[Zoom.Golly]

I'll be making my annual trip for reloading supplies shortly. I probably have enough powder to last until my next trip but I decided that if there is powder available I'll buy another keg.

ClayDot or Promo will be my first choice and I will buy one of those if they are available. There is a good chance they may not be. So I've decided I will probably buy something else if it is available.

I load mostly 1 ounce and some 1 1/8 ounce loads to 1150-1200 fps in STS. Perusing the reloading manuals it seems that Titewad, E3, or American Select would work if that what's available.

If I have a choice of Titewad, E3, and/or American Select, are any of those preferable to the others? Are there any of those I should avoid?

 

[4th. down]

IMHO, all are good for 1 oz. loads at your desired velocity. E3 may be a little cleaner if that's important to you.

 

[zzt]

e3 is my favorite powder. It is superb for 24g, 7/8 and 1oz loads. I also use it for a pet 1 1/8oz load.

American Select is my favorite powder for 1 1/8oz. It is versatile. It is also usable for 24g, 7/8 and 1oz loads, but if you shoot in cold weather it is best to keep the speeds up.

You will be happy with either of those two powders. I've never used TiteWad.

 

[chuckie68]

Titewad---Clean burning at 17.5 grains and 1 ounce shot.

Chuck

 

[Oregunner]

Titewad was all I could find for my last purchase. We'll see how I like it when I run out of my Claydot. Mark

 

[perazzidb81]

Titewad is a very clean powder. Chuck I use the same load and it works great.

Tom

 

[HTSmith]

I use tightwad for 1oz and Am Sel for 1.125 oz. with good results. Tightwad works for some 1.125 oz loads, but you have to be picky with primers and wads.

 

[perezal]

Use titewad powder it is the best.

 

[Brady509]

I disagree. I load 1 oz with am select all the time. In regards to the occasional 1.125 load am select is an extremely better choice.


ONE powder best of both worlds that you named= American Select

Brady Gies

 

[talbers]

I use Noble Sport primer and E3 powder. As long as I keep the pressures up around 8,500+ I have had very good results. Lower pressures in this combination result in off sounding shells and a very dirty barrel in the cold.

 

[Border Bandit]

You mentioned STS hulls. If you find American Select do not plan to use Remington primers, as they are not compatible with this powder at cooler temps = below 35 degrees F.. Switching to Win 209, CCI Mag or Federal primers will resolve the issue.

best.... mihe

 

[Gavin]

Sam Brown,

I use American Select. Lowest recoil (psi) for a given velocity. I checked the published data from the major power manufactures reload data tables to make that determination. It was the cleanest burning and the Aliant rep told me it was the best powder they made. I've used it since 1998 in temps as low as -40 (ambient; Fairbanks Alaska in January) and as high as 110 with no problems. American Select--good powder.

Good Luck with your choice
Gavin

 

[Zoom.Golly]

I found 8 pounds of American Select and bought it.

Pressures seem very low, like 6,900 to 7,600 psi in the range of the velocities I would like to load. Do you think those pressures will work my 1100?

 

[Gavin]

Sam Brown,
I presume you are talking about the 1100 receiver properly cycling after your first shot. I do not know what the minimum pressure is to correctly cycle an 1100. However, I have fired several thousand 1 oz re-loads with Am Sel and a Win 209 primer with no problems (I used the 1 oz at 1150 fps load recipe from the Alliant on-line reloading guide). With some research in the reloading guide, you could load 10 rounds at 7,000 psi and 10 rounds at 8,000 psi and see what works best in your particular 1100. As always with reloading, follow the manufactures safety notes and reloading guide--swapping components can produce unexpected results.

Good Shooting,
Gavin

 

[Zoom.Golly]

Gavin - Your post made me think back to when I was using PB and International Clays. Both of those had very low pressure yet were extremely reliable in my 1100. A powder company employee explained that both of those powder were very similar in "chemistry" and the key to their reliability was not a function of their pressure, but a function of high volume of gas they generated, i.e. their large 'gas bubble'. It is that 'gas bubble' that works the action of gas autos.

Let's hope that American Select is similar to those two powders.

 

[bkt514]

American Select has worked great for me in both 1 oz. and 11/8 oz. loads. I also like International Clays, but the price is up a bit!

 

[Jim Porter]

Well---I have an opinion on all three! I am a Red Dot, Green Dot, Clays and International Clays man. Have been for years. Shortages have brought me to Tightwad. I am not too happy with it. I am sure it is a good powder but migrates like crazy and seems VERY static "clingy". I have a freind that uses Select and loves it. To a point that has not been mentioned, I met the fellow who helped formulate e3 several years ago at the SHOT SHOW, Very nice guy and he said the strength of e3 was that it was stable in almost all temperature ranges. I don't know where you live, Mississippi is no big deal, but it could be a factor for you if you shoot in really cold weather.

If they were not good---they would not be on the market! There is too much liability to the companies tp produce a bogus powder.