One powder for 38 SP, 9mm, 45ACP ?

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hounddawg

New member
I have not reloaded pistol in years now and have a bunch of cast bullets just sitting in the cabinet I am thinking about loading. I have a pound or so of Win 231 but doubt if I have enough

What powder could work for all three cartridges? 115- 125 gn bullets for 9mm, 158 gn for 38 SP, 230 gn for 45 ACP
 
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BJung

New member
Recommendation

There are a lot of pistol powders to choose from. I recommend Bullseye and AA2. Bullseye has been around for a long time and is still popular. Bullseye pistol shooters use it still, I've read. I'm on my first pound and my groups were about 1" with my .45 at 20 yards using Darda lead bullets. The recipe is good enough for me. The classic .38 special wadcutter load is 2.7-2.8 grains of bullseye. Ken Water's book mentions bullseye for a 9mm. AA2 is my second recommendation. My pet load using a (now) discontinued Speer 115 hollow point target bullet and with this powder, my test group was 1" at 20 yards. It meters very well. I burns cleaner than most powders. And, I've read that is has a low flash. I haven't extensively tested this but I have the impression that my powder throws are more consistent that other powders. Bartlett reloading sells a 6 pound jug of a similar powder for $96/6lbs.
 
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BondoBob

New member
I had the same question recently. I got a lot of good information here. This link was also very helpful to look up the range and latitude of loads I might use.

https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol

I found that 700-X and Universal provided me the widest range of loads for each cartridge I'm loading 380, 9mm, 38spl, 357, and 44.

700-X isn't the best choice for the 380 but I like the large size of the flakes for the other cartridges as I'm new to reloading.

I'm probably going to use titegroup for 380 and 700-X for everything else, or just use universal for everything going forward. This depends on availability.
 
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44 AMP

Staff
If limited to only one, I would choose Unique.

Not the absolute best choice for small capacity cases (9mm and under) and not the choice to get maximum performance out of big magnum cases, but it works tolerably well over the entire range of sizes. Also has the physical bulk to make a double charge obvious in a large case, and overflow a small one.

I have a pound or so of Win 231 but doubt if I have enough
Click to expand...
With a pound being 7000 grains, and MAX charges of 231 being under 4gr in .380, under 5gr in 9mm, and under 6gr in .45acp, that pound of powder is enough for well over 1,000 rounds, and closer to 2,000 with lighter charges.

No, you don't have enough! :rolleyes:
 
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hounddawg

New member
@ 44 Amp when I said a pound or so I should have stated about a half pound with 4500 assorted bullets, a plastic storage container of range brass separated by cartridge in zip lock bags. Easily 2000 - 2500 of each, with probably twice that many 9mm. Back when the wife was doing pistol competition I would load 300 - 500 a week of the 9mm for her during the season. This is going to be a cold weather project so no hurry. I am just packing for a move and had forgotten how much pistol fodder I had in those bins. A few years back I loaded 1000 - 1500 of each one winter and had been using it up slowly. I don't shoot pistol much these days but it is time to replenish my stash
 
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Dead-Nuts-Zero

New member
I have used Win 231 in .380, 9mm & 38's exclusively for a few years & it seems to make reloading a little easier when I don't have to change powders. I buy it in 4 & 8 lb. jugs when the price is right. I'm also working up a 231 load for 44 mag.

Can't help you with 45's as I don't load them, but I know of others who use 231 & are happy with it.
 
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markr6754

New member
Although most will quickly point out that it’s the same powder (and it is), I’d recommend picking up HP-38. I’ve used it in every caliber I load 380ACP, 9mm, 38spl, 40 S&W, 45ACP with great results...but it’s usually cheaper than W231...even though it’s the same powder in the jug!
 
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kmw1954

New member
I have my pistol powders now narrowed down to three; AA#2, HP-38 and Ramshot Silhouette.

The Ramshot powder has replaced the AA#5 as it develops about the same load while using almost a full 1.0gr less powder. Also because we do a lot of indoor shooting and the Ramshot is flash suppressed and is much less smoky.

I use all three in 380, 9mm, 45acp and soon 38Spl. with many different weight bullets and both plated and cast.
 
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BJung

New member
W231 and HP38

Can someone tell me why these two powders are so popular? I think other powders are as capable or more so. To me, whenever someone asks for a powder, these two come up just like as if someone asks for a pistol and Glock is mentioned.
 
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Average Joe

New member
burbank_jung said:
Can someone tell me why these two powders are so popular? I think other powders are as capable or more so. To me, whenever someone asks for a powder, these two come up just like as if someone asks for a pistol and Glock is mentioned.
Click to expand...
Well it's like this: It's popular because everybody uses it, and everybody uses it because its popular.... Kinda like the Glocks, same deal.
 
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mikejonestkd

New member
Win 231/ HP-38 is popular because it is versatile- you can pretty much find data for most handgun cartridges.
IMO it is best when used in the 10th -90th percentile for velocity ranges for cartridges. very light powder puff loads ( the bottom 10% ) might be served with more task specific powders, and the fastest loads ( the top 10%) also are better accomplished with different task specific powders.
But, for almost everything in between you can do well with win 231/ HP-38
 
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zxcvbob

New member
Bullseye will work great in all of those. You have 231 already, so start with that, it's appropriate for all of them.

I would not use Titegroup with cast bullets. It's probably fine with plated or jacketed bullets, especially in the 9mm and .45 ACP. I still wouldn't use it in the .38 Special because it's too hard to see in the bottom of those tall cases.

Unique is a good choice too. Or Green Dot for lighter loads.
 
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