Titegroup

[Red Ryder]

Am I the only reloader that thinks Titegroup sucks. It's cheap...but that's all it has going for itself. It's dirty, especially at lower power factors. It doesn't fill the case up very much at all (I think this is a safety issue. You could easily double charge it and not spill out any powder on the shell plate). It is very "snappy" with increased felt recoil. In my personal testing, I had to load it to almost 140 PF to get decent accuracy from it.

I had two large containers of ammo, one with Titegroup ammo and the other with N320 and SR7625 ammo. I let my kids shoot it up and noticed the container of N320 / SR7625 was empty and the Titegroup was near full. They (age 11 and 13) both said they were done shooting when the N320 / SR7625 box was empty. I said "Come on, we still have a whole box to go". They both said no thanks, cause that box wasn't fun to shoot.

Does anyone else feel this way or am I doing something wrong?

[lll Otto lll]

I don't care for it...burns too hot, stains the brass, excessive recoil and was less accurate in my 1911s.

The worst part is that I got 4 lbs. of it that I'll never use.

Edited August 27, 2011 by lll Otto lll

[SLM]

I burnt a pound when I shot Production and like you found it to be quite dirty and it put a bunch of heat in the gun. I got it to minor PF under 147's without issue as long as I used jacketed bullets. I couldn't get it to work with lead or moly coated. They would tumble. And no, it doesn't fill the case much but that's pretty common among the faster burning ball powders. The flake / stick powders are much bulkier if that's something you are looking for.

I'd suggest you give Accurate Arms Solo 1000 a testing. It's a single base flake powder so it's pretty clean like the N320 and it's bulkier than Titegroup. It's what I had to run under lead or moly to get them to stabilize in my gun. It does vary from lot to lot on the burn rate so if you're loading for minor PF keep that in mind.

[Skydiver]

I found it snappy under 124gn bullets. Excellent under 147gn bullets. These were for G-34, CZ-75B, Beretta 92FS, Sig 226. You are right on the money about the gun being "hot" after a fast 32 round stage.

What do you mean by dirty? Is it the "gunk" left behind in the crevices of the breech and extractor? If you want to talk about dirty powder, try Unique (unburnt and partially burnt powder spitting out the front end, lots of carbon inside the chamber, breech, and down the magwell), or Silhouette loaded for minor (lots of particles inside the gun aka "WAP crap" ).

[blaster113]

I'm another one thats underwhelmed by Titegroup. I tried a little of it in 9mm minor with 124 grain bullets and found that it had more recoil than my other powders on hand. I've used alot of it for .40 major and didnt care for it at all. For the same PF as N320 it kicks much harder, makes the gun get hot real quick and is dirty. Solo 1000 is also real nice in .40 major, feels almost like N320, is clean and is alot cheaper. Going to be buying a 9mm Glock 34 soon for Production and will be using Solo 1000 with 147 grain bullets. Dont understand what all the hype is about Titegroup

Edited August 27, 2011 by blaster113

[Skydiver]

The hype is that it's cheap (or at least used to be), and a pound of powder went a long way because of the low powder charges.

Yup, I found TiteGroup much too snappy for .40 180gn bullets. Also snappy for .45 200gn bullets, but okay for 230gn.

[Ben Diss]

It's cheap, it meters well and produces some of the lowest SD's. However, it's a little dirty and it's snappy. I like 4.5 gn with MG 200 JFP. With a heavier bullet, the snap isn't bad and it's super accurate.

[mlmiller1]

I tried it repeatedly & never got any results that I liked, either. I moved on & sold what I had left. Plenty of folks do like it & have great results & good for them but I am not a repeat customer! :-)

MLM

[Triggerbender]

In the same boat, did not care for it in 45acp and not over impressed with it in the 9mm.

After I burn it up in the 9mm and load up all the 9x18 Mak cases I can find I will go to something else.

[JakeMartens]

I have stuck with it because it is usually easy to find, not too expensive and I know the loads I need to make major. I only use it with .40S&W loads. I have tried Solo 1000 and WSF, but I actually like shooting the 165g and 170gr and like the quick snap I get with tightgroup compared to the other 2.

[59Bassman]

I dunno, I like it in 9mm with a MG 124 CMJ. Through my CZ 75 Shadow, it's an accurate load that seems to come back to target pretty quickly. I have not seen a reason to switch at this point.

However, out of my 1911 in .45ACP, I've fallen out of love with it. I used to shoot WST, then switched to TG under a 200 LSWC. Everything was fine until I had to shoot a long array on a stage with no wind. By the 10th shot, I couldn't see the targets anymore. I'll be looking for another powder in .45, probably Clays.

[Miker]

No problem here using titegroup, I load .40 165 fmj and 180 fmj and 9mm 147 fmj cheap to shoot, acurate at least to me. You just need to be carefull not to double charge

[shred]

I keep a can around because it works in about everything so if I suddenly want a steel load for .40 the night before a match, I can break out the TG and load up. Works well enough for that sort of thing when you aren't going to be loading thousands of rounds and need every little edge you can get.

I've also found it to run very hot in most loads.

[noylj]

I have been underwhelmed by TiteGroup in .45 Auto, 9x19, and .40S&W.

However, my initial findings are that is quite good for light targer loads of 121-124gn JHPs in .38 Super. Of course, the loads are no more than 9x19, but they do indicate good accuracy (~1.5" @ 25 yds).

[CZinSC]

Another former Tightgroup user here. Unfortunately I bought an 8# jug before I found N320 available. I'm keeping it now for the "in case I every run out of N320 situation". I have about 6# left.

My analogy I give people is this: (shooting 124 FMJ) TG is like catching a baseball in a glove straight on the palm. N320 is like catching the ball in the webbing. Both do the job, but N320 feels a lot better.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I like it for 9mm and 121 grain bullets and for 40 with 165 and 180-185 grain bullets. It is half the cost of VV N320 and I don't see it being any better. It can run hot if you shoot more than 40 rounds at a time but in a 6" gun with 180 grain bullets it's fine. I do like quick snappy loads though. Thanks, Eric

[Tul9033]

I like it cause I can use it for 9mm, .40, and .45. Lead just doesn't work with me and hot powders though. I shoot MG jacketed, some Berry's, and moly coated.

Solo 1000 had wild variations between batches. VV can be hard to find and it's darn near twice as expensive as other similar powders. Clay's has been a soft shooter for me, but making PF can sometimes be an issue.

It makes it nice to keep one powder in my hopper and dirty guns hasn't been any more of problem than factory or other powders.

Edited August 28, 2011 by Tul9033

[gm iprod]

When Winchester dropped WSl, most of the guys who were using it switched to something else. I switched to Titegroup. Same Powder for all intents and purposes.

Tried, WST, WIn231 / HP38, N320 and others. Came right back to TG. I run it in 38Super (4 guns, both 115gr and 125gr JHP), 9mm with Lead and JHP, 45ACP mostly lead, 40S&W lead and JHP, 38Special Lead projectiles it is excellent. Other than the 45ACP it is my go to powder. Both my 45's prefer Clays and 185gr or 200gr SWC.

38Special. 2" at 50 with 135gr Full Wadcutter, excellent for AP or Service, would also work well for PPC.

Drawbacks.

Dirty, but it is just a carbon / soot fouling that comes away easy enough.

Hot, yep, that is true, but no nasty hot, just hotter than many like.

Not Bulky, does nto fill cases. Welcome to the use of ball powder. SAme for a bunch of powders including WST, Titewad, 231 / HP38, WSF, 540, HS7, 296 / H110, Longshot (which many like as you get lots of it in a case for major), Lilgun (22Hornet's favourite powder).

Other powders have drawbacks, the way it is. FInd what works, I did.

BTW N320 and Titegroup loads are interchangeable in 38Super for my guins. Just the volume is different.

[RePete]

I tried TG in 9mm and did not like the excessive (my opinion) recoil, but I really like it n 40S&W with plated bullets and .45ACP with plated.

I don't like TG in .40S&W and .45ACP with lead bullets. IMO it burns too hot and melts the bullet base creating more leading in the barrel.

YMMV.

[CocoBolo]

TiteGroup don't suck, just because it is violent, nasty dirty, overheats your gun, smokes like burning the sugar cane in mexico, well maybe you right.

I tried it I quit it, there are lots of better alternatives.

[sirveyr]

Huh? I don't it. I Tite Group! You guys are really making me , with all of these hurtful things that you are saying. I'm going to the garage to reload...with my Tite Group!

[CZinSC]

Does TG suck? No. But one of the comparisons between TG and N320 is always cost. I'm not rich by any means, and I prefer to buy less expensive alternatives when they are available, however, if you break it down by cost per round, it isn't a lot.

Using a 4# jug as a reference (because I've personally never seen the elusive 8# N320):

Comparing Apples to Apples: using a 4.2 gn charge

4# = 28,000 gns = 6666 rounds of 4.2gn charge

On powder Valley, TG 4#=$55, N320=$91.50

$55/6666 = $0.008 per round

$91.50/6666 = $0.013 per round

Difference of $0.005 per round

So to me, that 1/2 Cent/round is well worth the money for a powder that meters excellent, and a 4.2gn charge that has enough volume that a double charge is impossible to not notice.

Add to that the feel of N320, and it makes the extra initial cost worth it for me.

Now, if you can't get N320 locally or can't get in on a group buy, and have to pay shipping and Hazmat fees, and you can get TG locally, which saves probably $30, then I can possibly see opting for TG, but it would be a tough call. N320 just feels better.

Just my two cents, or should i say $0.005?

[Red Ryder]

TiteGroup don't suck, just because it is violent, nasty dirty, overheats your gun, smokes like burning the sugar cane in mexico, well maybe you right.

I tried it I quit it, there are lots of better alternatives.

CocoBolo....I like your sense of Humor. Down right sarcastic. That is a trait that must be honed over a lifetime. Keep it up!

[CocoBolo]

TiteGroup don't suck, just because it is violent, nasty dirty, overheats your gun, smokes like burning the sugar cane in mexico, well maybe you right.

I tried it I quit it, there are lots of better alternatives.

CocoBolo....I like your sense of Humor. Down right sarcastic. That is a trait that must be honed over a lifetime. Keep it up!

After writing that little post I started getting ready to go to the RiverCity match, stopped by the powder fridge and sure enough I still had two jugs of TiteGroup un-opened. I won a bunch last year sold off some a while back loaded it up went to the match traded it for two jugs of AutoComp. Now ole Omar can smoke up the palce with his 45 shooting lead boolits.

By the way it is called dry humor, like a Martini very dry!

[CDPMatt]

Am I the only reloader that thinks Titegroup sucks.

Yes, it's awesome, cheap, clean and I use it for everything besides Open....