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Thread: What are some of your favorite powders for revolver ammo?

  1. #61
    Boolit Master Win94ae's Avatar
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    Power Pistol for non-magnum, H110 for magnum.

  2. #62
    Boolit Master




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    I load all of those with HP38/Win231 or WST; If I want a mag load, use AA-9
    God Bless America
    US Army, NRA Patron, TSRA Life
    SASS, Ruger & Marlin accumulator

  3. #63
    Boolit Buddy
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    I mostly use Unique, but that doesn't mean I didn't try stuff that was in stock at my local shop. So I've loaded Unique in all the calibers listed below, plus these...

    357 Magnum
    VV N110, AA #7, Alliant 2400 and Accurate 4100

    357 Maximum
    VV N110, AA 1680, AA 5744

    38 Special
    Trail Boss, Solo 1000, AA #2, AA #5, Hi-Skor 700X

    44 Special
    Don't own one. I'm living in sin.

    44 Magnum
    VV N110, AA #7, AA #9, AA 4100, 2400, AA 5744

    9mm
    Solo 1000, AA #5, AA #7, 700X

    45acp
    Solo 1000, AA #2, AA #5, AA #7, 700X

    45 Colt
    AA #5, AA #7 (Ruger-only), AA 5744, and Trail Boss

  4. #64
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    231, Clays, 700X, 4227, Unique, Titegroup, and CFE Pistol do most of my work with the calibers mentioned. Right now most are rarer than hens teeth so I buy what I can find. We don't see a lot of Alliant powders up here hence their absence.

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    Bob
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  5. #65
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by dwtim View Post



    44 Special
    Don't own one. I'm living in sin.
    at least your taking the right step admitting it.

    My favorite powders are Win-231, Bullseye, WST, Clays, CFE pistol, and 2400. What I have on hand is somewhat less than that

  6. #66
    Boolit Mold Cyrus's Avatar
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    I’ve only used Universal Clays and Titegroup so far in 25 years of hand loading for .38 special and .44 special (tiny bit .45 acp and .45 Colt) and good results. Some unburned powder using Univ clays but could be something I’m doing wrong. I use these because I bought ALOT years ago and will use it all up. Accuracy good and I am not a scientific handloader, just want decent loads for range fun mostly.

  7. #67
    Boolit Mold Cyrus's Avatar
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    at least your taking the right step admitting it.


  8. #68
    Boolit Master
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    Only load 45 ACP now and use Bullseye (12 # on hand) but have used WW452, WW473, and Unique.

    38 spcl Unique and Bullseye

    357 Mag Unique and Allaint 2400 (heavy loads)

    9mm Unique, WW473, Bullseye

    44 Mag Unique and Alliant 2400 (heavy loads)

    Most (90% +) of my 357 and 44 were milder loads for plinking and paper punching.

  9. #69
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    I like BE, AutoComp, HP-38/W231, H110 (all ball powders)

    IF I could do ALL my reloading with just ball/flattened ball powders I'd be a happy camper.

    Like Outpost said --- they (ball powders) just meter great

  10. #70
    Boolit Master
    John Guedry's Avatar
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    Bullseye unique red dot will all do me fine.
    Old retired guy in Baton Rouge La.

  11. #71
    Boolit Buddy
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    I use unique,2400,WW296,H110,RX 7 as well as IMR3031 and 4198.....use unique the most 44-40, 44mag (light to mid range), 45 colt,9mm. YMMV

  12. #72
    Boolit Master 1006's Avatar
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    If you want one powder that is not the best in any one of them, but decent in all of them:

    Accurate #5
    Or
    Universal Clays

    Any primer will do.

  13. #73
    Boolit Bub
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    Stopsign32v, I load for all the cartridges listed - except 9mm.

    I have been reloading for ~45 years and it seems like I tried every new powder along the way. I also "bought out" other folks' reloading supplies, as they aged out of reloading. This fostered a lot of experimentation and with use of a chronograph, I solved some old reloading questions, busted a few myths, and finally settled down with a reloading "program", that standardized my reloading. I don't really load anything "HOT" anymore, it just never really paid off. Yes - I did wear out a few guns.

    In the non-magnum calibers listed, I found that a "balance" between SAAMI pressure specs and "standard velocity expectations" are easily attainable in most handguns - with multiple powders. Your chronograph's data is your guide. It will help you find that "sweet spot" - for a particular handgun, using a particular powder. Then, you can literally chase similar performance (using fewer reloading components) with other powders, to reproduce the sweet spot with multiple powders (if you want to). Some folks just quit at that point, and load up all the cases they have with one powder / one load. This works until your favorite powder is in short supply.

    In the higher pressure cartridges, the game changes a little, but by setting a reasonable limit for pressure, you can select a powder with an appropriate burn rate and not get into pressure problems, if you just "sneak up" on the "Magnum Sweet Spot". I have found it simply amazing how well everything works at 90-95% of maximum. In this case, "maximum" doesn't always mean maximum pressure. I am not aware of any of us regular reloaders that have access to pressure testing equipment, so we have to look at physical evidence, like case head expansion, ease of case extraction, effort to resize fired cases, primer flattening (not always consistent, brand-to-brand), and chronograph data. When you begin to duplicate velocities in modern reloading tables - with the same relative barrel length - you can track your own physical evidence - FOR YOUR GUN - and "see" the physical effects of increasing pressure. As you approach the maximum loadings in modern reloading tables, it can get "squirrely". Then you back off slightly, check velocity and if that meets your own velocity expectations, your shot-to-shot variation, and produces good accuracy - you are at/near the "Sweet Spot".

    For the non-Magnum cartridges, I frequently load at 95% of the listed maximum. It just seems like velocities are "nominal", everything is working in harmony and this includes multiple powders. Nothing gets stretched, nothing erodes, no squibs, no real surprises.

    In the Magnums, I find myself loading cast bullets at three power levels: 1. ~800 ft/sec - that duplicates "Special velocities" in Magnum cases and guns are easier to clean. 2. 1000 ft/sec - this produces a significant increase in power, while not challenging transonic effects. Few cast bullets should lead your bore / cylinder at 1000 ft/sec. 3. 90-95% of "Maximum" - roughly 1200 ft/sec - this is pretty potent stuff and still doesn't stretch anything. You can shoot at this pressure level and still enjoy it - maybe all day.

    Now, back to my powder selection. I have a wide array of powders and this still irritates some folks, but for cast bullets - BULLSEYE, UNIQUE, and 2400 will still get the job done, in all the calibers listed (I don't load 9mm).

    Multiple powders of other brands (2 steps up and down, in the Burning Rate Table) will also provide good results and if you scale them carefully, will get you to the Sweet Spot quickly, without wasting projectiles, primers, or powder.

    A lot of folks feel that cleanliness is important, but I just haven't found that to be essential, or even attainable, with cast bullets. Yes, UNIQUE is dirty, but that may be more bullet lube, than powder. I am too old fashioned to even try powder coated bullets.

    I am in total agreement with 358429 (above) - "I like the smell of unique, power pistol and ww296. It smells like freedom." I had an old friend that had his doctor "prescribe / recommend" more pistol shooting - as therapy. It was the nitroglycerin vapors that made his heart feel better.

    I hope this makes sense, for cast bullet loading. We can discuss jacketed stuff , if it interests any of you.

    Thanks, Tom "carelesslove" Love

  14. #74
    Boolit Grand Master
    rintinglen's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stopsign32v View Post
    If you guys don't mind please list the brand and type of powder it is. If and when things get back to normal I want a grocery list to keep in my wallet for those random Academy and Cabelas runs.

    357 Magnum H-110, 2400, Unique

    38 Special WW-231, Bullseye, Red Dot, Tite Group, Unique

    44 Special Red-dot, Unique, Power Pistol, Titegroup, 2400

    44 Magnum H-110, AA-9, 2400

    9mm Power Pistol, Tite group, Bullseye, Unique, WW-231, Autocomp

    45acp Bullseye, WW-231

    etc


    These are my favorites, from most liked to least per caliber. But if I could only have one, it would definitely be WW-231.

    Some may notice the absence of Unique from the 44 magnum, but I only load 44 Magnums as Magnums, strictly for hunting these days. Light and mid-weight loads are loaded in the 44 Special case.
    Last edited by rintinglen; 08-13-2021 at 10:52 AM.
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  15. #75
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stopsign32v View Post
    If you guys don't mind please list the brand and type of powder it is. If and when things get back to normal I want a grocery list to keep in my wallet for those random Academy and Cabelas runs.

    357 Magnum --- Unique or 2400

    38 Special --- 231 or Unique

    44 Special --- Unique

    44 Magnum Unique or 2400

    9mm --- 231 or Unique

    45acp --- 231 or Unique

    etc
    Lot of others will work just as good but I have settled on these. You can tell, these are mostly "Old School".

  16. #76
    Boolit Man
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    Trail Boss, Unique, and IMR4227
    A bumble bee is considerable faster than a John Deere tractor

  17. #77
    Boolit Buddy

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    H110 for magnums and 45 colt. 231, SR7625, titegroup for 45 acp.

  18. #78
    Boolit Mold
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    .38 spl--Unique
    .357--2400 or Universal
    .45acp--Universal
    .45 Colt--Unique [been playing around with BE-86. Seems to be working well, so far]

  19. #79
    Boolit Master
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    Bullseye, Unique, 2400.
    I gotta say, if you're looking forward to Cabela's and Academy runs, you're doing it wrong unless you plan on giving up reloading soon.
    If you're buying enough 8 lb jugs of powder and sleeves of primers, hazmat is not even a consideration.

  20. #80
    Boolit Buddy tuckerdog's Avatar
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    Alliant Bullseye, Alliant Unique, Alliant 2400, IMR4227 are what I use the most of.
    It don't make much sense that commonsense don't make no sense nomore

    If you died today would you have lived your life or have you simply existed

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check