Saturday, January 19, 2008

Hogdon TiteGroup Powder

Can't be used to load particularly hot 9mm or .45ACP loads without generating high pressures. It can be used to load inexpensive practice ammo, minor power factor loads for 9mm and .40S&W, and minor though hardball replica loads (major PF) in .45ACP. Leaves a fairly tough black coating on surfaces exposed to the smoke, but is not excessively dirty. Powder does throw sparks when the rounds are fired. It doesn't seem to produce as much recoil and is not as loud as some slower burning powder. Meters pretty well in a Hornady Lock-N-load powder measure, but doesn't like to be used with Lee 9mm expander die, as the powder gets fluffed up when the case pops out and the press shakes.

UPDATE, 11/1/09: I had my Glock 26 (3.5" barrel) out last weekend trying out a variation on an old load; 4.6 grains loaded under a 115gr hollowpoint at 1.5". The rangemaster stopped me, because there was a lot of sparks coming out of the barrel. Although I knew it was just the powder, I checked the barrel and the shells for bulges and flattened primers anyway. As I suspected, it was just the powder, possibly with the flash enhanced by the short barrel.

Oh, and I'm at about 10,000 rounds of both 9mm and .45ACP, and still on the first 8 pound jug.

UPDATE, 6/2/2012:  Having run out my small supply of .38 Special factory ammo, I.started to reload 38s.  I have noticed that my hands and forearms aren't getting peppered with bits of carbon or unburnt powder when shooting the TiteGroup reloads, like I was getting with the factory ammo.  I like that.  The garbage that was coming out from between the cylinder and forcing cone was HOT.  4" service revolver or 2" snubby, it doesn't seem to matter.

Unfortunately, when you load TiteGroup under a cast lead bullet, you get a lot of foul-smelling grey smoke.  I don't like that so much, and it's probably not very good for your health.  I bought some Clays powder for use with lead bullets, and I'm not getting as much smoke.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

titegroup is the diriest powder ive ever used. everytime i shoot it in my 45, when i get home ive got to actually tear it all the way doiwn and scrub it in the sink with dawn and a toothbrush to get it all off. even el-cheapo factory winchester practice rounds dont do that to my gun.ive got about a half pound left, and as soon as its gone, ill never buy it again.

Suburban said...

Dirty, perhaps, but I really don't feel that it's that bad. At least not the lot that I was using.

I am quite a cheapskate, so I did buy another 8 pound jug. After 2 years of using powder from the first jug, I finally got down to the last pound, or pound and a half.

Anonymous said...

I think you are all CRAZY titegroup is very clean powder

2ndtimer said...

Tite Group dirty? Have you guys ever tried Blue Dot or the old Unique powder? Any faster burning powder like Tite Group or Bullseye or even W-231 with cast or swaged lead bullets is going to be a smoke filled experience. Shooting Tite Group with 9mm jacketed bullets results in very little fouling of the firearm, which is easily wiped off. I like the Tite Group for its' economy and consistency. Although I am currently using W-540 for my 9mm loads for a little more performance, and the fact that it was free.