Powder options

[jayhkr]

So the tax man just deposited a nice chunk in my bank and after all the "responsibilities" have been dealt with it is nearly time to start making those purchases on my new reloading setup. My biggest issue is powder. Not just finding it (that's part of the thrill of the hunt) but what exactly I should be hunting for! I know early on I'll probably just grab the first thing I see in stock and nab as much as I can to get started on, but is that really the proper way to start out.....well maybe, maybe not. So I ask you guys, what would be a good beginner powder. My setup is very simple, Gen4 Glock 19 all stock, no competition shooting just range plinking with my wife. Will either be shooting the 115g or preferably the 124gr berry's plated bullet in a mix of different brand brass. I was going to try to stick with the CCI primers, but I've been seeing some stuff on Tula so I might go that route if the consensus is high enough. I know there is Blue Dot, Bulls Eye, Unique (although that's a flake and I would like a spherical as I hear it throws better) Universal Clays (not sure about regular Clays), Titegroup, Accurate #2,5,7 Solo 1000, Solo 1250, Vihtavuori N310, N320, N330, N350, 3N37 and mabye N32? This is just what I've researched as being usable in my 9mm. So for a newbie, what would be best.......one of these, all of these, whatever I see and run with it? I think at this point in our powder shortage beggars shouldn't be choosers, but wanted to ask first before I made my first purchase.

Thanks all.

[GJGary]

WSF,WST,231/hp38,imr7625,universal,power pistol, bullseye,n320, n330, n340 all are proven and meter well for 9mm.

[blairmckenzie1]

Titegroup, N320, Silohouette.

Don't be picky, take what you can get !

[Steve RA]

Clays - not Universal - if you can find any. I use 3.2 grains with a 130 LSWC with a Tula KVB-223 primer, loaded to an OAL of 1.11" in a 9mm 1911. I start at 3.0 grs with what you mentioned.

[jayhkr]

Great info guys! Thank you. This gives me a lot to go on now!

[Shadow]

I know there is Blue Dot, Bulls Eye, Unique (although that's a flake and I would like a spherical as I hear it throws better) Universal Clays (not sure about regular Clays), Titegroup, Accurate #2,5,7 Solo 1000, Solo 1250, Vihtavuori N310, N320, N330, N350, 3N37 and mabye N32? This is just what I've researched as being usable in my 9mm. So for a newbie, what would be best.......one of these, all of these,

Drop the Blue Dot, 1250, N350, 3N37, Accurate 7 and Universal Clays. They'll work, but not optimum for your needs. N310 can be dicy if you're not experienced. Add WST, and 231. Tite Group would probably serve you best if you can find any.

[JohnnyD]

Depending on your powder measure Unique can throw just fine (I finally lucked into an 8lb jug today )

Especially if you are just plinking it will do just fine, my Lee Pro Audo Disk throws dead on most of the time, if not the max swings are +/- .1gr

Lots of other good suggestions in here as well.

[aandabooks]

I'm on AA#5 with S&S coated bullets. I got a 8lb jug of it when I was looking for an alternate to Bullseye. The Bullseye was too smokey for the indoor shooting I've been doing.

[KSH]

The other thing to consider is if you will ever add another caliber?

Choosing one that will cross over will let you by in bulk easier.

[jayhkr]

Probably won't be switching calibers in ANY foreseeable future. Just sticking with the 9mm. I'm going to take the suggested lists of powders to the gun and knife showing next week. Really hoping I can score something there for a reasonable price. I've heard good things about Unique but wasn't sure if it would be something to start off on.

[Dawgfish]

231 is essentially a universal pistol powder for autoloaders and light loaded revolver cartridges. Add in Unique and 296(H110), and you pretty much have 95% of all pistol calibers covered from .32ACP to .454 Casull.

Edited February 7, 2014 by Dawgfish

[Pasley]

I am very much in the making do with what I have camp right now. I have loaded satisfactory factory load equivalents with the following; Bullseye, Blue Dot, e3, N340. I would buy several pounds of any of those if I could find it. Would be doing back flips from joy for a big jug of the N340.

[tbrtt1]

Get what you can get for powder. I just replied on another post about the loads I have developed with the various powders I got my hands on. Here is what I have used with 9mm 147 gr Bayou Bullet with a G34 Gen 4.

IMR PB-My personal favorite so far, low recoil, clean, meters great. Managed to get my hands on a few pounds over the last couple months.

Silhouette-Nice powder, low recoil, meters well

Bullseye-Some say it is dirty, and it is but it is a very good powder. Burns a little hot

AutoComp-Kicks like a mule. Does meter well and seems to be clean burning

AA#7-Kicks like a small mule. It is a bit slow so that makes sense.

WST-My second favorite so far or maybe tied with Silhouette. Soft recoil, meters well, clean.

700X- great shooting powder but does not meter well as it is a fairly large flake powder. Also does not require much so it does not fill the case. Combine this with not metering well and I am going to save that for a rainy day.

[noylj]

>So the tax man just deposited a nice chunk in my bank

That is YOUR money you gave as an interest free loan to the government. Very expensive form of saving account.

Powders for 9x19? Almost anything from Nitro 100 to Longshot. Since not competition, you don't need to go super fast or push the envelope.

Best powders for general use in 9x19 are Silhouette, True Blue, Power Pistol, HS6, WSF, Unique, Universal, Herco, N320, N330, 231/HP38, and others. Before you buy any powder, be sure you have at least ONE manual, have read it, and determine what powders it covers. Why buy powder if you don't have data for it?

For the wife and you for plinking and informal paper-punching, you may want to stay around starting loads and possibly get a lighter recoil spring to cycle the light loads--this could keep you wife much happier.

Personally, for me, recoil seems to be bullet weight (plus the insignificant powder weight) times velocity and all powders "feel" the same to me if weight and velocity are the same. Others feel something else. "Feel" is always individual.

[jayhkr]

Ok, so I was on http://www.lohmanarms.com/ and saw I could add 4 and 8 pounds of Bullseye to my cart. Stated on the website that most powders are being shipped in 4 weeks. I know this sounds like a silly question but do I need to jump on this or is this about normal for the websites that ARE taking back orders right now.....OR should I continue to wait till after this weekend when the gun and knife show come to town? 4 pounds is $77 and 8 pounds is $143 (plus hazmat). Just thought I would ask right quick in case this is a once in a lifetime thing that I'm seeing or to take things a bit slower as "it'll be OK" LOL. I hate feeling like I have to "jump" on things like this, since I'm so new on everything.

[aandabooks]

When I was buying Bullseye it was $18 + tax at the LGS. The last lb I bought was in May 2013. I've never ordered powder online so I have never paid the hazmat fees. Seems like you'll have to put a substantial amount of powder together to offset the fee. Ordering just 4lbs adds $7 per lb to your order.

[jayhkr]

Yeah, 4#'s would get me by for a while, that's for sure, little over 6.5k rounds roughly. Already have 5k in primers, but only 1k in plated bullets as I know those aren't in short supply. After I procure some powder is when I'm going to make my last purchase of the press itself. Been waiting till I got all the necessary components together first. Such a decision, I might regret this, but I think I'm going to wait till after Saturday when I get back from the gun show. I'm anxious, but not overly anxious and have a few hundred rounds of regular ammo anyway. I've been staying away from our local indoor gun range as it's about as cold inside there as it is outside....and that's COLD. Not a lot of fun when you're fingers get frost bit and you see your own breath while you're shooting. BUT if I can't find anything at the show I'll pull the trigger on this, assuming it's still there.

[tbrtt1]

Get what you can get for powder. I just replied on another post about the loads I have developed with the various powders I got my hands on. Here is what I have used with 9mm 147 gr Bayou Bullet with a G34 Gen 4.

IMR PB-My personal favorite so far, low recoil, clean, meters great. Managed to get my hands on a few pounds over the last couple months.

Silhouette-Nice powder, low recoil, meters well

Bullseye-Some say it is dirty, and it is but it is a very good powder. Burns a little hot

AutoComp-Kicks like a mule. Does meter well and seems to be clean burning

AA#7-Kicks like a small mule. It is a bit slow so that makes sense.

WST-My second favorite so far or maybe tied with Silhouette. Soft recoil, meters well, clean.

700X- great shooting powder but does not meter well as it is a fairly large flake powder. Also does not require much so it does not fill the case. Combine this with not metering well and I am going to save that for a rainy day.

This is a follow up from my previous post ^^^

I purchased a Pro Chrono Digital from Shooters Connection (recommendation from some forum members) on Monday and received it on Thursday. Had a chance to chrono some of the above mentioned powders in some loads I worked up. I thought I would post the results for giggles.

First off, the Pro Chrono Digital is superb. Put in a battery, turn it on and shoot. Works like a water hose.

All loads tested are with:

Glock34 Gen4 stock barrel

Bayou Bullets 147gr FN 9mm

1.140 OAL

Mixed brass

Shooting from a modified Pistolero (installed some wood beams to stabilize it)

10 feet from the Chrono

Sunny day but Chrono in the shade

15 shots fired for each load

All in FPS

IMR PB 3.5gr-This is a money load IMHO. Soft shooting.

Hi-953

Lo-928

Av-936

ES-25

SD-7

IMR PB 3.8 gr

Hi-977

Lo-940

Av-958

Es-37

SD-11

IMR PB 4.1

Hi- 1051

Lo-986

Av-1012

ES 65

SD-22

Silhouette 3.8

Hi-860

Lo-797

Av-830

Es-63

Sd-17

Silhouette 4.2

Hi-917

Lo-864

Av-889

Es 53

Sd-13

Bullseye 3.0 Another money load-soft

Hi-939

Lo-874

Av-898

Es-65

Sd-17

Bullseye 3.2

Hi-970

Lo-927

Av-945

Es-43

Sd-11

Bullseye 3.5

Hi-1028

Lo-976

Av-998

Es-52

Sd-16

AutoComp 3.8

Hi-923

Lo 878

Av-902

Es-45

Sd-14

AutoComp 4.2

Hi-987

Lo-916

Av-946

Es-71

Sd-19

By all means if this looks out of whack to anyone please let me know. I have other powders I may test at some point.

[MoonJeong]

Clays is the softest!

[Calishooter]

I was able to get a hold of some WST from LGS 4 months ago and so far it's been working fine for shooting Bayou/BBI 147s for my G34. I was also lucky enough to trade a couple of lbs of WST for Titegroup from my fiend and loaded BBI 135 and MG 124 FMJ for my CZ SP 01 Shadow. My next quest is to see if I can find any n320s....

[rtp]

Ok, so I was on http://www.lohmanarms.com/ and saw I could add 4 and 8 pounds of Bullseye to my cart. Stated on the website that most powders are being shipped in 4 weeks. I know this sounds like a silly question but do I need to jump on this or is this about normal for the websites that ARE taking back orders right now.....OR should I continue to wait till after this weekend when the gun and knife show come to town? 4 pounds is $77 and 8 pounds is $143 (plus hazmat). Just thought I would ask right quick in case this is a once in a lifetime thing that I'm seeing or to take things a bit slower as "it'll be OK" LOL. I hate feeling like I have to "jump" on things like this, since I'm so new on everything.

Call them first. I'm not sure that's actually reflecting in stock inventory.

With a gun show coming up, better off seeing what you can get 'for sure' vs funds tied up in a 'maybe, sometime' AKA back-order.

[KY1911]

HP38/231 FTW

[njl]

Clays - not Universal - if you can find any. I use 3.2 grains with a 130 LSWC with a Tula KVB-223 primer, loaded to an OAL of 1.11" in a 9mm 1911. I start at 3.0 grs with what you mentioned.

Actually, Universal works very well for jacketed/plated 9mm, and with 124gr bullets, it's a good beginner's powder as a double charge in the load range for those bullets will make a mess on the shell plate.

[danman00]

So the tax man just deposited a nice chunk in my bank and after all the "responsibilities" have been dealt with it is nearly time to start making those purchases on my new reloading setup. My biggest issue is powder. Not just finding it (that's part of the thrill of the hunt) but what exactly I should be hunting for! I know early on I'll probably just grab the first thing I see in stock and nab as much as I can to get started on, but is that really the proper way to start out.....well maybe, maybe not. So I ask you guys, what would be a good beginner powder. My setup is very simple, Gen4 Glock 19 all stock, no competition shooting just range plinking with my wife. Will either be shooting the 115g or preferably the 124gr berry's plated bullet in a mix of different brand brass. I was going to try to stick with the CCI primers, but I've been seeing some stuff on Tula so I might go that route if the consensus is high enough. I know there is Blue Dot, Bulls Eye, Unique (although that's a flake and I would like a spherical as I hear it throws better) Universal Clays (not sure about regular Clays), Titegroup, Accurate #2,5,7 Solo 1000, Solo 1250, Vihtavuori N310, N320, N330, N350, 3N37 and mabye N32? This is just what I've researched as being usable in my 9mm. So for a newbie, what would be best.......one of these, all of these, whatever I see and run with it? I think at this point in our powder shortage beggars shouldn't be choosers, but wanted to ask first before I made my first purchase.

Thanks all.

Most of these powders are tough to find as we all know. A sleeper powder for 9mm I've found at the advise of tbrtt1 (above) is IMR-PB. I don't have any Chrono info yet but my lastest (favorite load) is as follows:

Powder - IMR-PB - 4.5gr

Bullet - 124gr Rainier plated RP

Primer - CCI spp

OAL - 1.140

Fairly soft - very clean - very accurate.