Titegroup really a clean-burning powder?

[CocoBolo]

Here's 100 rounds of Titegroup...3.9gr under a 124gr PD bullet with an OAL of 1.14"

That is a pretty light load, even by light load standards, I think?

I usually shoot 124/125g Zero bullets at about 1.135-1.140 and load 4.2g of TG. That runs 135pf'ish.

I'd call you results "sooty"...and not dirty. I carry a shop rag/towel in my range bag. That stuff will mostly wipe right off.

Flex.. 4.2 seems a little steep?

Zero 124, OAL 1.15, 3.7 of TG -gets me PF128 in my G34 - absolute minimum, so walk it up a bit

3.8 = 129.6

3.9 = 132.6

4.0 = 136.8

Actually no I use 4.3gr with a 125gr to make minor with a cushion only chronoed at 131pf at Area 8 last year. But to the question at the temprature that TiteGroup burns it should be immaculate incenration but nope it is a bit dirty. Flex you need to pump that load up, aka man it up to about 130+ as the average match crono is +-20fps or more.

[wide45]

I'm a little late to the discussion, which otherwise seems to have run its course. I heard the other day that Titegroup that I've been using in my 9mm, .40 and .45 for years is a very abrasive powder, as it is charcoal based. Short of calling the manufacturer, I cannot confirm either. Vit powder on the other hand is cotton based and thus is not abrasive. I don't know if the powder base is the cause of dirty or clean burning and frankly I clean the top ends of the guns about every other time I shoot them so I don't care about if either is clean or not, but I am concerned if a particular power will shorten a barrel's life. Thoughts?

Do not believe this bull. Very little research will inform you that no smokeless powder is charcoal based.

A lot of smokeless powder starts with cellulose derived from wood pulp. It is not known to be particularly abrasive.

[kevin c]

I use Titegroup. It's a good alternative to the N320 I often use for 9mm and minor 40 loads. I just need to clean up a bit more often (both the gun and me - TG is the only powder I've used that leaves me covered with specks of burnt ash if the wind is wrong).

[toddrod]

American Select is also another good N320 replacement.

[gm iprod]

Do not believe this bull. Very little research will inform you that no smokeless powder is charcoal based.

A lot of smokeless powder starts with cellulose derived from wood pulp. It is not known to be particularly abrasive.

+1 on the above. But I think that it is pretty much all nowadays. Correction welcomed.

Ball Powders are Nitro Cellulose (Made by mixing Nitric Acid with Wood Starches) and Nitroglycerin (Nitrated Glycerol (usually animal fats, but can be from vegetable oils)) mixed to form "double based" powders, with Graphite added to act as a stabiliser and burn rate control.

Nitrocellulose was called "gun cotton" because they would impregnate cotton starch with nitric acid and it would form wads like cooton wads that could be used as an explosive. Used by the Navy mostly in big guns, bags

Extruded powders (flake and stock) are mostly Single Based, nitro cellulose, some like the 500Series powders from Vihtavouri are doubled based.

The slower burning a powder is the more powder is required to make velocity and this is what some people call abrasive, slow burners burn for longer (fancy that) and therefore are heating the barrel for a longer period of time and this is part of the accelerated wear, the fact that the bullet is hauling arse and friction is heatong the barrel is also part of the deal.

Ball Powders heat up quicker and to generally higher temps, hence the issue with hot guns and brass.

You use what suits your needs, budget or availability.

I like N320 and TG, both have their uses, given the current situation with availability and the fact that I shoot in both the US and here in New Zealand I like a powder I can get and does the same job in both places. Usually that is both powders. But at the moment I am running TG exclusively.

For more accurate information look at the following links.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrocellulose

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycerol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitroglycerin

By the way I tried the cotton fabric and nitric acid thing, FUN!

Edited April 27, 2010 by gm iprod

[NGN]

I gave up on Titegroup because it heats the gun up too much and brass needs about 10 minutes before pickup. Any powder is going to have one thing or another that someone doesn't like. So buy a 1# can and try it to see if it is acceptable then go get another 1# can of something else. Finally you will find a powder that fits your personality. So far I have 15-20 partial cans and I am still looking because someone here on the forum said the powder they just tried is the best thing since sliced bread.

Excellent answer & so true!!!

[eboadway]

Holy necrobump. I use a lot of Titegroup, in 9mm - 3.1 gr with 147 Xtreme for 130pf, in .40 3.4 gr with Xtreme 180. It's dirty but I don't mind cleaning frequently.

[JunotFranco]

Get CFE Pistol, the cleanest I have used!