Accurate #9 and Power Pistol powders

T

TruthTellers

New member
I've relied on Unique and Bullseye for most of my reloading over the past couple years, but now that I'm moving into reloading higher pressure cartridges like .327, .357, and 10mm I decided I needed some more energetic powders. I looked thru my Lyman reloading book and saw that Accurate #9 and Power Pistol seemed to yield high velocities.

One thing I noticed was that Accurate #9 would have more wiggle room for charge weights vs other powders. By that I mean one load using Acc #9 started at 12.0 grains and the max load was 13.0 grains, but other powders would start at something like 8.0 grains and the max would be 8.5 grains, so when I see that I'm inclined to think that Accurate #9 is a safer powder because there's less chance of going over the max if you had a throw set at 12.5 grains because you've got .5 grains until you reach the max, but with the other powder if you set the throw at 8.2 grains, you only have .3 grains until reaching the max.

IDK, am I wrong about that? Is Accurate not as safe a powder to work with? It's like, when I load with Trail Boss powder I never get an overcharge when using my Lee Auto Drum.

Anyway, between Accurate #9 and Power Pistol, which do you guys find is more accurate at higher velocities? Which do you find to burn cleaner?
 
First, I'd suggest you look at more data, and bear in mind that the starting loads are often just where they decided to start, and the maximum loads are what they got as safe max in their gun with their components.

For example, the first (older) manual I grabbed show a .357 listing with AA no.9 with a starting load a bit over 11gr and a max a bit over 14gr (125gr JHP).

You've been loading Unique, and Unique is, well, unique, in that it has a wide range of performance not found in most other powders. Where it lags in in the heaviest loadings in magnum class cartridges, it its the "pressure wall" at a lower velocity than slower powders such as 2400, H110, W296, and AA No.9.

Some powders such a W296 are very sensitive to load density and below listed minimums are known to get erratic. Others are less sensitive to that.

I'm afraid I cant say anything about Power Pistol, I've never used it. My go to for heave .357 loads is 2400. I have use H110, but for prefer 2400. Also, I am not shooting .357 in snub nose or light frame guns.

I have used AA no.9 in the .44 Magnum, in my Desert Eagle. Gave top end velocities and burned pretty clean.

Always keep in mind that load data tables are GUIDELINES, and while its reasonable to expect similar results, your gun is not their gun. Your ammo is not their ammo, and even if you get the same components, odds are nearly certain your components will be from a different production lot than what they used in testing.

These differences can change the performance of the ammo in your gun. Most of the time the difference is small, often not even noticeable, but either end of the bell curve is possible, and some gun and ammo combinations are going to hit their own max before the load listed in the book as max, and some won't show any signs of anything different if you slightly exceed what they got for max.

The same ammo can show drastic differences in different guns. Usually it doesn't, but it CAN. Which is why we always, always start on the low end and work up is small steps.

As an illustrations of one of the more drastic differences, which I personally witnessed, some hot 125gr .357 stull, intended for use in a Marlin carbine, was tested in 3 different handguns. a S&W M19 (6" barrel" a S&W M28 (6" barrel) and a Desert Eagle .357 (6" barrel), over a chronograph.

Amazingly the shooter doubled the M19 (and to this day, I don't know how he did it) firing two shots when only one was intended. The chrony said 1620fps. At that point we decided to discontinue use of the M19, and found the two fired cases had to be driven out of the chambers. :eek:

Same ammo fired through the M28, 6 rnds, normal function, (though stout!) and cases ejected normally after a moment of resistance. Chrono avg 1670fps. :D

Same ammo run through a Desert Eagle, flawless function, avg vel 1720fps!!

the powder was 2400, and the load was one listed in the Speer manual of the era. Too hot for one gun, borderline in another, and a third loved it.

A difference of 100fps between 3 pistols all with (nominal) 6" barrels.

This is unusual, but not unheard of. My point is that no matter what they got, what you get could be different.
 
I've had excellent results with both AAC#9 and Power pistol.

Some of my best high velocity 9MM loads have been with Power Pistol and HS6.

AAC#9 has given my good velocities with light bullets in .44 magnum.
 
Accurate #9 is one of my favorite go to powders for pistol cartridges like the 10mm--it seems to generate the best velocity and energy potential for a given weight of powder.

That said, I'd disagree with "built in safety margin" if you go over max with AA 9--in fact my experience has been the opposite, it can easily spike pressures when "pushed hot." To this day hornady lists max charge of 14.9 for their 180 xtp in 10mm (QL throws an "off the chart" pressure warning at that load); I've encountered pressure signs even at the next-to-max lower charge of 14.4. I love AA9--but it's one of those "no kidding, work your loads up carefully" powders in my experience.
 
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I consider Power Pistol to be a great 357 Magnum powder. Burns clean and seems consistent. It also worked well for me in the 9mm and 454. It does produce considerable muzzle blast, more typical of the magnum powders that are even slower in burn rate. Haven't used it in the 327 or 10.

I don't care for #9. I tried it in the 357, 44 Mag, and 454. It seemed inconsistent for me, as I seemed to get an occasional hot or light load among the same batch of loads. Many others love the stuff.

If you want the highest velocities, #9 is likely a better choice if you are willing to work a bit to develop consistent loads for your uses.
 
Most of my 10mm loads use either Blue Dot or Accurate #9. I have used both powders in .357 too, but I don’t load much .357 anymore. I do not load for .327.

Accurate #9 measures consistently through my RCBS powder measure and gives excellent performance with 200 grain bulletin in the 10mm. I would work up loads pretty carefully, but this powder excels in 10mm in my opinion. Blue Dot also performs great in 10mm, but is not nearly as consistent through the powder measure.

Never used Power Pistol, so I cannot say much there. I have tried Longshot in 10mm, but never was satisfied by the performance.
 
Pretty much AA9 is the go to powder for full house 10mm . Excellent precision consistency and very low SD's in my Kimber Target II 10mm longslide
 
AA#9 is my best powder for 158 gr. jacketed bullets in .357 magnum in both pistol and lever action rifle. While 2400, Win 296, H110 are also good powders for .357 magnum I like AA#9 better. Use Accurate Arms data available on-line. My load with AA#9 and Hornady 158 gr. XTP's is 13.0 grains which isn't quite maximum.
 
Try AA#7. It's more economical than #9 and almost as high velocity. But I mostly shoot cast bullets even for my hot loads so that might make a difference.

I have not tried Power Pistol yet, but it is very closely related to Bullseye so how could it not be good?
 
I'm loading 44 Magnum and 357 Magnum with Accurate #9 as we speak. Also, Powder Pistol has done well for me in a number calibers including 10mm. Good performance with no problems from either powder. For me, these powders make powerful, accurate reloads.

Accurate #9 comes on burn rate charts slower than 2400. Power Pistol falls between Unique and Herco. Somebody will correctly point out those charts do tell you how much faster or slower.

The most criticism I hear on PP is the blinding muzzle flash that incapacitates shooter for days after the first shot. That's what is says on the internet! Yo know, the net never lies.

Added: I don't do max loads with either powder.
 
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I adapted AA#9 for 327 Federal Magnum based on Brian Pearce's article on loading that cartridge. For other magnums I like AA#7 for midrange and Accurate A4100, also branded Ramshot Enforcer, the last step above AA#9 in performance. 2400 is in that mix, but I don't favor it. In jacketed, I have gotten great results with full bore 300-MP. I have used H110/W296 only in large bore magnums. 41 Magnum in 6" or longer barrel with XTPs is a hoot.
 
I load 13.6-13.8gr with standard small primers for .357 magnum w/a 158 XTP or 158 Nosler jhp for a Ruger Security Six w/a 2.75" barrel this is the most accurate load I have found for this gun with suitable powders that achieve the highest velocity.
 
J.G. Terry said:
I'm loading 44 Magnum and 357 Magnum with Accurate #9 as we speak. Also, Powder Pistol has done well for me in a number calibers including 10mm. Good performance with no problems from either powder. For me, these powders make powerful, accurate reloads.

Accurate #9 comes on burn rate charts slower than 2400. Power Pistol falls between Unique and Herco. Somebody will correctly point out those charts do tell you how much faster or slower.

The most criticism I hear on PP is the blinding muzzle flash that incapacitates shooter for days after the first shot. That's what is says on the internet! Yo know, the net never lies.

Added: I don't do max loads with either powder.
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I'm not planning on doing max loads either, too much pucker factor, but more velocity and comparable accuracy is what I want and it seems AA#9 and Power Pistol can do that in the cartridges I'm loading.
 
Truth, I don't load for 10mm, however I've had good luck with #9 in .357 and .44 Magnum. I'm loading for both revolvers and a pair of Marlin Carbines. As to Power Pistol, I've used BE-86 in place of it with good results as well. When it first came out, it was described as nearly the same burning rate, but with a flash supressant that's superior to PP. In 9mm and .40 S&W, it's become my #1 choice. HTH's Rod
 
I've used Power Pistol for years in 9mm, .45ACP ..... a few times in .357 when I ran out of 2400 ...... prefer 2400 ore even H110 to PP..... PP is flashy ..... I just picked up a couple pounds of BE-86, which I was told behaves similarly, without the flash .... we'll see.

I've never used Accurate 9, but might have to when I start working up loads for the .327.
 
I guess if you want a single powder to use for different levels of loads, then #9 will work. It can be downloaded somewhat, and doesn't need magnum primers. But I never had the accuracy with it in 3 different revolvers (44 mag, 45 Colt and 454 Casull) that I had with it's faster and slower brothers, #7 and 4100. Especially if you want max velocities, then 4100 is my favorite. It gives higher velocity with lower pressures across the board compared to #9, and is more accurate at the same time, in these large capacity cartridges. For Ruger level loads in the 45 Colt, nothing is more accurate and economical than #7.
 
I've not used PP but have used AA#9 for over 20 years.

In the time I've used #9 it has been sourced from several countries. In all of that time I have watched the load data get reduced a bit. Oddly enough my Accuracy load with Xtreme Plated has remained the same and that same load works well with Jacketed Bullets from Winchester, Sierra, and Hornady as well out of a RBH, GP100, and SP101.

#9 Downloads well, does not require a magnum primer, and gives nothing up in terms of velocity with the other "magnum" powders. It also does not produce a fireball like W296.

#7 on the other hand gives not quite top speeds, down loads even better, but still gives real thump, and works better out of short barrels like those found on the SP101. It produces even less of a fireball than #9. Using max data from Speer #12 with 125gr. JHP.s out of a 3" barreled SP101 .357 you will find it to be a wrist twister
 
SHR970 said:
#9 Downloads well, does not require a magnum primer, and gives nothing up in terms of velocity with the other "magnum" powders. It also does not produce a fireball like W296.
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Yea but sometimes shooting a big caliber magnum handgun loaded with a healthy dose of "zero air space" W296 / H110 is a gratifying experience (especially at near dusk low light conditions) !
 
I use to use #9 in my 30 cal M1 and 44 mag. Never like its results in either weapon. Tip: If intending to try #9? I highly suggest using mag primers only as its a powder known to be hard to fully ignite.

Last 30 cal reloading secession 296 got my thumbs up Award.
 
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