Powder for

[crow#2]

I'm a pest I know.
Could someone reccomend about 3 to 4 powders that would be good for 45Lc and 44mag. I would like to shoot a little lighter than full blown loads. Just want to lighten the recoil. I don't hunt so full loads are just not needed. Seems like about 30 years ago I used Unique for 44 mag. Anyway any suggestions appreciated
Thankyou I'm under the weather and wife is too. Just want order some powder and primers and set back and wait. Thanks again

 

[Bad Barlow]

I'm a pest I know.
Could someone reccomend about 3 to 4 powders that would be good for 45Lc and 44mag. I would like to shoot a little lighter than full blown loads. Just want to lighten the recoil. I don't hunt so full loads are just not needed. Seems like about 30 years ago I used Unique for 44 mag. Anyway any suggestions appreciated
Thankyou I'm under the weather and wife is too. Just want order some powder and primers and set back and wait. Thanks again

I use more 231 ( same as hp38) than anything else for midrange loads,it's been around a long time, and there's TONS of data for it. It burns clean, as long as the loads are not reduced too low. It has a very wide range of applications.

 

[Wvfarrier]

Unique, Longshot, H110 and Lil Gun

 

[Pál_K]

For .44 mag, 240 gr jacketed, I use the minimum Accurate Arms #9 load that I find in the Speer manual. It is mild for .44 mag, but still has enough power to topple a 55-lb steel ram at 200 meters.

AA#9 offers good loading density in the case. It's an easy-to-meter spherical powder.

Here is a good online interactive resource, you can select a wide variety of powders and bullets for any caliber. In this link I have selected .44 mag:

https://shootersreference.com/reloadingdata/44-remington-magnum/
It provides data based on the reloading manuals. There is a lot of data here because I have chosen to select ALL powders and ALL bullet types. You can substantially trim down the data presented by choosing just the powders and bullet types you are interested in.

 

[crow#2]

I changed Poeder to powder
LOL
Thanks

 

[duke3]

Trail Boss is perfect for what you want-BUT-it's unobtonium as far as I can find.

 

[Xrayist]

Trail Boss is perfect for what you want-BUT-it's unobtonium as far as I can find.

According to an email I received from Hodgdon, Trail Boss is supposed to be "available in 2024".

 

[Mobuck]

" I would like to shoot a little lighter than full blown loads. "
I chose AA#9 as a more flexible (than H110 or Win296) medium/heavy load powder. Seems to work well enough and it's more load friendly in the 300AAC.

 

[contender]

Look at my reply in your post asking about where to buy powder & primers.

But to expound upon your question,, HS6 may well do what you want. I also really like 4227 & 2400.

 

[RustyW]

I use universal, AA 5, & 2400. I mainly use cast bullets. I've also used red dot, green dot & unique with decent results, they just burn a little dirty compared to universal.

 

[Sam Summey]

I went to see my "powder guy" yesterday, I had sent him a wish list of his company's powder I wanted before Christmas. Well, he was able to fill 2/3ds of the list. In the course of discussion, he informed me that "there won't be any powder available in 2024". There was an empty semi-truck there to load up all his bulk powder stores to take to a "well known" ammunition manufacturer. He still had no Large Pistol Primers. No 2400 speed powders. He said that most powder manufacturers are making "military speed/grades" for small caliber such as pistol and mid-size rifle calibers, I expect they are also putting emphasis on the really slow powders for 50 caliber and larger ammunition. This was all instigated by the ongoing war in Ukraine and the military action by Israel. Hopefully the military action in Israel will wind down soon.

 

[Bud0505]

I like Red Dot for .45 Colt loads.

 

[IKE]

Unless I want to load some real barn burners in my stainless 7.5" .44 Mag Redhawk utilizing H110 and mag primers I've used Winchester 231 in everything since I started reloading back in the mid 80's.......38 Spl., .357 Mag., 45ACP and .44 Mag.

As well as the reloading manuals the Hodgdon web site also lists data for 231 and the 45 Colt.

 

[The Norseman]

Unique, Red Dot, Bullseye, American Select,
Long Shot, Power Pistol, lastly Win 231 or
HP-38, sometimes Win 296.

I suggest read a lot of Reloading Books,
read Gun websites, try to talk with an
Experienced Reloader.

The Best to you and your Endeavors.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Another big fan of AA9 here for your stated purpose. Unique is still as good as it ever was, but hard to find according to many. I haven't tried to buy it in a while.

 

[Outpost75]

Bullseye was used for factory smokeless loads in the .45 Colt for over 100 years. Load 6.5 grains with 250-grain lead or 6 grains with 255-grain and heavier. Max. not to exceed in Italian clones and post-1920 Colt New Service is 7.5 grains.

Alternately 7.0 to 8.0 of Unique for standard pressure with 250-260 lead. Load 8.5 grains in the Italian clones and Colt New Service. For Ruger and Contender 9-10 grains.

 

[bisleyfan41]

Contender's recommendations would be mine too.

 

[Sam Summey]

Another big fan of AA9 here for your stated purpose. Unique is still as good as it ever was, but hard to find according to many. I haven't tried to buy it in a while.

AA7 and AA9 are in the range of 2400/4227, I believe, are powders that are not being made. Kind of shocking since those powders were used for 30 carbine during WW II.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

AA9 is slightly faster than 2400 or 4227, but still capable of near top velocity. H110/296 are capable of slightly higher velocity but lack the flexibility of the others mentioned. I've seen 4227 for sale online recently but it was pricey. I bought 6 or 8# of it at a good price several years ago and use it some. 2400 has been scarce for several years.

 

[s4s4u]

HS-6 or True Blue for mid-range power loads. H110 for the heavies. I don't do light.

 

[Bad Barlow]

Contender's recommendations would be mine too.

HS-6 or True Blue for mid-range power loads. H110 for the heavies. I don't do light.

All the recommendations above are good, but it's worth pointing out that all pistol powders fall into three overlapping categories. Fast, for light target loads, mid range for a broad spectrum of less than magnum loads,and magnum powders which are not suitable for reduced loads. Most of y'all know this, it's for noobs ,who are not pests by the way!

 

[LAH]

2400 will allow you to back off a little, so will Unique. Bullseye, Red Dot, Green Dot, & 231 are great for lighter stuff.

 

[Rclark]

I don't do light unless I am fire lapping . I don't do 'heavy' often either. My .44 Magnum loads are under 1100fps. My .45 Colt loads are under 1000fps, except for my woods load which is around 1100fps. Currently my general load for .44 Magnum is using 10gr of Unique under 240gr SWC (8.5gr will duplicate the .44 Special Skeeter Load). My .45 Colt is using 7.0gr Green Dot under a 250gr RNFP. Unique works well for .45 Colt too. That said, I've tested a lot of powders. I would have no problem using BE-86, Universal, Unique, True Blue, HS-6, Herco, 4227, 20/28, Green Dot, Red Dot, W-231, Power Pistol, AA #5, CFE Pistol, and Long Shot to name a few. Found good loads for each of these. If had to change to another powder, I'd go with True Blue, then Power Pistol, I think. Anyway, YMMV.

 

[GasGuzzler]

I personally regard TrailBoss as trash. It's fluffy, it costs more per container, and it has LESS powder int he same size jug. No point in downloading a Magnum and the .45 can be loaded anywhere from original black powder pressures to hotter than a .429 mag using more efficient choices.

.45 Colt and .44 Remington Magnum do not use nearly the same powder generally. Pick a magnum powder for the .44 ... like H110/W296, 2400, LilGun, etc. For .45 Colt, you need to decide what kind of load you want then pick a powder. I used W231 under a 255 grain RNFP from a Lee mold.

 

[Rclark]

.45 Colt and .44 Remington Magnum do not use nearly the same powder

Sure they do. You don't need to run the .44 Mag 'hot' all the time. You can run .44 Mag at .44 Special levels or anything in-between. The beauty of reloading. So same power can be used in both... Unique in .45 Colt, Unique in .44 Mag. As I stated above. I've personally never needed H110/W296. 2400 is the powder I would use 'if' loading at the high end as it doesn't have a 'narrow' load range like W296.

 

[Bad Barlow]

I personally regard TrailBoss as trash. It's fluffy, it costs more per container, and it has LESS powder int he same size jug. No point in downloading a Magnum and the .45 can be loaded anywhere from original black powder pressures to hotter than a .429 mag using more efficient choices.

.45 Colt and .44 Remington Magnum do not use nearly the same powder generally. Pick a magnum powder for the .44 ... like H110/W296, 2400, LilGun, etc. For .45 Colt, you need to decide what kind of load you want then pick a powder. I used W231 under a 255 grain RNFP from a Lee mold.

You took the words right out of my mouth! I shoot 44's and 231 powder is excellent,Specials ,and my 44 mag(-p ) loads.
Trail Boss is supposed to be good for case filling,but its a pita to measure with bridging and grain cutting.

 

[Rclark]

Trail Boss 'is' very good for case filling. Double charges are impossible. Never had trouble with my Hornady powder measure, but I suppose all powder measures are somewhat different. I still have a 5# jug of TB that is filled it to the brim. Back when, I bought the small bottles and just dumped them in until jug was full. Probably around 6-7 pounds yet to be consumed. Just don't use it much anymore except for the occasional fire-lapping chores. Not a great powder, but works just fine for intended purpose.

 

[Don Lovel]

I use IMR 4227 and H4227, H110, Lil Gun for my 45 Colt needs. I have a +P 335gr Gas Check over H110 that performs with a crushing amount of energy in my 20" Rossi. Recoil is stout enough on the curved steel buttplate that I slide a pachmayer pad on. I don't shoot that load in my Bisleys. My wrist, palm and knuckles just do not need the abuse.
Heaviest I shoot out of handguns is a 325gr WFN at 1100fps using 4227
I load the 255gr Keith over 4227 to 1000fps for my 5 1/2" Bisley Vaquero

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Another vote for Green Dot.

 

[seasterl]

Accurate No.5 has been great for light loads. It meters consistently and shoots cleanly.