I started using Unique but switched to 231 25+ years ago. Its one of the powders that has loads listed for most every caliber. Start with something like that then when you get proficient experiment with others. 231 will work with every caliber I have from 9mm to 45Colt.
Reloading Powder
- Thread starter mmais
- Start date
da gimp
Member
Houlton, I keep a goodly amount of Win. 231 on hand too... Unique just meters so perfectly with both our Dillon's & RCBS powder throwers, gives great velocities, with safe pressures & in all our handguns produces great accuracy, with small amounts used... We use it for nearly all of our handgun reloads. But there is nothing wrong with Win. 231.
Bullseye is one of the best powders for light to moderate 38 spl loads.
It has no doubt been used by more competitive target shooters than
any other powder. Being fine grained it meters more consistantly than
other flake type pistol powders, especially Unique. Unique is a poor
choice for light loads because it doesn't burn well at low pressure.
There are no dangerous powders, just careless handloaders. Fast
burning powders like Bullseye, Titegroup and 700X burn more
completely at lower pressure and their low charge weights make them
economical to use. The responsibility for safe handloads rests with the
individual not the powder chosen.
It has no doubt been used by more competitive target shooters than
any other powder. Being fine grained it meters more consistantly than
other flake type pistol powders, especially Unique. Unique is a poor
choice for light loads because it doesn't burn well at low pressure.
There are no dangerous powders, just careless handloaders. Fast
burning powders like Bullseye, Titegroup and 700X burn more
completely at lower pressure and their low charge weights make them
economical to use. The responsibility for safe handloads rests with the
individual not the powder chosen.
Moe Mentum
Member
Confused ? So many powders, and so many favorites.... I would see whats available in your area, and go from there, what good is a recipe if you can't find that powder....good luck.
You must be looking at a kit. Lot's of single stage presses for less out there. Keep an eye on the for sale forum here. And all the usual suspects, Craigs List, Gunbroker. etc. If all you're looking for is a SS press.
I'm not going to start a color war, but they are out there for less than $140.
BTW, you may get a little help if you narrow down your location a little
Ha Ha! If you think $140.00 is a lot just wait, in about a year you will be asking for advice on how big your bench should be to mount all of your presses. I know that a lot of people have made a lot of ammo on the Lee Loader. But, unless you have lots of time or don't shoot much, I think that method of making pistol ammo would get old real quick.
I think if you are just feeding your own guns (as opposed to ammo for your sig other), and shooting handguns on a regular basis then you would be doing yourself a favor by cutting to the chase and get inexpensive kit to start. I think the Lee classic turret kit is a great buy. All you would need in addition to what comes in the kit would be dies for 38 spl and consumables: powder, primers and bullets. That kit costs about $215.00 and dies are about $45.00
Primers are about $35.00 per thousand and bullets, for plated are about $45-55 per 500 pcs. Powder $20-35 per pound.
What I did was asked my wife to give me the hardware to start out with for Christmas.
One of the quite hilarious aspects (and seemingly universal truths) is that reloaders get into for the cost savings - and then realize they end up spending as much as before, if not more. For me......my cost/round is about 50% of what I was buying ammo for. But I'm shooting 2x as much - at least. It has almost gotten to the point where unloading is a task I "need to get done" so I have a reason to go load. LOL
I've only been loading for about a year - and pistol about half of that time. I would be very uncomfortable loading pistol - independent of which powder - without a scale. Maybe I'm just not familiar with how reliable the dippers might be. But there seems to be little margin of error. And I use Titegroup for 9mm and that's worse - roughly 0.5 gr spread between min and max.
For .38 Spcl I'm using HP-38. It is working just fine for me. 3.9 gr under a 158 gr LSWC is great.
Good luck, have fun, and be safe.
OR
I've only been loading for about a year - and pistol about half of that time. I would be very uncomfortable loading pistol - independent of which powder - without a scale. Maybe I'm just not familiar with how reliable the dippers might be. But there seems to be little margin of error. And I use Titegroup for 9mm and that's worse - roughly 0.5 gr spread between min and max.
For .38 Spcl I'm using HP-38. It is working just fine for me. 3.9 gr under a 158 gr LSWC is great.
Good luck, have fun, and be safe.
OR
You did not state if the 125gr bullet was either a......
JHP or a
Lead bullet.............
for target use or for a full load out of a.......
light J frame or a heavy K frame.
Best bet is to buy a loading manual and see what powders will work then............
see if there are any powders listed at your local sporting good stores.
Otherwise you will have to go to the "Dreaded" online stores.
JHP or a
Lead bullet.............
for target use or for a full load out of a.......
light J frame or a heavy K frame.
Best bet is to buy a loading manual and see what powders will work then............
see if there are any powders listed at your local sporting good stores.
Otherwise you will have to go to the "Dreaded" online stores.
The thing to be concerned about with Tite Group is to be absolutely sure of you powder charge, There is not a wide range of min to max.
It is a very fast, dense burning powder and little bit extra will raise pressures fast!! (especially in a small case like the 380 or 9mm) Also a change in bullet seating depth will change pressure faster,
For a new reloader it is not a powder I would recommend, Not scaring you, just be double sure of how much is in the case!!
As to the other BS on melting bullets and such, don't worry about it.
For your three calibers I would rather use HP 38 (or similar) which is not as fast a burn rate and more flexible.
HP38 (made for the 38 special and Win 231 are the same.
Note where it is on the burn rate chart, Powders above it are faster and build pressure faster, below are slower and build pressure slower so that is why the better magnum powders like 2400 and H110 are down in the slow range.
https://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Burn%20Rates%20-%202014-2015.pdf
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