What's in YOUR action pistol?

N

Nick_C_S

New member
Hi, I shot in an ICORE event yesterday and just for fun, I thought I'd ask a few shooters what powder they were using to propel their bullets. This is only anecdotal and the sample size was small. But none-the-less, I found it interesting.

Of the seven people I polled (one was me), here's the breakdown:

W231/HP-38 - 1
WSF - 1 (even though it was a revolver event, this guy had a semi-auto)
Trail Boss - 1
Bullseye (me) - 1
Titegroup - 3

Titegroup wins. Between this and all the good stuff I hear about it on TFL, I'm gonna have to grab a pound if my LGS ever gets some in.

Who shoots in action pistol sports? If so, what propellant(s) to you use?
 
IDPA

WST
Unique
Titegroup

I've also used HS7, HP38/231, Green Dot, Clays, and Bullseye. There are a bunch of others that will also work for IDPA. I use Bullseye at the moment for Bullseye Pistol and have used Clays.
 
I no longer compete, when I did I competed in the larger Pin matches ( regulation tables), both types of steel (bang & clang and reactive) plus USPSA/IPSC.

I've used three different calibers, 45ACP, 9MM, and 40 S&W.
The 9s and 45s were loaded with 231, I had three different 40 loads all loaded with N350.
 
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I load several different powders in my 40-Clays,Clay Dot,True Blue,Accurate # 5 just to name a few- but when the money gets right it will always be Accurate # 7 for competition(IDPA,bowling pins and various steel events).
 
i find little difference between using titegroup and p38 except the titegroup uses a couple tenths less. but velocities and characteristic are pretty close to the same with a slight lead going to TG

these days i just delegate the TG to jacketed and hp for cast
 
I shoot USPSA and frankly I use whatever powder I can find right now. I prefer 231/HP-38, time group, or Unique, but right now I am using HS-6 for my 9mm as I was able to find an 8lb container. It's accurate but dirty at the low end.
 
i can't say of HS6 is "dirty", but i like it. it is extremely accurate. works best in the 147's, but i use it solely for lightweight bullets in the 80-90gr range. i can't find data on any other powder that produces the velocities HS-6 does, i use a magnum primer and usually filled to capacity,so it always burns clean for me. not something i would use for range fodder though. costs too much when other powders get you similar results with half the weight of powder. most accurate 9mm load for me is the 90gr XTP with a full case of HS6(8.4gr? don't qoute me). i know not what the OP was asking, jst thought i would share my experience with hs6 since it came up.
 
Thanks Nick!

Heavy bullets help. With 9mm, I've had decent luck with HS-6/147's
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I will give these a try, hopefully I have the same experience. I am shooting BlackAndBlue.com's 135's now.
 
At present I shoot my semi-auto CZ in IPSC. For that I stick to factory loads.

I'd like to get into shooting with my Redhawk too in which case my powders of choice will probably be N320 for .44Spl (tried and tested) or perhaps .44Mag (theoretically should give similar to Spl loads). If that does not get me results I can also try N350.

I load .44Mag with N110 too but those are tectonic loads which would not be conducive to getting back on target in under a quarter of an hour!! :D
 
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231 is, and has been since the early 1980s, my go to choice for virtually all of my handgun reloading.

I don't realistically ever see that changing.
 
Until recently, it was HS-6 and occasionally Autocomp in my 9mm, and Bullseye in my .45 ACP. I've started playing with some CFE Pistol, and I think it's going into more stuff for me.
 
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