HP38 or W231 or - if you are willing to pay more - N320. When powder gets rare - you can use shotgun powders for pistol. I am a big fan of WSF for 9mm. Primers are they key.
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HP38 or W231 or - if you are willing to pay more - N320. When powder gets rare - you can use shotgun powders for pistol. I am a big fan of WSF for 9mm. Primers are they key.
It has been mentioned but not blurted right out, HP-38 and Win 231 are supposed to be the same thing and the data on the Hodgdon site is identical. This may increase your odds of a steady supply.
I have been using Clays, my main motivation is that I use it for 12g so I have a supply around (8 pounds is a lotta pistol powder, it is sorta the reorder point for shotguns). It is a very popular shotgun powder, so maybe that also creates market demand and production levels. OTOH shotgunners use a shitload so there is demand if supplies are low. It is also inexpensive. Others here are vastly more knowledgeable than I am (I have been doing this for 45 years, but not at the same level as others here) so somebody might have a good reason why it is not as good as I think it is.
Also, Midway is a fine company and I like them a great deal, but you may want to price shop Powder Valley, they have 8 pounds of my Clays for $139. Also once when I tried to order powder from Midway they wanted an extra fee for drop shipping, and that just seemed like a goofy concept to charge extra for (they said they cannot inventory powder at their facility) and I ordered from Powder Valley.
I like CFE-Pistol for smaller handgun cartridges, pretty much any common auto-loader. I used Winchester Super Target for .45 with really good results but ran out during The Great Powder Shortage and branched out a bit.
It's not great for large case volume cartridges like .38/.35 (unless you're loading wadcutters, it's fine for that). Too much free space left over and it becomes position sensitive.
For no particular reason I like the Accurate line of powders for most revolver rounds. Unique isn't the easiest to meter but works well for many loads. H110 is my go to for holy-shit-that's-a-magnum loads or Ruger Only loads. I'm rapidly tiring of that sort of thing, though.
I use Unique for all the positive reasons listed.
A point of caution, powder selection / choice can be akin to the 9 / 45 debate, best holster, best carry ammo, best gun for CCW.....
Pick one that will cover desired calibers and stock up. Powder is one of the many variables. Brass mfg, bullet profile / type / weight / powder coated / lead ( hardness) / jacketed / enclosed base / exposed base / etc..... are enough variables to tweak and find the perfect load.
I started reloading during the 1970's using mostly Bullseye and Unique. I still use Bullseye for .38 Special and .45 ACP. I use Titegroup for 9mm now. In the past it was said that you could load almost any caliber with Unique. It's pretty dirty though.
I get my powder and primers from Powder Valley.
Using BE-86 and titegroup now. Started with unique and bullseye. Unique in 9mm is pretty wild literally fills the case and you are compressing the powder.
During one of the shortages I would go to my local place with my Lee reloading manual and look up powders that they had. I have some odd balls from that.
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You guys are doing a great job advising him, thank you.
I am the guy who bought a Ruger American and a PSA pistol in 300BO and a set of dies and a cutoff saw with a jig and a second 650, pretty much just because I ruined some 223 casings, so buying a .410 and a loader cause I have some gunpowder is just like a two foot putt...