Powder(s)

[Dalebert]

I do have one reloading manual, but I'm a techie, so I definitely do more research and reading online. Just like here, I have a good handle on what to trust and what to keep researching (I try not to just ignore without further consideration, even if I do disagree). Of course in your case you told me to stop being lazy, which is pretty much what I should have done from the start :-)

 

[Buster Brown]

Id also suggest unique. Usually cheap and can do nearly any handgun load. Another powder like unique thats often overlooked is Herco.

 

[Doobie]

I’ve used HP-38 in 9mm, 38 Special, 357 Magnum, and 45 ACP with good results.

 

[Pensfaninmd]

I’ve used HP-38 in 9mm, 38 Special, 357 Magnum, and 45 ACP with good results.

This.

 

[trickg]

For the cartridges you mentioned I’m going to jump on the bandwagon and also say that Unique would fit the bill, as would HP-38/W231, and Bullseye. I have all three on my reloading bench and use them all.

With that said, part of the joy of reloading is in finding loads that not only work, (and LOTS of loads will work - there are thousands of available combinations across bullet weights, types, powders, etc) but more importantly that you LIKE.

Good luck with it!

 

[DaemonAssassin]

There are ‘one book/one caliber’ books available which collect and possibly condense load data from several bullet manufacturers.

I added these for 9,45,223 back when I started loading back in 2012-2013. Components were very hard to find back then and these 1B1C are very portable (8.5”x 5.5”) and spiral bound. Kept them in my glovebox/briefcase so I could review them as I shopped - sure beat carrying the hot day, Sierra and Lyman books with me and covered me in the situation where the retailer had no 230gr Sierra bullets but did have Hornadys

I’d upload a pic of one of the tables as an example but have a Tapatalk issue ATM

ETA - Sierra has an eManual available and while it ‘works’ I much prefer the way information is presented in the print version.

Those one caliber, one book manuals are severely out of date by the time you buy them. I honestly wouldn't even get one.

 

[outrider58]

...With that said, part of the joy of reloading is in finding loads that not only work, (and LOTS of loads will work - there are thousands of available combinations across bullet weights, types, powders, etc) but more importantly that you LIKE.

Good luck with it!

^^^This

The fun is in the 'getting there'.

 

[Pinecone]

There are ‘one book/one caliber’ books available which collect and possibly condense load data from several bullet manufacturers.

I added these for 9,45,223 back when I started loading back in 2012-2013. Components were very hard to find back then and these 1B1C are very portable (8.5”x 5.5”) and spiral bound. Kept them in my glovebox/briefcase so I could review them as I shopped - sure beat carrying the hot day, Sierra and Lyman books with me and covered me in the situation where the retailer had no 230gr Sierra bullets but did have Hornadys

I’d upload a pic of one of the tables as an example but have a Tapatalk issue ATM

ETA - Sierra has an eManual available and while it ‘works’ I much prefer the way information is presented in the print version.

Realize that most of those are copies of other manuals, but not updated as often.

 

[Pinecone]

I missed the list of pistol calibers in the OP.

Unique is a good one. Also WW231/HP38.

You are not going to get max performance out of these fast powders in .357 Magnum, but it will work.

 

[BigRick]

Those one caliber, one book manuals are severely out of date by the time you buy them. I honestly wouldn't even get one.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Most companies update yearly or every other year. Staying up to date is always a plus.

 

[Pinecone]

I’ve used HP-38 in 9mm, 38 Special, 357 Magnum, and 45 ACP with good results.

Which is what I said.

BTW, HP-38 and WW231 is exactly the same powder.

 

[Pinecone]

Also, for pistols, you are talking about a goodly number of rounds per pound. So having 3 or 4 powders around is only have 3 or 4 pounds.

Most of your pistols loads are 1000 rounds or more per pound of powder.

Unlike rifles, where are you talking about a few hundred rounds. My 5.56 load is 205 round per pound. My .308 load is 160.

My 4.5 ACP load (WW231) is almost 1300 rounds per pound. 9mm will be even more rounds.

 

[Magnumite]

Exception being large doses of magnum class powder. These will yield from about 285 (44 Mag) loads to around 525 (357 Mag) per pound of powder. Don’t push the Blue Dot too hard and those 500 loads will fuel good 44 Magnum loads.

 

[Biggfoot44]

There is no single powder that does it all . Further , there is a difference between finding a safe load for a particular cal , and reaching anywhere near its potential .

In the case of your handgun cals , .357mag is a distant outlier from the rest, IF you wish actual magnum loads . For the rest , there are a large plethora of fast to medium powders that will work . ( .25acp ? Do you really do high volume plinking ? Going to be working up 25yd benchrest loads for .25acp ? 100rds of Factory rounds would probably be a lifetime supply ,and there isn't any room to improve performance .)

For full power-ish .357 , you will need a slow powder . A bunch of choices , but the most versatile ( by magnum pistol context ) include AA9, 4227 , and 2400 . Of those , 4227 gives the most consistent accurate loads without really trying . W296/H110 are popular to absolutely maximize velocities , but are one trick ponies . The 3 I sugguested can be downloaded to overlap with medium-ish velocities .

I've long said , If I had only two pistol powders, they would be 231 and 4227 , .

 

[ras_oscar]

Many of the powders we buy have fanciful names most likely selected my marketing types. However, a goodly number have a manufacturers letter prefix followed by 3 or 4 numbers. Are the numbers in any way related to the speed/performance of he powder ( like COVID 19 was discovered in human population in 2019) or are they just numbers selected because nobody had used it for a powder yet?

 

[kalister1]

https://loaddata.com/Article/BurnRateCharts/Powder-Burn-Rate-Chart-NEW/159

 

[Seabee]

I'm a relatively new reloader...familiar enough with the process to not blow myself up, but I still don't have all my routines figured out. So I have MANY questions still. Here is the latest that has been a thorn in my side...

Is there a tool that I can use to figure out what powder would be good for more than one cartridge? The idea is that I'd like to have the fewest number of powders taking up space/budget and still reload everything I want. I know how to look up one cartridge at a time and compare the lists, but then I need to do the same thing across several MFGs and I was thinking that it would be nice to have a chart of some kind (or better yet a website) with a cartridge list down the left side and a list of powders across the top, then a mark in the intersecting boxes where load data can be had. As an added complication maybe a green mark if it is a good volume and yellow if the load data and maybe a link to the powder MFG load data.

Am I asking to be spoon-fed? Maybe a little, but not completely, I feel that we should use tech for what it is good at...my brain is better at thinking than record keeping.

Or, alternatively, what powder would you use for 25acp, 9mm, 38spc, 357 & 45acp? Is there a single powder or a pair of powders that covers all of those?

I just joined so I haven't posted alot, but I've read quite a bit on the site, so thank you everyone for everything you've already shared.

Dalebert

Buy a good reloading manual and compare the listed chamberings. Sierra has a good selection of cartridges and powders listed.

 

[Shamr0ck]

Those one caliber, one book manuals are severely out of date by the time you buy them. I honestly wouldn't even get one.

Realize that most of those are copies of other manuals, but not updated as often.

Fair point on both and I cautioned him about this in a PM. I don’t rely on the load data in them, just as a portable, convenient cross reference for powder/bullet combinations.

Plenty of online and bullet manufacturer resources to validate low/high charge amounts once you’ve selected a bullet and powder

Thx for pointing out though as it’s an important point. My 1B1C books were purchased back in 2013 and show 2011 copyrights.

 

[PowPow]

https://loaddata.com/Article/BurnRateCharts/Powder-Burn-Rate-Chart-NEW/159

This can be particularly useful when you can't find the powder you've been using, and you need to find something in the same neighborhood. At least, that's been my main use case.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Sometimes a number in the powder consumer name actually has a logical meaning, the RL series being the most obvious example .

But usually it is either arbitrary, or else has some internal manufacturing significance , not relevant to retail consumers . Bullseye-86 aka BE-86 is a good example . ( For those wondering , it was previously an OEM only powder , but Alliant released it as a canister powder to met a percieved market demand . It is in the same niche as Power Pistol .)