Please Advise on 40s&w & 45acp

[MtnCreek]

I'm going to make a large quantity order at Powder Valley for 40s&w and 45acp. I'm looking at getting Unique powder for use in both 40 & 45. I was going with v-n350 until I saw the price ($90 / 4 lbs). Any thoughts on this powder for these cal’s?

Also looking at 180 gr Hornady HAP for the 40 and 230 gr Hornady HAP for the 45. Anyone used these?

Thanks!

 

[rbernie]

I have used Unique for both, and for plinking loads it worked fine. Green Dot would be a decent choice for range loads for both, if you wanted another inexpensive option.

 

[MtnCreek]

rbernie,

Do you have a better (higher performance) powder that would be well suited for both?

 

[rfwobbly]

Unique is one of the oldest powders around. I think it's well over 100 years old. Although it's been worked on in the last 10 years to help clean it up, at low pressures it can still be one of the dirtier powders. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't keep it from shooting great, and cost-wise it probably is one of the better values in reloading.

Look at a burn rate chart and see what others powders might be in the same speed neighborhood. You might get a better price, or cleaner results for the same price. Of course you need to make sure that whatever powder you finally pick has reloading documentation.

The Hodgdon web site has a powder speed chart.

 

[steve4102]

Silhouette, check out the load data over at Ramshot.

 

[cheygriz]

Unique is excellent.

I personally use HS-6 in both of these. A little slower, and allows you to load a bit more power at similar pressure.

AAC#5 and Universal are very similar to Unique in performance, and meter far better.

 

[Walkalong]

Do you have a better (higher performance) powder that would be well suited for both?

Silhouette, check out the load data over at Ramshot.

Yep, but Unique will work quite well. If you go with Vihtavuori, I would go with N340.

 

[32dgrz]

40's I use WSF
45's I use WST

Unique is good too.
These two meter better

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Do you have a better (higher performance) powder that would be well suited for both?

When loading the 40 S&W and .45 Auto for the most part both calibers are very different. The 40 S&W is a high pressure round and the 45 Auto is a low pressure round. To load both to near their potential a different powder should be used. I'm guessing you already know this but I'll say it just in case.

There is a new powder out that was made for all short case pistol rounds, Winchester AutoComp. From all the reports it is that "higher performance powder" you're looking for. AutoComp delivers high velocities and burned VERY clean. It just might be the exact powder you're searching for...

 

[Clark]

Power Pistol can give high velocity in 40sw and 45acp.

I have actually worked up to even higher velocity in 40sw with 800X, but it is such a pain to meter that, outside of bear hunting, it would not be worth the trouble.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I use a lot of Unique in a .45 with cast bullets. For jacketedor plated bullets, I use Power Pistol. It burns very clean and gives does give good velocities as pointed out above.

 

[GLOOB]

There is a new powder out that was made for all short case pistol rounds, Winchester AutoComp. From all the reports it is that "higher performance powder" you're looking for. AutoComp delivers high velocities and burned VERY clean. It just might be the exact powder you're searching for...

I like this powder in .40 and .45. But I hear whispers that it doesn't burn consistently at .45 acp pressures until you get to +P levels. All I know is it has about the same kick as max loads of Unique, but without the smell and residue, and accuracy is fine.

I tried it in 9mm, but I'm pretty sure Hogdon's load data is dead wrong in this caliber. Comparing the charge weight for other calibers, as well as comparing similar powders, the 9mm loads look to be unusually light. My perceived recoil with max loads was lighter than even W231 loads.

 

[traveling1253]

If you don't mind stout recoil and BIG muzzle blast try Hodgdon Longshot. Had great results with .40 and 180gr bullets.