Power Pistol, loading and performance

[Black_Talon]

I've tried Power Pistol in 38 Spl, 357 Mag, 44 Spl and 44 Mag and have got extremely good velocities out of each caliber. Chronograph also shows low ES and SD. It would really be the perfect powder for the higher velocity loads except for two things:

Lotsa bang, Lotsa flash

 

[Doug.38PR]

6 grains of PP with a 158 gives right at 1000 fps out of a 5" gun. It would likely not be very much of a +p load in my opinion.

Peter Magnum Eick.

 

[GT1]

I just can't get past the excessive flash produced by Power Pistol.

Some of us see fireballs as a plus.

 

[pete950]

My normal load for 38 spl +P is 5.8 gr of PP under 158 gr plated FP or SWC. From a Mod 67 w/4" bbl that load clocks about 920 fps which is consistent with Doug.38PR's results above. I also load 357 cases with 8.0 gr of PP under the same bullet for -- IIRC -- about 1100 fps from a 686 w/3"bbl. FWIW, the 357 load generates 1400 fps from my Marlin 1894C.

I also use PP under a 148 gr DEWC but I haven't had a chance to chronograph them yet. However, judging from the recoil in both the K and L frames I don't expect them to be much more than 800 fps or so.

One thing I've noticed is PP seems to like a firmer crip than most people use on plated bullets. When I switched to Xtreme bullets I could put a real crimp on things and a lot of the flash and blackening the front of the case went away.

And it meters very well from my Dillon 550.

Whats the powder charge for the 38 spec DEWC??

 

[parabarbarian]

6 grains of PP with a 158 gives right at 1000 fps out of a 5" gun. It would likely not be very much of a +p load in my opinion.

I glanced through some of my manuals and at loaddata.com and that load is listed at about 18,500 PSI. That is the SAAMI limit for 38 spl +P. For almost all modern firearms in good condition that is a very conservative figure and I see 20,000 PSI data being published now. Technically I guess that would be +P+ but SAAMI has no official standard for it.

In truth, 1000 fps for a 158 gr bullet is pretty good for a 38. To get comparable performance, the 9mm has to go over 30,000 psi which is well into 357 magnum territory for us wheel-gunners.

 

[parabarbarian]

Whats the powder charge for the 38 spec DEWC??

It is unpublished data -- PM sent.

 

[Doug.38PR]

I glanced through some of my manuals and at loaddata.com and that load is listed at about 18,500 PSI. That is the SAAMI limit for 38 spl +P. For almost all modern firearms in good condition that is a very conservative figure and I see 20,000 PSI data being published now. Technically I guess that would be +P+ but SAAMI has no official standard for it.

In truth, 1000 fps for a 158 gr bullet is pretty good for a 38. To get comparable performance, the 9mm has to go over 30,000 psi which is well into 357 magnum territory for us wheel-gunners.

I guess you're kind of new around here. Have you seen some of Mr. Eick's previous posts? (I think his middle initial must be M for Magnum )

 

[Blindpew]

PP works well also in 10mm. Took care of the flash problem by attaching TLR-1 Stream Light. My solution was to use medium burning powers and visually check each round before placing bullet in the mouth of the case in my old Dillon. It's slower but safe.

 

[papajohn428]

Power Pistol is my go-to powder for warm 40S&W loads, and especially for full-power (including Plus-P) 45ACP/Auto-Rim loads. Blasty, yes. Flashy, you betcha. But it burns clean, gives me good ballistics, meters well (dryer sheets help here) and also doubles as a good reduced load powder in the 30-30 and the 45/70, among others. I burn a lot of it.

 

[Doug.38PR]

A 5gr charge of Unique would give sim results to the 5.4gr of PP w/ a 158gr lead bullet..

Seems you're right. Unique can be pretty impressive by itself. Here is my own results as of today from my backyard:


.38 Special +P 158 gr. LRN. 4 inch 1961 Colt Official Police
5.8 grains Power Pistol: 917.7, 921.9, 943.5, 875.5, 951.2, 925.3 Feet Per Second
Remington brand LHP: 932.1, 953.4, 948.5, 976.4, 946.9, 917.1 Feet Per Second
Buffalo Bore LHP: 1181, 1193, 1199, 1194, 1150, 1188 Feet Per Second
5.0 grains Unique: 983.4, 857.5, 930.00, 864.8, 963.9, 907.8 Feet Per Second
5.9 grains Power Pistol: 946.8, 920.2, 921.8, 931.2, 960.4, 890.9 Feet Per Second
6.0 grains Power Pistol: 965.0 Feet Per Second

.38 Special 158 gr. LRN 4 inch 1961 Colt Official Police
4.0 grains Unique: 645.5 fps, 465.4, 535.7, 641.8, 651.5 Feet Per Second

.38 Special+P 158 gr. LRN 2 inch 1966 Colt Detective Special
5.0 grains Unique: 640.8, 657.2, 659.5, 721.6, 803.0 Feet Per Second
Remington Brand LHP: 832.4, 853, 832, 812, 803, 818.5 Feet Per Second


Notice how much Unique 5.0 drops in velocity from 4 inch to 2 inch barrel