9mm: Whats the Best powder on a budget and basic plinking :)

Only tried unique so far with increments from 4.0 to 5.0 grains with 125 gr lead bullets. 4.5 and 4.6 gr seems to be the sweet spot though.
 
I agree, loaded light Univ. burns dirty (most powders do) and there is some unburned powder all over the floor :) Basic plinking kinda implies light loads.
N320 is prolly the best for 9mm but isn't cheap, OP was asking about basic budget powder for plinking. Clays is cheap, Univ. Clays is a bit more and being slower would require more powder per load. That's my take :)
 
the price for unique is fair, the primers you are getting ripped off. I usually get CCI's for $30 tax in, so your paying double.

I am getting CCI 500 small primers (100 box) @ 5.99 each... is this pricey? Powder price not too bad, $25.99 for 1 pound of Unique.
 
Glad you don't have plans to hunt with your handgun. Canadian Gov't doesn't go for that stuff.

Lots of so called pistol calibers are available in non-restricted rifles. .357 & .44 are quite popular, but 9mm is also around. We had trouble with a CO once when he found .357 brass on the ground @ our huntcamp. He thought one of us had a restricted pistol in camp. We had to pull out the Winchester 94 Trapper chambered in .357mag to show him ;).

Getting back to the OP's question; I use 3.6gr of Titegroup with 124gr cast bullets. It is a nice plinking load. I didn't notice it being especially dirty.
 
The reality is, regardless of the powder you pick, the difference between the cheapest and most expensive will mean less than $10 difference per thousand rounds.

Don't worry about the cost, as frankly it's almost not a factor.

I'd concentrate more on a powder that is in the right burning rate range, available, and clean burning if possible.

Universal burns cleanest as it approaches the top of it's pressure limit. It's a very safe powder to work up a load near the top end of the velocity range.

I'm working up a load currently with it and the 124gr BDX bullets.

I prefer N320 for it's clean burning, and very fine metering through powder measures.
My experience with powder prices is very different from yours.
I recently picked up a pound of Titegroup for $21.00.
The last pound of N320 I picked up was $46.00:eek:

How much are you getting N320 for?
 
I just switched to N320

Universal burns cleanest as it approaches the top of it's pressure limit. It's a very safe powder to work up a load near the top end of the velocity range.

I'm working up a load currently with it and the 124gr BDX bullets.

I prefer N320 for it's clean burning, and very fine metering through powder measures.

Hi Canuck223....

I just switched to VV N320 from SR4756.. and wow what a difference.. A much cleaner powder.. and I load 147 grain lead bullet with VV N320 and it feels more like a .22 than a 9mm...

RDG
 
I am getting CCI 500 small primers (100 box) @ 5.99 each... is this pricey? Powder price not too bad, $25.99 for 1 pound of Unique.

You're getting hosed on the primers. They should be more like $36/1000.

:agree:CCI #500 Small Pistol Primers $34.00/1000 from here http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=570938

Henry is great to deal with and is probably a short drive from you.

Yeah buy your primers by the 1000 box. Even Wholesale sports is about $34/1000.

That's a pretty standard price for a lot of the Alliant powders I think. I won't argue that if you take into considerstion ALL powders out there that some can be more expensive for sure, but it sounds like you should be more concerned with what's available. As well I bet the powders available to you would make a difference of a few dollars on 1000 rounds anyway.
 
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