The Deploreable Powder Situation

I prefer to use Hodgdon HS6 in my 45ACP. More bulky so hard to double charge the case. I have also used IMR Trailboss. If you don't mind light loads this works well. A full case of Trailboss is at the bottom end of the power spectrum, just don't compress it, but it seems to shoot well and my Ruger 1911 runs really well on it. You can usually get Trailboss but other pistols powders are such a pain to get.
 
...and half an ancient can of Unique that I'm nervous about using. .

Mail it to me, I'll use it :) Loaded up a pound or two that my grand dad bought 40 years ago (with primers he also had purchased)...it all worked fine. If it's been sealed and in a stable temp environment, it's good.
 
This was my first thought. One Lung Wonder should be pleased that he has stretched his supply of W231 out to last essentially to the end of the shortage. Powder is spotted more and more frequently every week now, I suspect the common powders will be fairly easy to obtain by early summer. With a stash of 1700 still to go, I would say he's sitting pretty. Which is why I don't feel obligated to offer some of the 8lbs keg of W231 I have had sitting in my Edmonton basement for the last year :cool:.

Why...how RUDE!!!!

Mind you, ya can't blame a fella for having taste in who he does business with I suppose - and I wouldn't do business with a filthy old gun club duffer either if I were a respectable man! I am just getting back into the sport after taking off a couple years boys. I am using the last of my handloaded ammo from 2010, and then I am into the slightly newer 1700 rounds I cooked up on a new Dillon - and then it sat for a couple years. It was the damndest thing - I just lost all interest in the shooting sports for awhile. Oh sure, I got out a few times but not like I used to.

When I got back in I got waylaid by black rifles for a bit - and got that out of my system...and then decided to go back to my roots and shoot the guns of my youth and perhaps maybe pick up a few I always wanted. I bought an M1A, and this year a Ruger Mk III .22 ... and I have an OVERDUE SPRINGFIELD TROPHY MATCH PISTOL coming in from the boys at Prophet River. (Note to Tanner and Clayton: that is me holding on line 2! I know you're there,!!! Don't make me come down there....). I have been through ammo shortages before and have learned to stock up when the stuff is in town. I remember for awhile when the liberals hijacked the country and were trying to shove new gun controls up the nation's collective arse - primers became impossible to get. I had about 15 000 of all the types stored up so I just yawned when everyone else was screaming bloody murder. You younger, newer shooters take note - shortages are a recurring issue in this sport - so stock up!

I found half a can of Red Dot, half a can of W231 ... so I guess there will be .45 slugs flying in every direction here soon. The foolish firearm forum folk are strongly advised to take cover.
:)
 
I probably shouldn't mention I found a couple of pounds of W231 from one of the fine suppliers last week then. So just so you know that did not happen.

That may have been from the same fella here in Mission? I got his last two pounds, after waiting 18 months. He ordered 100 lbs. and got 10. :(
 
Is this a joke you guys play on the stupid kids Auggie? I'm asking because I'm the kind of guy that spends more time shooting than reloading and in my experience my guns get just as filthy with red dot as they do with 231. I clean my guns once a month anyways so is this really a big issue? I am going to definitely grab Titegroup next time it crops up (Gander seems to like it so I will give it a whirl) - but are these other powders just as accurate in your guns?
 
I find WST every bit as accurate in my .38's and .357 light loads as 231, without the dirty grey "Shooter's thumbs" 231 leaves. As always, your guns may behave differently.

Auggie D.
 
Can someone give me an idea what a decent price is on powder, if you were in the US,,,My friend is driving south, and can bring some up for my reloader. feel free to PM me, thx
 
Unless your friend really likes gambling, he shouldn't even try bringing propellant across the border. Bad news if he gets stopped on the US side without proper export documents.

Auggie D.
 
Bringing powder INTO Canada isn't the issue, it's taking it OUT of the US. Their rules are where the problems lie. There are many threads about this.

Auggie D.
 
When it comes to whether a powder is dirty or not I think it may depend on the cartridge/load/bullet combination. I use 700X for a lot of my pistols as I bought lots of it when I was reloading shotgun. I have seen quite a few comments on different threads stating how clean it burns.... for me my pistols look like a tractors exhaust pipe after a shooting session. Could scrape out the soot with a knife! Since it is the powder I have the most of however I will use it and deal with the soot which is more of an inconvienience than a concern.:cool:
Rodney
 
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