.45 acp and 9mm powder choices

[Parker Nalley]

Good evening! I am new to the forum, and new to reloading as well. I have started with 9mm and .45 because I shoot it often, and have a decent amount of brass. I have some test loads of 9mm loaded with unique and cfe pistol. I am about to start on some .45 loads soon and both of these powders show up on all of my load data for .45 as well. Am I missing anything or is there another powder I should consider adding for these two rounds? As of right now these are the only two pistol rounds I plan to load, I will be moving to .223 and .300 BLK next.

Thanks in advance!!
Parker

 

[rsmithsr50]

I like accurate 2 and 5, but what you have works.

 

[rsmithsr50]

are your loads filling the case at least 50%+ ?
best way to prevent a double charge is to use a powder that fills the case more that 50% so there is no room for a bullet if you double charge.

 

[AJC]

I like tightgroup, and ramshot siloette as well as unique for 9 and 45. My sweetheart load for TG is 4.0 grains behind a 115 bullet in 9mm. Still looking for perfection in 45. Unique I like 5.4 grains behind a 115 but is still accurate up to the 5.8 max for me.
My test runs with power pistol was fun but there is way to much muzzle flash for my liking. At 8.5 grains behind a 185, it's like shooting a cannon, minus the smoke. I dont care for PP in my 9 either as the burn rate is so close to unique, but throws flames.

I have not tried but am curious about be-86. Its supposed to be power pistol with a flash suppressant. When my power pistol is gone I may try that also.

 

[Ralph Littlefield]

I have not tried but am curious about be-86. Its supposed to be power pistol with a flash suppressant. When my power pistol is gone I may try that also.

I have been using BE-86 for a couple of years now, and it does well in my 357 Sig and 40 S&W. I prefer a Bullseye or Titegroup in 9MM and 45ACP.

 

[AJC]

I have been using BE-86 for a couple of years now, and it does well in my 357 Sig and 49 S&W. I prefer a Bullseye or Titegroup in 9MM and 45ACP.

Sport pistol seem to be getting a lot of chatter but I have enough powders with TG, unique, and siloette I should just stop playing. It's fun to test and see but after using 250 grains of 7000 and deciding you hate the powder, then what.

 

[Ralph Littlefield]

Sport pistol seem to be getting a lot of chatter but I have enough powders with TG, unique, and siloette I should just stop playing. It's fun to test and see but after using 250 grains of 7000 and deciding you hate the powder, then what.

A pound of Titegroup does go a long way, same with Bullseye.

 

[Parker Nalley]

are your loads filling the case at least 50%+ ?
best way to prevent a double charge is to use a powder that fills the case more that 50% so there is no room for a bullet if you double charge.

The unique fills the case up over 50% I feel like. The CFE does not seem to take up the volume that the unique does for the same grains/ charge

 

[Twicepop]

I started trying 9MM loads with Blue Dot today. After much deliberation I'm becoming impressed with the results that I'm getting. I did run into a problem I've never experienced before. I'm using Vance 147 grain hard cast lead bullets and with a mid point charge I was getting flattened primers. I did the "plunk test" with the barrel removed from the gun and I re-adjusted the bullet seating depth to put the bullet away from the lands. I dropped the load back by 2/10 of a grain with the reduction in length and was still getting flattened primers. I double checked my loaded length and it was still at 1.055" (more on this). I originally loaded the ammo at 1.075" and was getting pressure signs (flattened primers) when I reduced the overall length and reduced the powder charge, I was still getting flattened primers, now what? My loading sequence of events is (1) size and de-cap, (2) neck size/flare case mouth, (3) seat new primer, (4) charge case with powder, (5) seat bullet and double check OAL, (6) taper crimp as a final step. The last 5 rounds I loaded, I double checked the OAL and found that the length of the cartridge had lengthened by as much as .030", jamming the bullets back into the rifling leade, increasing pressure and causing the flattened primers. I've been using a LEE FCD with a carbide ring with jacketed bullets and thought I was getting good results with it. I have no idea why now with the cast bullets I'm using this happened. Those last five rounds, I ran them back through the seating die and they functioned perfectly, and had no flattened primers. I've never been a big fan of LEE stuff in the past, now with this problem, I'll most likely swear off their stuff permanently.

 

[XTR]

I can tell you from experience that W231, at least the stuff from 30 yrs ago didn't fill 50%....

 

[TIMO]

I like Winchester 231, always had good luck with it.
Tim

 

[rsmithsr50]

blue dot is an awesome powder, just a pain to meter.

I started trying 9MM loads with Blue Dot today. After much deliberation I'm becoming impressed with the results that I'm getting. I did run into a problem I've never experienced before. I'm using Vance 147 grain hard cast lead bullets and with a mid point charge I was getting flattened primers. I did the "plunk test" with the barrel removed from the gun and I re-adjusted the bullet seating depth to put the bullet away from the lands. I dropped the load back by 2/10 of a grain with the reduction in length and was still getting flattened primers. I double checked my loaded length and it was still at 1.055" (more on this). I originally loaded the ammo at 1.075" and was getting pressure signs (flattened primers) when I reduced the overall length and reduced the powder charge, I was still getting flattened primers, now what? My loading sequence of events is (1) size and de-cap, (2) neck size/flare case mouth, (3) seat new primer, (4) charge case with powder, (5) seat bullet and double check OAL, (6) taper crimp as a final step. The last 5 rounds I loaded, I double checked the OAL and found that the length of the cartridge had lengthened by as much as .030", jamming the bullets back into the rifling leade, increasing pressure and causing the flattened primers. I've been using a LEE FCD with a carbide ring with jacketed bullets and thought I was getting good results with it. I have no idea why now with the cast bullets I'm using this happened. Those last five rounds, I ran them back through the seating die and they functioned perfectly, and had no flattened primers. I've never been a big fan of LEE stuff in the past, now with this problem, I'll most likely swear off their stuff permanently.

 

[BW64]

Titegroup, Bullseye, Red Dot all work well in 9 & 45.

BW

 

[Bill K]

Unique has served well for years.. The new CFE Pistol is also a very good powder. You have them stick with them.

 

[AJC]

I started trying 9MM loads with Blue Dot today. After much deliberation I'm becoming impressed with the results that I'm getting. I did run into a problem I've never experienced before. I'm using Vance 147 grain hard cast lead bullets and with a mid point charge I was getting flattened primers. I did the "plunk test" with the barrel removed from the gun and I re-adjusted the bullet seating depth to put the bullet away from the lands. I dropped the load back by 2/10 of a grain with the reduction in length and was still getting flattened primers. I double checked my loaded length and it was still at 1.055" (more on this). I originally loaded the ammo at 1.075" and was getting pressure signs (flattened primers) when I reduced the overall length and reduced the powder charge, I was still getting flattened primers, now what? My loading sequence of events is (1) size and de-cap, (2) neck size/flare case mouth, (3) seat new primer, (4) charge case with powder, (5) seat bullet and double check OAL, (6) taper crimp as a final step. The last 5 rounds I loaded, I double checked the OAL and found that the length of the cartridge had lengthened by as much as .030", jamming the bullets back into the rifling leade, increasing pressure and causing the flattened primers. I've been using a LEE FCD with a carbide ring with jacketed bullets and thought I was getting good results with it. I have no idea why now with the cast bullets I'm using this happened. Those last five rounds, I ran them back through the seating die and they functioned perfectly, and had no flattened primers. I've never been a big fan of LEE stuff in the past, now with this problem, I'll most likely swear off their stuff permanently.

The FCD has a sizing ring that is ment for jacketed bullets. It will resize your bullet and cause problems. If you have a way to crimp without that die and see if you problem goes away that's what I believe may help.

 

[AJC]

The unique fills the case up over 50% I feel like. The CFE does not seem to take up the volume that the unique does for the same grains/ charge

A 5.8 grain max load fills the case. I haven checked but I think you would spill at 6 unless using a drop tube.

 

[cheek9075]

One powder, red dot, works for both. I like to pick a powder that works in multiple ammo.

 

[Parker Nalley]

I plan to test this weekend, 4 different loads, with Berrys 124gr Hp. unique (4.5 and 4.8gr) and CFE pistol (4.6 and 5.0gr). My loads could be a little light as these are the first ive loaded and dont want to overdue it. If these don’t do what I Hope, I will try red dot and tite group

 

[jds holler]

I came up loading during the time when if you had a supply of Bulls Eye, you could load any pistol cartridge in existence. And it's still pretty much possible. Same with 231. There are tons of powders nowadays that make it easier to shoot heavier for cartridge bullets, with cleaner burning.

In my antique powder department though, I'm still using mostly forty or fifty year old shotgun powders. And things are fine. jd

 

[std7mag]

You don't mention what grain weight bullets your shooting.
Jacketed, or lead?
Plinking only? Competition? Defense?

For my 45 i shoot 185gr bullets.
LSWC usually gets Unique, or Green Dot. My goal is about 825 fps.
For defense, i'm loading 185gr Sierra JHP, and TournamentMasters. Ramshot Silhouette, with goal of 900 fps.

9mm i'm using 115gr bullets, but starting to make the switch to 124-125gr bullets.
I'm currently shooting Sierra JHP over Silhouette, or True Blue for 1,100 fps.

I have picked up some Sierra Sig Crown 125gr bullets, and some BE86. Load testing to follow.