Favorite target pistol powders for caliber.

Red dot is another shotgun powder I have on hand, use it primarily for .38 special and I agree it's a great powder for target loads. Only complaint is it meters worse than Unique.
Was going to load some 9's today with #7 but decided to keep the powder allocated to 10mm since I don't know when I'll be able to get some more, so instead I loaded:
Todays 9mm loads.
50rnds. 124gr. Berrys rn. 4.5gr. HP-38 ( same as 231) 1.150 O/L.
Quick Load says: 1092 fps.
Modern Reloading says: 1028 fps.
Speer 14 says: 998 fps.
Lyman says: 976 fps.

50rnds. 124gr. Extreme fp. 4.5 gr. Universal 1.090 O/L
Quick Load says: 1092 fps.
Modern Reloading says: 1045 fps.
Speer 14 says: 993 fps.
Lyman says: 912 fps.
Let you know the results when I get back from the range tomorrow.
Boy do I hate reloading the punybellum. Pudgy fingers can't grab the scrawny little case, keep dropping bullets, case always looks overcharged.
Think I see a .38 super in my future.:D
 
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I have used both Promo and Green Dot in .38 Special (Promo is very, very similar to Red Dot) and if I have learned anything in 100k+ rounds... it is that I am DONE using large flake shotgun powder in .38 Special.

Done, over, finished. The burning rate is perfect but the low pressure, large case and poor metering makes for erratic loads that I am not comfortable with.

Maybe I'm a slow learner, but these days it's Bullseye or Titegroup, and I'd be happy to try any spherical from Western/Accurate/Ramshot, but no more large flake in .38 Special for me, ever.
 
It's the most amazing thing: Every time I read one of Sevens' posts, I think that it's either so similar to my story, I could have written it; or I learn something new.

:)
 
Sevens, One thing I learned long ago about using large flake shotgun powders in low pressure rounds like 38 Sp. is to load right to the top pressure wise and do it using scoops.

One of the good thing about R.D. being as bulky as it is....it fills the case better than many other powders.

Scoops don't care about metering issues.

R.D. actually works fairly well @ 16k psi. especailly with heavier bullets.

It does tend to be smokey with various lubes used on lead bullets though.
 
I think I mirror that sentiment. I use Red Dot primarily in .38 Special because I don't shoot it that often, don't notice the erratic thing out of a snub nose .38 and it's another shotgun powder relegated to handguns because of the shortage, besides I gotta use it up and I don't have enough left for a 100 shotshells. Use to trickle charge Unique but thanks to the shortage I've discovered Universal meters better, provides equal performance and takes less to achieve the same velocities. I'd probably by some more Unique just to have in case Universal dries up again and hey, it makes good shotshells.
 
Boy do I hate reloading the punybellum. Pudgy fingers can't grab the scrawny little case, keep dropping bullets, case always looks overcharged.
Think I see a .38 super in my future
Click to expand...

The 357sig is another option. The punybellum bullet with the added comfort of handling a 40S&W case. Only drawback is that it is more tricky to load.
 
I tried Red Dot for .38 Special years ago.

Accuracy was absolutely fantastic, but the amount of crud, crap, filth, and muck it left behind was astounding.

I went back to 231.
 
Nick, not a fluke, I find that with most of your work in these pages as well. You use a few powders I don't use -- but your endorsement of HS-6 has me interested in it!
 
Had a Sig P229 in 40 with an extra .357Sig barrel . When I discovered the 10mm it became the forty short & weak. The .357 sig was way cool but way to much hassle to reload. If I'm going to go through that much work I want at least a 30/30 for my effort.
 
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