As you know and depending on which list you read, Clays is the fastest or one of the fastest powders there is. It was specifically designed for moderate loads in 12 Ga shotshells, not necessarily for handgun cartridges.
I use Universal Clays in my .380 target loads. Working up from the published min of 3.6 grains (Speer #13 & Hodgdon's website) with a 95 grain FMJ, I arrived at 4.0 grains as a good load without pushing the pressure envelope.
I realize that doesn't help with your quest for a Clays load. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to work up a few loads of Clays starting with the minimums published by Lyman for Bullseye for the bullet weight of your choice (it'll be around 2.0 gr for 90/95 grain bullets). Be especially mindful of double charging a case; it's easy to do with such small loads.
My advice: get some powder listed in the load data.
__________________Mike -
Clays is too fast burning? Titegroup is faster, and you have loads for it for the .380. Seems odd. Almost seems like the load data for the .32 ACP shouldn't exist, since the only other sub .38 Special load I could find was for 9 mm, and then only once the bullet weight reached 115 grains.
Thanks. I'm disappointed, but thanks anyway.
Steve ????
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: "Help Account" <Hpchelp@hodgdon.com>
> Our tests indicate that Clays is too fast burning for use in the 380
> ACP.
>
>
> Mike ????
> Customer Satisfaction Manager
> The Hodgdon Powder Company Family of Propellants:
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>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Steve [mailto:????@????.???]
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 04, 2006 9:38 AM
>> To: Help Account
>> Subject: Second Request - .380 ACP and Clays
>>
>>
>>
>> Have you ever developed or tested loads for this combination? I have
>> 88, 90, 95 and 100 grain bullets in both lead and jacketed, and would
>> really rather use published data than try and work up loads from
>> scratch. Clays is listed for .32 ACP, so I know you've done some
>> testing with it in at least that small caliber, as well as in .38
>> Special, .40 S&W and .45 ACP (my other calibers I intend to use it for).
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>>
>> Steve ????
>>
>>
>>
I think they were out to lunch when they came up with the "Clays" series of names. There's Clays, Universal Clays and International Clays. That leaves lots of room for some serious misunderstanding of which powder is which,
An interesting note about this is that for many of the powders listed the start load is the same as the max load! (note the data for red dot 95 grain bullet above). I have no idea why that is
Mal H -
According to 3 different burn rate charts I have, Clays is faster burning than Titegroup. Perhaps you're confusing "Titewad" with Titegroup? Until Titewad came out, Clays was Hodgdon's fastest powder.