Alliance Power Pistol

[Bushido]

I have been using Longshot for my 40 SW and love it. I could not find this powder due to recent market issues with components. I did find Alliance Power Pistol. Anyone out there familiar with any specific differences between Longshot and Power Pistol? For my IDPA (light powder puff) loads I was using 6gr of Longshot behind 165gr FMJ with Fed primers. I will still be using the 165gr FMJ and Fed primers and will only change to the Power Pistol. Based on the reload manuals I have, it appears that Power Pistol is relatively close in burn rate to Longshot and load data shows that I would continue to use somewhere around 6gr with the Power Pistol for a light puffy competition load. Any input from those in the know?

The reviews I've read about Power Pistol seem to state that there is a greater muzzle flash with Power Pistol.

Appreciate helpful, insightful and useful information. Thanks.

[Erich]

Alliant Power Pistol. Been using it for years and have reported on it here in posts that should show up in a search. Like Unique, but a teensy bit slower and requires a teensy bit more powder (check the manuals). Burns cleaner than Unique, and is flashier. Originally invented as a powder for 9x19, works well with .38 Spl, .357, .45, 9mm, .40, etc. I recommended it to my brother instead of Unique for his 9x19, .38 and .357 loads, and I probably use more PP than Unique these days.

[parabarbarian]

It is louder and flashier than similar powders but does meter well and provides consistent performance. I used if for a while but stopped when a range master asked me not to use my 38 spl hand loads on the steel targets because the loads were "too hot". They weren't but the noise and flash made them seem more than they were.

[Rule3]

Pretty much all I use now in 9mm and 40SW.

It is a "louder" report than other powders. I guess it has more flash also but in the nuclear Fl Sun I can not see it.

Oh and for you "clean" freaks it does burn to a nice light grey ash

[Larry from Bend]

It's also an excellent 44 Special powder. I don't find it flashier/louder than Unique (or H110) but I haven't shot any at night, either. It's certainly a versatile powder and it meters great.

[ArchAngelCD]

Originally Posted by Bushido

For my IDPA (light powder puff) loads I was using 6gr of Longshot behind 165gr FMJ with Fed primers. I will still be using the 165gr FMJ and Fed primers and will only change to the Power Pistol. Based on the reload manuals I have, it appears that Power Pistol is relatively close in burn rate to Longshot and load data shows that I would continue to use somewhere around 6gr with the Power Pistol for a light puffy competition load. Any input from those in the know?

Appreciate helpful, insightful and useful information. Thanks.

Hodgdon lists a max charge of Longshot with a 165gr bullet @ 7.8gr.
Alliant lists a max charge of Power Pistol with a 165gr bullet @ 7.8gr.

Since both are very close in burn rate and both have the same Max recommended charge weight with the same bullet I would say if 6.0gr of Longshot worked well for you so will 6.0gr of Power Pistol. Just be aware that charge weight is well below the recommended starting charge weight so be careful you don't stick a bullet in the barrel. Just because it didn't happen with Longshot doesn't mean it won't with Power Pistol.

Just a question, if you're using so little powder and keeping the pressures so low why bother using such a slow powder? Something in the burn rate range of W231 would be much better for such light loads.

Good luck...

[OlympicFox]

I don't know about loading 165gr FMJ, but my personal experience with loading 9mm is that W231 and PowerPistol yield very similar results with the same amount of powder. Here are some of my IDPA loads for SSP & ESP divisions:

9mm

135 gr Bear Creek moly-coated lead RN = 3.3 to 3.4 gr W231
147 gr Berry's plated RN = 3.5 gr WSF
147 gr Bear Creek moly-coated lead FP => 3.4 gr PowerPistol

My M&P 9 Pro runs perfectly on this load, however my M&P 40L with Stormlake 9mm conversion barrel, Nighthawk and Sig X-Five all have FTF issues with it.

158 gr Bear Creek moly-coated lead RN => 3.4 gr Power Pistol
170 gr Bear Creek moly-coated lead RN => 2.8 to 3.0 gr PowerPistol

My Nighthawk Dominator 9mm makes PF with 2.8 grains of PowerPistol, however I load with 3.0 grains for matches. The 170 gr 9mm must be loaded very long (1.165") to avoid compressing the powder. My 9mm Nighthawk loves this load, however my M&P 9 Pro doesn't (very difficult to clear a live round and occasional FTFs or double-feed.

40 S&W

155 gr Berry's plated RS => 5.3 gr PowerPistol

My first IDPA load for a Sig P226

180 gr Berry's plated RS => 3.7 gr W231
200 gr Bear Creek moly-coated lead => 3.0 gr W231

My hand's down favorite SSP/ESP load. Soft-shooting, accurate & reliable.

The loads in GREEN are my favorites.

[Rule3]

You shoot 158 and 170 gr bullets in a 9mm? I know the guys at my range love the 147gr but never saw any bullets or data for that heavy. Must be a IDPA thing??

[warhorse302]

burns clean in 9mm and 40SW, gonns try it in 45 ACP. I like Universal if u keep the pressure up, its dirty in 38 standard loads. I guess its like what it copies, unique. ive heard it called flammible dirt

[BLUEDOT37]

It's my first choice in 9mm & 40 S&W +Ps. It's the only powder I use for my 45 Super loads & I've added it to my favorites for 38 Spcl.+Ps. It meters great, burns clean, & flashs alot.

(I like it so much I wanna substitute it for pepper in my gravy; I wanna use it for sprinkles on my donuts; heck, I like it so much I'm thinking about changing my name to PowerPistol37 !!)

[pokute]

5.4 grains of PP under a 158 lswc in a 38 special case is an awesome standard pressure load. Anyone that says otherwise has never tried it.

[Waywatcher]

Originally Posted by pokute

5.4 grains of PP under a 158 lswc in a 38 special case is an awesome standard pressure load. Anyone that says otherwise has never tried it.

It is a good one. My records show it chronographed at 949fps average of 10 shots from my 4" M15, with an ES of 34, using Rim Rock bullets.

[Engieman]

Power Pistol is all I use now in my 9MM's...after trying many, many others. Accurate, efficient. Frankly, I see no difference in the 'flash and bang' associated with this powder and any other. Maybe so, but I tend to think someone somewhere on a forum gave it this tag and before long, an Internet legend is born. I think you'll like it, great powder.

[27 Man]

Power Pistol is what I use in 38 Super loads with a Zero 115 grain JHP. Best accuracy I have found in Super loads.

[pokute]

I forgot to mention that the recoil is much smoother than what 5.0 grains of Unique deliver, with PP producing considerably higher velocity. After shooting the 5.4 PP rounds, the primers look like primers from soft target rounds. Very different from what I see with Unique when I try to get the velocity up.

We'll see what happens when I try to load down a bit to get the Hand Ejector pointing right at 50 yards.

[robertrwalsh]

I have shot about 10# of this stuff, mostly in 10MM. I like it.

[Goldstar225]

I first started using PP many years ago for .40 S&W loads. Since then it has almost replaced Unique as my preferred powder for the .45 Colt. I like it's consistent metering. While I haven't tried it for the .38 Special, that's on my to do list.