Which? - Clays WST Solo

[feederic]

I'll be picking up some powder and primers tomorrow for my Bar Sto 40. So far I have been shooting factory and it is getting $$$$.

I have Clays and Universal for my .45 and I know people have been making Clays work when loaded long for the 2011s. The plan right now is just to buy a big keg of powder and stick to it. On this board I read Clays as a fairly unspoken but popular powder choice. Of course Solo 1000 and WST are mentioned everywhere.

Out of these three, which way should I go? I know the differences probably won't add up to much between the three. Has anybody here shot all 3? Or have direct comparisons?

Edited May 18, 2012 by feederic

[The_Vigilante]

Clay's with .40 S&W does have some risk involved.

[a matt]

When I was using solo loading long, I got to major PF w/ 180 MG and started seeing flattened primers not all were flat but some were starting to flatten. That was enough for me. (1.180 1.20 long ) . I switched to VV n320 all is good. It is hard to find and expensive but worth it..

Edited May 18, 2012 by a matt

[feederic]

Clay's with .40 S&W does have some risk involved.

That's for sure. I was planning on some careful trials this weekend.

When I was using solo loading long, I got to major PF w/ 180 MG and started seeing flattened primers not all were flat but some were starting to flatten. That was enough for me. (1.180 1.20 long ) . I switched to VV n320 all is good. It is hard to find and expensive but worth it..

I hear nothing but good things about n320, but at twice the price of other powders and being force to go online to purchase some it is really not appealing to me.

[Croomrider]

I use WST with 180gr lead bullets. It works well and is relative cheap and easy to get. Give it a try, it should be easy to pick up a pound almost anywhere.

Mike

[Bshooter]

I have used WST in all different weight lead bullets for the 40. From 140,175, 180, 200 and 220gr bullets. It seems to be the best economical powder for the 40. It is reverse temperature sensitive but not usually a problem.

[Adam P.]

I use clays for minor, but WST for major. I have no experience with solo.

[Braxton1]

Granted, N320 is prohibitively expensive when purchased from the average gunstore. If you buy a 4# bottle from PowderValleyinc.com, you can get it down to around $23 per pound. HazMat fees add up, but if you consolidate your order with a couple of shooting buds, you can spread that out over 3 or 4 people to minimize it.

[Croomrider]

Granted, N320 is prohibitively expensive when purchased from the average gunstore. If you buy a 4# bottle from PowderValleyinc.com, you can get it down to around $23 per pound. HazMat fees add up, but if you consolidate your order with a couple of shooting buds, you can spread that out over 3 or 4 people to minimize it.

That's correct. And when you look at the additional cost over the cheaper powders, it is only about 7/10ths of a cent more per round to shoot N320. That is 70 cents per hundred or $7/1000! Makes me really wonder when guys won't consider it because it is too costly!

Mike

[Bshooter]

Shoott 300-400 rounds a week and take that times $7.00 per thousand. It does add up. I like VV powder but it doesn't make sense to shoot it when others with do the same thing.

[blaster113]

Recently started using Solo 1000 for .40 major. Soft shooting, clean, cheap. Tried Universal in .40 and found it recoiled a bit more than other powders though it was clean burning.

N320 is the shiznit but is a bit more money. I use Solo for practice/local matches and N320 for majors and locals as well.

[feederic]

I found a local shop that seems promising. Hopefully I can pick some powder up today or tomorrow.

[pharoh]

i use 5.7 gr of wst under a 180gr fmj bdx bullet (canadian maker) loaded to 1.195, makes major pf out of my tanfo and is extremly acurate :-)

make sure to start lower and work up a safe load for your pistol.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I find that Hodgdon Tite Group is more accurate than N320 for 40S&W. I like Tite Group it is snappier than N320 but just works for me. It is easy to find and not very expensive. The next powders I will be trying are WSF and HP-38 for both moly coated bullets and jacketed. I am loading jacketed bullets that are 165 and 180 grain. The moly coated bullets are 170 and 185 grain. These are used in 5" and 6" 2011's both major and minor. Just some more options for you. Thanks, Eric

[jmbaccolyte]

+ 1 for WST. Its fairly cheap, burns pretty clean, recoils nicely, doesn't push the pressure limits to make major power levels like Clays, doesn't smoke as bad as Titegroup with lead bullets or require as much to do the job like slower powders. I use it at an OAL of 1.24" in my Tanfo .40 S&W with 10mm magazines. I bought an 8 pound jug of it at a major sporting goods store for $112 at the height of the last component shortage (they found it in the storage room after I asked them to look for larger bottles than they had on display). While I don't doubt that VV N320 is better, I expect we won't find many jugs of it with a two year old price sticker on it. WST is carried by most every store that sells components, so deals are more likely.

I use Clays for powder puff loads to teach beginners to shoot handguns, but practice with major level loads myself. No experience with Solo, but Toby Keith wrote a song about it, so it must be good.

Edited May 23, 2012 by jmbaccolyte

[feederic]

Well I just bit the bullet and ordered up 8lbs of WST. No local supplier currently has WST, Solo, or VV. When the local shops have some Solo, I will buy a pound of that and be able to compare the three.

Eventually I should buy some n320 I guess...maybe that will wait until I can actually shoot a big match.

[pharoh]

you'll be happy with wst, has a sweet smell while firing it to :-)

[ProGunGuy]

I can always tell when someone is loading WST. It smell like black pepper.

To the OP, you will not be dissappointed with WST. It a great powder

[jmbaccolyte]

feederic- Have you had a chance to load and shoot a few?

[Joe4d]

I have used WST in all different weight lead bullets for the 40. From 140,175, 180, 200 and 220gr bullets. It seems to be the best economical powder for the 40. It is reverse temperature sensitive but not usually a problem.

WST all day long, as an aside it is also a good 45ACP powder. Use it instead of the clays and you are back down to your original two powders.

[feederic]

feederic- Have you had a chance to load and shoot a few?

Today I was actually able to make it to the range with my Lee Hand Press and chronograph. I ended up with a 170 PF average at 5.2 grains of WST loaded to 1.20. I only shot about five but they did feel nice and soft. Next I will be loading up several hundred for sighting in / accuracy. I'm glad I went out and tested several OALs too. Apparently my gun either likes factory length or loaded really long. 1.18 created a jam-o-matic and 1.20-1.21 fed about as well as my 1911 with ball.

I did manage a few loads with Clays, but the effort was cut short when the primers started flattening out at around 150 PF. There was no way I was making major PF with Clays, Berrys 180, and my gun. Maybe with moly coated bullets, but I just don't see it with plated bullets. I get Berry's for cheaper than moly, which is why I shoot them.

In the future if I can pick up a pound of Solo I will try it head to head with WST and post back.

[legacy]

I use clays for minor, but WST for major. I have no experience with solo.

Same here.

Wst and clays are always easy to find locally when you run out also.

[jeeper90]

I have 8 pounds of clays and would like to shoot minor .40 with a 180 gr lead in a g35. any suggestions?

[RH45]

I have 8 pounds of clays and would like to shoot minor .40 with a 180 gr lead in a g35. any suggestions?

3 grains of Clays

[67ls7vert]

Thanks, That is what I have been loading. 3.0 gr Clays, 180 TC #2 alloy, 1.125 OAL.

Any suggestion?

Thanks

Chris