9mm target powder choice

[kcofohio]

Hodgdon does.

Oops, my bad. I didn't expect to see it at 17, listed faster than WST, Zip, and #2

BTW, my copy is from Nov. 2019.

 

[Alex G]

Ultimately, you'll have to try it and see if your gun likes it. Slow powders can produce excellent accuracy. Accurate #7 shoots extremely well in my 9mm Kart barrel with a wide range of bullet weights.

^I have found this true as well actually! Yes, you use more of the powder because it’s slower burning (typically) but you get higher velocities at lower pressures. My 226 absolutely loves AA#7, the only downside is shorter barrels and lighter projectiles (I only load down to 124’s at the moment, nothing lighter) where you get a decent bit of unburnt powder as muzzle flash. Where it really shines is in 357 SIG, the burn rate is nearly perfect for max velocity while still getting complete powder burn.

My go to for 9mm is A#5. I have loaded some great loads with it. I highly recommend it

^Also same. Typically #5 has a softer recoil impulse than #7, though you won’t get quite the same velocity out of it. They’re both excellent powders IMO

 

[JO JO]

Thanks everyone for the input

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Thanks everyone for the input

Let us know how it goes. You know someone else will ask eventually so the more info, the better.

 

[armoredman]

You have a choice in powder? Most of us are using what we have or taking what we can find.

I agree, which is funny he mentions HS-6, as it was the only choice some weeks ago locally and I had never used it before. testers loaded waiting for a break in the weather.
When I have my "druthers" I use Bullseye or Unique as backups to AA#7.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Please share your opinion using Blue Dot vs a fast powder like Red Dot, Tightgroup, Bullseye, and AA2 for a 9mm - 122gr lead target load. I am trying to find an accurate target load myself and my primary bullets will be cast bullets using range lead and a Lee 6 cavity die. The Lee powder coated bullets weigh more than 122gr and vary so I'm concerned that my groups will open up as a result. Decades ago I found a good load of 4.2gr or so of AA2 with an Oregon Trail Bullet. I tried replicating the load with Lee and Dardas bullets but the results were poor. My test loads were at 4.2gr =/- a few .xx grains. To me, the groups were poor. The best load was below some published recommendations at 3.4gr and 3/5 of the shots were within an inch. I plan to repeat the test for this load and see if the load groups well. In addition, I was thinking of trying 4.0gr Red Dot as Ken Waters recommends. The load is one of his most accurate through his Luger. So, the question I have is will a slower powder like Blue Dot make a difference or am I wasting my time? My experience has been that slow powders leave unburnt residue.

I use the Lee 120gr TCFN. (not the tumble lube version!) with SPG lube @ .357”. I use 4.9gr of LongShot and it’s superlative accurate. I have shot them powder coat but don’t care for the burnt paint smell. I find the powders to all shoot accurate, but have opinions on different powders.
BlueDot isn’t a favorite as I’ve had unburned flakes get into the locking lugs and affect lock up to point of shifting POI and accuracy at 25-50yds in matches.(confirmed in practice).
Really fast burners are likely to permit an unnoticed double charge.

 

[41 Mag]

9mm target powder choice for coated 124gr projectiles ,
these will be for paper punching / plinking
Thanks

With my 9mm loads I primarily use Bullseye for around 60% and AA powders for the rest.

I have loaded each of the powders in your list with cast and plated and haven't really found any issues with any to be honest. Like mentioned, some powders are best on the upper end and do burn a little cleaner.

Other than that if all I had were in your list I would use the AA-5 and CFE probably in that order.

 

[lordpaxman]

what would you pick from the powders available to me listed in the poll

None. I put target loads on par with minor PF competition loads and none of those powders are very common with the competing crowd.
If those are the only ones you can get, focus on a mid to heavy load until you can get a faster powder. Good luck.

 

[JO JO]

a little late but I added win auto comp ?
any opinion on that as well ?
since I will be ordering online all the input is very helpful as I will order several pounds of my choice
then work up a load and chrono
thanks everyone

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

a little late but I added win auto comp ?
any opinion on that as well ?
since I will be ordering online all the input is very helpful as I will order several pounds of my choice
then work up a load and chrono
thanks everyone

Since you're going to be online shopping, add TiteGroup, BE86 and Bullseye to your list. Those are probably the better powders for straight-up target shooting.

 

[LiveLife]

a little late but I added win auto comp?

any opinion on that as well?

AutoComp is similar in slower burn rate as CFE Pistol/HS-6 and made to work with compensated barrels that require a lot of gas (To keep pistol flat for match shooting) and works better at higher/near max load data.

Since you already have relatively slower burning powders, I would suggest getting W231/HP-38 and faster burning powders for "target" loads.

And if you want a more flexible powder to load both "target" and "full power" loads, WSF or BE-86.

 

[LiveLife]

... add TiteGroup, BE86 and Bullseye to your list. Those are probably the better powders for straight-up target shooting.

I agree with these powder suggestions.

My experience with following powders for 9mm:

• Bullseye - Can produce more accurate than W231/HP-38 loads, especially lighter loads that require lower spring rates to cycle the slide. At higher load data, will produce more snappy felt recoil.

• Red Dot/Promo - Good general purpose 9mm/45ACP powder that will produce slightly less accurate than W231/HP-38 pistol loads but will produce more accurate blowback carbine loads due to faster burn rate sealing case mouth with chamber. Bulky powder to produce 100% case fill loads with many bullet weights.

• Titegroup - Can produce more accurate loads than W231/HP-38.

• Sport Pistol - Cleaner burning and can produce more accurate loads than W231/HP-38.

• W231/HP-38 - My 9mm reference powder that is good for 40S&W and 45ACP target loads as well.

• WSF - Can produce accuracy down to mid range load data and also produce higher max velocities than many other powders. Also good powder for 40S&W.

• BE-86 - Can produce accuracy down to mid range load data and produce higher velocities than WSF with greater accuracy. For me, produced best accuracy behind WST and most accurate powder for 40S&W. (BTW, OEM powder for many premium JHP ammunition manufacturers for decades).

There are many other powders that can work for 9mm target loads but these are my favorites.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

D

I agree with these powder suggestions.

My experience with following powders for 9mm:

• Bullseye - Can produce more accurate than W231/HP-38 loads, especially lighter loads that require lower spring rates to cycle the slide. At higher load data, will produce more snappy felt recoil.

• Red Dot/Promo - Good general purpose 9mm/45ACP powder that will produce slightly less accurate than W231/HP-38 pistol loads but will produce more accurate blowback carbine loads due to faster burn rate sealing case mouth with chamber. Bulky powder to produce 100% case fill loads with many bullet weights.

• Titegroup - Can produce more accurate loads than W231/HP-38.

• Sport Pistol - Cleaner burning and can produce more accurate loads than W231/HP-38.

• W231/HP-38 - My 9mm reference powder that is good for 40S&W and 45ACP target loads as well.

• WSF - Can produce accuracy down to mid range load data and also produce higher max velocities than many other powders. Also good powder for 40S&W.

• BE-86 - Can produce accuracy down to mid range load data and produce higher velocities than WSF with greater accuracy. For me, produced best accuracy behind WST and most accurate powder for 40S&W. (BTW, OEM powder for many premium JHP ammunition manufacturers for decades).

There are many other powders that can work for 9mm target loads but these are my favorites.

Did you get a chance to evaluate W244 yet. I still haven’t opened the pound bottle I bought a month ago. Too busy with other projects.

 

[LiveLife]

Did you get a chance to evaluate W244 yet. I still haven’t opened the pound bottle I bought a month ago. Too busy with other projects.

I bought a bottle of W244 to test with W231/HP-38 but family/parents/medical issues/deaths forced me to liquidate/PIF over 90% of my shooting/reloading supplies and W244 got included in the component reduction.

Best to my knowledge, I think W244 was introduced to address W231/HP-38's temperature sensitivity issues with match shooters and to extend velocity range more with slightly slower burn rate.

 

[Howland937]

I've had decent experience with HS6 in 9mm and have been using it off and on for a couple years. Its worked better with 115gr for me. WSF has become the one I reach for most often if I'm putting some 9mm together. Just seems like I've had better results with it and 124gr stuff. I've relegated the CFE Pistol to pushing 95gr plated bullets out of a .380...it does ok with that.

 

[FROGO207]

I always use a faster propellant than you list. My choices are Red Dot/Promo and Titegroup. With the caution that a little bit of Titegroup is all one needs and watch out for double charges. I like the way Promo meters best of these.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I always use a faster propellant than you list. My choices are Red Dot/Promo and Titegroup. With the caution that a little bit of Titegroup is all one needs and watch out for double charges. I like the way Promo meters best of these.

Hard to argue with Red Dot. 5.0gr in a 230gr .45 and 4.0gr in a 124gr 9mm. Can’t really go wrong.

 

[FROGO207]

Those work great! With the 230 grain 45ACP I prefer using 700X though. Soft shooting and really clean near max charge.

 

[nettlle]

Bullseye

 

[bluetopper]

Green Dot has always been my favorite 9mm powder.

 

[BJung]

Green Dot has always been my favorite 9mm powder.

Can you compare Green Dot with other powders you've tried and why you like it? I am thinking about testing it myelf.

 

[Hondo 60]

Hmmm, how about none of the above.

My go-to powder is TiteGroup,
Then probably Universal or W231.
Of course it helps that I have those on hand.

 

[LiveLife]

Can you compare Green Dot with other powders you've tried and why you like it? I am thinking about testing it myelf.

During previous shortage, I tested several comparable powders for W231/HP-38 and Green Dot was decent that required .2-.3 gr more compared to my 9mm/45ACP W231/HP-38 loads. Accuracy was not as good but if Green Dot was only available powder, I would use it for 9/45 and light 40 S&W loads.

BTW, below is grouping of powders I use by relative burn rate and you can see where Green Dot falls. I hope this helps.

Faster burning pistol powders:

E3 - Competition - Nitro 100 - N310 - Norma R1

Red Dot/Promo - IMR Red - Clays - 700X - Bullseye - Vectan Ba 10 - IMR Target - TiteGroup - Vectan AS - Am. Select - Solo 1000 - WST - International - Trail Boss - N320 - Sport Pistol - Vectan Ba 9.5 - No. 2 - Clean Shot/Lovex D032.03

W231/HP-38 - Zip - Green Dot - IMR Green - W244

Slower burning pistol powders:

Unique - Universal - IMR Unequal - Vectan Ba 9 - BE-86 - Power Pistol - N330 - Vectan A1 - Herco - Vectan A0 - WSF - N340 - 800X

No. 5 - Auto Pistol/Lovex D036-03 - True Blue - HS6 - AutoComp - Ultimate Pistol/Lovex D036-07 - CFE Pistol - Silhouette - 3N37

N350 - 3N38 - IMR Blue - W572 - Blue Dot - No. 7 - Major Pistol/Lovex D037-01 - Vectan Ba 7.5 - Pro Reach - Long Shot - 2400

Enforcer - No. 9 - Heavy Pistol/Lovex D037-02 - 4100 - Steel - Norma R123 - N110 - Lil'Gun - W296/H110 - 300-MP - 11FS - Vectan Ba 6.5 - H4227

 

[Constrictor]

Unique

 

[BOISE BADWOLF]

A#7 wasn't in your list but should be one you consider. Although I go with #5, #7 is amazing for 9mm. I can load 115g bullets and then move to 147g bullets without changing charge, and I get great loads with both. Wanna know the loads let me know