So I have a option to trade some brass for close to 2lbs of this powder. Looks like its a shotgun powder that translates over to at the very least 9mm, looks like 3.3 - 3.7 is the beginning and max range (phew not much room there eh?)

Curious...anyone ever us this stuff for pistol? If so what'd you think of it? what cartridges did you load it for?

My usage would be to save my AA#7 for my PCW and newer weapons. My very old C&R pistols (Luger, p38's, p1, M1895, etc) I'm just look for something that can cycle it and get a decent grouping, don't want to be too hard on the old gals and break something.

Thoughts, comments very much appreciated .

hmm...so I only shoot so far, 9mm, 10mm and 30 carbine. Only one it looked like it would work for was the 9mm would that be correct?

For me I use 4.3 grains under 180 gr berrys in 40sw and about 5 grains under 165 gr RN in 40 all work great

700x was the powder I used for 9mm until I got a powder that meters better. The charge range is small so a little goes a long way. 700x is like little corn flakes that bunch together and are so lite that any static causes them to cling on to things.

I would describe the performance like what you are looking for, easy recoil and decently accurate. When working up the charge weights the starting charge caused brass to fall at my feet with my glock so it would bearly eject (but no failures to eject). I now use it mainly for my 380 which loves it. It was also decently clean burning powder so I didn't feel the need to clean my guns after every trip. I like the smell of it while shooting for some reason

I've used 700x for loading multiple 5" 1911's (45 ACP), a pair of 3" Colt Defenders (.45 ACP), Beretta 92FS and a Beretta PX4 Storm Sub-Compact (9mm).  With the shorter-barreled offerings, it took a bit on the higher-side of the loading-data spectrum, but worked well.  Groups were well placed and it seemed to cycle without as much recoil as previous choices I'd used in production-ammunition.  As for the typical 1911's, it cycled fine in all and worked extremely well in one, but wasn't grouping as well with the other two I tried that day.  Then again, if memory serves me... those other two 1911's were the last I shot after a very long day of shooting a lot of rounds testing load-development.  Could have been me.

A couple of the shorter pistols, (Defender and Storm Sub-Compact), that I tested that day belonged to my mother.  I gave her rounds loaded in a few different powders, (using 230 gr. bullets in .45 ACP, and 125 gr. bullets in 9mm), that worked well in those two pistols and asked her to see what she thought worked best.  She couldn't tell much of a difference in recoil, but chose the 700x loads on her Defender.  As for her Beretta, she chose the ones loaded with Power Pistol.

As for me and the 1911 that shot well using 700x, it worked well with both 200 gr. bullets (4.6 gr.) and 230 gr. bullets (4.4 gr.).  I didn't have any other bullets to try in the 45 ACP, so that's all I had for testing.  The 92FS worked fine with all of the powders I tried, and the 700x worked well a grain or two from max-load using the 125 gr. bullets (4.0 gr. and 4.1 gr. used were almost exact in performance and accuracy).

Agreed - the load-threshold using 700x is narrow, but it has worked in my testing just fine.  As others have mentioned, a little goes a long way.  Personally, it seems to like the shorter-barreled pistols that I had on-hand for testing most... but, I'd use it since I have developed loads working with it.  Hope it works well for you.

I have used 700-X in 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 ACP.   I can't remember the loads off the top of my head.  But I recall getting better performance in the 40 and 45 than in 9mm. YMMV

I am currently using a lot of it loading my 40 S&W heavies and I'm really liking it.   Also read that 700-X is a very good powder for 10mm.  I wouldn't know since I do not own a 10mm.....yet!

I use this for my 44 mag @9 grains for SWC bullets. Shoots pretty good.

It will "work" for 9mm but at a very inefficient rate.

I would get powder drops anywhere from .5gr +/- when I tried to meter it. The only way it worked was by trying to drop it low and trickle it up to what I wanted. I'll never use the 700/800-x again unless I desperately have to.

It's an awesome powder I use for the 45acp, just doesn't meter very well in my Lee Perfect Powder measure.

thanks for all the replys. unfortunately further communications seems the guy got it in a trade himself and got 2lbs from an 8lb jug, so his 2lbs for our trade is currently stored in an ammo can. it's probably ok, but not knowing him or being able to confirm the powder I'm going to pass.

45 ACP

Too bad it didn't work out.   I get superb accuracy with 45 acp 200 lswc.

IMR has load data for 700X in many handgun calibers, including 9mm, .38 Special, and .45 ACP.


ETA: You did the right thing, don't trust hand me down powders unless you really know the person giving it to you.

I really like 700X for 45.  I found that if I rub a dryer sheet on and in the powder tube, it gets rid of the static electricity and meters much better.

I picked up a 4lb jug of 700x about a year ago since it was the only pistol powder I could find

I tried it in 9mm, it felt a little weak and required around max charge to run my g17 reliably. it seems to be a little dirty and theres always some unburnt powder.

it works EXCELLENT in my .45 acp loads, best loads ive found yet for my 1911


if its all you can find go for it, if you dont have a ton of brass I would hold out for some better suited powder to pop up online as it eventually does.

if it was me I would hold on to the brass and watch out for a better powder in 9mm

700x is an excellent powder for 45acp and 12ga

I use 700-X for my .38 special cowboy action loads.  It works just fine.  I use 3.5g with a 125g cast bullet.

As others have said, it doesn't meter all that well .... I get +/- .2g but I don't use any dryer sheets, vibrators, and haven't cleaned by powder bar .... I just dump it in and go.  +/- .2 is fine for my cowboy loads.

I've also been experimenting with it for subsonic 300 BLK rounds.  6.0g with a 208g bullet shoots well, but doesn't cycle in my AR.  I loaded up a few with 6.5g and will try that out this weekend.

All I have used since I started loading pistol, since its all I could find. A bit smokey but meters fine for me using hornady LNL and hornady thrower.

115gr lead 9mm at 3.4 is pretty mild recoil and cycles my xd and CZ 75 fine. Went up to 3.8 and felt a little hotter then factory bulk 115gr 9mm rounds. Could be me though.

Data varies depending on where you find it, as with any powder I suppose. Read where a couple people were loading 115gr lead up to 4.2. They claimed cycling issues with lower loads but I did not experience that.

I've worked up loads for .38 spl, .38 super, 9mm, .40, and .45

I've had very good results in all.  I prefer other powders due to the metering issues, but I came across an 8 pounder when I couldn't find anything else and decided it'd be a good exercise to have some backup loads for my pistols.

Two pounds in a metal ammo can is a bomb waiting for an ignition source. Powder should never be stored in a container like an ammo can. If there is ignition it will contain the pressure leading to faster burn and BOOM.

SAAMI powder storage

I love it for my .38 special hot loads with 158 lead round nose. AWESOME first time shooter loads in a full size revolver.

i use it for 9, 40 and 45
great results so far. its not super clean and wont meter like other non flake powders, but i bought it cheap and just ran out now.
im in the market for a new powder thats better if one exists

Nice
I have been reloading since the 80s and I don't think the SAAMI recommendations for powder storage have changed much since then.  With all the new people getting in to shooting/reloading and the crazy hoarding of powder its a good time for a reality check. Smokeless powder, unconfined, is not an explosion risk. The OP was smart to pass. I would never buy/trade powder that was not in the original sealed container unless it was from someone I knew well. How would you know what your getting?  


I burned a bunch of 700x in 12ga target loads and .45 & .38 loads. Good powder.

700x is my go to load for 9mm subsonic. I've also fired thousands of rounds of .40 and .45 loaded with 700x.

I've used 700X in 9mm, 38 Spl, & 357 Magnum.

I tried it. I had a lot of squibs. Lots of bridging.