9mm Powder Advice Using Lock-N-Load

[Hondo Kid]

I currently have been loading 9mm using Win 231 / HP38. I just got a new Hornady Lock-N-Load powder measure to replace my Lee that leaked all the time. When running the Win231 it hangs up some of the time like it is "cutting" through the powder flakes. It also does not meter consistantly.
I read on another review that this is typical? So I ran some Accurate #5 through and it meters great. Very consistent with no binding at all. Are there any other powders I should be looking at besides the Accurate #5?

 

[Monte F]

Autocomp works well in mine.

 

[DGP4]

I just started loading 9MM so I am no expert. However, I have been using Clean Shot and this powder meters like water. As the name implies, it is very clean burning and very accurate with Hornady 124 grain FMJ bullets out of my High Power.

 

[Rsadams]

I currently have been loading 9mm using Win 231 / HP38. I just got a new Hornady Lock-N-Load powder measure to replace my Lee that leaked all the time. When running the Win231 it hangs up some of the time like it is "cutting" through the powder flakes. It also does not meter consistantly.
I read on another review that this is typical? So I ran some Accurate #5 through and it meters great. Very consistent with no binding at all. Are there any other powders I should be looking at besides the Accurate #5?

Hmmmm , something is wrong if you're having a problem with Win 231.... I have literally loaded thousands and thousands and thousands of 9mm with 231 and never had that experience with the rcbs thrower or Dillon thrower... It flows very well and stays were it should.... My friend used the hornady thrower and I just don't remember him having a problem either..... Not exactly sure what to say that would help but I have just never had a problem with 231....

Edit... I don't know if the hornady thrower has a drum for small pistol like the rcbs but if so use it....

 

[Rodney]

CFE pistol throws well for me. Plus it’s available, which is important in these times.

 

[Bill K]

#1 on CFE Pistol

 

[Hondo Kid]

Hmmmm , something is wrong if you're having a problem with Win 231.... I have literally loaded thousands and thousands and thousands of 9mm with 231 and never had that experience with the rcbs thrower or Dillon thrower... It flows very well and stays were it should.... My friend used the hornady thrower and I just don't remember him having a problem either..... Not exactly sure what to say that would help but I have just never had a problem with 231....

Edit... I don't know if the hornady thrower has a drum for small pistol like the rcbs but if so use it....

Thanks for the hint.....I'll check into that as well.

 

[Hondo Kid]

I just started loading 9MM so I am no expert. However, I have been using Clean Shot and this powder meters like water. As the name implies, it is very clean burning and very accurate with Hornady 124 grain FMJ bullets out of my High Power.

That is the same bullet I am using so I'll give it a run. Thanks

 

[Hondo Kid]

Hmmmm , something is wrong if you're having a problem with Win 231.... I have literally loaded thousands and thousands and thousands of 9mm with 231 and never had that experience with the rcbs thrower or Dillon thrower... It flows very well and stays were it should.... My friend used the hornady thrower and I just don't remember him having a problem either..... Not exactly sure what to say that would help but I have just never had a problem with 231....

Edit... I don't know if the hornady thrower has a drum for small pistol like the rcbs but if so use it....

Yep - you are correct......I just checked and the Lock-N-Load powder measure comes with a "Standard Rotor" and the pistol metering insert is packaged separately.

Thanks to everyone for sharing their favorite powder as well. IT gives me more options once I run thru the powder I have.....

 

[Rsadams]

Yep - you are correct......I just checked and the Lock-N-Load powder measure comes with a "Standard Rotor" and the pistol metering insert is packaged separately.

Thanks to everyone for sharing their favorite powder as well. IT gives me more options once I run thru the powder I have.....

You might try the small drum , on the rcbs it makes it better and it goes up enough for .223 also... Although it's kinda a stick powder if I remember correctly but to push them a little faster Power pistol is good.... Win231 is for medium speeds , just doesn't do well at faster fps....

 

[Twicepop]

Hodgdon Longshot.

 

[klamathsteel]

Titegroup !

 

[kerjo]

I was using Win 231 in my Dillon since 2004 with Hornady JHP 115 grainers for my 9mm. About 5 years ago I switched powders to AA#7 and bullets to Sierra 124gr XTP's and haven't looked back. Much better velocity at 1156 fps with my LabRader and much better groups.

 

[Hondo Kid]

I was using Win 231 in my Dillon since 2004 with Hornady JHP 115 grainers for my 9mm. About 5 years ago I switched powders to AA#7 and bullets to Sierra 124gr XTP's and haven't looked back. Much better velocity at 1156 fps with my LabRader and much better groups.

That is good info. I have been using the Win 231 with 115 gr JHP Berry / Hornday and have just started using the Sierra 124's. I ran some test yesterday using the 124 Sig / Sierra and was getting 1057 using 4.5 with extreme spread of 3 and std dev. of 2. Of course I am using a Caldwell Ballistic Precision chrono so not the best, but all I can afford now. The Accurate #5 only gave me 896 using 5.6 gr with extreme spread of 16 and std dev. 6. The AA#7 may be what I am looking for as well.....Thanks

 

[DiffEQ]

Many thousands of 9mm, 40 SW & 45 on the LnL AP. (Plus 223, 6.5 G, 6.8 SPC...)

• The linkage sucks ballz. Recommend a modified spring return to improve. Caution - too much spring K force and you will crush case mouths.
• Be sure to completely degrease the rotor before you install it. Some flake powders like titegroup will clump and meter very poorly if you do not.
• Every 3rd or 4th drop, I would lightly tap the iron base of the powder hopper to ensure consistent flow.
• Use (and degrease) the correct case funnel.
• You might find it's level of suckage with IMR stick powders (fat kernels) is legendary. Mine struggled with cutting those kernels. What a mess. Eventually I stopped using extruded powders and would only load with ball or flake powder.
• I regularly found it to be leaky, and had compressed canned air to blow powder flakes off of and from underneath the base plate and platten.

Have since moved to a Dillon 650. A lot more to setting it up but produces more consistent ammo while loads neater.

 

[Hondo Kid]

Many thousands of 9mm, 40 SW & 45 on the LnL AP. (Plus 223, 6.5 G, 6.8 SPC...)

• The linkage sucks ballz. Recommend a modified spring return to improve. Caution - too much spring K force and you will crush case mouths.
• Be sure to completely degrease the rotor before you install it. Some flake powders like titegroup will clump and meter very poorly if you do not.
• Every 3rd or 4th drop, I would lightly tap the iron base of the powder hopper to ensure consistent flow.
• Use (and degrease) the correct case funnel.
• You might find it's level of suckage with IMR stick powders (fat kernels) is legendary. Mine struggled with cutting those kernels. What a mess. Eventually I stopped using extruded powders and would only load with ball or flake powder.
• I regularly found it to be leaky, and had compressed canned air to blow powder flakes off of and from underneath the base plate and platten.

Have since moved to a Dillon 650. A lot more to setting it up but produces more consistent ammo while loads neater.

I followed on degreasing the rotor and funnel - the rotor fits really tight, tigher than the rifle one that came with the unit. Any ideas to smooth out or is it just a matter of wear from use? I have run about 20 or so drops thru it of HP-38 and it is consistent for the charge selected (3 gr) so I am happy there.

 

[DiffEQ]

You're using it as a stand-alone or on a LnL AP? After re-reading, it seemed as a stand-alone.
I had mine working smoothly, so it's been a few years since I adjusted, almost six months since I sold it, so I'm a bit rusty. What I do remember : as far as getting it to move smoother, I used a Q tip with axle grease on the outmost edges only, a film so thin you can barely feel. Any more and it would migrate in the drum. You might also try graphite. The oil that really mucked me up was in the cast funnel, powder pocket, and dropper funnel as it came from Hornady. Couldn't see it, but it caused clumping badly.
After getting my paws on a Belding and Mull dropper, I have little use for the Hornady design. Used to have an RCBS, and IIRC, the design was the same. Gave that one away.
I'm surprised you didn't like your Lee. I had a Lee Pro auto disk measure on my Loadmaster ~15 years ago, and although it always felt cheap and took a few attempts to figure out on my first go around, it worked like a champ.

 

[centershot]

Anyone recommend Bullseye for 9 mm?

 

[JimSC]

I went through 10 pounds of 231 in 9mm through the Hornady LNL AP loading 9's for the wife a few years back. Used the small drum with no issues

Sold the AP, now I use a Lyman 55 for what little pistol rounds I load. I like that design a lot better than the drums

 

[divingin]

as far as getting it to move smoother, I used a Q tip with axle grease on the outmost edges only, a film so thin you can barely feel. Any more and it would migrate in the drum. You might also try graphite.

I'm surprised you didn't like your Lee.

Was going to recommend staying away from greasing and going graphite, but you course-corrected.

I actually prefer my Lee Classic measure to just about anything, but have yet to kludge up a linkage to use auto-drop on my LNL-AP.

OP: I run Win WST at very mild loads for bullseye guns in 32SWL, 38 Spl, and 45. Was using Titegroup (after running out of my 12 lb jug of 452AA from the 80's), but couldn't find any during the pandemic and then 10lbs of WST fell into my lap, so...

Bullseye powder should work fine in 9mm.