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Posted: 6/25/2011 4:18:28 PM EDT
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I just bought my first reloading kit, Dillon 550B & other goodies. My question is how did/do you guys choose which powder(s) to use? Cost deciding? Brand name?
I will be doing 9mm & .45acp only for a while, FWIW. Thanks in advance! |
| I am also new to reloading, about 3 weeks and 1500 rounds now. I asked looked through the manuals and asked around to see what was most popular. For my 9mm, I started w/ Accurate No.7 b/c of popularity. This was a good starting point for me and I may experiment w/ different powders as I gain experience. |
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Do you have any reloading books? That's step one if you don't. Lyman is a good generic book, and any bullet manufacturers' book is the best when you're loading their bullets.
Do you know which bullets you're going to try first? After all that: I would probably recommend buying a 1# bottle of Universal. Go from there. |
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I look for a powder that is used in the calibers that I will be loading. I picked up bullseye for 38 spl, 357 mag and 9mm. Spend some time looking at your reloading manual. Find something that gets you the speed you want. Then do what you are doing now ask what others have used with the bullet you want.
MAHA |
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Figuring out what powder to use is 1/2 the fun of reloading. There are SO many choices, and combinations. Primers, seating depth, and bullet choices will make your head spin....
Sierra data has "most accurate load" listed for every bullet they sell, and their loads usually work pretty good for me. I like Win 231 in 9mm, and 45 ACP, Reloader 15 in the 308, and H335 in the 5.56. |
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Quoted:
W-231 would be a great powder to use with your Dillon 550 to load 9mm and 45ACP––I use it it mine!. Reference Hornady's loading manual for data. Agreed. W231 (Hodgdon HP-38 being the same powder) is a great choice for 9mm and light loads in 45acp. Quoted:
Figuring out what powder to use is 1/2 the fun of reloading. There are SO many choices, and combinations. Primers, seating depth, and bullet choices will make your head spin.... Sierra data has "most accurate load" listed for every bullet they sell, and their loads usually work pretty good for me. I like Win 231 in 9mm, and 45 ACP, Reloader 15 in the 308, and H335 in the 5.56. Rob is right...a lot of stuff to choose from, and it's fun! For example, for powders in 45acp I use: Winchester W231 Hodgdon HP-38 Hodgdon H110 Unique Vihta Vuori n310 Power Pistol Hodgdon Clays (plain old clays) For projectiles in 45acp, I use: Rainier 200gr TMJ Rainier 200gr FP Rainier 200gr HP Nosler 185gr HP Montana Gold 200gr JFP Hornady 200gr XTP Hornady 230gr XTP So many combinations. |
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If you want a single powder for .45 Auto, Bullseye is hard to beat. It works well from 185 grains to 230 grains producing near maximum velocity if desired, and generally offers good accuracy. Plus it works very well with cast bullets.
) Bullseye also does very well in the 9mm Para with lighter bullets, but is not so hot with 124-147 grain bullets. Unique is a good compliment as it tends to fill in the gaps, but power pistol is probably better as a single do everything 9mm Para powder as it gives near maximum velocities across the entire range of bullet weights. One advantage to old school powders like Bullseye and Unique are that there is tons of load data out there for them, and almost everyone stocks them as they are used for a wide range of pistol calibers. But - with the .45 Auto in particular - be aware of the large case and the incredible ease at which it will hold a double charge of most pistol powders without overflowing. That makes it imperative that you develop the habit of checking the powder level of each case 1) by visually inspecting all the charged cases in the loading block if using a single stage press or 2) visually inspecting each case as the case moves from powder to seating station on a progressive press, or 3) by using a powder check die between the powder and seating stations on a progressive press. A double charge will ruin your whole day. |
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I haven't told a story in a while, every one loves a good story.
This is my sad as it is, how I got started story. The biggest part of my first 10 years of reloading and shooting, looking back were pretty much a disaster. I had a 1911 I didn't understand. I owned a Lee Loadmaster press that hated me and nothing I did made my ammunition cycle much past 80%. We didn't have much for manuals and the one I had needed an interpreter. What powder I used was what the guy behind gun shop counter recommended with his recommended charge weights. Fast forward some years later and Hodgdons list charge weights on 1 pound powder labels. This would be how I got charge weights and made powder selections for a long, long time. If powder label didn't have my caliber on label then I didn't buy it. That's how I switched from Unique to Hodgdons Clays and Titegroup. In the last five years I've started picking up manuals. Lot's of manuals. Today the first thing that makes a powder decision necessary is need. Task based need. Then I hit my books with an idea of what bullet to use and make powder selection based on most accurate powder either Hornady or Sierra lists. When choosing powder for lead. Lyman does the best job of choosing your powder for you and as you get more acquainted with bullet types and learn to interpret oal you will find Lee's Manual important to own. This is the condensed version of how I make component decisions. More will come along and expand, ask if you have questions. Be more than happy to explain specifics. Very, very rarely will I make a powder choice based on forum recommendations. Read up before you load up. 
Best quote of the year belongs to Bee Keeper........ RTFM |
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Determine the bullet you are going to use and then buy/procure the approriate load manual. If you buy Hornady XTP's than buy the Hornady Loading Manual. The manual will tell you what the most accurate/efficient loads are for their bullets and save you time and energy in buying powders that won't work well. For Generic Load Data check out the Lyman 49th and LoadData.com.
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Quoted:
But - with the .45 Auto in particular - be aware of the large case and the incredible ease at which it will hold a double charge of most pistol powders without overflowing. That makes it imperative that you develop the habit of checking the powder level of each case 1) by visually inspecting all the charged cases in the loading block if using a single stage press or 2) visually inspecting each case as the case moves from powder to seating station on a progressive press, or 3) by using a powder check die between the powder and seating stations on a progressive press. A double charge will ruin your whole day. I am aware of a double charge danger as my cousin blew up his Taurus with a reload. This issue is another reason why I seek advice on powder selection as I was wondering if there was/is a powder that is enough in volume to prevent a bullet from seating if there was in fact a double charge by error? Obviously there is this chance if a powder charge is small enough to get two charges in one case & then allowing enough room for the bullet to seat & crimp. For those whom asked, I'll be loading nothing but FMJ for plinking & match use. Nothing benchrest or bulls-eye, IOW. I saw several guys at today's steel match that had trouble with their reloads. Everything from a suspected high primer to a bulged case to who-knows-what. I know I'm wishing a dream, but I want MY reloads to be as reliable as the GA Arms ammo I've been using for years. I know in reality this won't happen until I get a great deal of experience in reloading, but I at least hope to minimize the potential issues as much as possible with painstaking care. I don't have a manual yet but I'm leaning towards a Speer based on my readings in here. I'm open to more suggestions on that line.................... |
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