Powder Recommendations for loading 9mm and .380?

[Double Tap]

Trying to decide on what the best powder(s) might be for 9 and 380. I'm relatively new to reloading and all I have used thus far is an 8lb container of promo I purchased from a member here when I first got started. It's sevrved me well but it seems slightly dirty and doesn't meter that well. I do have a pound of Bullseye that I acquired recently but I have not tried it yet. I poked/searched around other forums and most seem to think W231 is decent powder for the application, but I just read Dr. Grant saying it sucks for 9mm in the other thread

I shoot mainly glocks(17,26,42) and a CW380 and I reload using a Lee Classic Turret press. Projectiles are mostly 115g+124g FMJ for 9mm and a mix of plated and FMJ 90g for .380.

 

[M1911]

I use N320 for 9mm. Expensive, but with 147gr bullets I make power factor and get little recoil.

 

[bill o]

I happily pay the premium for VV N320 because it is so consistent and clean burning with coated bullets. My 147 gn loads chrono 910 FPS +/- 5 every time.

 

[AyeR15]

Bullseye, Hp38/Win231, Unique, Titegroup, BE86. All good powders

 

[Nickle]

Start here:

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

Check here:

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx?page=/reloaders/RecipePrint.aspx

And here:

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/WesternLoadGuide1-2016_Web.pdf

Get your data from the powder manufacturer, and your bullet drop data from the bullet manufacturer.

The only exception to that is Applied Ballistics has better bullet drop data, if they have your bullet listed. If they don't, get your G1 Ballistic Coefficient (or G7 if relevant and available) and then factor it. This part only applies to rifles, not pistols or shotguns.

 

[TayNinh_66]

most seem to think W231 is decent powder for the application, but I just read Dr. Grant saying it sucks for 9mm in the other thread

Some people like glocks, some don't. Some people like W231, some don't. Personally I find it to be a good general purpose powder for my purposes.
Titegroup, PowerPistol etc might give you better velocity but I am just punching paper and would prefer to keep the number of different powders on hand to a minimum. Bought whatever was available during the shortage and keeping track of the loads was a pain.

 

[Jamie]

I use Bullseye exclusively for 9mm. I have a press dedicated to that round only, for my range ammo. 115 gr, plated. it's not the cleanest, but we did a torture test on my Gen 1 G17, and managed to pour a mix of factory ammo and this load through the gun for 30,000 rounds without cleaning it or replacing any parts. The only hiccup, and I mean ONLY one, was at an NES shoot where I let another NES'r shoot it, and the dwarf limpwristed it. This is verifiable by more than one source. I also use it in my G19, G34, Ruger LC9, and a S&W 910.

 

[DarrenL]

I use bullseye for 9mm and 380.. I have also used power pistol, autocomp, universal clays, and WSF for 9mm. Autocomp worked good in my glock 17, power pistol also works good, and you generally have a wide range to work with. I really don't like WSF, I have half a pound from 4 years ago.

You generally need a fast powder for 380 in a short barrel, I have only successfully used bullseye for 380. I tried WSF, it was way too slow.

 

[Gammon]

I use WW 231 for all of my non magnum pistol loads. Very consistent and clean enough for me. I have also had good luck with Tite Group in USPSA 40 loads/155 and 180gr bullets. Tite Group did not, however, work well in my SIG P 226 Stainless 9mm. Failures to eject were the problem and changing loads, bullets and even the barrel resulted in no improvement. Switching to 231 solved the problem. I have no idea why.

 

[drgrant]

Trying to decide on what the best powder(s) might be for 9 and 380. I'm relatively new to reloading and all I have used thus far is an 8lb container of promo I purchased from a member here when I first got started. It's sevrved me well but it seems slightly dirty and doesn't meter that well. I do have a pound of Bullseye that I acquired recently but I have not tried it yet. I poked/searched around other forums and most seem to think W231 is decent powder for the application, but I just read Dr. Grant saying it sucks for 9mm in the other thread

I hate 231 because it's difficult to use it to replicate factory 9mm. It's probably great for 9mm mouse farts but after testing it 2 or 3 times I was annoyed with the lack of velocity. I had much better luck with it in .45, at least with .45 it got in the factory ballpark without going into crazy overload territory.

N320 is pretty much the creme de la creme if you can afford/find it. Clean, and nothing meters better. If you use N320 theres a lot of recipes floating around too. The published VV data is somewhat conservative.

-Mike

 

[drgrant]

I use WW 231 for all of my non magnum pistol loads. Very consistent and clean enough for me. I have also had good luck with Tite Group in USPSA 40 loads/155 and 180gr bullets. Tite Group did not, however, work well in my SIG P 226 Stainless 9mm. Failures to eject were the problem and changing loads, bullets and even the barrel resulted in no improvement. Switching to 231 solved the problem. I have no idea why.

Did you actually crank the load up with TG? With -TIGHT- crimping? (not like smashing the bullet, but not the weaksauce a lot of people like to do). I found that going weak with TG with 9mm (always 124 gr FMJ/CMJ.) things became squirrely and unpredictable, like from 4.2 to 4.5 was great but if I went below 4.2 you could actually -feel- the difference in recoil impulse dropping off, I remember firing low charge TG loads in 9mm and thinking "This just feels/shoots funny". I think the SD sucked too, from what I remember... I wish I could find the damned bible I used to keep. (I recorded much of my load test results in a notebook and now I can't find the damned thing. ) It was bad enough that I only did one run apiece of the weak TG loads and then never went back there again, I remember that much.

I probably fired an easy 7,000+ rounds of TG 4.3s through Glock 34, 19, two different Sig P228s, and a few small batches through the CZ Shadow I had at the time with great success. It didn't work in my Sig X5 but then again none of my reloads really did, because of extraction issues with the gun. (which the X5 is notorious for, for better or worse, although mine at least reliably ate some brands like CCI Blazer, Fiocci, Federal, but it absolutely hated WWB. I tried 3 different powders and brass combos with that X5 and they all eventually had extraction failures because the extractor skipped off the rim.

-Mike

 

[Amputee Marksman]

I poked/searched around other forums and most seem to think W231 is decent powder for the application, but I just read Dr. Grant saying it sucks for 9mm in the other thread

I have probably shot around 6k rounds in the last year of W231 loads. It is great for my application which is cranking out rounds for IDPA.

I use a 124 grain plated RN and 4.3 grains of W231. 1.150 COL. Out of a standard M&P I am producing an average of 1050 fps velocity with a PF of approximately 130. I have found the load to behave consistent and the accuracy is good.

I did try and use W231 on 380 rounds. What I found was exactly what Dr. Grant implied. I was not able to get factory velocities at max load. Out of my PPK factory PMC RN was producing 950 fps. I loaded up some with W231. Using 3.0 grains I was able to get 850 fps. Increasing to 3.1 and I got 920. To get up to 950 would have been on the borderline.

I bought some CFE Pistol Powder however I haven't tried it yet.

 

[hv55maxx]

Trying to decide on what the best powder(s) might be for 9 and 380. I'm relatively new to reloading and all I have used thus far is an 8lb container of promo I purchased from a member here when I first got started. It's sevrved me well but it seems slightly dirty and doesn't meter that well. I do have a pound of Bullseye that I acquired recently but I have not tried it yet. I poked/searched around other forums and most seem to think W231 is decent powder for the application, but I just read Dr. Grant saying it sucks for 9mm in the other thread

I shoot mainly glocks(17,26,42) and a CW380 and I reload using a Lee Classic Turret press. Projectiles are mostly 115g+124g FMJ for 9mm and a mix of plated and FMJ 90g for .380.

pretty sure W231 is being/ has been discontinued so might not be worth chasing a good load there, only to run out

 

[DW357]

I use N320 for 9mm. Expensive, but with 147gr bullets I make power factor and get little recoil.

I also use N320 after many recommendations from yourself and others here on the forum. Real good stuff and was fairly easy to get last summer and fall but now it's a little tougher to get (at a decent price of course).

Titegroup is pretty fast burning so I would think that would work decent for .380? I don't reload .380 but TG worked fine in my 9mm guns.

I have a few pounds of Bullseye but I only use that for my light 357 and 44 mag loads. I haven't tried it in 9mm yet but I know it should work well since many shooters use it for 9mm. Can't help ya with .380 though.

 

[JClark]

I load my 9mm with bullseye and have always had good luck with it.

 

[dustoff22]

I alternate between W231/HP38(Hodgdon version of W231.....Hodgdon makes Winchester powders) because it meters well and AC #5. i'm not as much about velocity as I am punching holes and it works just fine.

 

[Amputee Marksman]

pretty sure W231 is being/ has been discontinued so might not be worth chasing a good load there, only to run out

People have been saying this for a long time however I have not had any problems getting W231 and haven't seen any evidence it is being discontinued. Over on the S&W forum a guy claims to have called Hodgedon and they told him there were no plans to discontinue it.

 

[Kicker96FS]

Alliant Power Pistol

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/Powder.aspx?powderid=8

 

[swampy]

700x does well in .380acp. It works well in some 9mm but is too fast to work the action in some pistols. Power pistol works well in .380 and 9mm.

check these out http://www.reloadammo.com/380auto.htm

 

[Gammon]

Did you actually crank the load up with TG? With -TIGHT- crimping? (not like smashing the bullet, but not the weaksauce a lot of people like to do). I found that going weak with TG with 9mm (always 124 gr FMJ/CMJ.) things became squirrely and unpredictable, like from 4.2 to 4.5 was great but if I went below 4.2 you could actually -feel- the difference in recoil impulse dropping off, I remember firing low charge TG loads in 9mm and thinking "This just feels/shoots funny". I think the SD sucked too, from what I remember... I wish I could find the damned bible I used to keep. (I recorded much of my load test results in a notebook and now I can't find the damned thing. ) It was bad enough that I only did one run apiece of the weak TG loads and then never went back there again, I remember that much.

I probably fired an easy 7,000+ rounds of TG 4.3s through Glock 34, 19, two different Sig P228s, and a few small batches through the CZ Shadow I had at the time with great success. It didn't work in my Sig X5 but then again none of my reloads really did, because of extraction issues with the gun. (which the X5 is notorious for, for better or worse, although mine at least reliably ate some brands like CCI Blazer, Fiocci, Federal, but it absolutely hated WWB. I tried 3 different powders and brass combos with that X5 and they all eventually had extraction failures because the extractor skipped off the rim.

-Mike

I used the same crimp with the TG loads that I used with all of the other powders I loaded in 9mm, which I would refer to as average. When viewing the case mouth I look for about 35 to 40 thousanths of contact with the taper crimping die. This crimp served me well with many thousands of rounds of .40 TG loads in my Para P16.

By the time I bought my 9mm X5 I had given up on TG. I have heard of extraction/ejection problems with this pistol but, with the exception of a broken extractor, have had no problems. I have been using 231 for almost 40 years with excellent results so it was a no brainer to switch back.

 

[Double Tap]

Thanks for all the replies/suggestions. Much appreciated.

I've had good success with the promo in 9mm, so I whipped up a couple dozen .380 rounds using 2.9-3.2 grains with OAL = .965. The G42 digested them perfectly. The CW380(as I expected) was more finicky. Out of 4 magazines, 3 times it fired but failed to strip and chamber a new round. I'm thinking the issue on those malfunctions might have been light loads? Like I said in my OP, promo doesnt meter that well through my Lee powder drop so perhaps those charges were on the low end and not providing enough kick to fully cycle the action. I don't believe I can safely raise the charge any using the promo, at least not with the variations I get with my current setup. I guess I could weigh each and every load but I'd rather not be forced to do that. Hence the search for a more consistently metering powder.

 

[Hoon]

I also use 231 for 130ish power factor. 115gr over 4.5gr 231 for 1100-1110 fps.

 

[xtry51]

I'll second only running Titegroup for hot loads. I use 4.9gr under 115gr plated as my standard 9mm for my G34 and M&P9. I've gone up to 5.2gr but the recoil started to get harsh. The difference between 5.0 and 5.2 is very noticeable in my G34, and the primers start flowing into that Glock rectangular slot much more at 5.2.

The downside to TG if you're new to reloading is it's very low volume even at 5.0gr, meaning you could easily double charge a round.