What powder for 44 special? Looking for accuracy

[3manfan]

Sadly Unique & Bullseye are foreign made. And the company,, Alliant isn't as concerned about reloaders as it is most likely making stuff for bigger contracts. Remember there's a war in Ukraine.
Maybe one day we'll see a return of the stuff on our shelves,, but global considerations are part of the supply issues.

It's not that they can't make the stuff,, it's the SALES volume they seek. And while it may seem like they'd sell a lot,, in the big picture,, reloaders are the last market for them.

And when Unique was easily available,, a LOT of people complained about it. "Too dirty" was a common complaint. Yet,, it's been around for well over 100 years, and still a top level producer of quality loads.

And if you look at the number of listed powders that have been available in the last dozen years by the burn rate charts, you will see a lot of powders. Well over 145. When I started reloading there were less than 40 powders out there.
Now we suffer from the lack of specific items,, and the makers look at $$$$$. They decide where they can make the most money, the quickest & easiest.

About 3 weeks ago I began looking for Alliant Power Pistol to try in my new SP101 in .327 Fed Mag, as I'd found several recommendations online for its use in this new to me caliber to begin hand loading for. I hadn't used any Alliant powder in many years after instead switching to other brands that I found I liked more.

Stinking out on locating any P.P. in stock at my usual online retailers, I began calling around town & I met the same result. I lastly called our local long time provider of all things reloading who's been at it for over 50 years & inquired with him. He said that last Summer according to his powder supplier, there won't be any more Alliant powder produced for import into the US due to Vista Group, (& now CSG after they recently acquired Vista's powder, primer & ammo concerns) will be focusing only on producing & providing ammo for the Ukrainian forces. Unfulfilled US orders have been cancelled & no new ones are being accepted. He says he was told that what's on selves or remaining at US warehouses are it.

That prompted me to do some online digging & I found that Ammoland published an article in May of 2024 essentially announcing that same info, shown here:
https://www.ammoland.com/2024/05/al...shipments-of-smokeless-powders-for-reloading/

I searched for any info post-2024 & only found one thread on another forum that discussed the matter as recently as this past April but there was no new info that differed form the 2024 info, except that a member added a screen shot of a F.B. post by Powder Valley, in 2024 of what Vista related to them, shown on page 1 of this thread:
https://www.africahunting.com/threa...straight-on-powders-being-discontinued.90425/
I discussed all of the above on another forum & a member continued to claim that no, Alliant powders are being currently produced, imported & finding their way back on to US shelves. I could find no evidence of this, only that Alliant is in fact no longer being produced for the individual consumer. In one of his posts to substantiate his claim, he stated that Alliant powder could even be bought directly from Alliant's US plant & he provided a link to Alliant's website. My investigation revealed that it was a spoofed web page.

When navigating to it on my phone, the page opened with no issues & the web site appeared legit. I checked their stock for Power Pistol & it allowed me to put the only offering they had, a 4lb canister, into my cart & off to checkout I went.
I had no intention of completing the purchase, as I'd noticed that this web page showed that Alliant's address was in Colorado Springs, CO, yet I knew from past knowledge that Alliant in the US is h.q.'d in Idaho. Looking at the checkout page, where the payment by credit card bloks are, there was a statement of 'the credit card option is broken, please contact us via chat or call in to order'. Red flag. Below that were other payment options: Apple Pay, Zelle, Venmo, Chime or Cryto (another Red Flag). I took note of the phone number & closed the page. I then Googled for Alliant & the 1st suggested link was for what I believe is their legit site, which was different in appearance for the previous site I was just on. This new page has them with the Idaho address & a different phone number than the previous page. There was also no option to order directly from them, the only option was their 'find a dealer' button, as I believe is correct.

I then used my desktop p.c. to go to the site via the link posted by the forum member & my security program flagged the site. I didn't attempt to bypass that to open it. If any of you start searching for in stock Alliant powder & happen upon that supposed home page for them with a Colorado Springs address with the phone number of (303)-960-3204, be aware that it is a fake web site.

So, sorry to bear this bad news for those of you who traditionally use Alliant offerings such as Unique or any of the others. You may want to grab what you can if you can still find it in stock because all the info I can find is that we aren't getting anymore for the foreseeable future. I hope I'm wrong but I can't find any info to the contrary.

In another interesting bit of info, I came across this while on Ammoland's site. This is from just yesterday. Another ammo production company, D&M Ammunition Manufacturing Solutions in Tampa, has signed on with Ukrainian Defense Industry officials & American officials to produce ammo both in Ukraine & here in the US to supply to Ukrainian forces. This further supports my belief that any powder produced by European companies, like Alliant, will be committing all of it to producing ammo for use over there.
https://www.ammoland.com/2025/07/jo...il&utm_term=0_6f6fac3eaa-ca7d3147d0-21063865#
Partnering with Ukrainian officials? What could possibly go wrong???

 

[Sam Summey]

Sadly Unique & Bullseye are foreign made. And the company,, Alliant isn't as concerned about reloaders as it is most likely making stuff for bigger contracts. Remember there's a war in Ukraine.
Maybe one day we'll see a return of the stuff on our shelves,, but global considerations are part of the supply issues.

It's not that they can't make the stuff,, it's the SALES volume they seek. And while it may seem like they'd sell a lot,, in the big picture,, reloaders are the last market for them.

And when Unique was easily available,, a LOT of people complained about it. "Too dirty" was a common complaint. Yet,, it's been around for well over 100 years, and still a top level producer of quality loads.

And if you look at the number of listed powders that have been available in the last dozen years by the burn rate charts, you will see a lot of powders. Well over 145. When I started reloading there were less than 40 powders out there.
Now we suffer from the lack of specific items,, and the makers look at $$$$$. They decide where they can make the most money, the quickest & easiest.

Alliant is owned by the same Czech company that owns Speer/CCI, Remington, Federal, Fiocci. Guess where the reloaders powder is going? Reloaders have always been the recipients of lot over runs. ALL powder under their control is going to Ukraine. Alliant has never published this fact but in around May 2024 they did publish that powder for reloaders would be greatly less available.

 

[Sam Summey]

I just read this from the National Shooting Sports Foundation:
NSSF Supports Inclusion of Nitrocellulose Provision in FY26 NDAA

The U.S. House Armed Services Committee marked up the annual defense authorization bill, H.R. 3838, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, clearing the way for House consideration. The bill, which passed 55-2, provides the authority for military activities, including procurement and research, development, testing and evaluation. More than 700 amendments were considered, including an NSSF-supported amendment by Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.) to direct the Secretary of the Army to report on the U.S. supply chain for smokeless gunpowder, including nitrocellulose, and assess plans to improve sourcing. The Chairman's Mark also calls for a report to address the regulations or policies that disincentivize Department of Defense contractors from maintaining or investing in surge capacity. NSSF will continue to monitor.

Nitrocellulose is a major component of our gun powder needs, the only source I know of is in Canada. There is still plenty of cotton produced in the US just not processed into the raw material for smokeless powder.

 

[peachhead]

Sigh.
Once again, I hear "The sky is falling."
I wish people would get their stories straight.

 

[Rustynuts]

Lately, I reload with whatever powder works for the caliber I'm loading....and that I can find, and afford :oops:

 

[Katmanduey]

I have used 800x in a pinch. It worked

 

[Track14]

i have been using CFE or TITEGROUP with 200gr lead bullets, sometimes 240gr and ran a few cylinders of 255gr gas ckecked lead Keth style.

 

[gjgalligan]

My question is if you find a powder that is better then the rest are you capable of doing your part?
Seems to me the shooter is usually the deciding factor in accuracy..

 

[jimbo1096]

If you see Herco on the shelf, pick it up. Use it in place of Unique at almost the same charge weights

 

[Track14]

I did some Titegroup loads today. Very accurate out of my 2-1/2" redhawk.
200gr RNFPL Polycoated. 5.2g of Titegroup with a 1.5" OAL = 747 fps

Same bullet with 6.8gr CFE = 706fps. With 240g LSWC 6.4gr CFE = 671fps also accurate.

Fired some loads today using Longshot, 8.5gr gave me 868fps with OAL of 1.470". Same 200gr Badman Polycoated bullets but with OAL of 1.580" and 9.5gr Longshot 706fps and was accurate. When testing the Longshot i tried 3 loads, 8.5, 9.0, 9.5 g. I varied the OAL with. 2 lengths, 1.470" and 1.580" for all three loads.

A couple of weeks ago I tried some HS-6 , 9.3g using the same bullets OAL 1.476" = 763fps were also accurate.

I used Winchester Large Pistol primers.

Just did a test with the same bullet and the same powder (Longshot) but all loaded to 1.5" OAL and got a 916fps avg for the 9.5g load.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I've used quite a bit of Unique, but recently I've been using another powder. It's not in the OP's list so I'll not name it.

 

[buckeyeshooter]

The choices I have are the following. Choices aren't that high anymore for powder but if there is a better option out there I'm all ears. I really want to think No. 5 will be good!

View attachment 77645

I use 7 grains of unique at 820 fps with 200 grain cast out of a 5.5 inch barrel vaquero.

 

[dickydalton]

Unique or 2400.

 

[DGW1949]

A healthy dose of Unique powder under a 240-Grn FBLSWC lubed with Alox...That's purty-much been the load that all the others are judged by for as far back as I can remember.

DGW

 

[The Norseman]

Can you even get Alox anymore?

I like the Lee Precision Alox. Mix about 50/50 with
Johnson Liquid Floor Wax, it makes a great Lead
Free tumble lube.

A healthy dose of Unique powder under a 240-Grn FBLSWC lubed with Alox...That's purty-much been the load that all the others are judged by for as far back as I can remember.

DGW

 

[DGW1949]

Can you even get Alox anymore?

I like the Lee Precision Alox. Mix about 50/50 with
Johnson Liquid Floor Wax, it makes a great Lead
Free tumble lube.

Here ya go:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...9890vaS2AaAL060xTJxS5s8nmYCMsNIIH-&pid=466811There's also this:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...mgaWk7NU-s7R-Q4fardWKAhBIwED87o_Lv&pid=632694
I've used them both. I've also tried the "Johnson's paste wax trick", but much prefer using Alox as-is. Come to think of it, I'm not sure that Jonson's wax is even around any more these days..?.

DGW

 

[The Norseman]

You are correct, Johnson Liquid Floor Wax is no longer.
It is no longer manufactured and discontinued about
six years ago.

I was fortunate to stock up before it was gone. It takes
so little Alox/JFW in the bullet tumble lube process that
I have enough for the rest of my life.

Thank you for posting that Lee Alox is still around and
taking the time to post pictures.

 

[Track14]

What bullet weight are you shooting in the Special?

for 200g poly coated lead i have been using CFE but more recently Titegroup with 5.4g yielding average 774fps and it is accurate.
When I bump up to 44mag for the same bullet I used AA-7 using 15.7g producing 1134fps.

 

[Toxophilus]

My latest testing results using HS-6, using a 210gr PC'd SWCHP out of my CA Bulldog; 10 shots @10yds. I'm going with the 8.5gr load, I'll need to load more of these and test them out of my 4 5/8" Blackhawk and 5" GP-100 at longer distances but I'm happy with the results as these will be mainly for the Bulldog... :love: