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Thread: Power Pistol powder

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Power Pistol powder

    Fellow reloaders- I have seen reports where Power Pistol seems to be preferred over Unique for some heavier loads. Does anybody have experience with this powder and would care to comment ? Thanks, Bob

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    All I'll use in 9mm full power loads. Don't use it in anything else.
    Cognitive Dissident

  3. #3
    Boolit Master

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    its all I use in 9mm as well.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Master 358429's Avatar
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    The best 9mm powder I have used.

  5. #5
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    I found it no better than AA#7 for full power 9mm loads.

    Winelover

  6. #6
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    I am new to the powder. Having started using it only a few years ago but it has and is growing to become a favorite of mine.

    Loading 380 W/231 I find max loads quick and decisively. With PP I reach the same velocity/ accuracy WITHOUT high pressure.

    In 10mm I was really suprised, slowly working up I achieved 98% and plenty for my needs as compared to spiky 800x. Also accuracy has been stellar.

    I even use for my 40 as my low velocity powder for comp loadings. Its shooting a 175 almost 850 in a 5" G35 and almost 1050 from my 8.5 pcc also excellent accuracy. I can A zone a sillouette @ 200 yards with that load holding the forehead.

    I was a devout Red Dot/ Unique guy. Now PP will stand on my powder shelf right beside them.

    CW
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  7. #7
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    NC_JEFF's Avatar
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    I agree with what has been said above, Power Pistol works really good for me in 9mm and 40.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master Forrest r's Avatar
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    I also use it in the 9mm for hot loads.

    Where it really shines for me is with the calibers that are in the +/- 20,000psi range. Pearce did an article in handloader magazine duplicating the buffalo bore a20 38spl P+ load (158gr lead hp gc bullet doing 1000fps in a snubnosed 2" bbl'd revolver). PP does extremely well with standard pressure 44spl loads and 45acp P+ loads.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Looking over the published 9mm data there appears to be no free lunch with that small case capacity. Putting a 125 gr. Up into the 1200 fps. range is a challenge. I've been using Hs 6 with the Lee 356 125r boolit seated deep over 6 grains and I get about 1175 fps on average. Going hotter gives primer flow and firing pin drag marks.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master Thumbcocker's Avatar
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    Best I have ever used in .44 special. +p velocity without going over standard pressure. Also kicks butt in mid level .44 magnum. Works in 9mm and .45 acp too.
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  11. #11
    Boolit Master curioushooter's Avatar
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    They are very similar in their applications despite their marketing, with PP being just a wee bit slower than Unique.

    PP truly is excellent in 44 Special +P loads despite filling only half the case. In fact, 8 grains of PP pushing a ~250 grainier is supposedly still at standard pressure yet achieves the Skeeter load velocity in for me in both of my revolvers (Flattop Blackhawk and S&W 624). PP only fills half the case. I've never used old formulation Unique much, but the new formulation is about equally clean to PP. PP meters nicer than Unique, but both meter well enough. The problem for PP has been I haven't seen it on a shelf in years.

    PP is excellent in 38 +P as well with heavy bullets (158 grains).

    PP is excellent in 9mm and 10mm again with heavy side bullets. It was my go-to powder for a decade, and basically sat in my hopper when I shot autos a lot. Even tried fancy Vitaviouri powders and returned to PP because it was just as good.

    This said I really like Unique, and am growing fondness for Herco which is just a wee bit slower than PP. Like PP I have found it to work very well in 44 special +P loads with heavy bullets. It goes like this with Alliant powders I've used: Bullseye < Unique < PP < Herco < Blue Dot < 2400 < 300MP. Frankly, I think 2400 is kinda overrated in normal handguns. Blue Dot can almost achieve the same velocity with less powder and flash. 300MP is a fast rifle powder IMO, excellent for 357 mag rifles or 357Mag/Max Contenders. The lower 5 in that group though all have niches and roles they fill better than the others, but are versatile.

    One of the great things about Unique (and Bullseye) is they are the oldest powders still in widespread use and there is an abundance of data for them, even for oddball stuff. Rules of thumb with loading them seem to be reliable too.

    In my experience Unique is very temperature stable too, which is very important to me. Even at very low temps the velocity/POI stays the same when using unique. I have not tested other powders so extensively in temp extremes because they were noticeably less stable than Unique.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy kingrj's Avatar
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    I have had excellent results in both the .45 Super and .45 Colt...In the .45 Colt it easily produces 1050 fps with a 255 grain Keith bullet in a 4 1/2" barrel Ruger BHk...In the same gun 25 grains of WW296 only makes 40 fps more with the same bullet.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master Forrest r's Avatar
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    8.0gr of pp in the 44spl's makes an excellent standard pressure load.

    Did the test target on the right, offhand (5 shots in 25 seconds) at 25ft using a 3" bbl'd ca bulldog/44spl. The black circle is 3" and the inner white circle is 1". Not bullseye accuracy by any means but good enough for my simple needs with that snubnosed revolver. The 245gr keith swc did 830fps and the 200gr type III wc did 835fps.
    [IMG][/IMG]

    Was sighting in the reddots on a couple 22lr pistols on the left target.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master

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    Ive shot the highest vel in my 327 mag,by far,,with pp.also,top speeds in 9mm,,good stuff

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Ex Boss gave me a pound to try in my 40Cal. Works and is very consistent but I find it flashy and don't use it much.
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  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by 358429 View Post
    The best 9mm powder I have used.
    My experience is exactly the same. It also works well in 38 super.
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  17. #17
    Boolit Bub
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    It was my powder of choice for running fast 147gr in 9mm. I switched to BE-86 and picked up a little more velocity, used a tiny bit less powder and it also had the benefit of reduced flash, noise and recoil.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master OBXPilgrim's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Forrest r View Post
    8.0gr of pp in the 44spl's makes an excellent standard pressure load.

    Did the test target on the right, offhand (5 shots in 25 seconds) at 25ft using a 3" bbl'd ca bulldog/44spl. The black circle is 3" and the inner white circle is 1". Not bullseye accuracy by any means but good enough for my simple needs with that snubnosed revolver. The 245gr keith swc did 830fps and the 200gr type III wc did 835fps.
    [IMG][/IMG]

    Was sighting in the reddots on a couple 22lr pistols on the left target.
    I'm impressed! Most standard 44 special loads just really get my attention in the Charter 44 bulldog.
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  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thanks fellow loaders for your opinions on this powder. Bob

  20. #20
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    ddixie884's Avatar
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    It gives about the best return on full weight cast bullets in .38spl, .41spl and .44spl at reasonable pressures...........
    JMHO-YMMV
    dd884
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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