I am starting reloading this winter. I am going to reload for a few handgun calibers... 38, 357 mag, 44 mag. I will be wanting some mild to moderate loads as well as some good heavy hunting loads. Accurate #5 & #9 look like they would be good choices for me but I don't see many people using this brand of powder. Why is that? Is there something wrong with them?
Why dont many people use Accurate brand pistol powders?
- Thread starter Wil2279
- Start date
Nothing wrong with them at all. I use AA#5 in 9mm and 45acp, AA#9 in 357mag and AA2230 in 223. Accurate Arms powders are a fine ball powder that meters very well, but you might get a little leakage out of some powder measures. There is also nothing wrong with Hogdon or Winchester powders which are 2 other brands I have used. It comes down to what you like. Start with buying one pound to try the powder and then if you find it works for you, then buy more or larger quantities.
Tried them, did not care for them. Lots of splash out of cases on the progressive was one thing. Even with hand weighed charges, the SD was pretty high, and the accuracy poor, until I got near the maximum loads. I used it in some pretty warm 10mm and .40 Super loads and there is did great.
I would say it is because there are not as many published loads out there for their powders as there are for Winchester, Hogdgon, & IMR. You can get load data for their powders, but I find it easier to get load data from Alliant, Hogdgon and Winchester from their loading manuals as well as from Lyman's Reloading book #49 and Hornady's manuals.
The other mfg's just spend more money on testing different bullets and loads than Accurate does. I still have a half a pound of #7 that I bought to try for the 357 Sig, but ended up using Alliant Power Pistol for it instead.
Bottom line you are more likely to find people using other brand powders.
Stay safe.
Jim
http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/WP_LoadSpec_1-23-14.pdf
The other mfg's just spend more money on testing different bullets and loads than Accurate does. I still have a half a pound of #7 that I bought to try for the 357 Sig, but ended up using Alliant Power Pistol for it instead.
Bottom line you are more likely to find people using other brand powders.
Stay safe.
Jim
http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/WP_LoadSpec_1-23-14.pdf
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I like Accurate powders. One of the issues is availability. Like all brands of powders, the faster the burn rate, the harder they are to find - or so it seems. AA propellants are no exception.
I last found AA#2 in the spring of '13 - when the shortage was at its worst, ironically; but haven't seen it anywhere since.
Same with AA#5. Except, I've seen it a time or two on line this past summer.
AA#7 pops up from time to time. Even picked up a # with an on-line purchase of other powders (to amortize hasmat). I've also seen it at my LGS a time or two.
AA#9 seems to be the easiest to find. It was available at my LGS last week; and I've seen it on line quite a bit.
My experience:
I really like AA#2. No powder meters better. In fact, it's so fine grained that a loose powder hopper may leak AA#2. Anyway, it's a fast powder; but it's slow for a fast powder - if that makes sense. I've built nice defense rounds with it for short barreled 38+P & 357 snubbies. I have built amazingly consistent, low SD rounds when loaded with plated wadcutters for 38 Special IDPA PF - even though they are under-pressured. Fortunately, when under-pressured, it's not sooty. It just leaves behind greeish-yellow "sand."
AA#2 is also great for 115gn 9mm. It's a slow enough powder where you can pump them up a bit and actually make them rather stout.
AA#5 meters 99% as well as AA#2; as it's larger grained, but more dense. It is great for most any semi-auto application. I use it almost exclusively for "85% power" 180gn 10mm rounds. That is not to say that it isn't versatile. I have lots of other powders. 10mm is just where it's come to roost in my coop. I do find it a little odd that AA#2 is a slow fast powder; and AA#5 is a fast intermediate powder. So the two are actually fairly close in burn rate.
AA#7 is also a great metering powder. I use it for full-power 357 Magnum for my shorter barreled (3" & 4") 686's. In the 3" bbl, it is the velocity champ among my 357 Mag recipes (W296-loaded ammo does better in my 8-3/8" 686). I use it for full-house 10mm (180gn) ammo; which is probably its most comfortable home. I would consider it for 124gn, and especially 147gn 9mm; but haven't gone down that road - yet.
I don't use AA#9. It's too slow for any application I have, coupled with my loading style - which is admittedly more fast powdered oriented than most loaders.
I last found AA#2 in the spring of '13 - when the shortage was at its worst, ironically; but haven't seen it anywhere since.
Same with AA#5. Except, I've seen it a time or two on line this past summer.
AA#7 pops up from time to time. Even picked up a # with an on-line purchase of other powders (to amortize hasmat). I've also seen it at my LGS a time or two.
AA#9 seems to be the easiest to find. It was available at my LGS last week; and I've seen it on line quite a bit.
My experience:
I really like AA#2. No powder meters better. In fact, it's so fine grained that a loose powder hopper may leak AA#2. Anyway, it's a fast powder; but it's slow for a fast powder - if that makes sense. I've built nice defense rounds with it for short barreled 38+P & 357 snubbies. I have built amazingly consistent, low SD rounds when loaded with plated wadcutters for 38 Special IDPA PF - even though they are under-pressured. Fortunately, when under-pressured, it's not sooty. It just leaves behind greeish-yellow "sand."
AA#2 is also great for 115gn 9mm. It's a slow enough powder where you can pump them up a bit and actually make them rather stout.
AA#5 meters 99% as well as AA#2; as it's larger grained, but more dense. It is great for most any semi-auto application. I use it almost exclusively for "85% power" 180gn 10mm rounds. That is not to say that it isn't versatile. I have lots of other powders. 10mm is just where it's come to roost in my coop. I do find it a little odd that AA#2 is a slow fast powder; and AA#5 is a fast intermediate powder. So the two are actually fairly close in burn rate.
AA#7 is also a great metering powder. I use it for full-power 357 Magnum for my shorter barreled (3" & 4") 686's. In the 3" bbl, it is the velocity champ among my 357 Mag recipes (W296-loaded ammo does better in my 8-3/8" 686). I use it for full-house 10mm (180gn) ammo; which is probably its most comfortable home. I would consider it for 124gn, and especially 147gn 9mm; but haven't gone down that road - yet.
I don't use AA#9. It's too slow for any application I have, coupled with my loading style - which is admittedly more fast powdered oriented than most loaders.
As stated above, I have never seen it on any of my local selves, so I have never tried any. Probably never will either, unless it is free or there is some type of shortage in the future when they are the only ones available.
I am not looking for new powders for any of my loads as I have them covered and satisfied.
I am not looking for new powders for any of my loads as I have them covered and satisfied.
My favorite powder for .380 ACP is AA#2 and it works well in some .38 Special loads. I like AA#5 in 230 gr. 45 ACP loads and AA#9 is by far my favorite for 158 gr. jacketed .357 Magnum loading. Accurate simply doesn't keep up with demand and lots of dealers don't stock Accurate powders. Haven't seen them on shelves in a while but waiting of AA#2 to finally show up. Got plenty of AA#5 and 9 but low on AA#2. I have seen AA#9 on some shelves and AA#5 on-line but AA#2 is still unavailable.
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I love #5, but stopped using it because it leaks really badly out of my Lee Auto Disk. Since switched to Unique for the same loads.
Yes, I know that is an issue with the Auto Disk and not the powder, but it also allowed me to consolidate the number of powders I need to keep in stock.
Yes, I know that is an issue with the Auto Disk and not the powder, but it also allowed me to consolidate the number of powders I need to keep in stock.
Sand Phenomena?
Can anyone explain the "Sand Phenomena" ?
I agree with Nick_C_S and others that it preformed quite well for .380 acp, and pretty decent on 115gr 9mm and 158gr SWC (L) .38 spl.
I assumed the greeish-yellow "sand" was unburnt powder and discontinued using it for 9mm and .38 spl because I thought it was excessive. Any harm in using it?
Can anyone explain the "Sand Phenomena" ?
I agree with Nick_C_S and others that it preformed quite well for .380 acp, and pretty decent on 115gr 9mm and 158gr SWC (L) .38 spl.
I assumed the greeish-yellow "sand" was unburnt powder and discontinued using it for 9mm and .38 spl because I thought it was excessive. Any harm in using it?
Availability is MY only problem with Accurate powders. My experiences with them have been very positive.
I have the most experience with #5, but the little bit of #7 I used made me want to find more. To me, AA#5 is a better-metering equivalent to Alliant Herco, which I like very much. On another website, I wondered why I wasn't seeing many of the Accurate powders in my LGSs. What the OP reports about slower-burning AA powders popping up from time to time, also seems the case, here.
I have the most experience with #5, but the little bit of #7 I used made me want to find more. To me, AA#5 is a better-metering equivalent to Alliant Herco, which I like very much. On another website, I wondered why I wasn't seeing many of the Accurate powders in my LGSs. What the OP reports about slower-burning AA powders popping up from time to time, also seems the case, here.
I've used it in the past, it works just fine but availability is a problem. I started using IMR 4831 30 years ago because Hodgdon wasn't available when I needed powder. It pays to be flexible especially now days. For shotgun I went from Clays to Red Dot to WST to Green Dot. These same powders can be used in a lot of pistol loads. I use what I can get. One isn't any better than another as far as I can tell in the handgun, just work up the load. WST may meter a little better than the other 3 in a measure but I use all 4 of them plus Unique, Bullseye, 231 and Titegroup. They all work very well.
Shotgun Slim
New member
Accurate 5,7,and 9 are in stock at Powder Valley. 5 and 7 are in stock at Natchez,Graf and Sons, Midsouth and Gamaliel Shooter Supply. I'm talking one pounders and eight pounders. Treat yourself to a jug of #7 for your 9mm or 40 s&w or 10mm and you will end up having a good year after all.
Its out there if you lookCodeSection
New member
I like AA#5 as well for my 9mm and .40 loads. While it may be hard to find, it is available out there. You just need to be vigilant in looking and registering "notify me via email" on different sites. I bought 10 lbs of it a few months ago....
I'm pretty sure that's just what it is. It seems to go away when you pump them up more and get a good pressure wave going.
No harm in using it. The "sand" is telling you that you need a stronger charge.
I was using AA#2 in 38 Special out of desperation. At the time, it was all I had. But during that time, I gathered a good amount of chronograph data using lead and plated bullets. But 38 Special is a bit cavernous for AA#2 - it think it likes more confined spaces to get a good consistent burn. 38 Special is actually kind of a persnickity round to truly load right - especially for light target rounds. And AA#2 doesn't wake up and run right in 38 Special until you've bumped it up well past your basic target wadcutter type shooter.
Now that I have other (and better suited) powders for my 38 target applications, I reserve my AA#2 pretty much exclusively for 9mm. And since I rarely load for 9mm, my AA#2 sits on the shelf collecting dust
