[Dale]

Much is said, and rightly so, that various powders burn differently.

I reloaded some .38 SPLs and .357 mags for a friend and we shot them yesterday.

Below are two pics. The left hand cartridge is a .38SPL that was loaded with Hodgdon Tite Group powder and on the right is a .357 mag that was loaded with Unique powder.

Both were pushing the same jacketed flat point only in different weights.

As you can see the Hodgdon burned very, very dirty compared with Unique.

I realize these pics are not that good but I think you can clearly see the difference.

Point made.

[Dale]

#2

[pmspinnerb8]

My dad and I discovered Unique years ago and shoot it in all of our pistols from .38s to .45s. Good all around powder.

[Shaun]

another good one is bullseye it burns even cleaner

[Dale]

Bullseye, huh Shaun?

Thanks...definately will try that one next.....yepper...fer sure.

[Shaun]

you'll find that you will use less powder in many calibers with it -- in my mag I am getting 1150fps 125gr GS out of a 2"

[Doglips]

Ill have to try the Bullseye....still sorting out powders I like...at first picked up the cheapest....then a few "friend of a friend of a friend loves this" powder....not trying to settle on a few main ones. Glad I asked about tight group...hard to belive something worse than Win 231

[pmspinnerb8]

I tried Winchester Action Powder once due to a competitive shooter's suggestion. I had trouble finding load data for it and what I tried, I was unimpressed.

[jerry]

700X is also a favorite of mine in target pistol loads. (.45,.38.357) Nice thing is, you can buy it in a 1/2 pound can. It is a little chunky for a meter. If it don't work out, you only have to hand measure 1/2 pound. Or use it in shotgun reloading, great for trap loads too

[FEG]

Comparing how X powder behaves in .38 Special to how Y powder behaves in .357 Magnum isn't like comparing apples to oranges. It's more like comparing apples to bowling balls. Pressure plays a vital role in the combustion of smokeless powder.

Unique, which is a relatively dirty powder, burns fairly clean in the 25,000-40,000 psi range. (.357 Magnum has a maximum peak pressure of 35,000 psi.) TiteGroup, which is supposedly a relatively clean powder (never tried it), is probably a hair slower than optimum for the 17,000 psi .38 Special. Try some Unique in a light .38 Special load, and you'll see what I mean.

Alliant Bullseye is relatively dirty when compared to some of the modern fast-burning powders, such as Winchester Super Target.

[Dale]

I'm gonna pass on trying that idea.....again.

My opinion still stands on Tite Group. I've tried it in too many handguns and with varied pressures.

The result has always been the same.

No need to try it again.

[FEG]

Quote:      

Originally posted by FEG Try some Unique in a light .38 Special load, and you'll see what I mean.

I wasn't suggesting that you try some different loads with TiteGroup. (I also suspect that TiteGroup is a case of "The Emperor Has No Clothes.") I was suggesting that you try a light load of the medium-burning Unique in .38 Special to see how dirty it can be...