Powder for 9mm Minor and .40 Major

[hceuterpe]

I have my stash of HP-38 and have been using it for 9mm, but thinking of a change. It's pretty smokey, and seems rather dirty as my pistols gum up pretty quickly.  It also blackens the case pretty bad.  It does this with both hot loads and powder puff loads.

I also just got a .40 pistol and looking to load major.  For 180gr bullets, 38 seems a bit too fast a powder from what I've read..

Any suggestions on powder that works *GREAT* (not just ok, or doable) for handling both?

 

 

Edited September 18, 2016 by hceuterpe

[ChuckS]

N320

[jcc7x7]

WST my favorite, loaded to 172 PF is soft and I've never gone below 169 at a chono stage, others have had problems at chrono on hot days

e3 possibly my new favorite but only shot a few lbs of it so far

ClayDot has to be loaded long but is very soft shooting

[gtown]

I really like claydot, however, I have been using Cleanshot lately. I put the 8lbs jug of claydot up till further notice. 

180gr coated bullet at 1.180 oal with 4.7 gr cleanshot is soft, clean and a 170ish pf out my sti edge.

 

[joshxdm9]

I like n320 for .40 major  and 9mm minor with bayou bullets in both 

[36873687]

N320 is the bomb, universal clays is close very close in 40.  In 9 minor TG easy to make pf an soft in my option 

[Matt1]

ADI AP70 is pretty popular here in Aus for those loads. Not sure what an equivalent is.


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[Kletus]

I use N320 for 9mm minor and .40 major.  It is very clean with any of the coated lead bullets and is the best metering powder I've used in my Dillon.

[nelson1each]

I use titegroup for both 9 and 40 

[motosapiens]

n320, red dot, and i'd bet a dollar prima V will work too (i've only used it in 9mm so far).

[fishsticks]

I use titegroup for both 9 and 40 

+1

It's a little smokey with coated bullets and shoots hot (long practice sessions can be hard on fiber optic rods). But, it's reasonably priced, meters well and usually available.

[CrashDodson]

I run ramshot comp for .40 major but could not get a good .9 minor load with it.  Titegroup worked better for 9 minor.  

[nelson1each]

8 hours ago, fishsticks said:

 

+1

It's a little smokey with coated bullets and shoots hot (long practice sessions can be hard on fiber optic rods). But, it's reasonably priced, meters well and usually available.

 

I sure have gone through a lot of fiber rods with no idea why...never thought about it being powder related...but what he said...I seem to have to replace my fiber every 1k...sometimes sooner cuz it flys off...and usually in the middle of a match!

[DASR4]

i use wst in my 9mm, works good in 40 also

[tmz]

On 9/20/2016 at 9:38 PM, Kletus said:

I use N320 for 9mm minor and .40 major.  It is very clean with any of the coated lead bullets and is the best metering powder I've used in my Dillon.

 I agree with this I don't use coated bullets but the  jacketed hollow  points I use it works flawless and measures great in the Dillon powder measure. 

[hceuterpe]

Had some interesting results with 124gr JHP PDs and HP-38 in a G34. Way higher velocity than Hodgdon's published data (even with the 1.3" ish longer barrel):
OAL, roughly 1.13", temperature 73,
4.1gr
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1027	290	127
6	996	273	123
5	1030	292	127
4	1045	300	129
3	1044	300	129
2	1010	280	125
1	1050	303	130
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	996
Maximum:	1050
Spread:	54
Average:	1028
Standard Deviation:	18
Power Factor Average:	127
Power Factor Low:	123
Power Factor High:	130
4.2gr
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1064	311	131
6	1069	314	132
5	1070	315	132
4	1057	307	131
3	1063	311	131
2	1038	296	128
1	1001	275	124
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	1001
Maximum:	1070
Spread:	69
Average:	1051
Standard Deviation:	23
Power Factor Average:	130
Power Factor Low:	124
Power Factor High:	132
4.3gr
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1066	312	132
6	1087	325	134
5	1084	323	134
4	1063	311	131
3	1081	321	134
2	1064	311	131
1	1054	305	130
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	1054
Maximum:	1087
Spread:	33
Average:	1071
Standard Deviation:	12
Power Factor Average:	132
Power Factor Low:	130
Power Factor High:	134
4.4gr
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1087	325	134
6	1067	313	132
5	1106	336	137
4	1074	317	133
3	1077	319	133
2	1084	323	134
1	1064	311	131
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	1064
Maximum:	1106
Spread:	42
Average:	1079
Standard Deviation:	13
Power Factor Average:	133
Power Factor Low:	131
Power Factor High:	137
4.5gr:
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1092	328	135
6	1111	339	137
5	1123	347	139
4	1125	348	139
3	1135	354	140
2	1093	328	135
1	1119	344	138
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	1092
Maximum:	1135
Spread:	43
Average:	1114
Standard Deviation:	15
Power Factor Average:	138
Power Factor Low:	135
Power Factor High:	140
4.6gr:
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1128	350	139
6	1139	357	141
5	1158	369	143
4	1156	367	143
3	1151	364	142
2	1132	352	140
1	1149	363	142
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	1128
Maximum:	1158
Spread:	30
Average:	1144
Standard Deviation:	11
Power Factor Average:	141
Power Factor Low:	139
Power Factor High:	143
4.7gr
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1137	355	140
6	1146	361	142
5	1182	384	146
4	1151	364	142
3	1170	376	145
2	1161	371	143
1	1157	368	143
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	1137
Maximum:	1182
Spread:	45
Average:	1157
Standard Deviation:	14
Power Factor Average:	143
Power Factor Low:	140
Power Factor High:	146

Edited October 7, 2016 by hceuterpe

[hceuterpe]

Interestingly, once I hit 4.3gr, the SD dropped by quite a bit.  So that will be my new minor 9mm load.  132PF seems ok to me.  My target was 130, but the temperature wasn't exactly chilly by any means.

Given the decent results, and higher than expected velocities, gonna give HP-38 another shot to work up some .40 major loads with PD 180gr JHP with my G35.  Same OAL of 1.13"  Probably load 4.6-5.0 gr, painstakingly one at a time with a Chargemaster 1500

 

Hopefully this time I won't stripe my ProChrono

[IHAVEGAS]

Titegroup if I had to only use 1. 

But I don't, so it is titegroup for 9mm 147's, power pistol for 180 gr 40 major, and Clay Dot for 180 gr 40 minor. 

Clays or Clay Dot would make me uncomfortable for 9mm or 40 major, although I know some folks use it. 

[bjones6686]

2 years ago when powder was hard to find all I had to use was HP38. I used it in 9mm and 45acp both with great results. I started reloading 40cal with HP38 and 180gr bullets. It worked out great until I was able to find other powders to reload with. 

Edited October 9, 2016 by bjones6686

[carlspeed]

On 10/7/2016 at 3:07 AM, hceuterpe said:

Had some interesting results with 124gr JHP PDs and HP-38 in a G34. Way higher velocity than Hodgdon's published data (even with the 1.3" ish longer barrel):
OAL, roughly 1.13", temperature 73,
4.1gr
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1027	290	127
6	996	273	123
5	1030	292	127
4	1045	300	129
3	1044	300	129
2	1010	280	125
1	1050	303	130
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	996
Maximum:	1050
Spread:	54
Average:	1028
Standard Deviation:	18
Power Factor Average:	127
Power Factor Low:	123
Power Factor High:	130
4.2gr
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1064	311	131
6	1069	314	132
5	1070	315	132
4	1057	307	131
3	1063	311	131
2	1038	296	128
1	1001	275	124
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	1001
Maximum:	1070
Spread:	69
Average:	1051
Standard Deviation:	23
Power Factor Average:	130
Power Factor Low:	124
Power Factor High:	132
4.3gr
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1066	312	132
6	1087	325	134
5	1084	323	134
4	1063	311	131
3	1081	321	134
2	1064	311	131
1	1054	305	130
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	1054
Maximum:	1087
Spread:	33
Average:	1071
Standard Deviation:	12
Power Factor Average:	132
Power Factor Low:	130
Power Factor High:	134
4.4gr
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1087	325	134
6	1067	313	132
5	1106	336	137
4	1074	317	133
3	1077	319	133
2	1084	323	134
1	1064	311	131
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	1064
Maximum:	1106
Spread:	42
Average:	1079
Standard Deviation:	13
Power Factor Average:	133
Power Factor Low:	131
Power Factor High:	137
4.5gr:
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1092	328	135
6	1111	339	137
5	1123	347	139
4	1125	348	139
3	1135	354	140
2	1093	328	135
1	1119	344	138
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	1092
Maximum:	1135
Spread:	43
Average:	1114
Standard Deviation:	15
Power Factor Average:	138
Power Factor Low:	135
Power Factor High:	140
4.6gr:
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1128	350	139
6	1139	357	141
5	1158	369	143
4	1156	367	143
3	1151	364	142
2	1132	352	140
1	1149	363	142
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	1128
Maximum:	1158
Spread:	30
Average:	1144
Standard Deviation:	11
Power Factor Average:	141
Power Factor Low:	139
Power Factor High:	143
4.7gr
#	Velocity	Feet/Lbs	Power Factor
7	1137	355	140
6	1146	361	142
5	1182	384	146
4	1151	364	142
3	1170	376	145
2	1161	371	143
1	1157	368	143
Number of Shots:	7
Minimum:	1137
Maximum:	1182
Spread:	45
Average:	1157
Standard Deviation:	14
Power Factor Average:	143
Power Factor Low:	140
Power Factor High:	146

This is a great post man, thank you very much. I need to start figuring out what powder I want to get next, I haven't been able to load in almost two years.

[hceuterpe]

So, for 9mm minor, HP-38 was acceptable, as I posted....

 

Unfortunately, my .40 results with HP-38 were pretty awful.  Out of a Glock 35, using PD 180gr JHP loaded to 1.13", and using a Chargemaster 1500 to weigh, 4.6-5.0gr (in .1 gr increments), all cases being WIN brass once fire, the velocity was all over the map. 
I would sometimes get consistency, and then random low velocity flyers.  For 5gr of HP-38, the PF ranged from 160-173. , nearly 90fps difference.

 

I don't think HP-38 is going to work for my .40.  Ironically the owner suggested VV (ie. N320).   So I bought a pound..

Any suggestions on a powder weight range to try to chrono?  I noticed N320 is a stick powder.  How consistently does it meter in a Dillon measure? 1.13" ran fine in the Glock 35 (albeit the wild velocity swings).  Should I stick to it?

 

Edited October 15, 2016 by hceuterpe

[Boxer1]

I too have had good luck loading both of these and 45 ACP with N320.