Just starting to collect the items needed to begin reloading for the first time. I will be loading for 41. mag, 44. special, 44 mag and 45 auto. I would like to start off by using the same powder in all if that is reasonable. If so, what would be my best/ better choices?

thanks

You can load all of those calibers with Unique. You won't get top velocities with the magnums, but you can make good, serviceable loads.

1+

WW-231 and IMR-700X will also work. It you want full bore loads for the magnums, you will need WW-296 or H-110. I've never loaded .45 ACP to maximum velocities, so I've never used anything other than the powders already mentioned.

Yeah, I'm a 231/HP38 user myself. Always had good luck in 9/38/45, but usually lead at medium velocities so might not be the best choice for full power magnum loads. (and WW231 & HP38 are identical)

I have been happy with Unique in three of those calibers.
Also some other pistol cartridges.

Unique would work, and so would Bullseye, to a certain extent.

Why are you set on using only one powder?

I'd pick up a can of 2400 for the magnums.

Another vote for Win-231 for you lighter loads and W-296 for the heavy loads.

If you are going to shoot lead and JHP bullets you will do a lot better with a fast and a medium slow powder.......

If you get it on line you will have to pay $27 hazmat any way, so you might as well load up on powder.........
only $6.75 each if you get 4 cans.

Unique is the most useful general purpose pistol powder out there. It isn't usually the BEST choice, but it is certainly the most versatile.

Unique is probably the most versatile as noted above. Later, you will want some warmer magnum loads and you can add a can of 2400. At some point, you could get involved in a little .45 ACP competition with your friends, get a can of Bullseye. Those three will do it all in the calibers you noted.

Unique made by Alliant or Universal (notice the similar name) made by Hodgdon. Universal was made to get some of the market that Unique holds.
Hope you can find them.
Gary

Not set on just 1 powder forever just want to start off with something that will work in each at the range for fun. I like my 44 special, 45 auto the best for carry purposes and would be shooting them quite a bit more. Love the 41 for banging at the range, 44 mags I shoot the least but I have some good factory rounds for them if I go hunting/camping in high country. Between buying 1000 brass of each, primers, dies etc I just don't want to buy a multiple of powders until I actually get loading. After I get started and have some experience I wouldn't mind trying different types/brands. Thanks again

These days powder is so hard to find that one often has to use what is available. I have found that IMR 800x is a great powder with many applications and is easier to find and cheaper than many powders. But the measuring issue is a problem for some as it does not measure well with many commonly used powder measuring equipment. I use the Lee dippers.

HP38 (Win 231) or Unique. HP 38 meters better

As mentioned they will load anything, not full house magnums but good enough for fairly stout loads. Excellent for 45 AUTO.

I prefer HP 38 due to metering. When I first started I searched all the manuals and powders for one powder that would do most anything, HP 38 was it (for me)

You can do well with a Trinity of powders.

Fast. medium and slow.

Bullseye. HP 38 (or Unique) and 2400

All you need or their equivalent in other brands like Accurate powders.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Sort of like having only one gun.

David

Trailboss works for most pistol and rifle calibers. Light loads.

Power Pistol will take you a long way as well. AA#5 is a nice powder for all of the above.

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The American dream is alive

I would second the suggestion of AA #5 if you can find it. It is Accurate Arms' answer to Unique, and it meters like a dream. I will tell you that I shoot the 200-grain Hensley and Gibbs bullet with 8.0 grains of AA #5 in my Kimber 45, shoot the 210-grain 41 Mag SWC with approximately 9 grains of AA #5, and shoot the 240-250-grain 44 Mag bullet with 11 grains of AA #5. All use standard primers (i.e., non-magnum)...

I don't load for the 44 Special, but additionally, for the 9MM, you can use six grains of #5 for a 125-grain bullet, ditto for the 158 SWC in 38 Special, and also for the 180-grain bullet in 40 Smith. (The last loads are just in case you decide to expand your caliber list...)

If I had to only have one powder on hand, it would be Unique. It works in pretty much every pistol caliber.

Although I can and do load full power 357 and 44 magnum loads with classic "magnum" powders(either 2400 or 296 depending on the specific application) most of my shooting in these two calibers is with Unique.

I've also recently gotten into shotshell reloading(16 gauge specifically) and Unique is a classic choice there as well.

If only one powder is your primary concern, then Id'd recommend Alliant Unique. I use it alot in 38spl, 45ACP, and 45 Colt. I don't have any .44s.

I used a lot of Unique in past years, now I have switch to Universal Clays. It burns cleaner and in my guns shoots tighter groups. It meters better when loading too.

Here`s another vote for Unique, but Trail Boss is mighty good for every caliber , but light loads only.

another vote for Unique, good all around powder.

2400 is more versatile in magnums and gets almost the velocities of the 296/110. 296/110 are geared toward full house loads.

Look into SR 7625. I haven't used it but it seems to match those calibers.

Didn't you save your brass over the years or at least when you were thinking about reloading? 4000 pieces of factory new brass is very expensive. Once fired brass would have saved you a lot of money.

MANY new reloaders try to use only 1 powder but I just can't understand the reason. One of the reasons we reload is to produce the best ammo we can. Using only 1 powder for low pressure rounds like the 44 Special and 45 Auto and high pressure rounds like the 41 Mag and 44 Mag isn't the best choice.

W231/HP-38, Bullseye, Unique, Universal and a few others are great choices for the 44 Special and 45 Auto. Slower powders like 2400 and AA#9 are much better choices for the Magnum rounds. Those 2 can be downloaded while W296/H110 are better when used up near the top end.

I highly suggest using 2 powders, even in the beginning. You will be much happier with the results.

If you must, as a one powder solution try Unique, Universal, W231/HP-38, AA#5 or a few others in the same burn rate range.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I've been reloading less than a year, and am up to 14 different types of powder on hand. A lot of the enjoyment in reloading for me has been trying out different types of powder and seeing what results I get from them.


Here's my "stash"

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ArchAngel, I just got back into shooting after being away for many years. I have bought all my large calibers this year; I am starting from scratch so I only have a few spent brass so far. I only have a few hundred rounds of new ammo on hand and that's mostly 45 and 44 mag Based on advice here I have a good idea of what to get started with. Thanks everyone.

Ben_hutcherson , man I wish we could stock pile powder here in MD. We are limited to 5 lbs. On hand. It sucks. When I find powder I can not buy it unless I am below the limit. It is a stupid law, but as a law abiding citizen , I reluctantly obay.

MasterTech1960 QUOTE: [Ben_hutcherson , man I wish we could stock pile powder here in MD. We are limited to 5 lbs. On hand. It sucks. When I find powder I can not buy it unless I am below the limit. It is a stupid law, but as a law abiding citizen , I reluctantly obay. ]QUOTE

^^^^^^^^^^^^ And just how does some state official track your powder inventory?? There are several other states that offer gun owners employment and freedom.

Your 5 # limit leaves me speechless. Who puts up with this "nanny state" stuff?


EDIT: One of my favorite excuses to go to a gun show is, "I need some powder or primers." I cast my own bullets, so there is never a bullet shortage. Mrs Engineer said, "OK so how much powder and primers do you have, IF you need more?" When the inventory was finished there was 84# of powder and 78K of primers. "I guess youi don't need more powder or primers." , she said.

I still have 223 ammo loaded in 1992 for the 2015 prairie dog shoot in June.

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S&WHF 366

Engineer1911, Well that is the funny part. As stated , I am law abiding and as such I stick to the 5 pound limit. I don't like it but I am stuck in this state for a few more years. I would hope the people of Maryland would wake up and vote to repeal the latest gun ban that passed this year. Laws that make law abiding people criminals make no sense to me.

Is that per person, per household, or what?

If it's per person, you could have 5 pounds, your wife could have 5 pounds, you could have the five pounds on hand you picked up for your brother, etc.

Do you all have enough law enforcement there to actually check up on this stuff?

I thought I was a law abiding citizen, but I gotta tell you, if people came here simply to inventory my reloading supplies... well... it wouldn't end well.

It is per household. It is a fire Marshall law. It is a left over law from 1958 I believe. Fits well with our other stupid gun laws that stop law abiding people from exerciseing their rights.

I've found HP-38/WW231 to be a good powder for my 9mm Mak, 9mm Luger, and .45 ACP range loads.

Since primers are a far higher fire hazard, how many do by allow? Not unlike kommiforna, the east & west coast states need to fall into the ocean. Then maybe the rest of the country can move reward.
Any of the medium burners from unique thru hs6 will do well in all those calibers.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Not the SE states thank you very much.

If I had to have just one powder for all four cartridges I'd go with Power Pistol. It's awesome in 45ACP & 44Spcl. & does pretty good in 41 & 44 Mags. Of course, realistically, you need several powders to have the best versatility & range among these cartridges if you're going to use them to their fullest.

[QUOTE=Engineer1911;137959847]

^^^^^^^^^^^^ And just how does some state official track your powder inventory??

Engineer 1911, they track your powder purchases by your driver license, as you are required to show it to buy powder. Not sure how well it is enforced but I also don't want to find out. If you put the powder in loaded ammo it does not count towards your limit. Keep em loaded.

Or the NW ones either.

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Minimize the variables

Hmm, Oregon, Washington, Kalif?? Except for New York, can't think of more liberal, sensless cesspools. We need a good earthquake that drops the east & west coast. The few of us that will survive will ceratinly be the conservative, intelligent ones, we do know how to fend for ourselves.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Hodgdon Longshot would be a good choice for all of your cartridges
if your loads are mid range or above.

Have no experience with 41 mag, but am guessing same powders as 44 mag can be used.

Hp-38/231 for light target loads with lead bullets. Unique for mid range lead or jacketed bullets.

Am of belief buying 1000 cases of same make is smart move, after having spent a long time collecting brass off the ground. Especially if you start doing hotter rounds. Checking Starline's web page often may help.

https://www.starlinebrass.com/order-.../all-cases.cfm

All good suggestions above. However, it is pretty unlikely that any of those are available now.
You might try the new Hodgdon CFE Pistol. It seems to be available and usable in a wide range of calibers.

I would love to be able to find any of the powders mentioned.

My favorite for my light loaded pistol calibres is the Alliant Red-Dot powder.

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A true american

For a long time I didn't buy what I wanted but what I could find as long as it worked for what I was doing. Fortunately, lately I've been able to find some of the powders I want.

I donot loads magnum revolver loads but do load reduced velocity loads in magnum cases with either Trail Boss or a powder such as HS700X or Red Dot.

One powder.... Unique is versatile,but metering being the problem it is, I would suggest HS-6. Med. burn rate, ball powder, meters like water, and data in all the calibers noted.
Not as versatile, but may be a better choice as only powder, and first powder.

I load 26 different flavors - 3 shotgun, 10 rifle and 13 pistol. I load all with only 5 different powder types. Only 1 pistol load is run to magnum level for deer, the rest are all medium or target loads. I'm satisfied with the performance of each variety.

I'll go with the Unique recommendation as well.

I reload 45 ACP and 38 spl with Aliant American Select, a shotgun powder. It will also work well in 44 spl. Performance is very close to Bullseye and it's a lot cleaner and easier to find. I reload for a 30 carbine ( sort a like a magnum pistol with 40,000 psi) using 2400 which is a magnum pistol powder.

I would say you need 2 powders to do it right. I would like to use only one powder but I'm not going to cut corners. When you consider your investment in brass, bullets, primers and time at the bench, you might as well use the recommended powder.

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That's just somebody talkin.