One powder for 9mm & 40 S&W?

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elChupacabra!

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Alright everybody, I've done a couple searches but haven't been able to find a good answer to this particular question, so here goes:

Just this past weekend I've finally started reloading, and I'm getting started with .223 Rem. This weekend I intend to shoot the load work-ups I'm developing this week. Once I settle on what my rifle likes best, I'll move on to working up loads for pistols. .45ACP will be first, of which I've got 1000 200gr FMJ (Rainier, from Midway) bullets (for plinking), 1000 large pistol primers, and a pound of WW231.

After that, I want to buy components (500 each) of 155gr FMJ in .40S&W and 115gr FMJ in 9mm with 1000 small pistol primers and one pound of powder for both calibers (I shoot about a hundred rounds of centerfire ammo a weekend with a good bit of .22LR to round things out for cheap). Obviously, I plan on spending as much time shooting 45ACP alone as 40S&W and 9mm together, and in the interest of cash flows, I'd like to buy just enough components to put together 500 rounds of each (I've got more than enough once-fired brass to last me the next 3-5 years, so that isn't a concern).

SO, my question is, is there one powder that does a decent job of throwing both 9mm and 40 S&W? I've read a good deal about how WW231 shoots 9mm and 45ACP well, but no mention of the intermediate cartridge...

For what it's worth, I'm shooting out of an HK P2000 in 40S&W and a SIGPRO SP2022 in 9mm, doing some basic marksmanship from 7-15yds and various drills from 3-15yds. Reliability is important, accuracy is desirable but economy is a top priority. Any suggestions, or am I just going to have to bite the bullet and buy 2 different powders for this one?

Thanks in advance for your help.
 
I use ww231 for 40 S&W all the time. 4.0gr for 180gr FMJ and 3.7gr for 180gr lead. These are very light loads for IDPA and Steel targets. PF=~130 out of my CZ75B.
 
My old favorite is SR-4756, 6.0 gr under 115 gr JHPs for 9mm, from Midway LoadMap, and 7.5 gr under 165 gr JHPs for 40 S&W. New favorite is Power Pistol, 6.5 gr under 115 JHPs, and 7.5 gr under 165 gr JHPs for 40 S&W. Less than max loads, Speer #14 main reference, no pressure signs, Win or R-P brass, and mostly CCI 500 primers, taper crimp.
 
I use Unique in all three chamberings, and it works OK. It's not the cleanest powder and it's not optimized for any one use, but is a good generalist powder that keeps my powder stock uniform.
 
W-231, WSF, AA #5, Unique, True Blue. All of these will do very well. Depends on how much pop you want as to which would suit you best.
 
Bullseye works okay for 40, but seems a bit tempermental in 9mm. I've always heard that 231 is probably the most versatile but haven't tried it myself.
 
Thanks for the quick responses everybody! I notice that a few of you have mentioned WW231 as working for all 3 calibers... it would be nice if I could use just one powder across the board, to keep things simple and also to allow me to buy larger quantities more reasonably (since I don't shoot any one caliber TOO much).

Walkalong, you mention "pop" - I'm really just looking for low(er) power practice ammo, so I don't need anything too hot; would WW231 give me reasonable performance in 9mm and 40S&W do yall think? The thought of one powder is very attractive to me.

Also, for what it's worth, I was given a can of 2400 from my Grandfather who used to reload before he was disabled (40 years ago - this is old powder, but still sealed in a can!); would 2400 have any utility in any of the calibers I mentioned (9mm, 40S&W, 45ACP, 223 Rem from an AR), or should I leave it alone? I know it's traditionally been used for 44 Mag and 38 Spl, but don't know exactly how that translates into usefulness for other calibers.

Again, thanks for the input!
 
Just from a casual glance, I don't see any load data in 9, 40, or 45 for 2400. It's burn-rate and density might not be conductive to proper pressuring in the cases. Remember that you're constantly trading off volume of powder against pressure created by the burn. It likely can't fit an efficient amount of powder into the limited case volume.

Don't try it!!! If it's still good, you can probably sell/give it away, or save it for larger calibers.
 
Universal Clays is pretty much equivalent to Unique without the dirt and mess.

I'd suspect WW 231 should be fine, as would AA#5. I use Universal Clays and AA#5 in 45acp, 45LC, and 10mm. 231 and AA#5 both meter exceptionally well.
 
I reload for the 40 S&W. I shoot 2 Glock pistols, 23 and 27. I love Longshot for the 40, it is accurate and very clean.
7.5gr of Longshot, various brass and Magtech primers and 165gr Rainier plated hollow points.
 
For the purposes you mention, I think you would be extremely happy with W231 in all three pistol calibers. It flows so nicely in a powder measure, shoots well, and is economical to buy in 8 pound quantity. Hodgdon HP-38 is the same powder under a different label.

Alliant 2400 is a slow-burning magnum pistol powder. One suspects that you will be very unhappy trying to use it in your 3 pistol calibers. You have no choice but to buy a 357mag or 44mag, otherwise you will insult your grandfather's memory. Start shopping for revolvers immediately.
 
Power Pistol would work quite well for this purpose. I've been using it in 9mm, 357 magnum, and .38 +P with great results.

HS-6 would be another option.
 
In my opinion, Unique is awesome for target loads in 40 S&W, I'm sure it would work great in 9mm too. For 165 gr Ranier's, I load 6 grains of Unique, gives me right at 1000 fps from my XD, 155 gr Ranier's, I load 6.3 grains of Unique, this gives about 1050 fps. Both are excellent loads, accurate, with mild recoil. Unique is a little dirtier than some powders, but I really don't care, I like it.
 
I use Hodgdon Universal for .380, 9mm Largo, .40 and .45. I mostly load towards the light side in all of them.
 
W231 is very versatile and, as noted, meters very smoothly. I use it in both 9mm and 45. I also just picked up a pound of Unique because I keep seeing it referenced so frequently in threads about almost every pistol caliber. I didn't realize it has been around for 100 years, it must be pretty good!
 
45ACP will be first, of which I've got 1000 200gr FMJ (Rainier, from Midway) bullets (for plinking),
Click to expand...
Rainiers are NOT FMJs, they are plated. Do not use jacketed data for them, use lead data.

As to your other question... Power Pistol, Titegroup, and W231 will work fine in all three.
 
Ramshot Sillouette (used to be Winchester Action pistol) is an excellent powder for full power loads in both 9mm and 40SW. It meters like ball bearings, is low flash and is not very temperature sensitive. At full pressure it is clean burning. 231 will be better for lighter loads.
 
Strat81,

Thanks for pointing that out - I suppose I knew Rainiers were not really FMJ but copper plated; I had (apparrently erroneously) assumed load data would be the same for FMJ. At this point I guess I should clarify that I'll be loading Rainiers at the weights I stated into all 3 calibers; I guess I have a little more work to do. Still, I presume that I should be able to use WW231 in all 3 calibers, even with Rainiers, correct? I'll just need to obtain good load data for 231 for Lead or Copper Plated bullets rather than FMJ?

Thanks again, this is invaluable information.
 
ElChup, though you can't push a plated bullet to jacketed velocities, the low to middle jacketed charges seem to hold pretty well. Rainier's site even mentions using a 10% reduction off a jacketed data. I usually get good results in the low range of jacketed data.
 
FWIW, I just took delivery of 16lbs of Ramshot ZIP for $213 delivered from Wideners. That's $13 dollars a pound DELIVERED, including the $20 HAZMAT fee.

Its burn rate puts it close to Unique in terms of speed, and there's load data available for 9mm, 40S&W, and 45ACP. If it works close to as well as Unique, I think I may be using a lot of ZIP in the future.
 
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