Right now its 2*f out, so the testing will have to wait.

David

[Cayoot]

I've been experimenting with AA#5 in my .45 acp....so far I really like it. :grin:

[redneckdan]

AA#2 is close to Red Dot or WW231 in burning rate. But it's biggest endorsement is it's available surplus for ABOUT $8 a pound. :bigsmyl2:


Where might I obtain some of this AA#2 you speak of?

[Scrounger]

Where might I obtain some of this AA#2 you speak of?

Oops! Good deals don't last long. Pat's ( http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm ) has some, listed as PR200, for $11.00 a pound. You might also consider the AA#5 some of the places have or the Accurate#453 Pat or Jeff Bartlett has.

[McLintock]

For a fast burning powder, I like Titegroup, but based on old Ken Waters Pet Loads articles on the 45 ACP, I've used both 800X and Unique for years. He found that 800X gave the best accuracy in cast bullets and unique gave it for jacketed. I use a 200 gr cast with 8.0 grs of 800X, and the 200 gr Speer "Flying Ashtray" with 7.0 gr of unique. They both shoot very well in my 1911's and when I first started using them I had a ransom rest, so checked out accuracy pretty well. Don't shoot the .45's much any more so haven't tried any of the newer powders in them.
McLintock

[Cherokee]

I recommend WST. I usta use 452 and 231. WST has replaced both in most of my uses. Its fills the case more, burns cleaner and meters well. Does realy well as reduced charge in large 44 & 45 cases.

C1PNR - never ran head to head test 452 v WST but my impression is they are close.

[KevMT]

[QUOTE=David R]Allient has a new Red dot I think its called Promo. It only comes in 8 lb jugs for $80.00 locally. NO hazmat fee. I bought a jug and can't see the difference yet. I will be doing a side by side test. Works great for me.

As I understand it from shotshell loading sources, PROMO is mixture of left over batches from other powders that is blended to burn just like Red Dot. Thus charge weights for red dot should be OK but the volume may differ significantly from red dot and even between lots of promo. So...should you use it, do NOT trust any powderthrower or dipper without vericication of charge weight.

Kev

[David R]

KevMT,

I saw that it is "less bulky" . The flier says you use 2 bushings smaller than what you were using for red dot. This doesn't make much sense to me, because if you are using 18 grains in a 12 ga, there are still 7000 grains in a pound.

It works great so far, I can see no difference. All my charges are by weight. I use 11 grains in the 7.65, 308 and 30'06. Sometimes 13 in the '06.

I always have used a lot of Red dot for plinking loads and silly wet. I see no difference in performance from the original Red dot.

David

[Ricochet]

That surplus #2's great stuff!