one powder to do it all?
- Thread starter cracker57
- Start date
.38SuperMan
Member
I'd vote for 231/HP38 for most of the popular calibers. I started using it in 45acp thirty years ago and my only complaint is it can be pretty dirty in very light loads. Moderate loads and above its clean. Accuracy and easy measuring are two of its strong points. And generally it's readily available at least in normal times.
I like Unique but it's more difficult to meter in my powder measures due to the larger more coarse texture. I don't feel it offers anything over 231.
I like Unique but it's more difficult to meter in my powder measures due to the larger more coarse texture. I don't feel it offers anything over 231.
fredj338
Member
Imo, BD is just too slow inless you want max effort loads. I like it in 10 & 357sig just for that reason, but not a good all around choice.
Btw, nothing really unique about unique. You can load any sim burn rate powder across the same range of loads with equal success. WSF os basically a spherical version of unique, maybe a tiny bit slower. It is my fav 9& 40 powder for full power loads. It works great in 45acp,above midrange too.
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gwpercle
Member
I've been happily loading Unique in the 45 acp and 9mm Luger for a good 45 years . Not quite as long for the 40 S&W .
Lots of load data around for Unique .
Some will bad mouth it ... but it's been around for over 100 years and there's a reason for that ... it works and works well .
Bullseye for light target loads and Unique for just about all other loads .
Gary
Lots of load data around for Unique .
Some will bad mouth it ... but it's been around for over 100 years and there's a reason for that ... it works and works well .
Bullseye for light target loads and Unique for just about all other loads .
Gary
38SPL HV
Member
Unique if your powder measure throws it accurately. You may consider Power Pistol... measures great and also keeps you in the same velocity range as Unique and even more with some bullet weights. I've gotten low ESs and SDs using Power Pistol in 38 Spl +P and 38-44 loads and very good accuracy...you should get tight spreads and good accuracy as well in 45 ACP and 9mm using Power Pistol.
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Years ago I was nothing but a Bullseye guy but when it got scarce a few years ago, I wound up going to Titegroup. Could tell no difference in accuracy but it seems to shoot a little cleaner. Lately all I can find is 231 and while a lot of my buddies have used it for years, I've never even tried it until about 2 weeks ago. Wish I had years ago. Can't see much difference in .38 and 9mm but I really like it in 45acp. Going by the books and trying to match a load that gives me the same approximate velocity as my Titegroup load, 231 shoots to same POA at 25 yards but seems to shoot much softer. Could be a mind game, but accuracty is the same, meters like a champ and is still available around here for less than $30 a lb.
DWalt
Member
Unique is as close to a broad-spectrum handgun propellant as you are going to find, but there are others with similar ballistic performance, such as 231, Universal Clays, and Power Pistol. Green Dot is also pretty good.
cowboy4evr
Member
A powder that no one talks about , has found real favor with me -- Winchester 572 . I use it in 45 acp and others . It's always available when the common ones like Unique / Bullseye etc are not available . When I couldn't get WSF , I bought 8#'s of W572 and like it . Try it , you might like it as well . Regards Paul
Unique man here too. I also use it in 12 & 20 ga.
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
W231 is a good choice IMO.
Benchrest1
Member
Like a lot of others, you can't beat Unique.
Unique is my go to powder. I like Trailboss for cream puff loads, especially in the 500 S&W.
BigMuddy
Member
Power Pistol
DeplorabusUnum
Member
I've fiddled with Bullseye, Unique, Power Pistol, Trail Boss, and CFE pistol for various pistol loads. If I had to just pick one, at this point I think it would be CFE Pistol. I use it for 9mm, 38, 357 mag, 45 ACP. It meters great, it's super clean burning not dirty like Unique, It's not loud like Power Pistol. It won't fill the case like Trail Boss though.
Mule88
Member
Universal would be an excellent choice
I used Unique in almost all my handgun calibers for a couple decades.
Another good one is Winchester 231.
Back about 8 years ago, when there were almost no powders to be had, I did find an 8 lb jug of Universal.
Almost an identical burning rate as Unique but cleaner burning and meters better.
Now Universal is my favorite.
Another good one is Winchester 231.
Back about 8 years ago, when there were almost no powders to be had, I did find an 8 lb jug of Universal.
Almost an identical burning rate as Unique but cleaner burning and meters better.
Now Universal is my favorite.
cowboy4evr
Member
A while back I decided that instead of using this powder or that powder for 9mm , then using something else for the 40 s&w I would decide on just one powder for both . After giving it some thought I decided I also needed to try a powder that was more commonly in stock during times like this unlike the usual outage of Unique / Bullseye etc . I decided on Shooters World Semi Auto Pistol Powder . I like it . Regards Paul
