AA No2 or Winchester WSF Glock 19

N

NorthernBlue

New member
Hello,

I am new to reloading. I have been messing around with .223 for a month or so and I am ready to start working with 9mm. I have a Gen 4 Glock 19. I live in Anchorage AK and supplies are limited up here. My local Cabellas has AA No2 and Winchester WSF in stock...about a pound of each. :(

I have 600 Hornady 115gn XTP bullets and 1000 CCI 550 Magnum primers. Which of the two powders above do you recommend? I am hoping to find something that works well but also doesn't have a really large flash. Being in AK, working in the cold ( -20 to +30 degrees) would be important as well.

Any pointers before I just buy both and start working up loads?:confused:
 
Both will work just fine. Since you are just starting out...get BOTH and work up and see which one YOU like better. BTW.. unless you are expecting to fire it after it sat out in 40 below for a while, you didn't need to get Magnum primers.
 
AA#2

Welcome to TFL.

I'm with SHR970 - get both.

I have a lot of experience with AA#2. It will work great for 115gn 9mm rounds, running about 1000-1100 f/s - that's right in its wheelhouse. So although I know nothing about WSF (I don't even know where it lands on a burn rate chart), I can attest to AA#2 - good stuff. Really good for 9mm with light bullets. It is super super fine and meters second to none. Flash should be minimal, because it's the perfect burn rate for the application.

I'm in California, so I've never had to deal with how ammunition performs in the cold; so sorry, can't help you there. I do like the idea of magnum primers though - I think that was a good move.
 
Sounds good. I think I will start with AA2.

Just getting into reloading isn't super daunting if you read the books and forums but I find powder selection confusing still. It's something I am trying to grasp.

I chose H335 for my .223 due to it being a same stuff used in M193 and it is easy to get. Most of my rounds are 60gr VMAX loads. My AR isn't a target rifle, it's a fighting/defensive patrol rifle so I just need to load rounds that go bang each time and are "accurate" to about 3 inches at 100 yards and won't penetrate through all the homes in a city block. :)


Same story with my G19. I am not out shooting targets at 50 yards. 25 yards is about as far as I go with practice.

My main concerns are powders that will get the job done, ignite and burn well in cooler temps and if they burn clean, that would be a plus.

I need to get about 500 rounds of 9mm loaded for my wife who is taking a handgun course in a few weeks.

I plan on researching 9mm loads this week, testing said loads Friday at the range where I can rent a chrono and then starting the main bulk loading process.
 
I started loading 9mm with WSF after a near full can was given to me. I do light target loads with it, and its accurate and clean burning, and I like it. No notable flash. Nothing like the Blue Dot I use for heavier loads.

I have no experience with the other powder.

Will you be loading any other pistol calibers? Might look at whichever suits more needs if you have any.
 
For me, powders faster than AA5 have not given decent accuracy in my 9x19 guns, so WSF would be my choice between the two powders.
Even better, in my guns, would be Power Pistol, BE86, Silhouette, and True Blue.
However, like everything in reloading, your gun may really like AA2--you just don't know until you try.
Given your supply situation, which might be marginally better than mine, you might want to just buy both and have them. Better than having NO powder.
 
A thought.. I don't know vest, but a-2 is a great powder that has sold millions of pounds and works well in your idea. Imo, check out the data, then use what you can find.

There are better powdersfor brute strength, but if you want normal saami grade loads like white box will you do better than either of those you are looking at?
 
Well I went back to go the AA2 and they had none. Same with the WSF. They do have five single pound containers of AA7. That seems like an acceptable powder as well from just some quick googling. 7ish to 9ish grains is what seems to be a popular loading...which is about double of others. Maybe that is a good thing for a first time 9mm loader. Less change of double charging things?
 
Frankly, AA#7 is too slow for 115g bullets - unless you're going to load them all the way up to the top of the scale, and then shoot them through a Uzi-type carbine. It'll work well if you're making full-power 147's - but not 115's.

You will get disagreement of this opinion, but I'm going to adamantly stick to it. I've been loading for decades - I know what I'm talking about. And having read countless posts here over the last several years, I have come to realize that many loaders (most?) tend to use propellants slower than ideal for a given application.

AA#7 under 115's would be a classic example. Yeah, it'll work. But you're going to get a lot of flash, pressures will be too low, results inconsistent, unburnt propellant, etc. 115's need powders like TiteGroup, AA#2, W231/HP-38, 700X, Bullseye, Red Dot, Viht N320, etc., something in that range.

If you want to load 115's to wide-open-throttle-full-power (defense level velocity), then - and only then - should you move to something in the intermediate burn rate range; e.g. AA#5, HS-6, Power Pistol, Unique, Viht N330 or N340, Ramshot Silhouette, etc.

If you go with any powder slower than those above (such as Blue Dot, 800X, AA#7, N350, etc.), then you need to move to heavy bullets.

It's about what I call "balance." Crafting balanced ammo for the bullet weight, application, and the firearm using them.
 
Good post from Nick_C-S

Of AA#2 and WSF, I would choose WSF for general use. For light bullets, AA#2 is okay, but WSF is a more centered powder in that you can go with light to heavy loads with it in 9mm. AA#7 is a bit on the slow side for 9mm.

There are a lot of really decent powders and you can make do with some that might not be best if you had a choice of 40 powders.
 
I've burned LOTS of AA#7 under 115 gr. bullets; it will work BUT

As Nick said it is on the slow side for the bullet weight. It doesn't start getting good until you are near published max. It gets real good when you are +P...and it is forviging. That said, novices should NOT be working into +P territory. It was originally developed for Uzi ammo using 158 gr. bullets (Weight is not a typo). It works very well with 147 gr. bullets, is alright with 124 gr. bullets.

If it is all you can get then get it. But expect some unburnt powder and so so consistency at the bottom end. If you see AA#2 or #5 GET it....same for WSF. If you see Green Dot or W231 / HP38 they will work well for you too.


The reason I used a lot of it is it works VERY well with my compensated P89.. I have virtually zero muzzle rise.
 
I found some TiteGroup Today. I got two 1 pound containers for 22 bucks each. I also picked up some Berrys 115 Grain RN to try. I made my first loads and they all worked fine in my G19.

10 rounds of 4.0 gr of powder with a CCI 550 Primer.
10 rounds of 4.2 gr of powder with a CCI 550 Primer.
10 rounds of 4.4 gr of powder with a CCI 550 Primer.

I will make up some with the Hornady bullets next.
 
TiteGroup under 115gn plated bullets is a great combination. Well done.

For a fast powder, TG has a fair amount of slowness to it (just like AA#2). You'll actually be able to drive those 115's pretty good.

Have fun.
Load safe.
 
Another powder I see more and more frequently on the shelves around here is Autocomp Burn rate is comparable to HS-6 a little slower than WSF but I've had decent results with it using 124gr. plated. Biggest problem is finding load data for it, very limited. Would prefer a faster powder like 231 but during the shortage crunch it's all that was available.
 
I use #2 for my 9mm and .45acp rounds. Works awesome, but everyone uses it too.

I'd move forward in this manner. Buy a pound, test the heck out of it. If you like it buy as many 5 pounders as you can afford. Once there is a hiccup in the reloading world #2 will disappear again. This is the same for many powders.

I am going to test some CFE pistol and we how that works. It's a newer powder which hopefully if there is another shortage it isn't so popular that it cannot be found.

Powder Valley does have AA #2 in stock. You could buy a bunch and if you don't like it come next shortage you can off it easily.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top