Powder choice for pistols - Universal or Amer. Select?

[22lover]

With economics in mind, I'm wanting to get some powder that will serve 9mm, 380acp, 38 sp, and 45acp. Also 12 gauge buckshot would be nice.

I've narrowed it down to American Select and Universal Clays. What's your vote between these two, or am I making a mistake with a 4-8lb order?

 

[22lover]

With economics in mind, I'm wanting to get some powder that will serve 9mm, 380acp, 38 sp, and 45acp. Also 12 gauge buckshot would be nice.

I've narrowed it down to American Select and Universal Clays. What's your vote between these two, or am I making a mistake with a 4-8lb order?

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

I enjoy using Universal, but it has a narrow range of loads for which it is optimum for me.

I'd suggest trying several different powders and finding what works best for your purposes, then buying larger amounts.

 

[BE Mike]

I've used American Select in 9mm and .45 ACP. I'm sure that it would work well in the other calibers. It really burns clean, and I've gotten some very good groups at 50 yards from the machine rest with the .45 ACP target loads.

 

[RidgwayCO]

Of the two, I'd recommend Hodgdon Universal Clays (HUC) over Alliant American Select (AAS) for the following reasons:

1) HUC meters better than AAS. HUC seems rather granular to me, while AAS is a flake powder with flakes larger than Bullseye.

2) HUC is a medium burning speed pistol powder (very similar to Unique), while AAS is much faster, with a burning rate between Accurate #2 and Hodgdon Clays. Developing factory-standard loads for the cartridges you mention would be easy with HUC, and more problematic or impossible with AAS.

3) For any given velocity, HUC will require more grains to accomplish it, but will do so at less pressure.

4) Both are relatively clean burning. HUC does require loads at the higher end of the pressure scale for each cartridge in order to clean it up.

 

[22lover]

Thanks guys, I went with Universal. It was more costly but appears that it goes a bit further per load than AS so I think it washes out in the end.

I appreciate everyone's advice very much. I am a beginner and am accumulating all my components at this time. I have a generous offer from a forum member to test some of his recipes. I've not been in the position to fully accept it yet because I've not had everything I need to do so and I didn't want to accept his generosity without the ability to report back results to him.

To the generous forum member, thank you and I apologize for not providing you with specifics yet. I really wanted to get my stuff together before accepting your offer. I will have everything within a couple weeks.

This group is the greatest. Thanks again.

 

[dwhite53]

I like Universal. I use it in 40 S&W, 38 Special and 357 mag for less than max loads. It is clean burning at lighter charges. It meters GREAT through my Lee Perfect Powder Measure.

You made a good choice.

All the Best.
D. White

 

[22lover]

Thanks dwhite53....I ordered 8lbs. I figured that it may be a frenzy but on the off-chance, I want to have a good quantity if prices keep heading to the stratosphere....


and...I have the Lee setup myself...the Anniversary Kit w/the O-press, powder measure, scale, hand-primer, etc.... very basic setup but I'm excited!