When I first started loading (and I think I was doing it all wrong), I was using Clays, but when that ran I out, I started loading with Alliant Powder - Bulls Eye Smokeless Pistol Powder.

I just ran out of the Alliant and went back to the Clays (the Alliant is a very dirty powder). I have noticed that it takes MUCH less Clays to reach the same velocity that twice the amount of Alliant required.

Does this sound correct, or did I vastly mess something up along the way?

Powders vary by density, shape and burn rate.

Doesn't sound all that unusual really.

Do a search for a powder burn rate chart and see where the powders fall on the chart. Typically they go from fastest to slowest.

Fast powders take less to move a bullet at a given speed, but they build up pressure quickly too and therefore must be used in lower volume for overall less velocity than a slower powder.

Yep, it seems that my Hodgan's Clays burns rather quickly.

For Bulls Eye, I was using 4.3grs for my 125gr 9mm's, but Clays is only calling for 3.3grs MAX! I can't remember what I was using for my 9mm's when I first started reloading with Clays, but I think I was using 3.5 or close to it. A little too hot...

Growing wiser here as I continue to reload.

Strong vs. weak probably isn't the best term for what you're describing. What you're looking at is fast vs. slow powders. And what you're describing is perfectly normal. Bullseye is nasty and dirty and very very fast. But a pound of bullseye will last forever if all you're loading is powder puff .45ACP and .38 special target loads.

I got maybe 1500 rounds (9mm's and 38 Specials) out of a pound of Bulls Eye.

I just picked up a 4lb container of Clays, which uses less powder than Bulls Eye per bullet, and should last me for a year or so.

Be careful with Clays. It has a really severe hockey-stick pressure curve. I do not approach any max loads with Clays.
I consider if best used, besides for shotguns, in low pressure rounds like .45 ACP and .38 Special L-HBWC loads.
I really see AA2 as a superior powder. I have no idea about "cleanliness," as that is not something I consider, but it is very accurate in target loads.
I just got a lb. of Solo 1000 and the first loads I tried in .38 Super were VERY accurate. The loads were too weak to cycle, but that could be fixed by going to a lighter recoil spring. It could also be a very good powder for 9x19 minor.
I see Silhouette, Power Pistol, and HS6 as excellent powders for mid-range to full-power loads in standard non-magnum handgun loads.

I am mainly loading Clays for my 45's, and shoot for accuracy, so that should be fine. Keeping it low at 3.5grs for a 230gr Jacked Ball Ammo.

Yet, I have these 357 Magnums laying around, and I want to have some fun with them - just go to the range and not worry so much about accuracy. A few reloaders at the local gun shops have suggested Clays for the magnums. I have no experience with the Solo 1000 powder line.

I believe I am going to try my luck with some Clays and load a few magnums, but keep the powder weight mid range for now.

What are your thoughts on using special "magnum primers"? I have been told that they are not needed unless shooting more of the max, or "hot loads," for the magnum.

Not needed.

Ups the pressure spike at ignition and overall pressure.

Stick to standard for standard loads and you'll have a margin for error if you should get close to maximum loads.

Slow ball powders best exploit magnum primers, but you're not using those.

NO NO NO, please do not use Clays for .357 Magnum loads. That powder is way too fast for even middle range magnum loads. If you were going tp load .38 Special loads in .357 Magnum brass it would be fine but not for anything that resembles a real magnum load. Because it's so fast you will quickly surpass the SAAMI pressure limits before you generate any kind of velocity at all.

For the .357 Magnum you need a much slower powder. I would suggest using 2400, W296/H110, AA#9 Enforcer, IMR4227 or any other "magnum" powder available. For middle loads you can use powders like Power Pistol, HS-6, Longshot, AA#7 and powders in that burn rate range. (you can also download 2400 safely)

As for magnum primers, their use is more powder specific than caliber specific. You only need a magnum primer with hard to ignite Ball Powders like HS-6, HS-7 and W296/H110 or when the ammo will be used in VERY cold weather like -30 temps.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Thanks for the heads up. The bad thing is that it is hard to find powders around my parts, but I'll see if I can't pick up a bottol of one of these somewhere.

Oh, where to begin and end? If you can get a copy of the Lyman regular manual (not the cast bullet but that is excellent also) It has a description of powders and suggested uses.

Bullseye is a very good FAST powder and works well at the upper limit of the load data where it is not that "dirty" at all. All powder is dirty and you clean your guns anyway, right?

For a good all around do anything powder, HP 38/W 231 will serve you well. From target loads to almost magnum. It will work in virtually almost any handgun load. There are a gazillion powders out there. You only need maybe 3. I could get by with just HP 38. No it's not a full house Mag powder, but how often do you shoot those.

Burn Rate Chart:

Burn Rate

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Still Running Against the Wind

You need to study a reloading manual in conjuction w/ a powder burn rate chart. Clays uses so little powder, like BE, because it is a very fast burning powder. I call then "uberfast". That means they reach peak pressure sooner than slower powders & use less powder to reach that peak pressure. Slower powders build pressure more gradually & you need more to reach peak pressure. The good thing about that, they have a large range & the curve rarely goes vertical.
The downside of uberfasts, the range of useful charge wts is very narrow. You can go from starting to over pressure w/ some in as little as 1/2gr. As theses powders burn, the closer they get to max the steeper the pressure curve. When max is reached, the curve then goes straight up. Very unsafe for anything but bunnyfart loads in most calibers IMO. RUn those powders @ the top end & get a bulelt setback, bad thing will happen.
As to BE being dirty, one of the worst offenders. I don't think the formula has changed since it was introduced @ the end of the 1800s when black powder ruled! I tried a pound 35yrs ago, never went back. There are so many better choices today, why saddle yourself w/ BE?

Well, you can load Bullseye for its accuracy and ignore how "dirty" you think it is. It and Unique are still around because they are excellent powders that don't suffer "hockey stick" pressure curves. I would expect that even today if you go to any Bullseye match (where accuracy is the thing and not how fast you can squeeze off 15 shots), that at least half of all handloads will be with Bullseye.
I certainly see it as much better behaved in .40S&W and 9x19 then Clays.
If you clean your gun all the time, why worry about "dirty?"
If you don't clean your gun all the time, it's going to be dirty any way.
The only concern, to me, about a powder being dirty is if it hinders functioning. I have put several thousand rounds with both BE and Unique through a gun before cleaning and I had no functional failures and accuracy stayed great.
The most a good 1911 needs is having the feedramp and breech/extractor brushed off every thousand rounds. As far as I am concerned there are too many people (including all too many gun writers) who think a gun needs to be swimming in oil and grease and they suffer the ash and oil turning into mud. I put a little grease around the barrel's muzzle and the locking lugs and that is it. If you aren't making mud, you will find that the ash has almost no effect on functioning as long as you keep the feedramp and breech fairly clean.
I have thought about burnishing MoS2 on the feed ramp, but I haven't had any problems to see if it would improve anything.