New To Reloading powder question

[bigggbbruce]

Poor metering for Unique is an age old myth. It meters fine. It LOOKS LIKE it shouldn't, being round flakes. But it is fine.

I guess I'm that old then..I started with it in the 80's..

My Unique loads can vary by as much a .3-.4gr..

Powder like HP38, Bullseye, H6 meter much better.

 

[Bronco89]

Buy a good reloading manual before you start acquiring components.

Unique and Bullseye are used in lots of handgun reloads.

This is GREAT advice. I recommend the Lee book, followed by Hornady and Speer. But I would get the latest version of the Lee book before anything.

 

[Moe Mentum]

Bad time to start reloading, components are hard to come by, especially primers, and powders. Get a reloading manual, and see what powders you will need first, then start your searches for your components. Every manual will give you multiple recipes for your loads.

 

[Gamecock]

I guess I'm that old then..I started with it in the 80's..

My Unique loads can vary by as much a .3-.4gr..

Powder like HP38, Bullseye, H6 meter much better.

My RCBS Competition Powder Measure throws exact amount of Unique every time, time after time. Just like any other powder.

 

[Nevada Ed]

For your first loads try light target loads with the fast to medium fast powders that have a lot of data out there and have light pressures, for your first loads.

Bullseye up to CFE Pistol are all in this range and should be available, some where, for you buy for your fist loads.

Unique is a med. slow powder best later on for full power loads, after you start to understand what is going on and get a little more comfortable with loading ammo.

Just take your time and double check you powder amounts before seating the bullet and that you used the correct powder and bullet weight, for your loads.

Have fun.

 

[fredj338]

For calibers you list, w231/hp38 is a good starter. Not too fast, decent loft, not too slow. It doesnt do anything well but useful for light to midrange loads on many calibers.
Yes, at least two manuals. I like Speer & Lyman, forget Lee, out dated & a compilation of stuff with some vary vague ref to bullet types. Read the manuals, look at the data points for diff piwders & you'll find something that looks right.

 

[rwsmith]

I made a real die blunder....

If I may suggest start with manuals, read and follow the instructions with each die set.

I've been loading for more than 35 years, way before the interwebs had the "How To" videos. Some of the videos are done well, but many have people demonstrating their ignorance of the subject matter.

People here are very helpful, don't worry about asking too many or dumb questions. ASK AWAY!

A local mentor is always great. I had one that's been gone for quite sometime. His first move was handing me a pile of manuals.

Also as posted by RWSMITH, those faster burning powders are less forgiving and difficult to see. You may want to invest in two different burn rate and smooth metering powders for a bit more safety and latitude in your calibers. My favorite all around is Universal. It yields good easy to see load densities and great plinking to moderate velocities in many applications.

The second would be something with a bit slower run rate. Accurate Arms #7 and Hodgdon Longshot yield good load densities and will allow you to load heavier .40 and 9 to higher velocities when desired.

CFE Pistol has some good numbers, but I've yet to use it.

I assumed all dies worked pretty much the same. I got a set of Lee dies and found out a lot different after much frustration. You right. Read the instructions. Learn from my mistakes.

 

[nbedford]

If you have a good 38 Special or 357 Magnum revolver, I'd suggest starting with 38 Special. It headspaces on the rim, not the case mouth, and is nowhere as sensitive as 9mm or 40 cal. to case length. For light to moderate loads, I use Bullseye, and for a touch hotter loads I use Unique. Along with a powder measure and scales or a digital scale, I'd highly recommend a powder trickler. I think mine is a Hornady, and I use it every time I reload. Especially in pistol loads with fast burning powder. Otherwise, and especially with Unique, you'll spend most of your time dumping it back into the powder measure. The trickler is a wee bit tippy, so years ago I filled the bottom with a mix of lead shot and epoxy to make it more stable.

 

[GypsmJim]

I started with a $9 Lee Loader and 2.7 grains of bullseye in a .38 special target load. Fifty years and 26 calibers later I still use Bullseye in about half of my handgun calibers.

The other half use Unique. That's right, handguns from .380 to .44 mag with only 2 different powders. Of course, each caliber has been optimized to provide the best results.

During the last shortage I had trouble finding Unique, so I worked up loads for every gun with Bullseye, which I had an ample supply of. It worked "OK", but once the supply came back I eventually switched back for all the magnum loads.

Now, I realize that over the years other powders have come on the market that may provide better performance. Nevertheless, I have never experimented with any of them for the simple reason that I'm quite satisfied with what I do now.

 

[DWalt]

There's not much across the handgun caliber spectrum that you can't load with Bullseye (or equivalents such as Clays, 700-X, AA#2), just not the best choice for full .357 and .44 Magnum loads. Back when I first started handloading, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I came up with some fairly potent .44 Mag loads using Bullseye because it was the only powder I used. I think it was around 10 grains with a 240 grain lead bullet. But I was using them in a Ruger Blackhawk (not a Super Blackhawk) which is strong enough to handle anything.

 

[AlHunt]

I've recently (the last year or two) started with the Accurate powders, AA2 through AA9. They meter very well for me through the RCBS UniFlow and Little Dandy.

You've been well advised above on manuals and gear so I'll spare you my echo chamber.

 

[Jwjarrett]

I've recently (the last year or two) started with the Accurate powders, AA2 through AA9. They meter very well for me through the RCBS UniFlow and Little Dandy.

You've been well advised above on manuals and gear so I'll spare you my echo chamber.

I really like what I am seeing on CFE Pistol, but I haven't found any locally and buying online adds almost 50% in Hazmat fees.

I looked at Accurate AA5 for 380, 9 and 40. It seems to fit the bill. I will make a list of the suggestions in this thread, research and go shopping with my preferred. IMR Blue looks interesting, Universal, HP-38/231, and Winchester 244 are on my research list also.

NO PRIMERS! I can't find a single package. So, this might be a squib before I even get a chance to load a squib

 

[fredj338]

I really like what I am seeing on CFE Pistol, but I haven't found any locally and buying online adds almost 50% in Hazmat fees.

I looked at Accurate AA5 for 380, 9 and 40. It seems to fit the bill. I will make a list of the suggestions in this thread, research and go shopping with my preferred. IMR Blue looks interesting, Universal, HP-38/231, and Winchester 244 are on my research list also.

NO PRIMERS! I can't find a single package. So, this might be a squib before I even get a chance to load a squib

This is yet another reminder to reloaders, you have to have primers. I can scrounge cases, make bullets, I can get any of the 50 various pistol & shotgun powders to work but I have to have primers. So when things settke down about this time next year, buy primers, lots of primers. I keep 10k per size as my reserve. That is a good minimum imo.

 

[Jwjarrett]

A GoPrimeMe page

I'm going to set up a GoPrimeMe page. Maybe I can raise 1 or 200 primers

 

[Jwjarrett]

This is yet another reminder to reloaders, you have to have primers. I can scrounge cases, make bullets, I can get any of the 50 various pistol & shotgun powders to work but I have to have primers. So when things settke down about this time next year, buy primers, lots of primers. I keep 10k per size as my reserve. That is a good minimum imo.

I agree. I'm going to stock up whenever this breaks and something is in stock. I now have everything for 9 and 40, except the primers.

I went shopping for powder today with CFE Pistol, Winchester 572 and Longshot on my list as 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice. I ended up with a pound of Longshot. There was HP-38/231 available also.

 

[tdan]

Here is some advice that has served me well. If your gun has a favorite factory load, try crafting some hand loads with the same bullet if it is available from the ammo manufacturer. Make sure you measure the overall length of the factory ammo. You will have a baseline for comparison with your own loads. You will eventually need a chrono to really analyze your results. Accuracy trumps velocity in my book. If you come up with a load that shoots better groups than factory, you will get a smile on your face!

 

[Gamecock]

Accuracy trumps velocity in my book. If you come up with a load that shoots better groups than factory, you will get a smile on your face!

Same here. I don't reload to save money. I reload to get exactly what I want.

 

[oddshooter]

Asking handloaders for a best powder is like walking into a comic book store and asking which is the best superhero. It's a great way to start a fight.

I'm no different. So I'm continuing that trend.

We all have our favorites. Many of us started 50 years ago and haven't changed much. We still like old school.

For a new handloader however, I'm usually more concerned with safety and that means double charging. Trail Boss, donut powder, has excellent bulk and will spill over the top when overloaded. It's excellent for plinker loads of many calibers. Trail Boss isn't even near my favorite powder, but it's the best place to start.

I'm a powder freak. I have dozens and love handloading and testing. I've landed on the most expensive out there, Vihtavouri. Their N340 is the most Accurate, Clean, Stable, and Versatile I have found.

9mm is easy to acquire brass for, but I wouldn't suggest starting there. Also 9mm is probably the least expensive ($.19) and widely available of any caliber out there. Crimping is probably the easiest step to screw up and getting headspace right can be problematic. Pick a revolver round and get some experience.

I started with the 357 Maximum because I loved it for Silhouette, but it cost a staggering $2 dollars plus per round. I build it for under a dime each.

In the end, it wasn't about cost savings so much as being able to build custom ammo for a specific gun that was more accurate than factory.

Handloading can easily become a more interesting hobby than shooting. Being in quarantine made it easy to hit the garage and spend hours trying new recipes and combos. Sacrilege I know, but C19 changed a lot of behavior on a lot of us.

Have fun, BE SAFE.

Prescut

 

[Gamecock]

Oddshooter, 3N37 is quite good, too.