New to reloading. I need recommendations for powder.
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Cdog
Member
Lots of very good powders available for the listed calibers.
Smooth metering and high load density are attributes I value most in powders.
Smooth metering and high load density are attributes I value most in powders.
Cook74
Member
Assuming you are looking for plinking ammo, I can address 9mm on your list...
I use:
Bullet wgt/brand:110 Rem FMJ
Powder: HP-38 4.6g
Primer: Fed Sm Pistol
The above is a nice load, low recoil and great for multiple plinking all day long.
I use:
Bullet wgt/brand:110 Rem FMJ
Powder: HP-38 4.6g
Primer: Fed Sm Pistol
The above is a nice load, low recoil and great for multiple plinking all day long.
MichiganScott
Member
First, get a reloading manual or two.
Second, spend some time behind the trigger of the various guns with various loads and see what works for you.
Firearms are like people. All are individuals.
Second, spend some time behind the trigger of the various guns with various loads and see what works for you.
Firearms are like people. All are individuals.
Alliant powders has been around for years.
Unique will work best with all JHP,FMJ loads................
Bullseye will work best with all lead bullet target loads.
W231 is another powder to look at befor you buy your powders.
Good luck.
Unique will work best with all JHP,FMJ loads................
Bullseye will work best with all lead bullet target loads.
W231 is another powder to look at befor you buy your powders.
Good luck.
av8usn
Member
My choices are; 9mm and .38 Spcl - WW231; .38 Spcl and .45 ACP Unique. I like Bayou Bullets and Extreme Bullets for 9mm and .45 ACP. SandS Casting make reasonably priced cast bullets and I have had excellent results with all of the calibers.
Lots of choices and combinations...good luck and safe shooting.
Lots of choices and combinations...good luck and safe shooting.
Twoboxer
Member
W231/HP38 will handle your 9mm and 45ACP very well, and the fill levels will make it obvious should you ever double-charge a cartridge.
Hodgdon's data also shows W231/HP38 loads for your other calibers, though I have never used them. So this powder might be a goood place to start your journey.
Hodgdon's data also shows W231/HP38 loads for your other calibers, though I have never used them. So this powder might be a goood place to start your journey.
carpriver
US Veteran
I have to base my powders on what is available in my area so I use Accurate #5 for 9mm, 38spl, 45apc, #7 for 357, 44 mag, For me it's a 100 mile to large city where I can get a better selection of powders. Those 2 powders work well for me.
BlueOvalBandit
Member
Go with 230gr (lead or FMJ) and clays(3.7-3.9gr should get you to major with 5" barrel in both guns) and federal #150 primers for 45. N320 is also very good but hard to find and more expensive. Clays is widely available, cheap, and clean, which is important when shooting the wheel gun.
Forget 200gr bullets, much easier to make major with 230gr bullets and to me the recoil feels lighter with the heavy bullet fast powder combo. I also like 14lb recoil springs in my 1911 with this.
Dont try to get a "universal" powder for everything. It may work great in one caliber but it could result in mediocre performance in another. Just be ABSOLUTELY SURE you never bring out more than one powder at a time and either label your powder measure if you don't plan on emptying after each use or dump back into the can.
Tightgroup works well for 9mm
For 40cal I don't recommend loading to major PF if you are new. Clays works VERY well for minor loads. WST is also a good powder. I DO NOT recommend using clays for major in 40 due to clays pressure curve and the fact that a lot of major 40 loads are over published data.
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Why shouldn't I reload .40 in Major Power Factor. Is there something I need to be aware of.
Skip Sackett
US Veteran
I don't think he looked at what you were going to shoot the 40S&W out of. IF, and please keep this in the forefront of your thinking, IF, you are going to shoot the 40S&W ONLY, do I need to repeat that too
, ONLY, in your M610 then the ball is wide open for what powders you use.THE PROBLEM comes into play with the 40S&W when you have an unsupported chamber OR where bullet set back might be a problem......in a semi-auto handgun. Since the M610 revolver has neither, do not fear!
As a caution, if you have a 40S&W semi-auto, since you cannot tell the difference what is on the inside of a round once it is loaded, I would choose something that was safe in both. I have a general rule of thumb, nothing faster than Unique for such situations. If I know that a semi-auto firearm has a fully supported chamber, I will go down to W231/HP-38, but, seriously, nothing faster than that for this caliber. Clays, Titegroup (good for yard fertilizer only), Bullseye, AA#2 and the like are NOT going to find their way into a 40S&W load of mine, never.
Hope this helps, be safe, have fun!
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DWalt
Member
For your purposes, Unique and Bullseye will do it all. In fact Bullseye will do it all. 231/HP-38 is also OK. If you don't have a manual yet, get one. Also, the powder manufacturers all have internet sites that will provide reliable loading data.
I use more Bullseye than anything. I also like Universal Clays for .45 hardball loads. Universal is very similar to Unique, but is cleaner and meters better.
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Welcome to the forum and reloading...
9mm
Plinking ammo, W231/HP-38
More serious work HS-6, Longshot and Power Pistol
. 40 /10mm
Plinking ammo, W231/HP-38
Everything else, Longshot without a doubt. It's almost like Longshot was made for the 40 S&W and 10mm.
45ACP
IMO W231/HP-38 and the 45 Auto are a match made in shooting heaven!
I'm not a fan of Clays because it's a very fast powder that can spike pressures. Also like said above, it does not fill much of the case and can easily be double charged or more. Clays is a great shotgun powder and should be left with shotshells for the most part. I have used it in .38 Special and .45 Auto ammo and it's clean and accurate but there are other powders that work just as well and fill the case more which make them safer to use. You can save a few pennies using Clays but you can't save enough money to cover the cost of a revolver if you blow it up!
9mm
Plinking ammo, W231/HP-38
More serious work HS-6, Longshot and Power Pistol
. 40 /10mm
Plinking ammo, W231/HP-38
Everything else, Longshot without a doubt. It's almost like Longshot was made for the 40 S&W and 10mm.
45ACP
IMO W231/HP-38 and the 45 Auto are a match made in shooting heaven!
I'm not a fan of Clays because it's a very fast powder that can spike pressures. Also like said above, it does not fill much of the case and can easily be double charged or more. Clays is a great shotgun powder and should be left with shotshells for the most part. I have used it in .38 Special and .45 Auto ammo and it's clean and accurate but there are other powders that work just as well and fill the case more which make them safer to use. You can save a few pennies using Clays but you can't save enough money to cover the cost of a revolver if you blow it up!
Titegroups
Member
Talk to the guys you will be shooting with to see what they are using. Loading for competitive shooting can be specific rather in general.
JJP161
Member
I don't think he looked at what you were going to shoot the 40S&W out of. IF, and please keep this in the forefront of your thinking, IF, you are going to shoot the 40S&W ONLY, do I need to repeat that too
THE PROBLEM comes into play with the 40S&W when you have an unsupported chamber OR where bullet set back might be a problem......in a semi-auto handgun. Since the M610 revolver has neither, do not fear!
As a caution, if you have a 40S&W semi-auto, since you cannot tell the difference what is on the inside of a round once it is loaded, I would choose something that was safe in both. I have a general rule of thumb, nothing faster than Unique for such situations. If I know that a semi-auto firearm has a fully supported chamber, I will go down to W231/HP-38, but, seriously, nothing faster than that for this caliber. Clays, Titegroup (good for yard fertilizer only), Bullseye, AA#2 and the like are NOT going to find their way into a 40S&W load of mine, never.
Hope this helps, be safe, have fun!
I don't want to hijack the thread or anything but along the same lines I have a powder question. Would Longshot be ok for .40 S&W, shooting with M&P .40 and Glock 22 (Gen 3)? From what I understand the Gen 3 Glock is supposed to have a supported chamber?
27 Man
Member
If you are going to try and stay with just one powder, Unique is the way to go. It is a little dirty and doesn't meter as well as others, but it will fill your needs for the 3 calibers you list. I have reloaded for 40 years (mostly revolvers) and Bullseye, Unique and 2400 filled 90% of my needs.
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