During the last two shortages..What powders have you discovered?

S

SHR970

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Simple enough question....So many folks were used to using certain powders that suddenly became UNOBTANIUM. These pages were full of advice to new loaders to try UNOBTANIUM during that time. So what substitutes did you discover and found that were useful?
 
Well, hard for me to subscribe given the words as presented... but I guess I would have to say Accurate#9. It certainly WAS available and I thought the price was decent and I like it (most) everywhere I have used it.

I also decided to give Promo a twirl and this one is kind of odd. Never used it before, bought a single 8-lb'er, I've been quite happy with the 7lbs of it that I have consumed but once I use up this remaining pound... I fully plan to close the book on it and not revisit it.
 
As a side note...
I'm one of the oddball 3% of long time high volume hobbyist handloaders who has NEVER used Win 231, but in the last 6 weeks, I have seen more W231 available for sale than any time I can remember since the Barackolypse.

Which I continue to find pretty odd!
 
Accurate Arms #2 was unavailable for around 2 years. Down to 1/2 lb. of AA#2 and I heard about Clean Shot---Lovex D032 supposedly being the same as AA#2. The reload data for Clean Shot was the same that I use in .380 so getting tired of waiting for AA#2 I bought a 4 lb. jug of the available Clean Shot powder. Haven't tried it yet and will work up and chronograph and compare the two powders myself. Side note: only a short time after buying Clean Shot Accurate Arms#2 came back out on the market after being unavailable for around 2 years. Not sorry buying the Clean Shot powder but I will have to go through the work up and compare process.
 
Always used Unique, Bullseye and Winchester 296. During the shortage I found Accurate #9, Titegoup, Red Dot, Blue Dot and Green Dot. They all worked well for Cowboy loads and am glad that I got to try them. Used all in .357 with 158 gr RNFP cast or coated bullets.
 
So you got to know that AA#9 gives up nothng to W296. You also found that Green Dot will cover much of what W231 does.

THAT is a good start. There are more.....far more out there.
 
Accurate #5 was gone for a couple of years and I found Winchester Autocomp. Works great for 9mm which is what I shoot the most. Also fine in 45ACP and 38 spl.
 
I just altered what I used my existing powders for. Mostly that meant retasking my typical shotgun powders (I seldom reload shotgun) over to handgun use where I had little data for them. Clays and Green Dot were the main ones I retasked.

I was most interested by what disappeared first and last. It altered what I tend to stockpile, and what I don't worry about.
In past shortages, the magnum rifle powders (slower than say IMR4350) are usually the very last to go.
The very slow handgun/very fast rifle powders (say 4759-RL7 range of burn rates) used to stick around, but .300 Blackout reloading appears to have altered their demand somewhat.
But I suspect in the next shortage, you'll still see cans of 4831 and RL25 hanging around to the bitter, empty shelved end.
 
I have developed a real affection for Promo because I had purchased some before the panic but hadn't really started using it until there was no Bullseye to be had.

I have scoured the earth looking for 2400 and finally gave in and bought some IMR 4227 and 300-MP to try in both magnum pistols and 300 blackout (with mixed results.)

I also bought some Vectan shotgun powder from Graf's when they were paying the hazmat fee. I bought GM3 which is a granular powder, mostly out of curiosity. It looks like tiny gray aquarium gravel. heir data is for shotgun only but they list the burn rate as similar to AA#5. I would say it is actually much closer to AA#2 or Titewad when used in handgun applications.
 
Oh yeah. The shortage of '13 caught me flat-footed as can be. All I had when it hit was about 2 #'s each of W296 & W231. Anyway, I was forced to try:

AA#2: Great stuff. Superior metering. Rather slow for a "fast" powder; but yet can deliver amazingly consistent results even when downloaded. Runs clean. Best in 9mm with 115's - can produce velocities not usually thought of with "fast" powders.

AA#5: Again, meters great. Runs clean. Rather fast for an intermediate speed powder. Makes great short barrel shooters in 357 Mag. Perfect for 9mm 124's in compact guns. Makes exceptional "85% power" range ammo with 180gn plated slugs in 10mm.

AA#7: Another great metering powder from Accurate Arms. Makes great full power (or at least near full power) ammo for 10mm. Also makes great 158gn 357 Mag high velocity ammo for shorter barrels (3", 4"). Still experimenting with lighter bullets in 357/44 Mag. I also plan on trying it for full-throttle 147's in 9mm.

Power Pistol: I would have eventually gotten around to trying this propellant even if there wasn't a shortage. But it was what was available one day during the peak of the shortage at my LGS, so I grabbed it. Looks absolutely identical to Bullseye, and meters exactly the same too (fair, to good). Very potent powder. I use it when I want to drive just about anything to max velocity - save magnum revolver loads. 9mm 124's, 10mm 180's, & 357 125's are right in its wheelhouse; but is great for many other non-magnum loadings. Ignites easily; runs clean; delivers consistent and high performance. It's now a mainstay in my powder inventory. I have over 5 pounds of it now ;).

And then I brought back previously "retired" from my inventory . . .

Bullseye: This one was a no-brainer. It was available a couple times during the shortage and I grabbed my limit at every chance. I've used it for years, but it just fell out of favor for W231. Great for target and/or range ammo - everybody knows that :p.

HS-6: I was going to need something in the intermediate range anyway; so there's a chance I was going to get some even if the shortage hadn't hit. Grabbed it up when it was available. I had forgotten its persnikitiness to not run clean unless it's loaded up real good. It's not versatile. But it is very good for heavy bullets in most calibers; as long as you pump 'em up good. Low energy, but predictable. Your HS-6 rounds won't set any speed records. But it's really safe, predictable, and "linear" when doing load work-ups. And that is why I recommend it for novice loaders. It's best suited for semi-auto's, yet, I use it the most for 158gn 357's, and 240gn 44 Mag.

Unique: Still don't like the stuff. Meters crummy. Doesn't seem to like to burn. It has a reputation for being versatile; but I'm not sure how the term must be defined. I have over 2 #'s of it; but the only thing I've found where it runs satisfactory is with 125gn 357's. It does that well; very well, actually. Too bad I rarely shoot 125gn 357's :p. Yeah, that 2 #'s is gonna last me a while.

(From Sevens) I'm one of the oddball 3% of long time high volume hobbyist handloaders who has NEVER used Win 231
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Really!?

No . . .

REALLY?

Well it's great stuff. Just the right burn rate (a touch slower than Bullseye) for a bunch of applications. Fantastic for a wide range of 38 Special; and especially 45 ACP. Can't forget 9mm 115's. I do find it touchy in 357 Mag; but that's the only thing I can criticize about it. Runs exceptionally clean. Meters great. I could go on. Overall, the best pistol propellant - bar none. About a month ago, I got one of those 8#-ers from Cabela's that you mentioned is currently available on the interweb. I now have over 11 #'s of that powdered gold. That should last me a bit ;)
 
In the 2008 shortage I discovered IMR SR 4756, now it's gone. That was a fine handgun powder.
This last time around I discovered Unique and Bullseye (never used them in 20 years of loading). Both have been plentiful for the past year. They are very accurate powders and both burn clean, at least with plated and coated bullets. 90% of all my loads now use one or the other.
 
What powders have you discovered?
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None.

Experimented & developed all my hand-loadings long before the 2000s component shortages began. Once all my recipes were cataloged. At the time it was cheaper__ much cheaper than today component prices to buy large discounted quantities (8 lbs or more) of powder per shipping order on the Net and across State Lines. Thus eliminating this States Sales Tax. Same theroy apply's to my primer purchases too. What I saved in product costs and Sales Tax paid both the Hazmat and shipping charges and too left a few Alexander Hamilton's in my wallet besides.

Never have gotten to the point of "I'm out of this or that. I planed long in advance not to be affected by what y'll are now experiencing. Yup!! always been one of those self-reliant characters.
 
I discovered PB - and wish I hadn't. Consistent but I always got unburned powder using it for .45 ACP. I'm not sure whether it is discontinued altogether or rebranded as Hodgdon.

I also rediscovered why I didn't like 700-X. I just can't trust it to meter consistently.

I found Titegroup to be much better for .45 ACP than PB, but when it is gone I'm going back to HP-38/Win 231 for all my normal .38/.45/9mm loads.

Just trying Longshot and it seemed pretty good with 147 gr bullets in 9mm but I haven't tested them over the chrony. May also try it for some moderate .357 Magnum loads.
 
700X. With a little imagination one can get it to meter accurately. Once I got that down 700X equaled anything I've ever used in .38 Special.

Titewad. Super fast so be careful, but there's some load data for some cartridges. Works well in .45 ACP. I've also used it with .38 148gr HBWC but you're on your own there, there's no data. Takes forever to use up a pound.
 
I found Titegroup to be much better for .45 ACP, but when it is gone I'm going back to HP-38/Win 231 for all my normal .38/.45/9mm loads.
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. . . ^^ I could have written that. ^^

Same here. I bought 4 #'s of TiteGroup untested. I should have included TG in my first post; except I didn't buy it out of desperation. But I was searching around for other fast powders for target/competition use. It was available, so I grabbed it.

TiteGroup didn't suit my needs. But that's just my needs; I'm not saying it's lousy. It's actually very good for plated range ammo. It runs too hot for lead - unless scrubbing lead out of your barrels is among your favorite past-times. Meters great because it's a fine grain and really dense. In target level 38 Special (2.7 grains), you can throw five charges into the case and still not overflow it. Makes checking your charge levels tricky because a double charge would actually be hard to notice.

Add-on Information: Today, was loading some 38 Special with TiteGroup. Specifically, Berry's 125gn PFP with 4.6 grains of TG (chronos @ 925 f/s 4", in case someone wants to know). Anyway, I threw four charges (18.4 grains) and the powder was just short of the case mouth. Probably 19.0-ish grains would completely fill it. Very dense stuff.

Instead of dwindling my supply of beloved W231, I'm currently using up my TiteGroup for all my plated range fodder - and it's darn good ammo. But when it's out (I have a little less than 2 #'s), I'm not getting any more.
 
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AA#7: Another great metering powder from Accurate Arms. Makes great full power (or at least near full power) ammo for 10mm. Also makes great 158gn 357 Mag high velocity ammo for shorter barrels (3", 4"). Still experimenting with lighter bullets in 357/44 Mag. I also plan on trying it for full-throttle 147's in 9mm.
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You're going to LOVE #7 with full throat 147's. It is VERY forgiving going into +P territory. It was originally an Isreali powder developed for use in Uzi's with 158 gr. bullets.
 
Benchmark.
Flows OK through Dillon charge bar throwers,
Consistent, Accurate, Stable in the heat,
Cleaner burning than the Winchester I was using that evaporated during the hoarding...
 
When Varget and RL15 were no where to be found I needed a heavy 223 and light 308 powder to keep shooting. I bought an 8lb keg of both 2000MR and Benchmark as it was this or nothing. 2000MR has proved through a lot of load testing to be an awewome alternative for 69+ gr in 223 and <168 gr in 308. Benchmark is a slight faster burning powder so I limited the testing to 155's in 308 and 52's in 223, and it proved to be the best with the 223. Benchmark didn't work so good in .308 for me.
 
new powders

Due to shortages of my regulars, I a pleased to say I tried some new ones and really like AutoComp, BE86 and CFE Pistol for my 9mm and 45 ACP. The are far cleaner than most and meter very well in my Dillons. Old powders included Unique, Bullseye, HP38 and Universal. Also am using new suppliers of bullets that I can recommend, Bayou Bullets and Everglades.

Oh and I am not going to get caught short of supplies this election. Never again.
 
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