slavic09 Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Hi - I'm very new to reloading, and I've a zillion questions. Here's my first - what do you guys recommend for a good, clean burning pistol powder? Rather than experiment, I'd rather just ask the forum. I've been using Bullseye, which functions great but leaves a lot of residue in my pistols and doesn't work really well for indoor ranges (lots of dirty smoke). I found out later that the formula for Bullseye is about 100 years old, so surely there have been some improvements. What do you guys like? Ideally, I'd like to use one pistol powder for both 9mm and .45 ACP. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt2ace Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 First.......search! There are several good threads on 9mm loads both major and minor PF. If you are going for 9mm minor, you might find a powder that works for 9 and 45. If you are going 9 major, you will likely need something different for 45. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWFAN Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Solo 1000 is nice in both. Clays is nice in .45(some guys shoot it in 9mm, I dont). Winchester 231 isnt bad in either, but kind of dirty. Titegroup with jacketed bullets isnt bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomfturner Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 (edited) I have a post on this thread of peoples pet loads that are not major, and not Vitvouhri (sp.) powders (as the VV powder can be hard to find and expensive). I think if you look through it you'll find some good ideas. I was trying to collect some statistical data from that thread, but it ended up just being a good discussion point for a lot of similar loads (which works too).pet load thread Edited February 3, 2010 by tomfturner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolex Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 True Blue for both major and minor .9mm 125JHP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XD Niner Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I use Clays for my Minor 9mm, 124/125 grain JHP and 230 grain .45 caliber loads. It burns very clean and is inexpensive. This allows me to reduce my powder inventory too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish10 Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I'm a big fan of Ramshot Zip, it burns clean and is cheaper than most. I have had good success using it for 9mm, .357sig and 45acp. A lot depends on what you can find in your local area, around here powder is almost impossible to find so I buy bulk from Powder Valley to help offset the damm hazmat fees. If your going to buy that way then you may as well stock up on primers also again to take advantage of the fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic_jon Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I use Clays for my Minor 9mm, 124/125 grain JHP and 230 grain .45 caliber loads. It burns very clean and is inexpensive. This allows me to reduce my powder inventory too. Commonly available and seems to work in a lot of calibers, Titegroup. Drawbacks are that it is temp sensitive and some people say it burns hot and heats up their gun a lot. Not so common but, In my opinion one of the clean-er ones out there any of the Vihtavuori powders (I use N320 personally) Drawbacks: not easily available at the corner store normally and it is a bit more expensive than say, titegroup. Another commonly available one that you should use caution with when using it is plain "Clays". (NOT international or universal Clays, just Clays) Clays is a fast burning small charge weight powder that is pretty clean... just do not double charge it...seriously. HP38/Win 231 and UNIVERSAL Clays are good, readily available all around powders that are fairly clean and because of their grain size, are hard to double charge without noticing Solo 1000 is a good N320 stand in. It is not quite as clean as N320 but is very predictable and more available than N320, not to mention a little cheaper! There are of course other powders out there (ramshot, power pistol, #5 etc) but I tried to stick with some good, clean, all around powders that you could use in 9mm as well as other calibers as well. My favorites in order are N320, Solo 1000, followed closely by titegroup for 9mm, .40, and .45. I keep some universal Clays and HP-38 on hand for some "pet loads" and general principles just for their versatility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twodownzero Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 I use Solo 1000 in 9mm. I have used Clays in .45 for years and I am in the process of expending it and switching over to Solo 1000 for that, too. I have tried Clays in 9mm and I would not recommend it. Solo 1000 has similar burn characteristics and is safer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atbarr Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Do a search for Solo 1000 and S1000. This is a great low recoil, low smoke powder. I use it for 9mm and .45. A.T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z40acp Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 For both 9 and .45 Solo 1000 is good. Another powder to use would be WST. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babob Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 American Select American Select® Premium ultra-clean smokeless shotshell powder Our newest "ultra clean" burning premium powder makes a versatile target load and superior 1-oz. load for improving clay target scores.Great for Cowboy Action handgun loading, too! Designed for 12 gauge target loads Optimal recoil and patterns Great pistol powder, too. Yes it's a shotshell powder but it's all I use for 9mm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 How about one that you can just leave your powder measure on the same setting for both 9 mm 40, and 45. I shoot 9 mm 125gr Zero's with 4.7gr of WST 1.140 (130 pf) and I shoot 45 200gr Precison Moly with 4.7gr of WST OAL is 1.200 (PF 169). The same setting works for 40 with 185 gr Precision Moly 4.7gr (PF 168). go figure. WST is clean, cheap, available, albiet temp sensative. My second choice would be Clays. I use it mostly in 45 with Precision 200's 4.3gr (170 pf), again cheap and clean. Clays shoots a tad softer than WST but both make good loads for un-compensated guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Vihtavuori is the cleanest burning powder you will find. It meters well, doesn't smoke, and burns cool. And it doesnt really cost more than other brands. We're talking maybe $5 more for 4lbs. I get about 5000 rounds per 4lbs. so we're talking about what, $1 per 1000 rounds? Thats worth it to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAP Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Vihtavuori is the cleanest burning powder you will find. It meters well, doesn't smoke, and burns cool. And it doesnt really cost more than other brands. We're talking maybe $5 more for 4lbs. I get about 5000 rounds per 4lbs. so we're talking about what, $1 per 1000 rounds? Thats worth it to me. Where are you finding N320 for similar cost to say S1000? PV has N320 for $90/4 lbs and S1000 for $104.5/8lb. That is a big difference to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 OK, youre right .... I was way off on the comment of $5 more. So lets do the math with the numbers you gave. S1000 for $104.5/8lb. = $52.25 for 4 lbs. (and again I can get 5K out of a 4lbs. jug) so 52.25 divided by 5 = $10.45/1K right? N320 is $90/4lbs. = $18/1K which is $7.55 extra for every 1000 rounds I shoot. (which depending on the weather & scheduling could take me a month or two) If someone said that for $7.50 I didnt have to clean my gun as much, worry about smoke getting in my way, or worry about jams caused by excessive gunk build up ...... I'd say "where do I sign". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Chris - N320 is good stuff, costs 1.9 cents a shot versus 1.2 cent for solo 1000. But here in San Antonio you can get a 26# keg of Solo for $276.00 and load 45,550 rounds brings the cost per round down to .06 cent per round half the cost of buying in 8# kegs. I have never used Solo 1000 so I don't know if its clean or not, I do know it smokes a lot with Moly coated bullets. Get some http://www.bayoubullets.net and say good buy to smoke. I'm not selling the stuff they do that at Bexar Community Range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWFAN Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Chris - N320 is good stuff, costs 1.9 cents a shot versus 1.2 cent for solo 1000. But here in San Antonio you can get a 26# keg of Solo for $276.00 and load 45,550 rounds brings the cost per round down to .06 cent per round half the cost of buying in 8# kegs. I have never used Solo 1000 so I don't know if its clean or not, I do know it smokes a lot with Moly coated bullets. Get some http://www.bayoubullets.net and say good buy to smoke. I'm not selling the stuff they do that at Bexar Community Range. where can I get 26lbs of Solo 1000 and will they ship ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Chris - N320 is good stuff, costs 1.9 cents a shot versus 1.2 cent for solo 1000. But here in San Antonio you can get a 26# keg of Solo for $276.00 and load 45,550 rounds brings the cost per round down to .06 cent per round half the cost of buying in 8# kegs. I have never used Solo 1000 so I don't know if its clean or not, I do know it smokes a lot with Moly coated bullets. Get some http://www.bayoubullets.net and say good buy to smoke. I'm not selling the stuff they do that at Bexar Community Range. where can I get 26lbs of Solo 1000 and will they ship ? Bexar Community Range, San Antonio, TX its a shooting range with lots of skeet shooters. I don't think the ship. JBraddy buys them for his Shotgun and Limited gun etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atbarr Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 where can I get 26lbs of Solo 1000 and will they ship ? IMHO, you should not purchase 26 lbs. of any powder, until you know that your happy with it. Now in my case I did order 16 lbs. of Solo 1000 and I'm very satisfied with it. I still have not opened the 2nd jug, but as soon as I do, I'll order another 16 lbs. It's nice (and safe) only having 1 type of powder to keep up with. A.T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWFAN Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 where can I get 26lbs of Solo 1000 and will they ship ? IMHO, you should not purchase 26 lbs. of any powder, until you know that your happy with it. Now in my case I did order 16 lbs. of Solo 1000 and I'm very satisfied with it. I still have not opened the 2nd jug, but as soon as I do, I'll order another 16 lbs. It's nice (and safe) only having 1 type of powder to keep up with. A.T. Im already a satisfied customer of Solo 1K for 9mm. Just need a little more playing, and it will replace Clays as my .45acp powder also. Powder Valley is out of 8lb'ers but has Clays, Grafs is out of Clays but has solo. go figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slavic09 Posted February 5, 2010 Author Share Posted February 5, 2010 OK - thanks everyone for your replies. This is just the sort of informed opinion I was after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calishootr Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 I shoot VV for my open guns and for damned near everything else, I use WST...its clean burning, meters well and is soft shooting, and my last order of it BEFORE the components blow up it was 10 bucks per lb!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Another vote for 1000. I use it with MG 124's and the guts of the gun are staying nice and clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 How about one that you can just leave your powder measure on the same setting for both 9 mm 40, and 45. I shoot 9 mm 125gr Zero's with 4.7gr of WST 1.140 (130 pf) and I shoot 45 200gr Precison Moly with 4.7gr of WST OAL is 1.200 (PF 169). The same setting works for 40 with 185 gr Precision Moly 4.7gr (PF 168). go figure. WST is clean, cheap, available, albiet temp sensative. My second choice would be Clays. I use it mostly in 45 with Precision 200's 4.3gr (170 pf), again cheap and clean. Clays shoots a tad softer than WST but both make good loads for un-compensated guns. Now, That is pretty freaking cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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