Sagerider Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 I'm down to my last two pounds of Clays with no positive news for its return to local shelves. I reviewed the SASS wire for comments on powders that could be replacements for Clays. I looked at the Hodgdon's loading data for 45 Colt and 45 ACP. And, I just purchased a eight pound container of Hodgdon's TiteGroup. I'm didn't see great differences between the two powders for charge sizes and chamber pressures. But let me ask you Pards who have used both. What should I be looking for in the care and feeding of TiteGroup that I did not consider with Clays. Advice greatly appreciated. Sage rider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marauder SASS #13056 Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 Titegroup was designed to have minimal temperature variation. It is also a relatively dense powder so it takes very little volume to the the required load. But it was also designed to not be too position sensitive if you load in the recommended ranges. As such, it is quite a bit different from Clays powder. Clays generally gives a softer recoil and not as loud of report than Titegroup. Titegroup is known for having quite a "bark" and a sharper "bite." That is what I've seen in 38's. I have not loaded it in 45;'s but know many who do and like it. Similarly, many like it in their 38's even with the sharper recoil and noise. It is quite accurate for most loads. But I had trouble getting it to measure consistently for the light 38 loads. You should not have that problem with 45's though since it takes enough powder to avoid the problems I had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mose Spencer, SASS #63490 Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 700 x and ram shot zip work pretty well We are having problems finding tite group around here also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barleycorn, SASS #76982 Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 TiteGroup is my go to Smokeless powder! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 For what little I have shot and experimented with Clays and Titegroup, I agree with Marauder in the 'temperature variation' comment. To me, CLAYS has been sensitive in cold weather conditions, requiring a Magnum primer for good ignition, especially in a .38 special load for Cowboy shooting. I have tested Titegroup in my .32 H&R's and find it a darn good powder in that it is clean and accurate in both lighter bullets for the .32 (78 grainers) and the heavier bullets as well (100 grainers). My opinion is that you will be VERY happy with the Titegroup. p.s. - My powders are: Clays, Bullseye, Titegroup and Red Dot for my Cowboy shooting. ..........Widder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 For what little I have shot and experimented with Clays and Titegroup, I agree with Marauder in the 'temperature variation' comment. To me, CLAYS has been sensitive in cold weather conditions, requiring a Magnum primer for good ignition, especially in a .38 special load for Cowboy shooting. I have tested Titegroup in my .32 H&R's and find it a darn good powder in that it is clean and accurate in both lighter bullets for the .32 (78 grainers) and the heavier bullets as well (100 grainers). My opinion is that you will be VERY happy with the Titegroup. p.s. - My powders are: Clays, Bullseye, Titegroup and Red Dot for my Cowboy shooting. ..........Widder Get some Unique, and life will be good. BTW-PLEASE clean out you PM's-AGAIN OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Chance Morgun Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I agree with all of the above about Tite Group. I, too, used Clays and had to find another powder. I was able to find a pound and have had no problems with it. It should work just fine for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I use Tite-Group for .44-40, works great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Key Hay Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Use Titegroup for .38, 45 Colt, and 45 ACP. Used to use Clays for Shotgun but since I can't find any I decided to try Titewad. Not sure I like it. Has a sharp recoil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spades Hanlin SASS#66204 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Burns clean, has quite a crack to it and a bit more jump in recoil. Oh and the cases are almost as hot as black powder when you go to pickup fresh fired rounds.. WARNING!! A fresh fired tite group loaded piece of brass down the back or yer shirt WILL wake you up like no other I've encountered.. Spades H. Them that like it seem to love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Titegroup has a very bad habit of clumping tightly if left in powder measures in hot moist weather, then the powder measure can bridge over and drop light charges! Put all unused TG powder back in the original jar, even overnight. The clumps have been so bad on some of my loading with TG as to required a pencil erase end poked down into the clumps to break them up. Otherwise, an excellent, accurate, hot, case smudging, loud and sharp recoiling powder, due to it's extremely high content of nitroglycerin, even more than Bullseye. It is fine grained enough to leak a few flakes out of powder measures that do not seal tightly at their rotor/slide. As long as it is not stored in the measure, I find it to meter very accurately. But I like Clay Dot better as a powder to replace Clays. Or even Red Dot or 700-X. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I have used Clays & Titegroup since I started shooting CAS. Clays in the shotgun, Titegroup in the pistol & rifle. My load for pistol & rifle use the same powder charge for both with a 125 gr in pistol & 147 gr in the rifle. Several years ago started using magnum primers as that was all available and have not bothered to switch back. No temperature issues ever, no position issues either. About 2000 rounds per pound. Meters great (+/- .1 gr) no clumping (although I typically load 1000 in an evening, dump extra back into container then repeat next month or so). Very snappy & loud but I have gotten used to it. Regards Gateway Kid PS yesterday our Sportsmans Warehouse had Titegroup in both 4# & 8# kegs in stock @ $75/$140 respectively Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Whiskers Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I started with Titegroup when I bought my 550 7 or so years ago. A fellow shooter recommended it since I was just starting out. It's all I've used since. I tried Clays for the heck of it, but went back to TG after 1 pound because of the amount used. I get quite a few more rounds out of a pound of TG and no temp or case sensitivity like Clays can have up here in the northern late fall and early spring months, as in 25-40 above temps. I load mostly 38's now, but also load 44-40, 45acp, have loaded 44 mag for a friend and used to load 357 when a friend had a Rossi 92. As for primers, I use both magnum and non magnum primers and they all go bang with the TG regardless of the temp. We don't get the humidity up here, so if I'm going to be loading a week or so after I've loaded up some rounds, I leave the powder in the powder measure. But I do use a sandwich bag that I put over the top of it and then place the top cap back on. It seals the measure quite well and I've never had any clumping of the powder doing that. If it'll be several weeks before I get back to loading, then the powder goes back into the bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Bullweed Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I bought out a reloader getting out of the hobby and ended up with ten partial powder cans. Clays, for me, was soft but dirty like Bullseye in .357, .44 Special and .45 Colt loads for CAS. Titegroup is cleaner and acts much like W-231 with near factory loads in .38-40 and .45 Colt loads. It is my #2 smokeless powder. I prefer Reddot over any other powder for CAS loads. It is one of the lower priced powders, meters well, is clean and has consistent combustion with mild loads and hard crimps. It is also a good 12 gage powder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil_Rob Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Titegroup has a very bad habit of clumping tightly if left in powder measures in hot moist weather, then the powder measure can bridge over and drop light charges! Put all unused TG powder back in the original jar, even overnight. The clumps have been so bad on some of my loading with TG as to required a pencil erase end poked down into the clumps to break them up. Otherwise, an excellent, accurate, hot, case smudging, loud and sharp recoiling powder, due to it's extremely high content of nitroglycerin, even more than Bullseye. It is fine grained enough to leak a few flakes out of powder measures that do not seal tightly at their rotor/slide. As long as it is not stored in the measure, I find it to meter very accurately. But I like Clay Dot better as a powder to replace Clays. Or even Red Dot or 700-X. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil_Rob Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Titegroup has a very bad habit of clumping tightly if left in powder measures in hot moist weather, then the powder measure can bridge over and drop light charges! Put all unused TG powder back in the original jar, even overnight. The clumps have been so bad on some of my loading with TG as to required a pencil erase end poked down into the clumps to break them up. Otherwise, an excellent, accurate, hot, case smudging, loud and sharp recoiling powder, due to it's extremely high content of nitroglycerin, even more than Bullseye. It is fine grained enough to leak a few flakes out of powder measures that do not seal tightly at their rotor/slide. As long as it is not stored in the measure, I find it to meter very accurately. But I like Clay Dot better as a powder to replace Clays. Or even Red Dot or 700-X. Good luck, GJ Had mine clummp up on me last year didn't find it till after I had loaded a few 100 rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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