Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Advice on powder for 9mm and 40 s&w

I been reloading for rifles and want to start reloading soon for these two pistol calibers just for plinking purposes not looking for top speed just maybe middle of charge or so. Probably shoot bulk berry bullets or something of that for plinking. What is a good all around powder for both I see unique and power pistol and bullseye and titegroup listed pretty regular anyone care to give me some advice. Thanks

Well, Unique is IMHO, the single best powder for 9mm up although, in reduced loads it gets a little smokey. Bullseye is never a mistake.
Just for plinking and to get the most loads from a single pound of powder, I've found Ram Shot Competition to deliver. 3.3 grains has never malfunctioned in my CZ-75B and is accurate but, extremely smokey. 3.6 grains is clean burning and gives a 115 gr. plated bullet over 1000 fps. I've never used Comp. in .40 S&W but, have no reason to doubt it'll work there too.

While Unique is an outstanding powder, performance wise, it's really dirty.

PowerPistol is newer, almost identical burn rate, loading & performance & much, much cleaner.

It's my preferred & go-to powder for everyday use when it's available for 9's, 40's & 45 ACP.

But I've recently been working with BE-86 & mainly because of very low flash, & being about as clean as PP, it may become my new preference.........more to come later.

MM

should mention 231, which has been used for years.

WSF will do everything Unique will in these cartridges, but is less bulky (good thing for the 9mm) and being a ball powder, meters a lot easier.

The new version of Unique burns much cleaner than the older version did

Yep, WSF and also Silouette are my favorites.

That was my do-all pistol powder for years until it and HP38 became unobtanium, I used Unique long ago but switched to Universal for its better metering qualities; and am back to using it again.

Universal would be my choice if limited to one pistol powder for 9mm to warm 45 Colt.

Been using Titegroup exclusively in my .45 and 9mm. Makes it easy when using the Dillon. Very clean and economical for bulk shooting. I shoot either played or powder coated billets--whatever I can get locally.

I used to have favorite powders until there was a several year dry spell when no handgun or shotgun powders could be found. So when Powder Valley finally got some in stock, I ordered four kegs of Universal. Should keep my handguns fed for a bit

Having done a boat load of testing with jacketed, cast, light for caliber, and heavy for caliber bullet weights across 9mm, 38 Special, 357 Mag, 40 S&W, 44 Special, 44 Mag, and 45 ACP the single most versatile, consistent and accurate powder for me has been Ramshot True Blue.

I can share some of my test results if you like, but if I was limited to one powder for handgun loads, it would be True Blue. It runs through the powder measure like water too. Measures ultra consistent.

Mark in GA

What about blue dot and green dot? Is it any good

Blue dot is too slow, I'd have to check a burn chart for green dot.

I went to the store to get powder in anticipation of a new gun, to me, arriving. They had nothing on my list, and I ended up with universal. Anybody got a recipe for it in .44 special and 200 grain cast? miles

it is interesting the regional differences in supply for these powders.
some months ago i wanted to try some loads with universal and titegroup. Had to look all over the place to find it.
Unique, not so much.

Blue Dot is excellent in the 40 S&W for top end loads.

It's too bulky to be much use in 9mm though.

Green Dot is too fast for full power loads, but OK for light plinkers. Pretty much any powder with a burn rate between Bullseye and Unique is good for light plinker loads though.

here's alot of info........

http://www.reloadammo.com/44sloads.htm

I use Titegroup in 9mm, 40 and 45

Mike

6.0 gr of Trail Boss. And I actually found a bottle of it the other day at Cabela's. I've also been happy with Titegroup.

Rocky did an article on the .44 Special a few years back and sang the praises of American Select, but I have had no success finding it.

Power Pistol