What powders have you transitioned through?

[ric426]

At this point I only load light .38 wadcutter loads for indoor, so I'm always looking for the best balance between accuracy, recoil and clean burning/low smoke. In the back of my mind I'm always concerned about going too low and running into possible detonation or powder position issues too. Some guys in the league swear by 1.8 grains of Bullseye, but that sounds scary to me.
I started with 2.7 grains of Bullseye because that's what everyone recommended, but it didn't meter that well with the setup I had at the time. I then tried HP38 (dirty in my gun), Trailboss (too smoky indoors) and have been using Winchester Super Target on the advice of the gunsmith who built my gun. It meters well (for me), burns clean (in my gun) and isn't very smoky, but I'm loading it right at or slightly below the recommended minimum.
Based on what I've read in this forum (and my own curiosity), I'm thinking about giving Titegroup a try the next time I buy powder to see if it's insensitivity to position makes any difference at minimum load levels. If not I'll probably stick with WST. At least until somebody else plants another idea in my susceptible mind.

 

[Walkalong]

to see if it's insensitivity to position makes any difference at minimum load levels. If not I'll probably stick with WST.

I'll wager it is not any better than WST. It was average in my testing as far as "insensitivity to position" goes. Advertising houey in my book.

 

[ric426]

Thanks! Once again your experience has saved me from going off in another pointless direction.

 

[azar]

These days I shy away from Bullseye in large capacity cases since those few grains look very lonely in the bottom of the case, and I don't think they'd be quick to announce to the world if a few extra friends showed up to party. Once the party starts, it might be a riot.

Ha ha! That's a classic quote Gary.

 

[redneck2]

Two I've given up on are Unique and H-110. Unique is ungodly dirty in the .45LC loads I was using it in.

I tried H-110 in my .458 SOCOM. "Accuracy" was 6" or greater groups with any load & bullet combo I tried. Changed to 4895 and instantly dropped to 1 1/2" or less first try. I also tried it in "Ruger Only" loads for my 45LC. Ignition and performance was very erratic.

Universal Clays is the powder I use for general pistol stuff. AA#5 is a close second. Meters like a dream. I use Varget for a lot of my rifle stuff. H-380 in the .22-250, RL-22 for the 7 mag.

 

[RustyFN]

I started loading 9mm. I used Titegroup, Bullseye and HS-6. I liked TG better so used mostly TG. Since I bought my 45 I was talked into trying WST. I like WST so much that I stopped using TG in 45 and only use WST. I also found a load for 9mm using WST. This summer I plan on working up a load for 38 spcl with WST. I am using Bullseye in 38 now and my Marlin shoots one ragged hole so I don't know if WST will beat it out or not.

 

[FROGO207]

Looking at the shelves and propellant there now. I think that with the exception of anything from VV I have a half can of more than half of the choices of every current company. Large canisters of Blue Dot, Bullseye, Red Dot, Hunter, Unique, 700X, H110, Zip, 3031, H-4198, IMR 4198, 2015 BR, Trail Boss, H1000, HS6, and others that are in behind that I am too lazy to pull out and read. Me a powder junkie??? NO WAY

 

[ArchAngelCD]

in pistol I have only used Red Dot but want to switch to a ball powder

BsChoy,
If you give W231/HP-38 a try I'm sure you will be very happy. As a matter of fact W231 had a burn rate very similar to Green Dot.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

ric426,
Clays might just be the powder you're looking for. You use very little in a .38 Special case so it lasts a ling time, it's very clean in most applications and it produces accurate ammo. I stopped using it because my Lee Powder Measures had a hard time metering the 2.5gr charge weight I was using so I went back to W231. Many here have no problem at all with Clays and metering.

 

[ric426]

Thanks ArchAngelCD, I'll add Clays to the list of powders to try in the future. I'll be starting the winter PPC league in a couple of weeks so I'm going to stick with WST and my proven loads for that. Once spring comes and I can get to the outdoor range to test loads I'll probably experiment with Clays and Titegroup. The WST is working fine for me, but I've never been known to leave well enough alone.

Hope you all have a great holiday!

 

[ljnowell]

ric426, have you ever tried AA#2 in your wadcutter loads? I load them with it and absolutely love it.

 

[Mule]

Can't remember how many 12 ga target powders I have used. Started with a now discontinued Winchester Powder, AA451, I think. Then another, Win powder AA 471 maybe. Red Dot, Nitro 100, Clays, REX-1, REX-2, REX-0 and now Promo. I am sure there were one or two more.

 

[joed]

Some powders that I've given up on are:

H110 - it was a good powder but I found that 2400 is more forgiving and can be loaded milder or just as hot. I no longer buy this one.

Unique - great powder and works in almost any cartridge. It's flaws are it's dirty and doesn't work well in my Dillon powder measures. I now use Power Pistol or Universal.

W231 - worked great but was sometimes hard to get. Replaced it with the same powders as for Unique.

IMR4064 - great powder but to fast burning for the cartridges I own. Went to IMR4350.

 

[Sevens]

I don't give up on a powder easily, but if I must pick a couple in my cache that I just plain don't use, it would be Green Dot, Unique and IMR-4227. Green Dot was my first ever powder when I began metallic handloading, I used a Lee dipper and Green Dot with Speer swaged 158gr LRN and LSWC in .38 Special. It worked. As I added to the tools on my bench I found that Green Dot meters horribly. So I've quit using it.

I picked up the bottle of Unique because I was at a gun store and they were nice folks and I always like to buy something when they seem like good folks, and I couldn't find anything else I wanted. Unique has been just about as popular as any powder could ever get (at least it was popular back before the 1990s) so I grabbed a bottle of it. IMO, it meters horribly also, so I hardly ever use it.

The IMR-4227 was bought to make .30 Carbine ammo many years back, but then I got rid of the carbine. Couple years ago I picked up a .30 Carb Blackhawk and I'm having a royal blast with it, but I don't use 4227 to load for it. So that cute little old gray can just kinda sits there. IMR was owned by DuPont when I bought that can.

My go to powder is Power Pistol. I use a lot of it in .380, .38 Spl, 9mm, 10mm, .40 S&W and I've recently goofed with it in .357 Mag. Yeah, there's a lot of flash, but it meters well and offers a sensible charge weight, and my ammo runs well and is accurate. I love the stuff and if I could only choose, one, I'd take Power Pistol.

I also like 2400. I use it for those .30 Carb loads I mentioned earlier. Also in .357 Mag and .327 Federal Mag.

I have been using Titegroup in .45 Auto, but I don't feel "married" to this powder. Still, I keep buying it.

One powder that I've dabbled with and set aside is Blue Dot. Doesn't meter all that well. I've used a bit in .30 Carbine and 10mm, but I've never given it a fair shake. I may next try it in .357 Mag. I'm sure it's a good powder, I just have more faith in something that meters more consistently.

But here's the "what did he say?" powder that I've burned a bunch of in the last year: Winchester 473AA. This was the powder I had formerly used to make 20 gauge skeet loads back in the late 80s. I don't shoot skeet anymore, I haven't had the Mec-650 out in 20+ years but the powder has been hanging around. I have a little more than 3 pounds of it, so I've been using it in .45 Auto for LSWC and plated 200 grain loads.

It makes a rather soft shooting load in .45, and I wouldn't say it's the cleanest stuff in the world. When it's all gone, I won't be able to replace it. But it meters well and it's accurate at 7-25 yards, and it's fun to use up something that I've held on to since I last bought it in... 1989? That and the IMR-4227 are in metal cans. No big thing to you guys who were rolling loads in the 50s, 60s and 70s, but I'll bet most folks don't have their favorite powder in metal cans these days!

 

[Sevens]

I don't do a lot in rifle... but have used H335, H4198, H4895 ann H4350. Though the H335 meters great, I prefer the performance I get from H-4198 in .223 over the H335. Great accuracy and (seemingly?) similar velocity with less pressure and lower charge weight. I have to give a big shout out to Hodgdon and their online reloading data center. This tool blows away every other powder mfr/distributor in the business and it makes me want to buy MORE Hodgdon branded powders. It's a quick, powerful and flexible engine to get data straight from the distributor's mouth.

Obviously, I use a lot of Alliant powders in handgun... but compared to Hodgdon, Alliant sucks out loud when it comes to offering online load data.

Also, forgot to mention H110/W296 -- I've never tried this powder because of all the warnings not to reduce, but mostly because the data always calls for a magnum primer.

I already have my hands full stocking small and large pistol and small and large rifle, I'd just as soon avoid any powder that begs for me to stock yet another different primer.

All I've ever heard is how well it works for full bore magnum loads... but I'll just get "close" with 2400 and stick with my non-magnum primers.

 

[kludge]

While browsing through different threads to get more powder ideas, I got curious. Many posted what powders they have ended up with and what they recommend currently.

What powders have you transitioned through?

Why did you not like the particular powders?

Do you ever go back to the powders you transitioned from?

I guess I might as well give up my powder reduction efforts. More I try, more I find more powders I want to try out and keep.

1. Bullseye. Except for .38 target loads (it's accuracy it great) I have no use for this powder. Originally I got it for economy in .40S&W, but it was absolutely filthy. The filth isn't as bad in .38 loads. I have already purchased my next powder for .38 target loads - Accurate No.2.

2. Unique. I bought this because of the myriad of recommendations for .45 Colt, and during the shortage Universal was nowhere to be found. I tried it once and I don't know if I can bear to ever use it again. It leaves unburned grains of powder in the case and barrel and it won't meter worth crap (+/- 0.5 grains). I don't have the data but IIRC velocities varied from 750 to 925 fps. I was fed up with it after loading 50 rounds. I'll keep my Universal, thanks. It pretty much duplicates Unique in revolver loads, it's near the top in all the pistol loads, meters great, and it's clean, clean, clean! Also works great for light .357 magnum loads and reduced .454 Loads.

3. BL-C(2). I'm on the fence here. Meters great and gets near top velocities in the rifle cartridges I load for. But the temperature sensitivity is hard to deal with. One particular day I set out a dozen or so 225gr .358 WSSM cartridges from a load I had worked up at 2380fps (80 deg ambient). I was there to sight in my rifle at cold temps for deer hunting, so I was waiting a few minutes between shots (35deg ambient). As the ammo sat on the bench, I watched each successive shot drop velocity, 60-70 fps by the time I finished. Also it gets erratic if the load is even slightly compressed. I think I stick to my stick powders.

Powders I'll stick with: IMR 4064, H4895, H4198, IMR4895, Universal, 2400, No.2, No.7, No.9, A1680.

 

[orionengnr]

Lots of good info here...

I have not been at it too long (about three years so far) and started with W231 and .45 acp. I have also used W231 for .45LC.

Ran across a deal on some Green Dot and have been using it for both .45acp and .45LC. Also used it for .41 Mag target loads.

For "real" .41 Mag loads I've been using 296, but I'm not crazy about the way it meters. So far it's a "dipper" powder, which makes loading tedious and slow..

I have a pound of Unique, and have tried just a few rounds of 10mm, once again not impressed with it's metering.

Recently bought a pound of Blue Dot for the 10mm; have not tried it yet.

I also have a pound each of Bullseye, Red Dot and HS6. My plans are to use the Red Dot for .380 and the HS-6 for .357 Mag.

Have not "given up" on any of them yet.

 

[sublimaze41]

For pistols I use Accurate Arms #5,7,9 most of the times. I love the way it meters through my Dillon 550b. The price of AA powders is always good and I like the way it meters if I didn't mention that already.......like butter.

 

[buck460XVR]

I really wish I didn't have the Lil Gun. It just hasn't worked as well as the other magnum powders.

Same here. For me, it never lived up to the internet hype on it. Altho velocities for magnum rounds was there, it was never as accurate for me as H110/W296. It also left my guns(revolvers and carbines) noticeably hotter after firing than other powders. Once the reports of it and premature forcing cone erosion came out, I quit using it altogether in my revolvers. I have about a half a pound left I'm still trying to use up in my carbines, but since it doesn't perform as well, it might just become fertilizer. For my handguns I use 4 powders......H110/W296, IMR4227, W231/HP38 and Unique.