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9mm Powder
- Thread starter ethan95
- Start date
Mike Irwin
Staff
WW 231 is my goto powder for just about everything.
ligonierbill
New member
Power Pistol works for me.
Is 231 readily available where you live? Haven't seen it where I live for quite some time. Then there are the internet rumors that a lot of the good, but older, powders will be going away due to cost of manufacturing and waste disposal.....
IIRC, 231 and 296 were listed. Anyone verify or deny that?
IIRC, 231 and 296 were listed. Anyone verify or deny that?
The classic load is 6.0 grains of Unique, for about 1050-1100 fps out of a full size pistol. I've been shooting this load for half a zillion years; some people claim Unique is dirty, but I haven't found it so. Likewise, some folks report problems metering Unique consistently; again, my venerable Uniflow throws is plus or minus 0.1 grain.
Winchester 231 is always a great choice (and is useful in about any handgun cartridge you care to mention)...it meters far better than Unique by a large margin and is more readily available, at least over the past 5-7 years of panic buying shortages. Another good choice is WST. I've used all 3 of them, & get equal accuracy after load work up. HTH's Rod
The Kingfish
New member
I use W231 and Titegroup.
So far I've gotten the best results with Titegroup.
So far I've gotten the best results with Titegroup.
Doublehelix3216
New member
Another vote for Titegroup, although I have not loaded 115 gr. in a long time, I cannot remember the charge. I still use TG for my 125 gr. loads however.
W231/HP-38 (they're the same propellant, in different packaging); AA#2, N-320, and TiteGroup are all great choices.
But just about anything in that burn rate range (fast) should work well (Bullseye, Red Dot, 700X, etc).
Stay away from intermediate burn rate range propellants. Such as, Power Pistol, AA#5, AA#7, and others. They are not suitable for your purpose (light bullets, range practice velocities). These propellants are better tailored for heavier bullets and max (or near max) velocities. Turning them down to suit your needs will result in excessively low pressure; and thus, incomplete burns, and inconsistent results.
Use a propellant correct for the application.
But just about anything in that burn rate range (fast) should work well (Bullseye, Red Dot, 700X, etc).
Stay away from intermediate burn rate range propellants. Such as, Power Pistol, AA#5, AA#7, and others. They are not suitable for your purpose (light bullets, range practice velocities). These propellants are better tailored for heavier bullets and max (or near max) velocities. Turning them down to suit your needs will result in excessively low pressure; and thus, incomplete burns, and inconsistent results.
Use a propellant correct for the application.
Bullseye for everything except .41AE. Don't even think about .41AE though. There's no ammo or brass. Or pistols.
The load another shooter uses will be of no use to you. Every pistol will like a different load.
Make sure the range you shoot on allows jacketed ammo(Or cast. Some allow plated only.) and don't buy anything in bulk until you have worked up the load.
The load another shooter uses will be of no use to you. Every pistol will like a different load.
Make sure the range you shoot on allows jacketed ammo(Or cast. Some allow plated only.) and don't buy anything in bulk until you have worked up the load.
ShootistPRS
New member
For light pistol use I have used W231/HP-38 for 38 45 and 9mm in the past but after trying TiteGroup I haven't used the HP-38 since. It is more consistent and cleaner burning than HP-38, meters great, I get higher velocities with less powder and it is not at all position sensitive. so I can't find any drawbacks.
Rangerrich99
New member
For 9mm I've used TiteGroup, CFE Pistol, Power Pistol, and Bullseye. If I were just beginning to learn to reload, I'd probably choose anything besides TG. The reason being Titegroup is a small volume powder, which makes it a lot easier to double charge a case; certainly much easier than with the other powders I've used.
With the other powders I use a double charge is blatantly obvious, and some actually overflow if doubled.
Once you get some experience and develop your safety plan, TG is a nice economical powder that works well in 9mm.
With the other powders I use a double charge is blatantly obvious, and some actually overflow if doubled.
Once you get some experience and develop your safety plan, TG is a nice economical powder that works well in 9mm.
mikejonestkd
New member
I do very well with Bullseye and Win 231 for lighter/ medium plinking loads, and titegroup or power pistol for warmer loads in 9mm.
If I had to pick just one it would easily be Win 231/ HP-38. Its a very versatile powder.
If I had to pick just one it would easily be Win 231/ HP-38. Its a very versatile powder.
jetinteriorguy
New member
Clays, followed by HS-6, followed by Titegroup. I also have used a lot of 700X which works very well but meters inconsistently in small charges. Clays is no.1 because it's clean, accurate, economical, and has a very mild recoil impulse compared to most other powders.
Of the powders I have on the shelf:
CFE-pistol This has been my go-to for over a year on 9mm (10k rounds) on all weights of bullets and first back-up for 45.
Win 231/ HP-38 Very versatile and it works well with a few other calibers
HS-6 comes in close behind HP-38
Specialty:
Bullseye and TiteGroup are a bit fast but I like them better with heavier bullets.
CFE-pistol This has been my go-to for over a year on 9mm (10k rounds) on all weights of bullets and first back-up for 45.
Win 231/ HP-38 Very versatile and it works well with a few other calibers
HS-6 comes in close behind HP-38
Specialty:
Bullseye and TiteGroup are a bit fast but I like them better with heavier bullets.
I have been testing my M92 Beretta Bullseye Pistol and my most recent acquisition, a Kimber Two Tone Custom II in 9mm.
I can say that the most accurate powder with a 115 jacketed or plated bullet between the two pistols is Power Pistol. I have included plated bullet data and Titegroup and an RMR plated bullet shoots well in the Bar Sto Barrel of the Beretta, but blows chunks in the Kimber barrel. Having gone to the range this week and shot both pistols, unfortunately rain washed out my chronograph, I can say my jacketed loads are much tighter and more consistent than the RMR plated bullets. Those bullets shot well most of the time, but would fling a flyer every magazine.
I did find that my load of 7.2 grains Blue Dot was very acceptable, not for match shooting, but for practice ammunition.
I can say that the most accurate powder with a 115 jacketed or plated bullet between the two pistols is Power Pistol. I have included plated bullet data and Titegroup and an RMR plated bullet shoots well in the Bar Sto Barrel of the Beretta, but blows chunks in the Kimber barrel. Having gone to the range this week and shot both pistols, unfortunately rain washed out my chronograph, I can say my jacketed loads are much tighter and more consistent than the RMR plated bullets. Those bullets shot well most of the time, but would fling a flyer every magazine.
I did find that my load of 7.2 grains Blue Dot was very acceptable, not for match shooting, but for practice ammunition.
Code:
[SIZE="3"]M92 FS Beretta Bar Sto Barrel
115 Full Metal Case Master Factory Ammo
20-Jun-09 T = 90 °F
Ave Vel = 1180
Std Dev = 10.19
ES = 33.27
High = 1197
Low = 1167
N =8
115 gr FMJ Hornady 0.355" 4.2 grs Titegroup lot 4-16 WSP OAL 1.15"
15-Sep-16 T = 95 °F crimp 0.375"
Ave Vel = 1108
Std Dev = 26
ES = 75
Low = 1074
High = 1149
N = 9
115 gr FMJ Hornady 0.355" 6.0 grs Power Pistol lot 3-16 WSP OAL 1.15" crimp 0.375"
15-Sep-16 T = 95 °F
Ave Vel = 1187
Std Dev = 16
ES = 58
Low = 1157
High = 1215
N = 9
v accurate.
115 gr RMR Plated RN 4.2 grs Titegroup lot 4-16 WSP OAL 1.150" Mag Length crimp 0.375"
15-Sep-16 T = 95 °F
Ave Vel = 1092
Std Dev = 20
ES = 73
Low = 1065
High = 1138
N = 16
very accurate
115 gr RMR Plated RN 6.0 grs Power Pistol lot 3-16 WSP OAL 1.150" Mag Length
15-Sep-16 T = 94 °F crimp 0.375"
Ave Vel = 1175
Std Dev = 22
ES = 81
Low = 1130
High = 1211
N = 20
Very accurate
115 gr XTP Hornady HP 0.355" 6.0 grs Power Pistol lot 3-16 WSP OAL 1.10"
15-Sep-16 T = 95 °F crimp 0.375"
Ave Vel = 1161
Std Dev = 54
ES = 197
Low = 1111
High = 1308
[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/SlamFire/media/Pistols%20various/Beretta%20M92%20David%20Sams/IMG_3798%20Beretta%20M92%20Ultradot_zpsp5rwe3ow.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/SlamFire/Pistols%20various/Beretta%20M92%20David%20Sams/IMG_3798%20Beretta%20M92%20Ultradot_zpsp5rwe3ow.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/SlamFire/media/Pistols%20various/Beretta%20M92%20David%20Sams/RightsideframefieldstrippedBerettaM.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/SlamFire/Pistols%20various/Beretta%20M92%20David%20Sams/RightsideframefieldstrippedBerettaM.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/SlamFire/media/Pistols%20various/Beretta%20M92%20David%20Sams/SlideRackedbackshowingbarrelflareDS.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/SlamFire/Pistols%20various/Beretta%20M92%20David%20Sams/SlideRackedbackshowingbarrelflareDS.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Kimber Custom II Two Tone with Ultra Dot & Clark Mount
115 gr FMC Master Factory
6-Apr-17 T = 55 °F
Ave Vel = 1192
Std Dev = 13
ES = 37
High = 1211
Low = 1174
N = 9
Excellent function might be able to hold ten ring.
115 RMR Plated 4.2 grs Titegroup (4-16 lot) mixed cases WSP OAL 1.15"
6-Apr-17 T = 55 °F
Ave Vel = 1124
Std Dev = 17
ES = 49
High = 1141
Low = 1093
N = 12
With W231 elevation shot below bull in 7-8 ring. Would not hold black. Functioned Each round
115 RMR Plated 7.2 grs Bluedot (1990 lot) mixed cases WSP OAL 1.15"
Crimped 0.376"
6-Apr-17 T = 55 °F
Ave Vel = 1176
Std Dev = 38
ES = 112
High = 1239
Low = 1127
N = 9
The most accurate load in series. Looks to hold ten ring @ 25 yards. Sharp
ejection, POI about 7 OC in 10 ring with W231 Elevation & windage
[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/SlamFire/media/Pistols%20various/Kimber%20Two%20Tone/IMG_1053%20Kimber%20two%20tone_zpsuebwk6fy.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/SlamFire/Pistols%20various/Kimber%20Two%20Tone/IMG_1053%20Kimber%20two%20tone_zpsuebwk6fy.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
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I am in love with VV N340. It is the cleanest powder I have used in the 9. We did some night shooting last summer. I was watching a nephew shoot his STI and although it was pitch dark, there was no muzzle flash. Also, it fills the case enough that there is absolutely no chance of a double charge.