9MM Fast Burn rate powders

Fast Burning Powders

This chart is a "modified" best guess, from Western Powders main burn rate chart. We added Lovex and the new IMR powders. We can't confirm this is exact, but we think its ballpark. Different burn rate charts show the same powders in different order, so I think its somewhat confusing to as what powder burns faster than another. However, we can categorize them simply for 9MM caliber.

We did a comparo of the "fast" burning powders for 9MM. Remember this chart is just for quick idea of burn rate, it doesn't mean E3 from Alliant burns slower than HP-38 from Hodgdon, because I think E3 burns faster is our opinion. So look at this as ballpark. These in colored box are "fast" powders for 9MM.

In the larger BLACK box, is "all" powders you can use for 9MM generally. For example, you would not use Accurate #9 for 9MM, as it would fill the case far too much. It is too slow. Same thing with VV N105, etc.

Fast burning powders are often used for Power Factor ~130 shooting. Shooting plates. Recreational use too. They are generally more economical.

For example, Titegroup takes ~3.3 grains of powder in a 147 grain bullet generally. However, Blue dot a slow powder, takes about 5.6 grains to achieve same velocity. 5.6 grains would make ~1250 bullets with 1 pound.
5.6 grains would cost 1.6 cents per round if 1 lb was $20.

3.3 grains would cost .09 cents per round if 1 lb was $20

You shoot 10,000 rounds per year? That is $90 using the 3.3 grain powder, and $160 using the 5.6 grain powder. If both powders cost $20 each. That is $70 per year based on shooting 10,000 rounds per year. Its not that much...

Cases: How clean are these powders?

Accurate #2 looks to be the cleanest case of the roundup. Lovex D032 (Shooters World Cleanshot is near Accurate #2 in clean. Those 2 stand out among the group. Titegroup and Bullseye are two of the dirtiest, with Titegroup slightly dirtier. All the rest look similar, HP38, IMR target, N320, Sport Pistol all average dirty/clean depending how you want to look at it. You can see there from Accurate #2 pic, and D032 pic, those 2 are vastly cleaner cases than anything else. Also of note, Accurate #7 is one of the cleanest case slow powers.

Bullseye Left

Sport Pistol Middle

Titegroup right

124 Grain bullet results.
All of these not very clean really.

AA#2 Left

D032 Middle

Sport Pistol Right

124 Grain bullet results.
At ~130 PF its easy to see that AA#2 and Lovex D032 (Cleanshot) leave the cases vastly cleaner overall.

Win 244 Left

HP38 Middle

N320 Right

124 Grain Bullet results.
Win 244 looks to have cleaner case than Sport Pistol. HP38 looks average and N320 is similar.

IMR Blue Left

Blut Dot Middle

IMR Target Right

124 grain bullet results.
All on dirty side. Hard to say which one is less dirty. They are cleaner than Titegroup however, less scorched.

HP38 Left

Red Dot Middle

AA2 Right

147 Grain bullet results..

AA2 again shows its vastly cleaner.

N320 Left

Red Dot Middle

IMR Target Right

147 Grain bullet results. Red dot is actually one of the cleaner powders. N320 is nowhere near as clean as say D032 or AA#2, and noticeably dirtier than Red Dot.

Sport Pistol Left

Red Dot Middle

W244 Right

147 Grain bullet results. Red Dot is cleaner than both. W244 very similar to Sport Pistol or even HP38.

D032 Left

IMR Red Middle

AA#2 Right

147 Grain bullet results. IMR red is middle of the road dirty for fast powder. AA#2 proves once again, its the cleanest 9 MM powder we tested. Then D032 perhaps. Of the fast powders...

D032 Left

Bullseye Middle

Titegroup Right

147 Grain bullet results. Titegroup is perhaps the dirtiest 9MM powder we ever tested, and it shows again, across the board, its very dirty.. Bullseye is dirty and its noticable cleaner than TG.

Fast Powder Roundup: Primer inspection & Preparation method

How does hitting ~130 Power Factor affect one of the softest primers we could find? (Federal Gold Medal)

~130 PF Primers

Federal Gold Medal primers. These are soft primers. Notice the strike face area of these are "barely" flattened? There is a tiny amount flattened past normal diameter.

Just barely larger than unfired primer...

barely flattened...

Another primer from the roundup...

Just barely flattened...

This is a fired primer that is NOT flattened past edge...

The standard diameter of the primer is .1745

Standard Primer

The standard diameter of the primer is .1745

TESTING METHOD

In order to have "controls" in place to be able to see differences in powder for these tests, the following is done:

Brass weighs the same to .1 of a grain.
Brass same length to .001"
Bullet weights the same to .1 of a grain
Powder measured to .004 of a grain using Gempro 250
Primers all weigh same
Total bullets in test, all weigh within .1 grains of each other total variance
Obviously, same OAL

That particular lot of Sport Pistol, all bullets weighed 219.2 grains.

Lets look at some targets here. 130+ PF "Minor" loads ...124 Grainers...

In between each set, we cleaned and shot test shots, then have 5 round groups. All of this is with a match barrel from an XD(M) OSP using Vortex Venom 3 MOA dot at 10 yards.

10 YARDS

Leveled, good benchrest position

Xtreme Brass ~12.75 grains case capacity

Federal Gold Medal Primers
Some targets have 2 test shots before grouping. These are noted by "x" over hole. You can see after the test shots, all of the different loads have very high propensity to hit same tiny area at 10 yards. This is mainly due to the extraordinary "controls" of everything being as close to exact as possible, leading to each round in a lot weighing the near exact same. This is a large difference between just using precise powder charges in unsorted, unweighed, brass, or mixed brass, or brass at different lengths. That test later...to prove it.

124 GRAIN Precision Delta HP OAL 1.095

Accurate #2 4.4 Grains

124 Grain Bullet

Blue Dot 6.5 Grains

We tossed in a super slow 9 MM Powder to show these can work too..

Bullseye 4.1 Grains

124 Grain Bullet

D032 4.2 Grains

124 Grain Bullet

HP38 4.3 grains

124 Grain Bullet

IMR Blue 6.7 Grains

One of the best all around 9 MM powders, does well in Minor..too..

IMR Target 4.1 Grains

124 Grain Bullet

N320 4.2 Grains

124 Grain Bullet

Sport Pistol 4.1 Grains

124 Grain Bullet

TiteGroup 3.9 Grains

124 Grain Bullet. 2 test shots before this group...but not on target.

Winchester 244 4.1 Grains

124 Grain Bullet

Red Dot 4.1 Grains

124 Grain bullet. 2 test shots before this group...but not on target.

IMR Red 4.1 Grains

124 Grain bullet. 2 test shots before this group...but not on target.

Lets look at some targets here. 130+ PF "Minor" loads ...147 Grainers...

In between each set, we cleaned and shot test shots, then have 5 round groups. All of this is with a match barrel from an XD(M) OSP using Vortex Venom 3 MOA dot at 10 yards.

10 YARDSLeveled, good benchrest position

Xtreme Brass ~12.75 grains case capacity

Federal Gold Medal Primers

We shot 2 test shots before grouping. These are shot off target this time. Different loads have very high propensity to hit same tiny area at 10 yards. This is mainly due to the extraordinary "controls" of everything being as close to exact as possible, leading to each round in a lot weighing the near exact same. Generally, we believe the Precision Delta 147 RN is not as accurate as the 124 Grain HP in this gun, or perhaps, its just the lot we purchased, its hard to pin down things like this. At 10 yards, is under 1" group great? We think its totally good. Just not crazy good like the 124 grain results where 1/2" is great or IMR Target doing ~.2 inches, which is absurd at 10 yards.

147 GRAIN Precision Delta RN OAL 1.145

Accurate #2 3.9 Grains

147 Grain bullet

Bullseye 3.5 Grains

147 Grain bullet

D032 Cleanshot 3.7 Grains

147 Grain bullet

HP38 3.8 Grains

147 Grain bullet

IMR Blue 5.7 Grains

147 Grain bullet
We can see the slow powder competes just fine, we like the way it felt better than ALL of these too. Just 1 shot didnt group well. 4/5 not bad.

IMR Red 3.4 Grains

147 Grain bullet

IMR Target 3.4

147 Grain bullet
Another good showing, from a good, overall, accurate powder.

Red Dot 3.4 Grains

147 Grain bullet
Very underrated powder in 9MM

Sport Pistol 3.5 grains

147 Grain bullet
The hype is not hype? Its a solid performer

Titegroup 3.3 grains

147 Grain bullet

W244 (Winclean) 3.5 Grains

147 Grain bullet

124 Grain Summary

Its not as easy as saying "Oh, IMR Target was more accurate group, thus its the best". Is the group 4 bullets going through same hole and 1 is off? is 2 low, 2 high and 1 left making a .5" group? Its better if you have a group where say 80% of them, go through the same hole. We think at least. Why did that 1 shot not go through same hole? Was it neck tension? Was it a manufacturing issue with the bullet causing it to be oblong somewhat? Was ogive out of shape? Was primer firing wierd, not consistent? Its just about impossible to say why. So if you have a bunch of bullets through same hole, and then 1 is off, that, we think, is better, because its PREDICTABLE say, 80% of the time, for example. 50%, 80%, a high %, you get it. For this reason, we do not favor the groups that are spread out, like N320, Bullseye, IMR Red that stand out somewhat. We prefer IMR Target, D032, IMR Blue for example.

IMR Blue and Blue dot, we think, felt better to shoot than the faster powders, and we would probably choose one of these for this competition, not a fast powder. Its difficult to describe, but the faster powders feel "snappy", or "jerky", or have harsher recoil that is noticable.
I guess it depends how fast you can shoot. If you can keep up with the super snappy loads and fire it on the recoil decent every time, then its probably better. The difference is probably very small, timed. But you can feel it.

124 & 147 Combined

And the winner is? You pick. We will pick our favorites, based on how they shot and the groups.

#1 Accurate #2 We think won. Its 2nd cleanest here too, we think.

#2 Sport Pistol. Maybe this won? Its not that clean though.

#3 D032. Solid results.

#4 IMR Target. Very accurate, solid performance.

Whats overall message here perhaps? Precision Delta 124 HP is more accurate bullet than 147 Precision Delta RN?

We think it is.

WINNER for us: ACCURATE #2

Well done.