I just loaded the last of my W231 so it’s time to pick up another jug. I usually load 230 grain FMJ with W231/HP-38. So what is your powder of choice?

Titegroup for plinking stuff, longshot for heavy stuff.

I use titegroup in almost everything. 380, 9mm, 40, 45acp, 44mag cowboy loads, and even in some light rifle loads.

Hodgdon Universal for most of my 45ACP and many other pistol loads

All I've used is Universal Clays and it has done well.

Universal in mine too. Seems to burn cleaner for me

Thanks for replying Cowboy. I already have both titegroup that I load light 12ga loads for skeet and longshot that I load 1 1/4 oz of bismuth with.

Thanks to you as well kmon1. I have most of a pound of Universal that I load .38 wad cutters with.

Thanks fireman and dink as well.

I used titegroup and liked it. Using the CFE Pistol right now. It performs well for me.

Thanks to all y’all who have replied.

I had a surplus of Unique the last time I was loading .45 ACP so I used it to load some 200 gr. Hornady XTP. Pretty consistent load in my 5" government and 3.5" officer model.

I was wondering when someone was going to mention Unique. I think I have about 4 lbs and plan to use it for just about everything.

I use Bullseye

I played with Bullseye and W231 and different bullet weights. Many combinations worked well. I still have several hundred 230 GR FMJ over W231 but my new go to load is a 185 gr Roze JHP over Titegroup. It just shoots better, more consistent, and I get great accuracy with less muzzle flip. I am shooting a Sig P220 Legion if that matters.

Thanks ASIC777, my load forever has been 5.1 grains of W 231 or HP-38 and a 230 grain round nose FMJ right at 800 fps. I just shoot an old school parkerized 70 series 1911. Short trigger and all. I’m not unhappy with W 231/HP-38. It meters good and shoots. I just gave my son a 45 acp for his 21st birthday. It is likely he will be loading a bunch of 45 acp so I am looking for a powder with more case fill to minimize the possibility of a double charge. Thanks again to all who have replied.

SB,

if more case fill is the goal, Titegroup is not the one to pick. Longshot will provide more fill. IMR Blue can go up to 9.8 grains which is more volume. I am not saying IMR Blue is best for accuracy, but if filling up the case is the goal, Blue will do that.

Win 231 and Viht N320 are what I am using at the moment in my .45.

Thanks Jeffbird. I have been looking at charge weights of all the powders the THFers posted liking in my manuals with the hope that someone really liked their results with a powder that will fill the case close to half full to make a double charge obvious. So far longshot seems like a possibility. At 21 I know my son is capable of safely loading pistol ammo but watching out for him where I can still gives me peace of mind....

Winchester Super Target (WST)

Economical, much less felt recoil than 231, clean burning, less smoke with cast bullets.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

I have used 7 gr of unique & a 200 gr. H & G 68 for at least 30 yrs
Shoots great hits hard

Bullseye for 230 gr. FMJ'S, got a load that I've been using for years that fires and functions perfect in every pistol I've tried it in. Trying Tight Group now.

I've got a bunch of Unique that I may experiment with as well.

I second this!! as long as your shooting jacketed bullets.

Gobs of options out there, but 231 has always been one of my favorites.