Win. 231 Powder

Does anyone use Win. 231 powder for BE? Is there a reason not to?

It's accurate and meters very well. I used it for a couple of years loading 38 Special. At the 2.9gr I was using, I was getting a fair bit of unburned powder though. Maybe that's why some recommend 3.1. I've read many reports of satisfied bullseye shooters using it for .45 as well.

If you have it already, use it without reservation. If you're looking to buy, look at WST.

10lbs sping and slide mount

4.0 - 4.1 for 200gr lswc
4.6 for 200gr swaged (0.4515) Precision Bullets
4.6 for 185gr lswc

Win231 is usually available when others are not

Thank you!

Seems to me you would go through powder faster with those needed weights compared to others ? No ?

7000 grs of powder in a lb.

I'm not too worried about a gr or two.

What is the benefit of 231 ?

It's economical, meters well & goes boom.
Every one has a "magic load", mine uses 231.
I equate the question to which oil, bullet, primer, grip......question.
If you can master the basics everything else fall in line.

It's clean like Clays, but you need a little hotter load to get it all burned. W231 isn't temperature sensitive like Clays. Metering out a of Dillion measure is very consistent. There isn't the smoke and grime like Bullseye. It's usually in stock.

Just my 2 cents

Winchester 231 (sold under the Hodgdon brand as HP-38) is also a very popular powder for 9mm loads. It might not group the best at 50 yards but it works well on the short line.

I've used W231 for 9mm.  A guy I shoot with in our local Bullseye league uses W231 in his .45.  The better shooters tend to use Bullseye, because it's not temperature sensitive; they also keep quantities of powder that far exceed mine.  For indoor shooting at 25 yards, rounds loaded with W231 aren't stopping anyone from shooting master level scores (IMO).

Shot my new-for-me wad gun today. 4.6gr. 231/CCI Primer/R-P brass/185 LSWC Zeros. At 50 yds. off a sand bag it did very well with six shots inside 1.5". There was some but very little unburned powder (though much less than with 4.5gr.). To eliminate that do I:

increase crimp
add a tenth more powder
try a hotter primer

Afraid to change much for fear of losing accuracy.

If you have lead shooting under 1.5" I wouldn't change a thing.

Good point. Sometimes I am my own enemy!

I have used W231 and 185 grain lead SWC usually with about 4.6 grains of powder, works well and any accuracy issues are due to the loose nut pulling the trigger.

That's me!