What is everyones Favorite / go to powder for 9MM
- Thread starter Ontariooutdoorsman
- Start date
Holy hell lol, I don't think I need try VV320 that badly. $20-30.00 more a pound then other common powders is a bit extreme.
While $50/lb isn't uncommon, you can get it cheaper if you look hard enough. When I first started loading with VV powder it was $40 / 0.5Kg (1.2lbs) tax in, and Win 231 was $28. VV N310 was 3.4 grains, whereas 231 was 4.4 grains, the math is basically the same $$ per 1000 rounds. The VV is a far cleaner powder than any other pistol powder i've used, so it wasn't a hard choice.
231 is $32/lb in bulk and vv n310 is $43.75 now.
I got a 2kg jug of N340 for a good price a year and a half ago. I like it but I found n340 seems to be better for the slightly hotter loads. Worked quite well in 9mm, .45, .38 and even .357 loads. I've also loaded up 1lb bottles of TiteGroup, W231, and CFEPistol in 9mm. TG and w231 are cheap to buy and shoot, CFE for me was 'meh'. I don't know if it was just me or not, but I found TG to heat up the gun a little quicker than most other powders. Vihtavuori powders seem to burn on the cooler side.
Once the n340 runs out it's time for a jug of n320! I'm thinking that'll be the go-to from then on.
I've only loaded n310 for .45auto, and I loved it for nice, light plinking loads. Soft shooting, accurate, clean-burning... What's not to like?
*Note to self - Get more N310 with the purchase of N320!
TiteGroup burns very hot. It is not a friendly powder if you are loading cast lead bullets. I also had issues with it bridging in my powder measure resulting in a bunch of squib loads. I won't use it any more.
Auggie D.
OK... pardon my nerdiness... but since Im also looking to start reloading I was curious as to the tally...
Here is the current count (up to post # 67 -- I didnt count any that said the powder was just Meh or they weren't overly enthused. If they listed 2 powders as good, both ended up with a point)
Count: Vote For:
16 = Titegroup ** some like it, some just have it (didnt count the ones that said last resort)
15 = VV N320 ** =consensus very clean...but also pricier
12 = WIN 231
8 = Unique
7 = WSF
6 = HS6
4 = CFE Pistol
3 = 700x
3 = Bullseye
3 = HP38
3 = Longshot
3 = VV N340
2 = Power Pistol
1 = Accurate Arms #2
1 = Accurate Arms #7
1 = Clays
1 = H110
1 = Red Dot
1 = VV N310
Here is the current count (up to post # 67 -- I didnt count any that said the powder was just Meh or they weren't overly enthused. If they listed 2 powders as good, both ended up with a point)
Count: Vote For:
16 = Titegroup ** some like it, some just have it (didnt count the ones that said last resort)
15 = VV N320 ** =consensus very clean...but also pricier
12 = WIN 231
8 = Unique
7 = WSF
6 = HS6
4 = CFE Pistol
3 = 700x
3 = Bullseye
3 = HP38
3 = Longshot
3 = VV N340
2 = Power Pistol
1 = Accurate Arms #2
1 = Accurate Arms #7
1 = Clays
1 = H110
1 = Red Dot
1 = VV N310
HP-38 and W231 are the same thing just different branding. Hodgdon will confirm if you call them. That kind of ties of the top three and I kind of expected this result.
I use HP-38 because it was $2-$3 /lb cheaper than 231 locally.
Good work on this!
What would be really cool, although not straightforward, would be to look at how much of each powder is required for an "average" (whatever that is) power factor. Then incorporate the "typical" (whatever that is) price to give some factual information around which powders are more expensive from a real-world usage point of view. Or...hey, this is getting good...provide a "price factor" to each powder based on that previous calculation, so that when looking at two powders on the shelf and their selling price, you can easily determine which will be least expensive to load, all other factors being equal. Sorry, I don't volunteer to do this, just contributing the idea.
ooh didnt know this! good to know!
It's a good clean burning 9mm Major load. Here's my workup to a 164PF and didn't notice any pressure signs at all. If I was going to compete in Open, I would probably bump up to a 7.4gr load.
Attachments
Here's a blurb that Henry (Budget Shooter Supply) has posted http://www.budgetshootersupply.ca/frame.cfm?ItemID=1542&CategoryID=66
"Hodgdon HP38 is a spherical powder that is great for low velocity and mid-range target loads in the .38 Special, .44 Special, and 45 ACP. This high energy powder provides economy in loading.
HP-38(Hodgdon brand) and W-231(Winchester brand) are the same powder, within .01 grain of each other for load data (one has a flash suppresant, dont remember which one. It is an incredible powder for accuracy in 9x19, 38 special, and .45acp.
Quote:
''Win. 231 and HP-38 are exactly the same powder. Any data you see for one you can safely use with the other.
Dave Campbell
Hodgdon/ IMR/ Winchester''
HP-38(Hodgdon brand) and W-231(Winchester brand) are the same powder, within .01 grain of each other for load data (one has a flash suppresant, dont remember which one. It is an incredible powder for accuracy in 9x19, 38 special, and .45acp.
Quote:
''Win. 231 and HP-38 are exactly the same powder. Any data you see for one you can safely use with the other.
Dave Campbell
Hodgdon/ IMR/ Winchester''
I've seen Win 231 shot at dusk and it's got a LOT muzzle flash, so I think it's the HP38 that has the flash suppressant.
I tried it, seemed OK but costs about 20% more to use compared to HP38 due to the larger quantity of more expensive powder for the same velocity. So I save mine for just .45acp now.
