Powder choice for 9mm?

Skinny 1950

Skinny 1950

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I am going to add 9mm to the list of calibres that I reload. The bullet will be cast from a hard lead alloy and weigh about 125 grains round nose.
I am reloading 45 Colt, 45ACP and 30-30 using Unique Powder..the 30-30 is pretty tame judging by the recoil but the 45 Colt and 45ACP are about the same velocity as factory ammo.
I have a feeling that Unique powder is not going to work for the 9mm and I would like to add some punch to the 30-30 so is there a powder that will work well for both 9mm and 30-30. I want to keep my inventory of powders to a minimum to avoid any mistakes that could result in serious injury or death.
 
Pistol powder and rifle powders typically don't work the same.

Unique is a good all around powder but won't give you the best performance in either application.

Pistols typically use faster powders as they have a small case, and short barrel and need to burn quicker to gain speed in a shorter time.

Rifle powders are the opposite. Typically longer barrels, and larger cases allow slower burn and build pressure, and speed in the longer barrel.

Exceptions are powders like h110 which works well in magnum pistol rounds and smaller rifle cartridges.

This should all be explained in a reloading manual, which I assume you have already read.....

The Unique is good for plinkers in the 30-30 but that is about it, and most any pistol powder will only provide the same. Blue Dot is another that is used in cast plinking loads like a 30-30 as well as pistols. Bottom line is if you want to load some proper 30-30 you need rifle powders to do it. I have used Hodgdon's H4895, Varget, Reloader 7, and they all do well.

For 9mm your Unique will do fine, but I use Power Pistol myself. One of the more popular powders is Win 231, and I have used it with good results.
 
For 9mm. I like to use Alliant Powder Power Pistol. I works great in other semi to. I have different powders for other guns. lead or FMJ As for your 30 30 I would look for more of a rifle powder. Unique works good for what you want. Lyman cast bullet Handbook has most of your specs. I was just reading it now. I have made 45/70 with Unique using a filler
 
Id say, win 231 for you 9 mm. Ive recently switched to it and am impressed all around. And a rifle powder for you 30 30.....your choice, but make it a rifle powder, unless you making plinkers. just my 2 cents.
 
Thanks for the information, if I can make the Unique work for the 9mm then I will find some some rifle powder to load the 30-30 and I should be set.
 
For 9mm I have trialed many powders that gave acceptable/great performance at the range. The list includes Unique, WST, Longshot, Bluedot, 800X, Powder Pistol, Bullseye (my personal favorite), and N350.

Any one of these will work. The question is what do you want to accomplish in terms of performance and then match the powder to the application.

Later.........
 
I have used unique., Red Dot., Bullseye, Blue dot and Clay..Red Dot and Bullseye are my favors...burn clean., I don't feel much differentce in recoil...9mm generally has less recoil..
 
slicknova said:
Id say, win 231 for you 9 mm. Ive recently switched to it and am impressed all around. And a rifle powder for you 30 30.....your choice, but make it a rifle powder, unless you making plinkers. just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...

Me too but I really like Titegroup for my 9s.
 
If you use unique in the 30-30 I assume you shoot cast bullets. Switch to a medium burning powder like h335, 748, RL7 for a bit more zip. There are other powders too, such as AA 5744 and IMR3031 but I have limited exposure to them. RL7 is my goto for cast in rifle these days.

Bullseye or titegroup are fine for the pistol stuff that you load. I use whichever I can find.

I use unique in 44-40, but only because I have pounds of the stuff. I don't like the way it meters and prefer ball or short grain powders
 
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