I haven't spent a lot of time reloading for pistols recently, and there have been a number of powders introduced while I was busy playing with rifles. I'm starting to accumulate a fair amount of brass and need to start loading it. So, I'm wondering if you fellas have a recommendation for one powder that is effecient and effective in 9mm, 40S&W, .357, and .45 ACP. I'm not particularly brand loyal, so any powder commonly available in the US would be acceptable.

Thanks for any advice.

titegroup

Just one and only one? Unique.

Just two? HP-38 (aka, Win 231) & 2400.

Unique is about as good as it gets. It has a pressure curve suitable for the semi autos, and it does well in wheel guns too.

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
titegroup

Really? I can not understand why handloaders use uberfasts except for bunnyfart loads. It & other like it will not safely reach factory vel. w/ heavier bullets in the 40 or 357mag. So something that can load across the carts you mentioned, a medium burner like Unique or WSF.You still can't reach the 357magnum potential w/ heavier bullets, but they work great for safe factory level to +p vel. in the service calibers.

Unique.

For the 9mm, 40S&W, and the .357 you might want to try Power Pistol.

It would not be a great powder for the 45ACP, however. I would look at some of the faster burning stuff like Unique, Titegroup, and Bullseye. I think you will end up with two powders one for fast and one for slow velocities.

Has anyone mentioned Unique?
PowerPistol has a similar burn rate and would work well too.

quote:

Originally posted by Ol` Joe:
Has anyone mentioned Unique?
PowerPistol has a similar burn rate and would work well too.

Unique

quote:

Originally posted by Ol` Joe:
Has anyone mentioned Unique?
PowerPistol has a similar burn rate and would work well too.

As will Universal Clays.

Universal Clays. Just as good as Unique but a whole lot cleaner burning.

Thanks guys. I should have stated in my original post that I've shot a lot of Unique, but as stated it can be a bit dirty. I'll give these other powders you mention a try. Ideally, I'll find one that works well enough in all of them and lay in a couple 8 pounders.

Saw two 4# kegs of unique at the gunshop last night. I might want to go back and pick those up?!?!?

ddj

Unique is unique. It will do anything from paper-punching squibb loads to near-magnum full-power loads in any of the calibers you mention. Dirty? It leaves nothing behind that won't disappear with one swab of the barrel.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
Unique is unique. It will do anything from paper-punching squibb loads to near-magnum full-power loads in any of the calibers you mention. Dirty? It leaves nothing behind that won't disappear with one swab of the barrel.

Akthough I find it leaves a lot of unburned powder if used below midrange. For mousefart loads, a faster powder gives better results but for factory equiv. loads in all the service rounds, Unique burns clean enough & accuracy under lead bullets is amazing.

Ok, for the record, I've burned off pounds of each of the following: Clays, Universal Clays, TiteGroup, Unique, 2400, H110, HP38, Bullseye, and a few others.

I've come to this amazing conclusion.

POWDER IS DIRTY!

They ALL are! Goodness me! They ALL leave soot and carbon and fouling in my guns! It's much worse with lead bullets (wax lube) than jacketed stuff.

And revolvers get dirtier than auto's. Geez. What garbage is that?

But it's all good, dirty fun.

Dirtiness is all just a bunch of bunk to me. I go out and burn 600 rounds of .45 ACP through my 625JM - guess what? Regardless of whether I use HP38 (the cleanest I've used) or Unique, the gun is ready for a cleaning.

Unique might be the dirtiest of the bunch, but hey, what do I care? That's what Hoppe's is for, right?

I remember one friend raving about how clean some new wonderpowder left his barrel compared to unique...

Until he did a thorough cleaning...

Funny thing after he finished off the keg of the stuff he was using (I don't even remember what) he switched back...

seems that stuff did leave less fouling, but what fouling it did leave was an absolute BASTARD to get out.

Unique does leave unburned propellant and a lot of unburned graphite behind, but it cleans off REAL easy with just about any solvent.

AD

Unique would be my choice. The new cans claim to be "new, cleaner burning" but it still seems dirty.

Works well though, for lots of things.....

Dan

Wasn't Unique first introduced sometime in the 1890's? For pistol cartridges I only use three powders W231, Unique and W296. If I had to limit it to one I'd choose Unique.

I use Power Pistol in my .40 and despite my best efforts seem to get consistent loads...........
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Universal Clays

Chalk up another one for Unique

A. M. Socrates

Unique, Universal Clays, or just to be different, Accurate No. 5. All versatile, very applicable for mid range to near max loads. For max loads in the .357 mag, you would need to go for Accurate No. 9, 2400, W-296, H-110 or N-110. And for mild target cast bullet loads in the autoloaders, I like Tite Group, too.