Titegroup

[series guy]

I've been loading with Titegroup for over 10 years. I have to agree with everything Sevens posted about Titegroup. However I do use it in .38 Special loads but I guess I don't shoot fast enough for the heat to be an issue but I can see how it could be. Yes it is unsettling at times to look in a .45 Colt case and see 5.5gr. of Titegroup leaving about 90% of the case empty but the accuracy is excellent and the same care should be taken no matter the powder being used.

 

[ruggyh]

For those that use Tite group, here is a little test.

In a 44 Mag case put 5 grains of in each of 10 cases

Put 6 grains in one case marked ion the bottom - have someone else tell which case has been over filled by 1 grain.

My experience is no one get it right.

Now deside if you think you can safely determine an overload.


Be safe
Ruggy

 

[BuckeyeS&W]

Try Accurate No. 5
7.5 - 7.8 grains will give you around 900 fps.

700x
5 - 5.2 grains. 825 - 850 fps.

HS-6
7.5 - 8.5 grains 825 - 925 fps.

231, HP-38
5 - 5.7 grains 800 - 850 fps.

Here are a few options other than Titegroup. I’m not a fan for all the reasons already posted.

 

[1sailor]

If you cannot follow the plainly written instructions regarding maximum charges or are easily distracted then titegroup may not be the powder for you. Also you should probably not buy a car capable of exceeding the speed limit. Titegroup will not try to trick you into double charging. Just follow the recommended charge weights in your manual and everything will be fine. As was pointed out however Titegroup is not the best choice for true magnum loads. I have run max loads for years in 9mm, 40S&W, and .45acp. In .357 magnum it works well but if I'm going for a true "magnum" load there are better powders. Still, Titegroup is my go to for probably 90% of my shooting needs.

 

[series guy]

If you are using a quality powder measure dropping 5gr. Then how do you end up with 6gr. In a case?

 

[fredj338]

If you cannot follow the plainly written instructions regarding maximum charges or are easily distracted then titegroup may not be the powder for you. Also you should probably not buy a car capable of exceeding the speed limit. Titegroup will not try to trick you into double charging. Just follow the recommended charge weights in your manual and everything will be fine. As was pointed out however Titegroup is not the best choice for true magnum loads. I have run max loads for years in 9mm, 40S&W, and .45acp. In .357 magnum it works well but if I'm going for a true "magnum" load there are better powders. Still, Titegroup is my go to for probably 90% of my shooting needs.

While TG doesn't "trick you" it does not lend itself to easily verify charge wts. Not unlike BE back in its day, it KB a lot of guns because it is just hard to tell if it is 5gr or 10gr in a cavernous case. It is very consistent though & cheap & that is why so many love it. I also do not find it all that accurate with lead bullets either so just another reason I avoid it.

 

[Skeet 028]

I loaded one pound of Titegroup powder. Darn near melted the bottom of the powder reservoir plastic tube...No I didn't take the powder out but it was only over the course of 3 days. I also thought the powder burned much too hot. A couple of cylinders and wow. Seems to me to be the same problem every one complains of with L'il Gun...except there is much less powder per load. I decided to use older much bulkier powder. Even though I think I can be safe with it...it doesn't make me feel all fuzzy and happy like other(older, like me) powders... And to top it all off.... I have bunches of almost free Red Dot Green Dot 700X HS-5, 6 and 7 Al-5,7,9 and other powders. I think I should use them up first. I doubt I can use them all up in my lifetime as it is

 

[1sailor]

What kind of plastic is your reservoir made of. I routinely leave it in my lee powder measure and after a while the plastic gets a little cloudy but after years it has never gone any further than that.

 

[series guy]

I have a sheet of copy paper that I roll up and slide in my powder measure. Prevents any sticking or discoloration.

 

[bluetopper]

Years ago I had a 45 with a ported barrel and I thought I'd try me a pound of Titeboom. It didn't take long for the lead from the cast lead bullets to nearly plug up the port holes. I've always read that Titeboom burns hot, and I believe it.

 

[Kiwi cop]

I have used Tightgroup almost exclusively for pistol reloading for the past several years in .38 Special, 9mm, .45 ACP, 44/40 and .45 Colt with both lead and plated bullets.

It is accurate but only useful at “target” velocities.

As an IPSC shooter I have always had to overload from .2 - .5 gn to make power factor in both 9mm (125 PF + margin) and .45 ACP (170 PF + margin). My loads are often noted as being on the hot side by my fellow competitors. Recently using my long standard published max plus load of TG in new .45 ACP Winchester cases I had a number of cases blow out on me. I have since changed to .W321 for both 9mm and .45 ACP. I still have to load slightly higher than recognised max published data to make PF but by much less a percentage and at lower overall pressures (15,500 instead of 17,000 PSI in .45 ACP according to Quickload).

As my .38 Spec, 44/40 and .45 Colt loads are much more on the mild side I will keep using TG in those calibers.

 

[fredj338]

I have used Tightgroup almost exclusively for pistol reloading for the past several years in .38 Special, 9mm, .45 ACP, 44/40 and .45 Colt with both lead and plated bullets.

It is accurate but only useful at “target” velocities.

As an IPSC shooter I have always had to overload from .2 - .5 gn to make power factor in both 9mm (125 PF + margin) and .45 ACP (170 PF + margin). My loads are often noted as being on the hot side by my fellow competitors. Recently using my long standard published max plus load of TG in new .45 ACP Winchester cases I had a number of cases blow out on me. I have since changed to .W321 for both 9mm and .45 ACP. I still have to load slightly higher than recognised max published data to make PF but by much less a percentage and at lower overall pressures (15,500 instead of 17,000 PSI in .45 ACP according to Quickload).

As my .38 Spec, 44/40 and .45 Colt loads are much more on the mild side I will keep using TG in those calibers.

What bullet wts are you reloading that you have to overload to make 125PF? I can do that with powders even faster than TG & still be under max in 9, 40 or 45??

 

[petemacmahon]

I've used 3.5 grains of TG for years as my goto plinking load in 38 spl using 158 grain SWCs and I've been happy enough. As everyone else has said, a little goes a long way! I shoot DAO all the time, and I've never noticed it being any hotter in temperature than say factory loads - so IDK there. My only complaint with it is I think it's quite smokey for a "smokeless" powder.

I've been meaning to give HP-38 a try at some point.

Just use common sense to avoid double charges!

BUT I don't use it in any of my 44s as 2400 has been my goto versatile powder for both my 44 mags and 44 spls.

For truly magnum performance in my 44, 41, and 357 mags - my choice is H110.

 

[Kiwi cop]

What bullet wts are you reloading that you have to overload to make 125PF? I can do that with powders even faster than TG & still be under max in 9, 40 or 45??

I prefer to load to PF plus an extra 5-7 PF margin to allow for chronographing at matches (I once ended up shooting .45 “minor” at a match). The 9mm factory ammo I used as a test round gave me a PF of 133-135.

The max listed load of Tightgroup for 9mm on Hodgdon’s site is 4.2 gn for a 124 gn plated round, however I was seating the bullets out slightly for use in .38 Super mags as standard length would sometimes nose dive and jam, so I was not making the safety margin I was looking for. I ended up at 4.4 gn to make a 131 PF in my pistol.

In .45 ACP TG was not making the 170 PF (159-162 depending on the time of day in my Springfield 1911) at the max load of 5.2 gn. It only just (171 PF) makes it in another pistol, at mid morning on a summers day.

It was not my chronograph. I ran some Winchester 230 gn Factory ammo listed at 880 fps/202 PF across it in two pistols for PF’s of 193 in my SA and 198 in my new Tanfoglio Witness 1911 (8am on an early summers day)so the chrono is reading okay. I feel that individual pistols have more effect on a loads velocity and now tailor loads that have to make PF for each pistol.

So while I now feel TG is a great powder at “target” load level I am changing powders for my competition rounds.

 

[fredj338]

Hmm. I make PF with WST, slightly faster than TG. I prefer it to TG because of its loft & slightly soft recoil. I can easily make 135PF in a G19 with 147gr bullets. In 45 with 200gr, 170PF is well within pressures.
Loading your bullets quite long in 9mm will obviously reduce vel & pressures, so your load is NOT over pressure in that pistol. Not trying to change your mind, I do not use TG, but sim burn rate powders like WST, RedDot, Ramshot Comp, all easily reach min PF in any of the service calibers, especially with heavier bullets.

 

[Skeet 028]

I have a sheet of copy paper that I roll up and slide in my powder measure. Prevents any sticking or discoloration.

This is a great idea!! The powder mesure in this case was a Hornady. The bottom end of it looks like it was on fire at one point.

Now I am not a handgun game competitor but I really don't understand this "power factor" thing. Hells bells, just let anyone shoot what they want within reason. If they want to go so low the gun may malfunction...their loss in my opinion. I assume the power factor is mostly about recoil and gun movement. Or just tell everyone they must shoot factory in matches. Every body is at the same starting point then. Shoot the Grand American Trap shoot and you used factory ammo...at least it was that way. I shot serious skeet and used factory ammo. All practice was reloads though.

 

[fredj338]

This is a great idea!! The powder mesure in this case was a Hornady. The bottom end of it looks like it was on fire at one point.

Now I am not a handgun game competitor but I really don't understand this "power factor" thing. Hells bells, just let anyone shoot what they want within reason. If they want to go so low the gun may malfunction...their loss in my opinion. I assume the power factor is mostly about recoil and gun movement. Or just tell everyone they must shoot factory in matches. Every body is at the same starting point then. Shoot the Grand American Trap shoot and you used factory ammo...at least it was that way. I shot serious skeet and used factory ammo. All practice was reloads though.

Well PF is to put as level a playing field into the game. You can tune many pistols to shoot loads that would make a defensive shooter scoff. So a min PF is just that, a floor for competition. Otherwise idpa & uspsa would look like CAS, a bunch of old dudes shooting large bore 22lr.

 

[Skeet 028]

Level playing field= factory ammo that everyone has to use. What you are saying in effect is that some shooters want to "legally cheat", if you will. I have watched CAS and while it looks like fun(any shooting looks like fun to me) someone told me that the winner of a tied match could come down to how authentic the shooters may be. LOL! Don't know it that is true or not. Not knocking the games but seems like there would have to be a lot less "rules" with factory ammo without having to check every ones ammo. JMO...YMMV

 

[Skeet 028]

Just wondering..why does TG burn so hot? Is it because of the nitro content or just the complete formulation? I was always told BE had the most nitro and it doesn't seem to burn so hot. I know BE doesn't take up much room for it's weight but TG seems much less bulky

 

[Kiwi cop]

Level playing field= factory ammo that everyone has to use. What you are saying in effect is that some shooters want to "legally cheat", if you will. I have watched CAS and while it looks like fun(any shooting looks like fun to me) someone told me that the winner of a tied match could come down to how authentic the shooters may be. LOL! Don't know it that is true or not. Not knocking the games but seems like there would have to be a lot less "rules" with factory ammo without having to check every ones ammo. JMO...YMMV

Shooting 250 - 400 rounds of factory ammo several times a year in competitions would be expensive (I shot half my last comp with factory .45ACP after an ammo failure and it cost me an arm and a leg). Reloading is the way to go unless you are sponsored by an ammo manufacturer.

Major PF is 170 and above calculated by multiplying velocity by bullet weight and the dividing by 1000. It ensures everyone is shooting realistically powered ammunition and scored 5/4/2 in the IPSC/USPSA scoring zones.

Minor PF is 125-169.9 and is mainly for 9mm shooters. .40 cal shooters have the option to shoot either minor or major, but in IPSC Classic (single stack) most shoot minor for the additional 2 rounds they can load in their mags (major is restricted to no more than 8 rounds). Minor scores are 5/3/1 on the target zones.

It allows the three aspects of IPSC/USPSA, speed, power and accuracy to be almost equal. There is still a premium on speed over accuracy in the equation.

Incidentally, those factory rounds I used, WincHester 230 gn JHP, had a PF of 202. And Cowboy loads have a PF floor of 60. 150 in Wild Bunch events.