Powder for comfortable 9x19 and 38 spl loads

[Char-Gar]

Well, as long as you are going to have to hunt whatever powder up and probably pay a big price, just get more Bullseye.

[Char-Gar]

Bullseye seems to have lost favor over the years but that's been my go-to for .38, .45ACP, and 9mm for a long time. A pound goes a long way.

Yes, it has lost favor among the Ignoranti!

[rintinglen]

Availability moved more people from Bullseye than ignorance.

I moved away from Bullseye due to frequent dry spells, when I couldn't find any, like now. When my girls were young and I found myself repeatedly getting bounced out of work as various concerns were bought and sold I could not afford the luxury of stockpiling a bunch of powder. When I had 10-20 dollars to spare, I could pick up a pound or two. But prior to the 1986 revision of Federal Law, you couldn't order powder, you bought what was on the shelf. In California, Hercules powders, other than shotgun powders, tended to be boom or bust. There were either plenty or none. It does little good to work up a brilliant load if you can't get fuel for it. I have generally have been able to Red Dot and WW231/HP38, so that's where I have gone.

Nowadays, my discretionary income is much greater, but I still haven't seen any Bullseye.

[Bmi48219]

Availability moved more people from Bullseye than ignorance.

I moved away from Bullseye due to frequent dry spells.

That’s why I tried TiteGroup. Unique & Bullseye were scarce and $22.00 + / pound when you could find them. A buddy gave me some TG to try. Burned cleaner and was $5.00 less per pound. I still have Unique but use TG for all my 380, 38, 9, 40 & 45 auto standard ammo.

[WRideout]

I am still using an ancient square can of Bullseye I picked up at an estate sale. For years I used Hercules dot powders, mostly red and green dot. Then about two years ago I found an 8 lb. jug of Promo (equal to Red Dot by weight) and immediatley snatched it up. The heavens opened up; angels descended. I use it in 9X19. 38 spc, 380 auto, and 45 ACP.

For light target loads, I would stay away from anything very slow. I found that Unique burns very dirty if it doesn't build enough pressure.

Wayne

[jonp]

I like Red Dot in just about any handgun round. If you can find Promo, it uses the same data, and is cheaper.

I have 6 kegs of Promo bought on sale about $100 each. Plan on it to be my target powder for years to come. If I can't load it with promo or unique im not not doing something right

[mobilemail]

I found a 4-lb container of Shooter's World Clean Shot just before the pandemic started. Since I only load pistol calibers it will last me a long, long time. It's a really fine powder, like sand, and meters very consistently in my LnL press. Now if I find a line on primers...

But I still keep bullseye too, still my favorite for .38 special target loads.

[AlaskaMike]

WW WST, meters like water and extremely accurate when you get to +/- 95% case fill.

AA #2, another powder that meters like water that does extremely well with +/- 95% case fill.

Be very careful when applying volumetric rules like this to two very different cartridges which operate at vastly different pressures. .38 Special has about twice the case volume as 9mm, and works with about half the pressure. 95% case fill in a .38 with AA #2 is about 10 grains. Regardless of bullet weight, 10 grains of AA #2 in .38 Special is a massive overload.

I know you were thinking specifically of 9mm when mentioning the 95% case fill, but wanted to mention this since we're talking about both 9mm and .38 Spl.

Stay safe out there!

[Wooserco]

Made a list of a powders listed. LGS (an hour away) was closed today. So, going shopping tomorrow. Wife said that this weekend is my birthday weekend (today is my birthday - 65 today), so anything that I buy is for my birthday. She also added to remember this weekend next November

Progressive press and other shooting gear will be delivered on Monday. Chaps my pants that it's been sitting 2 miles away at UPS since Friday

Thank You everyone for your suggestions. You've been most helpful.

BTW, I never realized just how dirty Bulleye was until after shooting 100 rounds through the stainless S&W revolver.

[Wooserco]

Well, of all of the powders on my list only WST was available. Limit of 1 - 4lb. jug. But I won the lottery!!! I scored a brick of Winchester WSP primers!!! Limit of one brick per customer per day. Wish I'd brought the wife along now. ONLY $80 / 1,000. Double what I used to pay, but better than being without.

[practical_man]

I have been pleased with 231 for a couple of decades. Works well in mid range target loads for .38, 9x19, 45 acp.

Others that work well for me in those cartridges:
Red Dot/Promo (also great for 12 gauge)
Bullseye
Clays
WST
WSF

Powders I have quit using in pistol cartridges:
Titegroup (burns too hot)
Unique (great for 28 and 20 gauge, not so accurate is handguns at moderate velocity)
Universal (similar to unique)

[Meatpuppet]

Sport Pistol for your applications.

[jonp]

Went back over my notes. I shoot the usual Promo, Unique etc. Some not so usual like Vectan GM3 but I had great luck with IMR Target. Very clean and accurate. From my notebook remarks I'd buy more Vectan if I could find it at a good price

[Chaparral66]

What ever is in stock that has load data for you desired caliber. Yes Bullseye seems dirty, but if you have it you can shoot. Autocomp #2 I found to meter poorly... always fell out of the sides of the metering system. I've tried Autocomp, Titegroup, Unique and Bullseye and a few .45 ACP rounds using Herco. I'm spending more time smelting, casting and coating than loading or shooting. Need to save what powder I have for the Zombie (COVID) apocalypse.

[Meatpuppet]

If Vectan is a possibility, I used Vectan Prima V for a long time in 9MM for USPSA shooting. Very "soft" shooting and clean burning.

9MM Blue Bullet 147gr / over Prima V 3.1gr / 1.09 OAL = 132 Power Factor

[Forrest r]

Well, of all of the powders on my list only WST was available. Limit of 1 - 4lb. jug. But I won the lottery!!! I scored a brick of Winchester WSP primers!!! Limit of one brick per customer per day. Wish I'd brought the wife along now. ONLY $80 / 1,000. Double what I used to pay, but better than being without.

Ya I'd hate to have a bunch of wst laying around

Actually everyone else feels the same way
[IMG][/IMG]

That's only 10 shots @ 50ft but it's a start

[John Guedry]

I like Red Dot, AA2 for almost anything.

[curioushooter]

Unique works for me.

[openbook]

OP asked about a comfortable light load powder. I recently started out loading 9mm with Titegroup, and I've found that even at the starting load it cycles the action so hard my cases are hitting the roof of the covered firing line. I'm wanting to download to find a load that cycles the action reasonably enough for use with a brass catcher. Is it common for Titegroup to act like this?

I used a Lee 356-102-1R in an M&P Shield (original Shield) with the Lyman starting load of 4.2 gr Titegroup. Is the light bullet the cause?

[RKJ]

I like Clays. IIRC, 4.0 for 9mm and 45 ACP, easy shooting in both a HP and 1911's