Does anyone use the Accurate pistol powders?

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Mark in GA

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I would like to hear about anyone's experiences w/ AA2, AA5, AA7, or AA9.

Do they offer any particular advantages?
Any disadvantages?
I would assume that they meter well being ball powders, right?
Do they ignite easily or need magnum primers?
Do they burn hotter or cooler than other powders?
Are they even tempered or do they have pressure spikes?
Are they accurate/consistant?

I have used a number of Alliant and Hodgdon powders before, but wondered how Accurate's offerings compared.

I load the following:
9mm
38 Special
357 Mag
44 Special
44 Mag
45 Auto

Thanks,
Mark in GA
 
AA powders are not my favorite, but they do have their uses. AA#7 makes one of the best 9mm loads I have tried. It is not economical compared to other powders, but offers excellent velocity and accuracy. AA#7 and #9 can also be good for certain magnum loadings, and 10mm. I show a higher SD with these powders compared to others in my chrony data though.

If your current powders are doing everything you need, then AA powders will do nothing more for you. If you really want to try them out, they are not bad at all and can be excellent in the right load.
 
I love AA2520 in .308 so when I got into loading .45 and 9MM I decided to try AA No. 5.

I started out with 8.3 grains in .45 under 230gr FMJ. They're accurate but are also as heavy as I want to go. Fine in my 1911 but I get a little breechface marking on the case heads in my Taurus PT745 so I'll probably back down one chamber on my Lee Auto Disk. Should yield about 7.9 grains.

For 9MM I settled on 6.1 grains with a 124gr XTP. Works fine in both my CZ and Sigma and quite accurate.

I've managed to come up with a .357 load using it under a cast 140gr SWC. 8.5 grains. That's 12 rounds double action from 10 yards away in the photo.

I've never found it to need magnum primers and it isn't real dirty. It does leak out of the standard Auto Disk but the pro series with the elastomer wiper is OK.

I have read that its burn rate is close to Unique so I may try it with cast in my 9MM and .45.
 

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I bought a 4 lb jug of AA9C (not AA9) a while back.

When I called them to ask about loads for it, they were very snotty, wanted to know where I got it, etc. At that point, I wouldn't have told them anything but I got it from the same wholesale gun supply place that I bought all my other stuff from.

It worked fine. The same charge weight of AA9C produced almost exactly the same velocity out of my guns as my 2400 loads with a little bit less shot-to-shot variation and burns a bit cleaner, too.

That is the only AA powder I have any experience with.
 
You are going to get some "I like Chevy and not Ford" comments!

Personally, I think Accurate Arms pistol powders are second to none.

All of the good things you mention about a powder, they do. They are formulated for a purpose and they work exceptionally well in their designated category.

In 38Spl, 45ACP and other target loads, AA#2 is the cat's meow. Meters like a dream in most automated powder drops and is as clean burning as something that burns can be.

Take it to the next level in those calibers, +P in each and AA#5 is par excellent! It also works very well in 40S&W and other high pressure semi auto loads.

As has been said, AA#7 has some special semi auto applications, heavy bullets in 9mm, 40S&W and the 10MM but it works very well in the 357Mag with medium for caliber bullets too. 158gr or so.

Moving on to the magnums, 44Mag and bigger and AA#9 will give you loads like I just shot the other day, 250gr Keith LSWC out of a M629 Classic with a 5" barrel developing over 1400fps!


With the 454 or 460 and above, there are other powders but for things below that, from AA#2 to AA#9, you will find a powder to do what you want, period.

Now as a caveat, don't try to make AA#5 work in loads that you should use AA#2 for. You won't be happy.

I have shot a bunch of 45ACP with AA#2 in competition and have placed in the top 10 almost every time. (Of course, there are generally only 11 shooters! ;) (Just kidding!))
 
smith crazy said:
As has been said, AA#7 has some special semi auto applications, heavy bullets in 9mm, 40S&W and the 10MM but it works very well in the 357Mag with medium for caliber bullets too. 158gr or so.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking of trying 7 with that cast 140 in .357 but I've had such success with 5 in the load I haven't been motivated to tinker.
 
Accurate Pistol powder

These have become my go to powders.
They meter well, burn very clean, I really like them.
I find # 5 to be as handy as Unique, but cleaner and
meters better, what is not to like !
I also use 1680 a lot in 454 Casull and 357 maximum.
 
How about the magnum primers? Required or not really?

Given the calibers that I load, if I had AA2, AA5, and AA9 what would I really need AA7 for?

Thanks
Mark in GA
 
Hey, my manners! Where are they? Mark, welcome to the forum!

I only use magnum primers if the recipe calls for them, unless, that is all I have on hand! :D

Not needed most of the time though. Check with Accurate's data though.
AA#7 would be a "tweener" for you. You may not need it.

I have it on hand because I have some 9mm 147gr loads that use it.
 
Most of my experience with Accurate powders is with AA#7 in heavy 9mm, heavy .40S&W and 10mm (1575 FPS from a 155 Gr. bullet out of a 4.75" barrel!).
I've also used #9 in heavy 10mm and .44 mag.

Excellent powder. Meters very well and my loads are very consistent as far as deviation and spread.
Makes accurate loads too! (as the name suggests...)

I hope this helps.
 
AA#7

I was trying AA#7 for a 158 grain cast bullet in a .357 Marlin.
The results were not impressive at 25 yards.
So where did I go wrong? I had better luck with 7 grains of Unique with a 158 grain plated bullet.
I bought a pound of AA#7 to use in my 9MM with 147grain bullets.
I have discontinued trying to use 147grain bullets as 115JHP's and 124MC just seem to work better.
I do have 158 grain JHP Remington bullets which I use with 16 grains of H110 for the Marlin. I would like to use some AA#7 with this bullet.
Has anyone had good results with this powder in the Marlin?

Bruce
 
The only one I'm using is AA#5. The best thing I've found for jacketed bullets in the .45acp. Been using it for years.
I've recently been working on loads for my .38 Super and have settled on #5 for it as well.
 
I have had very good results with AA#9 in .44 magnum loads and AA#7 in full bore 10mm loads. I did not find #9 to be better than H110/W296 or 2400 for that matter but it was good.

"I was trying AA#7 for a 158 grain cast bullet in a .357 Marlin.
The results were not impressive at 25 yards."

Two comments here.

First, try AA#9.

Second, many times the microgroove rifling presents problems to cast bullet shooters and that might be the reason for your accuracy issues, especially since you seem to be getting good results with the Remington jacketed bullet. Some folks manage to get good accuracy with cast bullets in the micro-groove rifled Marlin barrels but they definitely seem to be persnickety.

:)

Bruce
 
AA#5 was specifically designed for use in the .45 Auto so there's a thought.

I use AA#5 for replicating Speer 135gr Short Barrel .38 Special ammo.

AA powder for some reason don't require magnum primers even though they are ball powders.
 
I use a different powder for that application.

BruceM said:
"I was trying AA#7 for a 158 grain cast bullet in a .357 Marlin.
The results were not impressive at 25 yards."

Two comments here.

First, try AA#9.

Second, many times the microgroove rifling presents problems to cast bullet shooters and that might be the reason for your accuracy issues, especially since you seem to be getting good results with the Remington jacketed bullet. Some folks manage to get good accuracy with cast bullets in the micro-groove rifled Marlin barrels but they definitely seem to be persnickety.

:)

Bruce
Click to expand...

The microgroove barrels have been troublesome with cast for me too only not in 357Mag. My wife's Marlin is a Cowboy Special and it has Ballard rifling and shoots lead very well. The 44Mag ones, even with Ballard rifling have been problematic with lead only because the bore is so big, over .432".

My load for the 357Mag Marlin is from Brian Pearce's loads with Lil' Gun. It is over the maximum recommended by Hodgdon. It puts the 357Mag at 35Remington performance with a 158gr bullet, I use the XTP. My velocity is right at 2100fps and holds 2" @ 100 yards.
 
AA-7 is a particular favorite for two specific loads. 9mm with Hdy 124 xtp, and 357 mag with 125 jhp. The 357 load is a "mid" level load (about 1200-1250 fps from 4 incher), the 9mm load gets milder plus p velocitys (1180 fps from BHP). While a magnum primer is not required for the loads used, AA-7 has been more accurate with the Fed mag primer.

AA-7 also used to be listed for plus p loads in 45 acp, but have not tried it yet
 
I've used AA#s 2, 5, 7 and 9, as well as 2223 and 2460 rifle powders. #7 was the first I ever used, for very hot 9mm loads and Major .38 Super loads. I stopped using it in Super after I heard that it was bad to accelerate barrel erosion, but I never confirmed that. I still use it in most all my 9x19 loads, although I switch to old standby Herco sometimes. I've loaded a lot of #5 in .40 S&W and a little in 9mm, and I like it almost as well as the more expensive Viht powders for .40. I've only loaded a little #2, that in .45 ACP and a little #9, in 10mm and .45 WinMag. I have had excellent results with all the AA pistol powders. I do use magnum primers with #9, and usually, small rifle primers with #7. #7 can be pretty dirty if you don't run it in fairly high pressure loads, but that hasn't been a problem for me, since I only use it in "off the charts" loads.

I've only loaded .223 and .308 with 2230 and 2460, with so-so accuracy results. To be fair, I've probably not experimented enough to give them a chance, since I was loading practice/blasting ammo.
 
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