Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading powder for 9mm luger

Have never loaded for 9mm just wondering what you guys like and why.
Pistol is 1911 4.25" barrel

Limiting bullets to 115 gr and 124 gr. Most likely plated and/or coated bullets.

Thanks in advance

Unique worked so well for me, I never tried anything else.

I don't load them often but when I do I keep it simple with either 231 or Unique.

Red Dot, Accurate 5, 700X, 800X, Longshot, titegroup, titewad even cfe pistol before slumming Unique unless feeling nostalgic.

Used to be heavy into .357 mag and .45 acp still have a lifetime supply of Unique. Anybody try Trailboss? I have a good supply of it also.

I have a lifetime supply also, 2 1/2 lbs. 😳

W231, Universal, are my two favorites , but about anything in that burn rate will work as Swifty noted

W231, Universal, are my two favorites , but about anything in that burn rate will work as Swifty noted

I've used W231, CFE Pistol & Titegroup. All worked well.

Pick one.

I use Alliant Sport Pistol, It is made for plated and coated bullets. Coated bullet manufactures recommend it because it will not melt lead and lead up your pistol. I have fired many thousands of them with no leading and the powder is very clean. For jacketed bullets I use Winchester 231.

I’ve had good results with Unique, Bullseye, 231 and one I’ve taken to recently is Power Pistol. PP with 115 bullets has been really accurate along with top velocities in pistols and 9mm carbines.

Have made good loads with 231 and N320 for target loads. Have used BE-86 with success also.

With the way prices are now Vhitavuori powders are actually a good deal locally when 4 pound jugs are available. I’ve used N110 and N320 and both work well and burn clean. I think N330 was made for 9MM and the N340 and N350 are good for SD loads.

Titegroup
Power Pistol
HS-6

These are my favorite. I’ve tested most 9mm powders commonly listed and these 3 have consistently produced the smallest 5 shot groups bench tested at 25 yards for many different 9mm handguns I’ve owned or my friends have owned. It’s hard to go wrong with a 124/125 JHP and 4.0G of Titegroup or 5.2G of Power Pistol. YMMV.

Thanks sidewinder72 I thought I had read somewhere long ago about powders especially for plated bullets.
And thanks to all for your input.

WSF has worked well for me.

Unique and HS-6.

I have been using HP 38 for years. When I finally use up the 8 pound box, I think I will use Clean Shot. It is in the sam burn range is is much less sooty than HP 38. I bought a can to try about a year ago and I like what I see.

I've been loading Universal in my .38 Spl, 9mm Luger, .44 Spl, and .45 acp, but my supply is running low so I'll probably switch to Unique for all of those pistols.

I've heard it said that Unique was "dirty". Back in my cowboy action days, guys and gals shooting slow, low powered Unique loads did have a good bit of residue.

But, in the 9mm, shooting at full pressure, those hot loads burn pretty clean. Run it hot, it's pretty clean.

I have a good supply of Unique, so I use it. I also have Power Pistol and others that work well.

I have a big jug of Clays from my CAS days. It works well for those kinda loads, would probably work OK in the 9mm with plinking loads. Just gotta make sure such loads will cycle the action.

Clays is a clean burning powder.

DF