Titewad as a pistol powder

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pacobillie

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A friend of mine got out of shotshell reloading and gave me a few pounds of Titewad shotshell powder. (Not to be confused with Titegroup). The problem is that I do not reload shotshells. But I do reaload for pistols.
There are very few published pistol loads that use that powder. Given that it is a very fast burning powder, I was thinking of working up 44 Special or 38 Sp. light target loads with light for caliber cast bullets. Does anyone know of any such loads? Has anyone tried Titewad as a pistol powder?

BTW, I have found published loads in 45 ACP, for 200 grain cast bullets and reloaded some. Recoil was stiff, and accuracy was so-so at best.

BTW, I would shoot those 38 and 44 Sp. loads in Magnum revolvers, so there should be plenty of room for error, even if the pressure gets a tad over spec.
 
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It is a fast powder. I have used 3.0gr for a 124 lead bullet.

It does not meter very well, so weigh some charges to see how consistent it is.

It is very fast, like Bullseye, so don't get carried away looking for high velocity.
 
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I seem to remember Hodgdon being quoted as saying: No-No! No Pistol Data due to somewhat unpredictable behavior!.
 
hatman1793 said:
I couldnt find a single reloading reference for Titewad for 38 or 44 in the 2019 Hodgdon Annual reloading manual.

Perhaps a different powder choice might be more suitable.
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I agree with you. There are better choices out there, such as Bullseye and HP-38, but I was hoping to find a use for it instead of turning it into fertilizer.
 
You can find loads for .38 special over at the Cast Boolits forum.

Starting loads:

2.2gr of Titewad w/ 148gr WC
3.0gr of Titewad w/ 158gr SWC

Please confirm these starting points before using this data as a reference.

Many people here will tell you that certain powders will not work with a particular calibre, with good reason, but I've always enjoyed SAFELY experimenting with new loads. You won't find many loading WST in 9mm with a 147gr bullet but after some testing it has become my favourite load, one which cannot be found in any book.

Stay safe...
 
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kg said:
Yes true, Hodgdon used to discourage using it :):
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Neither of those links points to any public statement by Hodgdon saying it is hazardous for use in handguns. On the contrary, they say the same thing I did, that Hodgdon publishes data for 9mm, .38 Super, and .45 Auto.

I seems possible that 15 years ago Hodgdon didn't support any use other than 12 gauge, but that may have been for lack of data rather than any perceived risk, and anyway they have changed their tune now.
 
To wrap things up, I tried it (Titewad) in 44 Special. Since there are no published loads, I looked at the closest comparable, which was 45 ACP loads. I figured that the larger case capacity would yield lower pressures and would be safe. I ended up loading 4.0 grains, behind a 215 grain lead SWC. I loaded and shot 24 rounds in my S&W 629 revolver.

Recoil was a bit snappier than with my usual load of 5.2 grains of Universal, but not by much. Accuracy was good, but not quite as good as with Universal, but this could be me. I shot without a rest.

POI was at a similar height, although a bit to the left. Ignition, report and recoil were consistent from round to round. There were no signs of either low or high pressure. Now, keep in mind that these loads were shot in a revolver made to handle the pressure of 44 Magnum rounds. This is not an approved manufacturer's load. Use at your own risks.
 
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