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Fast burning vs slower burning powder?


jarozzy

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I am new to reloading I am planning to try different types of powders to find what I like. Can anyone tell me what is the difference in fast burning powder vs. slow burning powder? Mainly in feel, speed of cycle, and anything else that is important. I don't know if this helps but I am using .40 180 CMJ bullets.

Thanks

Edited by jarozzy
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I am new to reloading I am planning to try different types of powders to find what I like. Can anyone tell me what is the difference in fast burning powder vs. slow burning powder? Mainly in feel, speed of cycle, and anything else that is important. I don't know if this helps but I am using .40 180 CMJ bullets.

Thanks

Try 5.0g of N320 everthing else will be an also tried, unless you are loading very short < 1.140. At < 1.140 look at something around the speed of IMR7625. This is so you don't get head seperations or case splits.

I wouldn't worry with cycle time, about any powder is faster than you could possibly see the sights.

In a non compensated a faster powder witll produce less recoil and flip at the same FPS.

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Ok I will try to find some. The shop in my area never has n320, I looked because someone else recommended it. Right now I have some titegroup and universal clays. I am loading long >1.14 buy dont know how long to load. I was figuring once I have a powder that I like I would play with the lengths some.

Thanks for the reponse

Edited by jarozzy
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Generally speaking, a heavy bullet and a fast powder will give you less muzzle flip. Unless you are shooting open with a compensator, in which case you want a lighter bullet with a slower powder.

180gr over N320 is a very popular combination, but 5.0 gr is a bit heavy for my gun so you should probably start around 4.5 and work your way up.

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speed isnt always clear cut, powder burn rates are in generals as application can effect it some what, Tight group, WST, 320, Solo 1000 have similar burn rates and because of their other advantages are the most popular 40 major loads.

Universal (dont use the word clays anymore with it the manufacturer finally wisely dropped it from the name due to confusion with Clays),,, Universal is a slower powder not really well suited for non comped loads. I also found it to be not very consistent.

Tight group is a fine limited powder under jacketed bullets, It does get a little hot and can cause excessive smoke behind moly or cast lead, some people are bothered by this some arnt,

320 is a good powder, it's expensive and can be hard to find,

WST in my opinion is about perfect. Especially under Moly bullets, which your gonna be using if you stay with a limited division 40, Very similar to 320 but cheaper and readily available,

Solo 1000 has issues with lot to lot consitency, so basically every time you buy powder your gonna have to start over with the choro, but I pretty much check my loads before a major match anyway.

There have been several other also rans that people tried, American select, E3, Clays, But I bet if you did a survew youd find 90% of limited 40 shooters that have been reloading any length of time are running, TG,WST,320,and Solo1000.

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I did work up some reloads yesterday using 4.4gr titegroup with 180 CMJ at 1.16 OAL, and 5.0gr Universal with same bullet and OAL. I think shooting different powders in person is the best way to find out what i like. I am going to try them out tonight. I will let yall know how things go latter.

Edited by jarozzy
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I actually don't have a chrono yet I am just was just going off of feel right now. Once I get a chance to chrono I will post. I shot them today and do feel a difference. I defiantly like the titegroup. My next project is to get them chronoed and work from there.

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I've tried a bunch of different powders, including 320, for .40 major, but, I keep coming back to Titegroup.

For 9mm minor, I haven't found anything better than 320.

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Generally speaking, a heavy bullet and a fast powder will give you less muzzle flip. Unless you are shooting open with a compensator, in which case you want a lighter bullet with a slower powder.

180gr over N320 is a very popular combination, but 5.0 gr is a bit heavy for my gun so you should probably start around 4.5 and work your way up.

It is always good to start a little low, let me restate that load 5.0gr of N320 w/180g MTG at 1.180. Produces about 172pf out of a good 5" gun, like an STI Edge. If you are loading shorter adjust accordingly. You can also get very similar results using WST also at the same OAL and 5.0-5.1 gr. WST is clean however somewhat temp sensative. I just shot a 200 round match with N320 behind 180gr Bayou Bullets, when I tore the gun down tonight it look liked it hadn't even been fired, the moly and leading from shooting Precision Moly bullets was gone, go figure. That N320 is the cleanest stuff and its low recoil, I didn't notice much difference in recoil from my open gun, now thats soft. WST is clean meters well and it comes in 8# jugs, and it cost less than 4#'s of N320, it is a tad more snappy than N320.

I do not like TIteGroup, beyond being NASTY DIRTY, and burning searing hot, it is a bit snappy for my tastes. If it works in anything then 9 mm minor w/124gr, isn't bad. IMHO I have won a bunch of it and sold most of it. Loading it in 40 I've popped a few tops and split a few cases, I like my load about 175pf and at that you need to keep an eye on the quality of the brass.

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  • 2 months later...

Generally speaking, a heavy bullet and a fast powder will give you less muzzle flip. Unless you are shooting open with a compensator, in which case you want a lighter bullet with a slower powder.

180gr over N320 is a very popular combination, but 5.0 gr is a bit heavy for my gun so you should probably start around 4.5 and work your way up.

It is always good to start a little low, let me restate that load 5.0gr of N320 w/180g MTG at 1.180. Produces about 172pf out of a good 5" gun, like an STI Edge. If you are loading shorter adjust accordingly. You can also get very similar results using WST also at the same OAL and 5.0-5.1 gr. WST is clean however somewhat temp sensative. I just shot a 200 round match with N320 behind 180gr Bayou Bullets, when I tore the gun down tonight it look liked it hadn't even been fired, the moly and leading from shooting Precision Moly bullets was gone, go figure. That N320 is the cleanest stuff and its low recoil, I didn't notice much difference in recoil from my open gun, now thats soft. WST is clean meters well and it comes in 8# jugs, and it cost less than 4#'s of N320, it is a tad more snappy than N320.

I do not like TIteGroup, beyond being NASTY DIRTY, and burning searing hot, it is a bit snappy for my tastes. If it works in anything then 9 mm minor w/124gr, isn't bad. IMHO I have won a bunch of it and sold most of it. Loading it in 40 I've popped a few tops and split a few cases, I like my load about 175pf and at that you need to keep an eye on the quality of the brass.

May I ask what load you came up with using the 180gr bayou .40 and N320....Im new to these bullets and this powder. I got 2500 bayou 180 gr bullets in the other day and just loaded a few to try out started at 4.0gr titegroup and went to 4.5gr with no pressure signs 1.185 COL 5" barrel STI Executive (Edge). I didnt chrono but these Bayou bullets are pretty impressive (didnt notice difference in smoke over jacketed bullets,clean barrel and hands) as I cant stand the smoke from lead bullets and I dont like moly in my barrel or on my hands. After reading your post and others I decided to try the n320 big price difference over Titegroup. Some say load data powder weight is the same on n320 and titegroup is this correct?

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I will be interested in your results. I'm using 5 grains of universal with 180 jhp at 1.13 I chronoed them at 172 pf. Out of a 4.5 xdm.

They included a chrono stage at the club match last week because of Nationals.

I was running 180 gr Zero TCFM with 5.0 gr Universal @ 1.150. 171 PF from a three shot average out of my 4.5 XDm.

Previously, I was running Zero JHP with 4.7 gr Universal @ 1.125 and this was around 168 PF on my chrono. The Zero TCFM's need to be loaded longer in my gun to feed.

Edited by d_striker
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I don't like Titegroup either. I've shot it back to back under the same bullet and find it harsh. I load 5.1 Universal for JHP's. I switched when I started shooting lead and moly, never switched back even though I switched to JHP's.

I load 1.180 and shoot a 6" Schuemann barrel.

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Minor loads with titegroup are soft in production.

The theory behind a faster power with a heavier bullet (180/200) is the energy expended by the burning of the powder is shorter in duration. A slower burning powder builds energy slower and thus has move recoil. Some people like the slower powder with a lighter bullet. The slide is faster and more snappy. The fast powder with a heavier bullet seems to make the slide move slower and feel sluggish.

TGO used (in the past) 200gn bullets with VIT N310 which is one of the fastest powders made. In my testing, a fast powder with a heavy bullet has less recoil than 165gn with N320.

It is a matter of personal preference, but you get the idea.

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  • 6 months later...
  • 1 month later...

tried Universal, didnt care for the recoil impulse though my loads were pretty accurate and the powder was clean burning. try solo 1000, its clean and recoils soft. N320 is expensive but an awesome powder.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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