231

[L Ross]

Reading the thread on .45 cases and saw the love for 231. I thought I'd start a new post instead of careening through the .45 case thread on two wheels.

I was looking for Unique for a friend who got caught in the Pandemic Powder Panic. Whilst in the locker I found an 8 ponder of 231. I am a bit of a Luddite because I still think of 231 as a new fangled "ball" powder. I vaguely remember picking it up around the time Olin was offering rebates on primers, as I think it was on sale fairly cheap. I thought it would work where I otherwise use Bullseye. Besides the .45 acp loads, where do yo guys that like 231 use it?

9m/m, .38 spl., .44 spl., .45 Colt, low node cast rifle?

 

[Ian]

Yes to all but I don't reload 9mm.

 

[Brad]

I use it in my 32 H&R. Have used it in 38 Special too.

I can’t think of a handgun cartridge where it won’t work.

 

[JWFilips]

My buddy Ed shoots all his low node rifle calibers with it ! His powder drop meters it well so that is the reason & they are vey accurate! But he is a .22 and .25 caliber shooter!

 

[JustJim]

I've not tried it in rifles, though I did load some 30 carbine for a pistol with it. Other than that I've used it in most handguns I've loaded in the past 30 years or so.

Now that I think about it, I don't think I ever tried it in the 475 Linebaugh--would have to check my notes.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

231 [AKA, HP-38] was my go-to powder for 38 Special for many years. I still use it for 45 ACP and some 38 Special loads. It will work in bigger cases like 44 Special but it's not my first choice in those big cases.

It is an extremely useful powder and one I always keep on hand.
In 45 ACP with a 200 grain LSWC it works very well. Bullseye is slightly faster and slightly cheaper (due to less powder per cartridge) but but 231 is very close in terms of performance and price.

 

[JWFilips]

And Cleaner burning then BE

 

[fiver]

works great in the 44 mag too.
231 was about the only pistol powder my dad ever had in his cabinet.
I bet if he coulda found a shot-shell load for it there would have been 50 lbs or more in his locker.

 

[oscarflytyer]

recently traded for 3 lbs of 231 just to have it for handgun calibers like 38 SPC/45 Colt etc. Been using HP38 and getting low, and know they are basically the same, so...

 

[Joshua]

Excuse me while I do a wheelie.

One of my first powder purchases was a pound of Ramshot Zip. It is believed by many to be Ramshot’s answer to 231. In 45acp I have used 5.2 grains under the Lee TL452-230-2R.

Later I picked up a pound of older metal can Win 231, it was marked 10/1978 by it’s previous owner. I plan to switch over to the 231 when I run out of the Zip.

Here are a few pictures.
Old Win 231


And new Zip, below.

 

[dannyd]

great powder for 38/357. W231 and HP-38 are the same powder now.

 

[RicinYakima]

I thought it would work where I otherwise use Bullseye. Besides the .45 acp loads, where do yo guys that like 231 use it?

9m/m, .38 spl., .44 spl., .45 Colt, low node cast rifle?

I use it instead of Unique because I bought a bunch of it in the 1990's and it worked so well in 38 Special and 44 Special and Magnums.

 

[Matt]

W231/HP-38 has been good for me in everything from .25 ACP to .480 Ruger. Very clean shooting. I think my brother in law uses it in his .50 S&W for plinkers. Never used it in rifles, too much proven data and too much old Bullseye and Red Dot to use up first.

 

[Cherokee]

231 has been used in everything I load. 25ACP to 45 colt. Good when used appropriately. Excellent for starters. It replaced BE and Unique for my use.

 

[Rick H]

I have used it in .380, 38 sp., 40 S&W, 45 auto, 45 Colt, most any handgun cartridge I have except the 44 mag.

 

[Walks]

I killed my 8lb keg during the last powder shortage. It was an OLD Tin can from the early 1990's.
Didn't replace it because I had 3 - 5lb TiteGroup.
Still have most of a 1lb can left. At these prices it'll be the last I'll ever have.
Will miss it. Great for .45Auto hardball eq. Loads.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

recently traded for 3 lbs of 231 just to have it for handgun calibers like 38 SPC/45 Colt etc. Been using HP38 and getting low, and know they are basically the same, so...

It isn't basically the same, it IS the same.

 

[Ian]

But it ain't the same thing it was 30 years ago. The old dullish flattened ball burned cleaner, didn't leave crusty flaky residue in the cases, and seemed a little mire consistent than the stuff Hodgdon has made to replace it.

 

[fiver]

yep I remember it kinda dry and looking like the top picture, now it looks like a mix between the top and bottom one.

 

[CZ93X62]

I have used WW-231 for almost 40 years. Bullseye does weird things in an RCBS powder hopper--like etch and discolor its inner surface and stick to the plastic hopper. That can't be a good thing, and it has become my replacement for Bullseye for that reason. I use it for most handgun calibers, other than Magnum revolvers/low node and 45 Colts where Herco gets the call. I have never tried 231 in any rifle caliber, and have never tried HP-38.