Universal Clays

[A62335]

Well, I bought a lb of this stuff a long time ago when I first started reloading, gun store said this was a good powder for .45. I'm running low on V N310, so I thought I would start working up loads with other powders this winter. After searching, seems that straight Clays is the best powder for .45, not Universal Clays. Is there anybody using Universal Clays, and what loads are you guys using? I'm shooting a 200 gr LSWC out of a 5" 1911.

[paul gilman]

I have found that universal is a good medium powder 44 mag but does not work well in 45 acp, the 45 works at to low of pressure and you end up with alot of unburned powder and too much spread in velocity. I like Winchester super target for lead loads in a 45 also 231 is a good powder for the 45.

[A62335]

Thanks for the reply. I've got a bunch of HP38 on hand, so I'll try some of that. Guess I'll put the Universal Clays at the very back of the shelf, or give it to someone who could use it. I'll pick up some regular clays next time I buy powder, along with a bunch of N310.

Would still like to hear from people that do use Universal Clays to load .45ACP.

[Bongo Boy]

OTOH, there are quite a few 45 ACP loads around using Universal and I see that many folks seem to like it a lot in that cartridge. I wouldn't just give up on it...I just bought a pound this weekend, specifically for 45 ACP loads I plan on to simulate 185gr Gold Dot ammo. My impression (only from what I've read) is that it works well at the higher end of the load spectrum, for just the reason mentioned above--pressure. Another comment I saw was a handloader uses magnum primers when loading Universal at low charges, to avoid the unburned propellant issue at the lower pressures.

So, the 185gr Gold Dot 'Law Enforcement' ammo I have seems quite hot to me, but of course I'm used to shooting 1000s of rounds of Duane's 3.2gr Clays powder puff loads all the time. When those Gold Dots go off it's a thunderous boom, in MY mind.

The idea is to use Universal to load up 185gr RNFP bullets to around 1050 fps, to use as practice ammo that mimics the Gold Dot recoil fairly well. Based on everything I've read (again, no experience), it really seems like it should do that job quite well. Have to go to something over 7.2gr or more to do it, I think.

Now that I think a little harder, I was looking for W231, actually...but didn't find any and was told it was in short supply.

[gm iprod]

185gr JHP and Universal will work very well. 7.2gr = 1000fps or there abouts.

[gordonm1]

I have to load at the upper ranges to burn all the powder in lead reloads. Recoil is higher than Solo 1000 or Clays but so is velocity. I will eventually shoot up the 8 lb keg I bought (maybe for .40 S&W) but have moved to Solo 1000 for my 45 ACP loads.

[laportecharlie]

I would save that Universal for 9MM and find something else for your 45.

Charlie

[Bongo Boy]

Actual range data last weekend: 185 gr LHP (made from 'hollow pointing' 200 gr RNFPs) and 6.7 gr Universal yielded an average of 1,039 fps and very good uniformity...I'll have to wait 'till I get to my notebook for extreme spread and SD data, but I remember thinking it was significantly more consistent that the loads I did with the stock 200 gr RNFP lead bullets and 6.2 or 6.3 gr of Universal, which averaged around 978 fps. Both loads seemed very clean to me, but to my surprise, the 200 gr slower loads felt more like the 185 gr Speer Gold Dots, and the 185 gr loads felt a bit hotter. Didn't see any evidence of squished primers, but these babies definitely ejected like they meant it.

[Chris Christian]

Universal Clays seems to require a significant loading density at the upper load levels (reduced charges don't seem to work... you need full max charges) in order to get a complete and consistent burn and not leave a bunch of "corn" in the gun. It does not work well for reduced target loads, and I have had poor success with it trying to make 125 PF 158 grain .38 Spl loads, and 230 grain 170 PF .45 ACP loads. In your .45 ACP, HP38 would be a better choice. In terms of burn rate and charge levels HP38 is so close to Win 231 as to be almost interchangeable. If you want max velocity loads Univeral might work, but I have not found it to be effective when tailoring loads to IDPA/USPSA. It seems like it's "all or nothing" with this powder.

Chris Christian