w231 & HP-38 replacement for new 45 acp ReLoader

[linko]

I will be a new pistol reloader. I would like to load 45 acp for general range shooting. Before i start buying powder I would like to just pick one and stick with it. I read the top powders my go away (W231 & HP-38). So rather than start with them i would like to use anither powder.

Bullseye
CFE Pistol
Tightgroup
WSR

Have many followers.

If I pick just one, which one should I use?

 

[ninjatoth]

TiteGroup is pretty similar in charge weights and volume to 231 and HP-38 and an alright general purpose pistol powder.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Many stay away from the large flake or extruded powders due
to the way that they meter and go with the "Ball" type powders
that fall through the loading systems better due to not "Bridging"
or having to be cut if overly long in size.

I use both but some ball powders do not fill the cases like the
flake powders, due to their fine particles and you have a little
higher chance of a double charge or charges may be off a little
more due to volume/density involved.

I use a single stage and check my tray before adding the bullets
and have yet to get a double charge, even with Bullseye but you
still have to keep on your toes when using powders.

They all work and good luck finding a clone to w231 etc.

 

[AveragEd]

I use nothing but AutoComp in my .38 Super and .45ACP target loads. It's clean, accurate and best of all, available.

Ed

 

[ontargetagain]

I have used several powders for 45acp and each has been fine for me. On my use list is HS6, WST, WSF, Bullseye, Universal and Titegroup which all meter very well as does the HP38/W231 powders. Titegroup is a bit more touchy on charge weights and is a low volume case filler so be very careful about possible double charges.

Of your powders listed Bullseye is a very nice metering and workable powder that can be used in many loads and calibers so a good powder to get familiar with. Your WSR if you mean WST is one I like very much too.

Powders I used that don't meter well for me are Unique, 700x

Karl

 

[growr]

i am using whatever is available....Unique, 700x seem to be showing up a little more than before, AA #5, HS6, WW540, just traded into a can of Zip haven't fired it yet but will test tomorrow.

Sort of like the waitress in the old diner said to me, " Don't tell me what you want, this is what we got!"

Powder seems to be the same..........

Randy

 

[arjay]

I've used a lot of bullseye and unique.Bullseye meters nicely and since I use a uniflow measure with a baffle, unique works for me too.

 

[rockquarry]

Bullseye and Titegroup are similar; both burn considerably faster than 231/ HP-38. All are good .45 ACP powders. Rumors about 231 / HP-38 being discontinued are Internet rumors.

I use only cast bullets in the .45 ACP and have found Bullseye to be ideal for all bullet weights. Whether or not there are better powders for jacketed bullets, I don't know, but would expect choices to be similar.

I've used Titegroup, 231 /HP-38, HS-6, Unique, and at least four or five others. Lots of good choices, but I would stay away from the ones that don't particularly flow through a measure well, like Unique and 800X.

 

[Virginia John]

I use Bullseye and WST in my .45s. The w231 and HP-38 seem to do better in the 9mm.. Just my $.02.

 

[GCF]

Colt Gov't Model / Kart NM barrel, & Colt LWT Commander / factory barrel.

I load a 200LSWC-BB from Dardas, & find 4.6 grains of TiteGroup (I've got a BIG jug) produces nice groups. Light taper crimp. Lyman M expander die. WW SP primers. WW brass.

Although the TiteGroup flows uniformly through my Dillon 550 powder measure, I still keep an eye on it - before seating a bullet. That goes for ANY powder though...

 

[Bkreutz]

I started using Autocomp/CFE Pistol when the shortage of W231/HP38 was at it's worst. I've come to prefer AC and CFE so now that 231/38 is showing up, I pass on it. I started using 231 in the '70s so it wasn't a change I took lightly.

 

[WVSig]

I will be a new pistol reloader. I would like to load 45 acp for general range shooting. Before i start buying powder I would like to just pick one and stick with it. I read the top powders my go away (W231 & HP-38). So rather than start with them i would like to use anither powder.

Bullseye
CFE Pistol
Tightgroup
WSR

Have many followers.

If I pick just one, which one should I use?

HP38 is not going away. If you look around there is a ton of it in the pipeline right now. If it were to go away I would look at Alliant BE-86. It is new, so unlikely to disappear like some of the older more expenseive to make formulas like HP38, and has been getting solid reviews.

The reality is that you should not limit yourself it a single powder. IMHO. You can have a primary but you should have another powder in the stable.

I however do not believe HP38 is really going anywhere. If you are married to it buy a bunch of 8lb jugs next time you see them. I passed on 5 the other day when wiedners had them in stock.

 

[ChiefStealth]

I have used W231, TiteGroup, Bulseye, HS-6, and AA5. I did not like HS-6. All the others worked fine. I don't have a preference among them. I buy what I can get.

 

[Huskerguy]

HP38 is not going away. If you look around there is a ton of it in the pipeline right now. If it were to go away I would look at Alliant BE-86. It is new, so unlikely to disappear like some of the older more expenseive to make formulas like HP38, and has been getting solid reviews.

The reality is that you should not limit yourself it a single powder. IMHO. You can have a primary but you should have another powder in the stable.

I however do not believe HP38 is really going anywhere. If you are married to it buy a bunch of 8lb jugs next time you see them. I passed on 5 the other day when wiedners had them in stock.

I was at the Tulsa show and powder was everywhere. One guy had an unreal price on 231. He said he had tons of it as he kept ordering it even when backordered and now he needed to move it cheaply. He said the factory told him they would like to discontinue 231 because of the difficulty with processing compared to newer powders and they would like to see loaders move to the newer powders. He said due to the problems with making 231 they are going to make it in large quantities but only once or a few times a year.

He seemed legit and not a BSer. Take it for what its worth but it does fit the stories and apparent glut of it showing up all of a sudden. I have plenty on hand and it was tempting to get more but I am going to start working on alternatives. CFE to start with.

 

[sellersm]

HP-38 and Win231 aren't going anywhere anytime soon. A shipment of HP-38 just arrived at my door today, in fact!

As to the powders in question: any fast powder, loaded lightly will suffice for general range shooting. Not sure what bullets you'll be using, but my suggestions would be: Bullseye, CFE Pistol, Titegroup, Ramshot Zip (almost identical to HP38/W231), WST (I really like it with lead bullets).

Good luck!

 

[Daver7]

Check out Powder Valley, They have HP38 in 1 lb cans

 

[StakeOut]

If you have an Academy Sports store in your area look to see if they have Titegroup in stock.

The 3 Academy stores in my area sell it for about $20 per 1lb.

A 200gr LSWC over 3.5gr of Bullseye has been a .45acp reloading staple for hole punching forever but BE has gotten a bit pricey.Bass Pro Shops have 1lb of BE for $30.

I stock up on Bullseye,Unique and Red Dot whenever I find a good deal on them.

 

[Thomas15]

I will be a new pistol reloader. I would like to load 45 acp for general range shooting. Before i start buying powder I would like to just pick one and stick with it. I read the top powders my go away (W231 & HP-38). So rather than start with them i would like to use anither powder.

Bullseye
CFE Pistol
Tightgroup
WSR

Have many followers.

If I pick just one, which one should I use?

If you want to stock only one powder find one powder and buy a whole bunch of it. I remember when I first started handloading I thought a pound of powder was a lot of powder. Those were the days.

So, put it in another way, there are no supply guarantees in the powder world. The prudent among us do two things, one is they have a bunker full of pistol powders, and two they plan years ahead for supply problems.

This is actually a good time to get started because with the exception of Federal small pistol primers, just about all components, especially powder, are easy to find. Buy now or cry later.

 

[fredj338]

TiteGroup is pretty similar in charge weights and volume to 231 and HP-38 and an alright general purpose pistol powder.

Sorry, not even close, TG is quite a bit faster & quite a bit smaller volume. TG also doesnt play nice with lead bullets.

Imo, if you want w231/hp38, go buy it. Its a good gen purp powder in 45acp. 8# will get you about 10500 rds, its going to be around for awhile. I'ma WST guy, but that is even more scarce. A sleeper powder, cheap, clean & accurate, is ramshot competition. As noted, wither buy big or have several choices. One never knows what will be available going forward. Sevral of my fav powders have gone extinct over the last 40yrs.

 

[Twoboxer]

Faced with the same issue of what to buy when my current stock of HP-38 runs out, I decided CFE-Pistol was most likely to remain available the longest.

JMO of course, but as you can see there are people who will jump all over HP38/Win231 and it's traditional rivals when they come available. Then there's my belief that CFE-Pistol was developed with the current regulatory environment (ie, added manufacturing costs) in mind, and so is more likely to have a sustainable manufacturing process. Anti-copper fouling is a side benefit.

How does it perform? Quite well. It is shaped like HP-38 so it meters as well. The different color tinge is probably reflective of its copper removing formulation.

CFE-Pistol costs a couple (yes 2) dollars more for an 8 lb jug at Powder Valley, and you use more. But 8 lb jugs are available, so it costs less than 8 x 1 lb. Finally, in my calibers (9mm and 45ACP) it can deliver velocity more in keeping with the calibers' potential than HP-38. So even if the net cost is a bit higher, it is capable of delivering more.

Just a thought